SOCIOLOGY COURSES (SOC)
125 Sociology of Social Problems (3)
Sociological perspectives on selected contemporary social problems such as crime, poverty, hunger, racial and sexual discrimination, alcohol and drug abuse, the threat of war; examination of theories and research on social problems; analysis of possible solutions. Every second semester.
151 Introduction to Sociology (3)
Scientific study of human society, of how individuals and groups adjust to each other and to their social environment; examination of varying research approaches; consideration of basic concepts, theories, and principles of explanation used by sociologists. Every semester.
199r Special Projects (1-4)
Individual or group projects. On demand.
209 Population and Society (3)
The study of population growth and decline, composition and distribution, and the interrelated effects of economics, social structures, and environment resources. Special emphasis is placed on problems of urbanization and population policies. Every third semester.
215 The Sociology of the Family (3)
The study of modern marriage and family institutions from sociological and social psychological perspectives; the social factors of mate selection, kinship relationships and sexual behavior; evaluations of research findings and emerging trends. Every semester.
219 Deviance and Conformity (3)
A social and social psychological introduction to the nature and consequences of “normal” and “deviant” behavior. Theories of deviance with particular attention to role theory and labeling theory in the areas of crime and mental illness. Every third semester.
220 Small Group Behavior (3)
Social relationships and interaction within small groups in various contexts; review of major field and laboratory studies on leadership, communication, problem-solving, and personal satisfactions; experience in techniques of observation, role playing, and sociometric research. Every fourth semester.
250 Social Statistics (3)
Basic statistical techniques such as frequency distributions and graphs, the normal curve, tests of significance, correlation, simple analysis of variance, and applications to sociocultural data and their interpretation. Spring semester. Prerequisite: Two years of high school algebra and UTC Math Placement Level 20 or Math 106 with minimum grade of C. Credit not allowed in Sociology 250 after earned hours in any other statistics course.
300 Urban Sociology (3)
Analysis of how urban areas grow and are spatially organized. Examination of the cultures, social stratification systems, and modes of governance in contemporary American cities. Emphasis on urban problems. Every third semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
305 Minorities in American Life (3)
Character and role of racial, religious, and ethnic minorities in the U.S.; the interplay of historical and current sociocultural processes on attitudes and behavior for both dominant and minority groups; minority-related social problems and their possibilities of solution. Spring semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
307 Gender and Society (3)
Analysis of how ideas about gender are socially constructed and the importance of women-centered theories on this approach; the interplay of gender and various social structures including education, religion, politics, family, health, work and sexuality. Prerequisite: 3 hours Sociology or approval of instructor. May be registered as Women’s Studies 307. Credit not allowed in both Sociology 307 and Women’s Studies 307.
310 Sociology of Religion (3)
Social and cultural interpretations of religious institutions and the relation of religion to the social order; major emphasis upon theory and research in the context of Western Christian civilization. Every fourth semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course, philosophy or religion, or approval of instructor.
312 Classical Social Theory (3)
A systematic examination of the important classical social theorists. Those theorists who have had enduring historical and/or theoretical importance will be emphasized. Topics include: Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, George Simmel, George Herbert Mead, Alfred Schutz and Karl Mannheim. Every fall semester. Prerequisites: Sociology 151.
313 Modern Social Theory (3)
A systematic examination of the important theoretical schools of thought. Ideas that have important implications for the modern world will be emphasized. Topics include: structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, the critical school, neo-Marxian theory, feminist theory, identity theory, queer theory, postmodern theory, and metatheory. Every spring semester. Prerequisite: Sociology 312.
314 Research Methods (3)
The nature of the scientific method and research as applied to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of social and cultural data. An introduction to selected basic techniques in research and the preparation of research proposals. Fall semester. Prerequisite: A statistics course (Sociology 250 recommended); Sociology 151, or Anthropology 152 or 208, or approval of instructor. May be registered as Anthropology 314. Credit not allowed in both Sociology 314 and Anthropology 314.
317 Organizational Behavior (3)
Structure of social relationships in organizational life: common patterns in development and operation of bureaucratic systems and their effect upon personal values and individual behavior applications in modern education, industry, government, and institutional life. Every third semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
318 Industrial Sociology (3)
Social organization and process within the formal and informal structure of the industrial unit, evolution of stratification systems, the Industrial Revolution, bureaucratization and the individual, the implications of industrialization and urbanization for human relations in the work process. Every fourth semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
319 Work and Society
In this course, students will gain a critical understanding of one of the most dominant spheres in society by examining the world of work. Prerequisite: Any general education Behavioral or Social Science course, or approval of instructor.
321 Criminology (3)
The nature of crime, criminal statistics, causal factors, theories and procedures in prevention and treatment. Every third semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
322 Juvenile Delinquency (3)
The nature of juvenile delinquency; factors contributing to delinquency; methods of diagnosis and treatment of delinquent behavior; prevention of delinquency. Spring semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
323 Sociology of Corrections (3)
Historical and cross-cultural study of adult detention, punishment, and rehabilitation systems. Examination of political and social values as they relate to corrections. Every fourth semester. Prerequisite: any general education Behavioral and Social Science course or approval of instructor.
331 Social Psychology (3)
Every semester. See Psychology 331.
335 History of Social Thought (3)
Trends in beliefs and values regarding human society and social interaction from ancient times through the mid-19th century. Emphasis on the interrelationships between social thought and social context. Every fourth semester. Prerequisite: three hours Sociology or approval of instructor.
