Sociology

Basic sociological concepts and processes. Social structure, deviance, change, and progress.This course satisfies the Modes of Inquiry requirement for Understanding the Individual and Society.

Introduction to the mechanisms through which inequality operates historically and today. Exploration of similarities and differences between and among forms of oppression and ways in which issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect. Three semeser hours.

Introduction to the wide variety of human societies and cultures. The basic building blocks of human societies, illustrated by examining western and non-western cultures. Economic structure, society and ecology, kinship and social organization, religion and cosmology, political organization, social inequality and stratification, gender roles, colonialism and exposure to advanced technological societies, and cultural autonomy and cultural survival.

Basic sociological concepts and processes in the healthcare context. It presents significant research and theory in areas such as culture, social structure, socialization, deviance, social stratification and social institutions. This course is designed specifically for future healthcare professions. Note: Students can get credit for SOCI 101 or SOCI 105, but not both. 

Natural forces influential in shaping cultural patterns that evolved in human history. Relationship of humankind to such elements as climate, terrain, vegetation, and world location. Cultural forces affecting humankind.

Contexts and range of tasks confronting modern societies in using the law as a special type of process that restores, maintains, or corrects the four basic functions of the law: resolution of disputes, facilitation and protection of voluntary arrangements, molding moral and legal conceptions of a society, and maintenance of historical continuity and consistency of doctrine.

Characteristic cultural features, social organizations, and special problems associated with populations in different areas of the world. Varying focus from year to year, including East Asia, Native Americans, and African Americans.

Introduction to the study of crime, including its definition, measurement, and correlates. Examination of classical and contemporary theories of deviance and crime as well as the social responses to crime and their effects on offenders, victims, and society-at-large. Evaluation of commonly-used sources of crime statistics at the local, state, and federal levels.

Comparative, historical, and contemporary analysis of European and American families. The interplay of economic, social, demographic, and legal forces on family formation, child-rearing, marriage, divorce, separation, fertility, patriarchy, and social definitions of gender in Europe from the Middle Ages to the end of the nineteenth century and in the United States from 1900.This course satisfies the Modes of Inquiry requirement for Understanding the Individual and Society.

The study of population, its dynamics and composition, over time and across regions and nations. The role of the economy, disease, war, the state, and social variables such as ethnicity and income in shaping fertility, mortality, marriage, migration, and family formation. Effects of these demographic factors on economic, social, political, and military policy.

Development of a global sociological perspective on environmental issues and investigation of relationships between various environmental and social problems and the role of political, social, and economic factors in shaping our interation with the natural world. Examination of key environmental problems may include environment and health, disaster, environmental policy, environmental risk, human and animal interactions, environmental justice and social movements.

Exploration of the cultural significance of consumption in modern social life. Introduction to works by classic and contemporary sociologists who examine and critique consumer society. Analysis of the role played by modern consumer society in shaping and organizing personal identity. Examination of the social and environmental consequences of consumer society on local, national and global communities.

Examines leading perspectives and theories in the field of social stratification with attention to issues of the distribution of income and wealth both nationally and globally. Other topics covered include class mobility, an exploration of the institutions through which class inequality and mobility are structured and reproduced such as the family, education, and the criminal justice system, and the role of political power in determining the distribution of resources.

Introduction to social theoretical conceptualizations of gender and sexuality. Exploration of structural determinants of major social institutions in shaping gender roles and effects of gender roles on institutions. Exploration of inequalities and social justice issues, including inequalities, associated with sex, gender, and sexuality in the U.S. Three semester hours.

Examination of pressing social problems and issues facing American society and the world, including crime and violence; work and unemployment; development and human rights; and economic, racial, and gender inequality. Emphasizes the institutional bases of social problems and employs key sociological perspectives to evaluate their causes, consequences, and possible solutions.

Examine the contemporary food system by looking at food production, distribution, preparation and consumption through the lens of food justice. Apply diverse theoretical, applied and ethical perspectives, including gender, race and ethnicity, social class, economic, environmental and health to an analysis of the food system. Examine food justice organizations/movements working to create healthy and sustainable food systems, with a particular focus on rural food systems.

How social theory can be used to understand the connections between individual bodies and society as a whole. Exploration of current issues of the body, including: body image, eating disorders, health/well-being, media coverage, social control, and economic relationships/work. Contextualization of how bodies are related to inequality, including: race, gender/sex, sexuality, disability, and class.

Evaluation of health issues from a sociological perspective, specifically focusing on the ties between social structure and individual/community health. Exploration of social determinants of health and health disparities as well as the healthcare system in the U.S. Engagement with local healthcare providers, policies, and issues.

The study of race and ethnicity in defining peoples and cultures; in delineating boundaries of social interaction and discourse; in establishing enduring patterns of interpersonal and institutional discrimination, prejudice, and persecution; and in creating sectional and national conflict. The history of race and ethnicity in the United States and elsewhere, as well as current research on the biological and social bases of race and ethnicity.

Hands-on research, assisting with faculty research projects.

Hands-on research, assisting with faculty research projects.

Hands-on research, assisting with faculty research projects.

How socially-constructed race, class, gender, and sexuality roles influence the lives of women and men in the United States. Similarities and differences between and among forms of oppression and ways in which issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect. Public policies related to these issues. Strategies for coalition-building and redefining differences. Participation in a service project. This course satisfies the proficiency requirement for Ethical Reasoning in the disciplines.

Examination of the causes and consequences of social problems and issues facing American society, emphasizing the institutional bases of social problems. Development of the necessary skills to analyze and develop related policy approaches grounded in a social justice model. 

Study of the contemporary American religious landscape, using current literature and survey data on the range of religious affiliation, participation, beliefs, and practices.

Major schools of social science thought, with primary emphasis on sociology. Ideas of significant theorists considered with reference to their lives and sociohistorical contexts. This course satisfies the proficiency requirement for Written Communication in the disciplines.

The political roles, attitudes, and status of women worldwide, including assessments of women’s participation, cultural empowerment, and access to resources across diverse case studies and regions of the world. Emphasis on women and political activism, the construction of gender roles for political purposes, and the impact of globalization on women.

Selected topics chosen by instructors in response to student needs and interests. One to three semester hours. May be re-taken for credit for different topics.

Behavior of the individual in social settings. Social and cultural influences on behavior, language and communication, attitudes and opinions, interpersonal relations, and group processes.

History and contemporary issues in general and special education. Historical, philosophical, social, political, and cultural factors affecting the nature of schooling, curriculum, and individual education attainment for students with and without disabilities. Legal aspects, regulatory requirements, and expectations associated with identification, education, and evaluation of students with and without disabilities. Virginia Standards of Learning and the organization of schools.

Selected issues and problems; research implications of the work of representative researchers. This course satisfies the proficiency requirement for Oral Communication in the disciplines.

Uses of sociology in non-academic settings. Place of theory and methods in evaluation and problem solving. Normally taken in conjunction with an internship experience.

Advanced study in a selected area of sociology, under the supervision of a faculty member. Preparation of papers and reports.

Applied research experience jointly supervised by the department and a professional in the field. Although the usual internship will carry either three or six hours credit, a student may elect to arrange an internship carrying between two and six hours credit with the permission of the department. Each hour of credit will require forty hours at the internship site.

Applied research experience jointly supervised by the department and a professional in the field. Although the usual internship will carry either three or six hours credit, a student may elect to arrange an internship carrying between two and six hours credit with the permission of the department. Each hour of credit will require forty hours at the internship site.

Independent research in a special topic for honors.

Independent research in a special topic for honors.