SOCIOLOGY (SOC) COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
1001 Freshman Topics in Sociology
(1-1) 1 hour credit.
Required for entering freshmen in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts with less than 15 hours of coursework and who are interested in majoring in Sociology. Includes critical study of topics in sociology. Innovative classroom and learning techniques are used to introduce students to these topics and to help strengthen critical thinking, problem solving, and writing skills. A maximum of 3 semester credit hours of freshman topics courses may apply to a bachelor’s degree. Specific topics may not be repeated.
1013 Introduction to Sociology [TCCN: SOCI 1301.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Introduces the study of human groups, the relations of individuals to groups, and the process of becoming a group member and functioning in a group setting. (Formerly titled Introduction to the Study of Society.)
2013 Social Problems [TCCN: SOCI 1306.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines major contemporary social problems and their causes and consequences. Topics may include poverty, racism, sexism, deviance and crime, drug and alcohol dependence, the urban crisis, overpopulation, and war.
2023 Drugs in Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Explores the use and abuse of mind-altering substances within society. Topics of study may include historical treatments of drug use, drug treatment and recovery interventions, the global magnitude of contemporary drug problems, and the problematic nature and consequences of drug legislation and enforcement.
3013 Social Stratification
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines theory and research pertaining to inequalities of power, prestige, and economic privilege. Major emphasis upon inequality and social mobility in the United States.
3023 Urban Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the development of modern world cities, the ecology of cities, the organization of cities, major social problems, and the social psychology of urban life.
3033 Population Dynamics
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
An examination of trends in mortality, fertility, and migration for selected countries, and their projected consequences. Associated population policies and options are considered.
3043 Race and Ethnic Relations
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the dominant-subordinate relations in world societies, with major emphasis on the United States. Models of assimilation, colonial and class society, and consequences for minority and majority populations may be examined.
3053 Deviance and Difference
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Analyzes the forms of deviance and consideration of social/political trends toward difference. An examination of theories may include: biological, analytic, labeling, functionalist, culture conflict, radical, and poststructuralist.
3063 Collective Behavior
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Focuses on case studies and associated theory dealing with various forms of collective behavior ranging from spontaneous events to organized mass movements.
3083 Social Change and Development
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Presents principal models and theories of social transformation applied to examples of societal change. Topics may include consideration of master trends such as rationalization, industrialization, and bureaucratization, and the expansion and contraction of global interconnectedness.
3093 Religion and Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Focuses on religious institutions and movements in the United States with comparative data from other countries. Topics may include the relationship of religious institutions to social stratification, economic institutions, and political and social change.
3103 Complex Organizations
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Examines the sociology of public and private bureaucratic organizations, the structure and behavior of management, and patterns of mobility within corporate organizations.
3113 Criminology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the nature, prevalence, and impact of different types of legal violations, including street crime, organized crime, political crime, and white-collar crime. Includes treatment of social and legal responses to crime.
3163 Families in Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the modern family, structures and functions, variant patterns and the influence of the broader society in producing family change. Contemporary and continuing issues are covered in the context of theory and research. Topics may include variability in childhood socialization, family violence, changing gender roles, marriage, divorce and remarriage, alternative family structures, and the aging family. (Formerly SOC 2053. Credit cannot be earned for both SOC 3163 and SOC 2053.) (Formerly titled Marriage and Family.)
3193 The Sociology of Work and Occupations
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Explores occupational structures in selected societies; the relationship between occupations and economic rewards, lifestyles, and worldview; and determinants of work satisfaction.
3203 Gerontology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the historical and cross-cultural differences in the status of the elderly in society. Includes interaction of the elderly with social institutions, and policy implications of the demographic shift toward an aging population in the United States.
3213 Medical Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines social factors in the cause and distribution of disease; relationships between patients and medical professionals; the contribution of lay belief to health, illness, treatment, and recovery; the organization of health-care delivery; and the disparities in the distribution of medical resources.
3223 Population Dynamics and Demographic Techniques
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Introduces the common methods, techniques, and models employed by demographers. Topics may include demographic data sources, introduction to life table techniques; construction, standardization, and decomposition of rates; measures of concentration and diversity; and population growth projections. Students will become familiar with microcomputer programs for demographic analysis. (Formerly titled Demographic Techniques.)
3253 The Individual and Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Examines the major theories dealing with the effects of culture and social structure on the development and functioning of the personality and the self.
3263 Latinas in U.S. Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Focuses on women of Latino descent in the United States with a comparative emphasis on the experiences of Texas Latinas relative to those residing elsewhere in the Southwest. Topics may include: historical presence in the Southwest; patriarchy and familism; labor and employment issues; immigration and border issues; political involvement and feminist vision; artistic, cultural and intellectual expression. (Same as WS 4853. Credit cannot be earned for both SOC 3263 and WS 4853 when topic is the same.)
3283 Poverty
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the causes and consequences of poverty in the United States and selected other societies. An examination of social programs designed to combat poverty.
3293 Gender Roles
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Explores the nature of gender roles in our own and other societies. Consideration of how people learn gender roles and the outcomes of this learning for individuals, families, and societies. Alternatives to conventional gender roles.
3313 Conceptualization and Measurement in Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Completion of the Core Curriculum requirement in mathematics and SOC 1013.
Introduces the use of conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement in the social sciences. Use of elementary measures of central tendency and dispersion, cross-tabulation, and linear model procedures to evaluate relationships among variables; problems of description and inference. Analysis of data sets using modern statistical packages including SPSS, SAS, S-Plus or STATA. Students should be able to conduct basic statistical analysis, interpret results and create tables and figures appropriate for research publication.
3323 Research Design and Application in Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Completion of the Core Curriculum requirement in mathematics and SOC 3313.
Introduces the philosophy of science and the logic of research design, including field, experimental, and survey projects. Methods of data gathering, analysis, and reporting applied to research on policy-relevant problems in the social sciences.
3343 Classical Sociological Theory
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Examines the transition from social philosophy to sociology, with special emphasis upon European theorists in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
3353 Contemporary Sociological Theory
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Examines the current trends in sociological theory, which may include contemporary functionalism, radical criticism, phenomenology and symbolic interactionism, structuralism and poststructuralism, feminism, cultural and postcolonial studies, and formal theory construction.
3373 Qualitative Research Methods
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Introduces the philosophy of science and research design, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, oral history, and focus groups through field research. The course provides opportunities for developing qualitative research skills while gaining familiarity with issues and problems common to these methods.
3383 Sociology of the African American Community
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the history, struggles, and diversity of the African American community through relevant sociological frameworks. Topics may include the historical role of African Americans within urban society, the current status of blacks in the United States, and contemporary social issues relevant to race.
3413 Sociology of the Mexican American Community
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Focuses on contemporary issues regarding Mexican American communities. Topics of discussion include family structure, gender roles, border issues and political power. Comparison with other minorities and the majority group will allow discussion of variant community patterns. (Formerly titled Mexican American Family.)
3423 Mass Media in Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines media production and its role in the economy; the construction of media meaning, signification, and ideology; and the role of the audience in making sense of messages. Larger issues of societal power will be treated, along with an examination of alternative media.
3433 Mexican Immigration and U.S. Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Focuses on the growth and development of the Mexican population in the United States and controversies around Mexican immigration, both legal and undocumented. Uses a sociological perspective to present a historical analysis of Mexican migration to the United States, theoretical explanations of migrations, and the social implications of these issues.
3463 Sociology of Sport and Leisure
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: SOC 1013.
Examines the social meanings of play and leisure in advanced industrial societies. Emphasis will be on the origins, structure, and function of these phenomena in the United States, with major emphasis on sport as an institution.
3473 Environmental Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines environmental problems in relation to social construction and social response. Topics may include divergent perspectives about the environment and natural resource use, the role of dominant institutions in environmental issues, environmental problems and conflicts within the contexts of economic inequality and racism, and social movement organizations and activities.
3503 Sociology of Education
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Explores education as an institution that affects and is affected by the larger social structure. Topics may include the role of schools in society; connections between schooling, stratification and the economy; gender and ethnic differences in achievement; and social and cultural contexts of learning.
3513 Children and Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the evolution of concepts of childhood over time. Topics may include theories of child development, cultural and social influences in child raising, the effects of affluence and poverty on children, children in postmodern societies, and child socialization in different cultures.
3533 Migration Dynamics and Transnational Relations
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Focuses on the development of political, economic, and cultural relations among nations, and the special characteristic of border regions. Examines the nature, causes, and consequences of population movements within and between societies. Topics may include historical patterns of migration, the impact of migration on sending and receiving communities, and issues of accommodation, assimilation and transnational identities. Emphasis will be given to the U.S.-Mexico border. (Formerly SOC 3073 and SSC 3533. Credit cannot be earned for more than one of the following: SOC 3533, SOC 3073, SSC 3533, or HIS 3533.) (Formerly titled Border and Transnational Relations.)
4003 Criminological Theory
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Explores criminological theory, beginning with a development of what constitutes theory and how it is formulated, tested, and evaluated. Students will have opportunities to review and critique the paradigms, models, and theories that attempt to explain criminal behavior.
4013 Public Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines the historical development, recent trends, and issues and debates that have shaped the intellectual development of public sociology. Explores public sociology as a model or approach that uses the discipline’s research tools to address public issues in a manner accessible to wider audiences beyond the academy. Readings from past and current public sociologists will be incorporated. Debates within the field about the validity of public sociology will also be discussed.
4023 Violence and Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Examines and assesses the major social science perspectives and theories that attempt to explain why violence occurs in society. (Formerly SSC 3203. Credit cannot be earned both for SOC 4023 and SSC 3203.)
4433 Culture and Society
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Explores the social significance of cultural production, including the relationships between art, consciousness, the economy, and history. Themes examined may include the social production of art, art and ideology, the problem of artistic reception, and art movements and cultural resistance. Topics include art and culture in minority social movements, the relation between high and low culture, and cultural conflict over art.
4853 Special Studies in Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Studies may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree. (Formerly SOC 4953. Credit may be earned both for SOC 4853 and SOC 4953 but may not exceed 6 semester credit hours combined.)
4863 Topics in Sociology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for a specialized topic not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Topics may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree.
4873 Sociology Senior Seminar
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Completion of theory and methods requirements and senior standing in the Sociology major.
Presented as a capstone course designed to integrate sociological theory and research methods and to guide students in the practice of Sociology. A research paper utilizing sociological information and an analysis derived from the individual student’s curriculum (whether quantitative or qualitative) is required. (Formerly SOC 4973. Credit cannot be earned both for SOC 4873 and SOC 4973.)
4911,3 Independent Study
1 or 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Permission in writing (form available) from the instructor, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the College in which the course is offered.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours of independent study, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree.
4933,6 Internship in Sociology
3 or 6 hours credit. Prerequisites: Completion of two upper-division sociology courses and consent of internship coordinator.
Provided as part of the COLFA Signature Experience and offers supervised work experience relevant to sociology within selected organizations and agencies. Internships selected should be relevant to previous coursework. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours may be earned through this internship.
4993 Honors Thesis
3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Enrollment limited to candidates for Honors in Sociology during the last two semesters.
Supervised research and preparation of an honors thesis. May be repeated once with advisor’s approval.