Department of Sociology

LATS 2300. Introduction to Latina/o Studies.

This course surveys Latina/o studies as an academic discipline, analyzing historical developments, demographic patterns, and cultural dynamics. Students analyze the formation of Latina/o identities and evaluate their significance within U.S. social, political, and institutional contexts. Topics include migration histories, cultural production, and social institutions. Emphasis is placed on scholarly inquiry, comparative analysis, and multidisciplinary approaches to interpreting Latina/o experiences. (MULT).

LATS 4300. Independent Study in Latina/o Studies.

This course provides an opportunity for independent research in Latina/o Studies under faculty supervision. Students examine specialized topics through the analysis of scholarly literature, application of appropriate research methods, and synthesis of findings into a structured project. Course requirements include an oral presentation and an instructor-approved bibliography. Emphasis is placed on inquiry-based learning and the development of advanced analytical and research skills consistent with disciplinary standards.(MULT) (WI) Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

LATS 4325. Latina/o Communities, and Societal Transformations.

This course provides an overview of Latina/o studies, focusing on social continuities and structural dynamics in U.S. society. Students will analyze the interplay of community, leadership, and public policy within historical and contemporary contexts. The course emphasizes inquiry-based approaches for students to evaluate scholarly interpretations and methodological tools used to understand Latina/o communities. Comparative analysis will be applied to explore community trends and interdisciplinary frameworks. (MULT) Prerequisite: LATS 2300 with a minimum grade of a “C”.

SOCI 1310. Introduction to Sociology.

This course explores sociological approaches to understanding interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions. Students analyze how social structures shape cultural norms and influence behavior through examination of sociological theories and empirical studies. The course emphasizes interpretation of demographic and behavioral data, application of sociological frameworks, and evaluation of research findings. Students construct evidence-based explanations for social patterns and develop analytical competencies in sociological inquiry.

SOCI 3307. Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences.

This course introduces students to the application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques used in the behavioral sciences. Students learn how to summarize, analyze, and interpret quantitative data using commonly employed statistical procedures such as measures of central tendency, variability, correlation, hypothesis testing, and basic regression. Emphasis is placed on understanding statistical reasoning, selecting appropriate analytical tools, and evaluating research findings within behavioral science contexts. The course also develops students’ ability to read and interpret statistical outputs, communicate quantitative results accurately, and apply statistical concepts to real-world research questions. Statistical software may be used to provide hands-on experience with data analysis.

SOCI 3317. Popular Culture & Society.

This course examines major forms of popular culture—including film, television, music, sports, fashion, festivals, online media, and contemporary folklore—as sociological phenomena. Students analyze how cultural artifacts and practices gain social meaning, circulate through communities, and influence patterns of identity, interaction, and collective experience. Using empirical and theoretical tools, the course investigates how audiences interpret cultural materials and how media industries shape their production and distribution. Emphasis is placed on understanding popular culture as a site where social norms, values, and power relations are expressed, negotiated, and challenged. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students develop skills in interpreting cultural texts, identifying patterns of cultural consumption, and situating popular culture within broader social structures.

SOCI 3318. Applied Data Analysis.

This course provides an applied introduction to quantitative data analysis used in sociological research. Students learn how to manage, analyze, and interpret social data using statistical software packages. The course emphasizes appropriate selection and application of statistical procedures, clear communication of results, and recognition of methodological limitations. Students develop practical skills through hands‑on exercises, focusing on how empirical evidence is produced and evaluated in the social sciences. No prior technical background is assumed beyond the prerequisite course. Prerequisite: SOCI 3307 with a grade of "D" or better or instructor approval.

SOCI 3320. Population Dynamics.

This course examines the composition, distribution, and change of human populations through an evidence‑based and comparative framework. Students study fertility, mortality, migration, population structure, and demographic transitions while exploring how social, economic, environmental, and political factors shape population trends. The course emphasizes empirical methods used in population research and the interpretation of demographic data. Students analyze historical and contemporary cases to understand population growth, decline, and movement. Ethical questions related to population issues are presented as topics for inquiry rather than predetermined conclusions. By the end of the course, students will be able to evaluate demographic patterns and communicate findings using standard sociological concepts.

SOCI 3322. Sociology of Latinos & Immigration.

This course introduces students to sociological approaches used to study Latinas/os and Latina/o immigration to the United States. Topics include demographic change, migration pathways, community formation, and the social factors that influence mobility and adaptation. Students examine how scholars investigate immigration through theory, data, and methodological tools. Attention is given to understanding how public discussions and policy contexts shape research questions. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply sociological concepts to interpret patterns of movement, identity formation, and social change affecting Latino groups.

SOCI 3323. Sociology of Consumption.

This course examines consumption as a central feature of social life in the United States and other contemporary societies. Students analyze how consumption practices shape identities, social relationships, cultural meanings, and institutional arrangements. The course investigates scholarly debates about the social, economic, and environmental consequences associated with consumption without prescribing specific policy or behavioral positions. Emphasis is placed on historical developments, comparative perspectives, and sociological approaches to understanding how consumption patterns emerge, persist, and change across groups and contexts.

SOCI 3324. Social Stratification.

This course examines sociological approaches to understanding how societies organize and distribute resources, opportunities, and privileges. Students analyze empirical research on income, education, occupation, political systems, and other institutional contexts to understand how patterns of inequality emerge and persist. The course emphasizes theories, measurement tools, and methodological approaches used to study stratification in a variety of forms, supporting analysis of empirical evidence. Attention is given to comparative, historical, and contemporary cases to explore the diverse ways inequality is structured across societies.

SOCI 3325. Social Deviance.

This course introduces major sociological approaches to understanding deviance as a social construct and as a feature of social organization. Students examine how definitions of deviance emerge, how they vary across groups and institutions, and how social processes shape the identification, labeling, and interpretation of deviant behavior. Topics may include theories of deviance, rule-making, social control, stigma, and empirical research on selected forms of deviance. Emphasis is placed on understanding deviance as an object of sociological inquiry rather than as a moral category, enabling students to analyze how societies define, respond to, and manage behaviors and conditions considered outside normative expectations.

SOCI 3327. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity.

This course explores sociological approaches to understanding race and ethnicity, with emphasis on structural and cultural dimensions of intergroup relations. The course examines demographic data, policy contexts, and theoretical models used to explain patterns of stratification and social change in the United States. Using scholarly literature and empirical evidence, students analyze social processes, evaluate competing explanations, and synthesize findings relevant to sociological inquiry.

SOCI 3328. Complex Organizations.

This course examines the structure, function, and development of complex organizations, including bureaucracies and professional institutions. Students analyze how organizational arrangements shape behaviors, roles, decision-making processes, and interactions between individuals, groups, and institutions. The course introduces major theoretical perspectives, empirical research traditions, and methodological approaches used to study organizations in contemporary societies. Emphasis is placed on understanding organizational authority, communication, professionalization, and the relationship between organizations and broader social, economic, and institutional environments. Topics are presented as objects of scholarly inquiry rather than as prescriptive models, allowing students to evaluate organizational patterns and their implications across varied settings.

SOCI 3329. Life Course Sociology.

This course surveys sociological theories and research methods used in the study of the human life course. Students learn how scholars conceptualize stages, transitions, and pathways and how these processes relate to social institutions, cultural expectations, and historical change. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of research designs and comparative theoretical analysis.

SOCI 3330. Globalization and Development.

This course examines sociological approaches to globalization and development as interconnected social processes. It surveys major theoretical traditions, patterns of global economic integration, cultural exchange, political institutions, and demographic change. Students analyze how globalization shapes social structures across regions, and how nations and communities respond to global economic, political, and cultural pressures. The course also explores research on development indicators, security, human‑rights frameworks, and democratization as topics of empirical study rather than policy prescription. Emphasis is placed on comparative analysis, methodological diversity, and scholarly debates concerning long‑term global change.

SOCI 3331. Social Movements.

This course examines social movements as social and political phenomena that seek to influence public life in diverse ways. Students explore classic and contemporary theories of social movements and apply them to empirical cases from different historical periods and ideological positions. Topics include movement emergence, identity formation, leadership and organization, mobilization strategies, framing processes, interactions with opponents and authorities, and trajectories of growth, institutionalization, and decline. The course emphasizes critical analysis of how movements define their goals and tactics, and how participants, targets, and broader publics interpret movement activities.

SOCI 3333. Sociology of Popular Music.

This course examines the relationships between popular music, culture, and social life in the United States. Students analyze a variety of musical genres—including blues, gospel, ragtime, jazz, country, swing, rock, disco, punk, alternative, and rap—as sociological artifacts shaped by historical, economic, and cultural forces. The course investigates how music reflects social identities, collective experiences, and institutional structures, as well as how audiences interpret meaning within musical forms. Emphasis is placed on sociological theories, empirical methods, and the critical study of music as a cultural product.

SOCI 3334. Mind and Society.

This course introduces students to key approaches used to study mental health and illness within the social and behavioral sciences. Sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives are examined to understand how definitions, experiences, and explanations emerge. Students analyze variation in mental health across groups and settings, the role of contextual factors, and the development of treatment systems. The course highlights historical trends, research findings, and institutional practices to show how mental health frameworks evolve in relation to social forces. Students evaluate evidence and engage with competing interpretations without being asked to adopt any particular stance. Emphasis is placed on analytical reasoning, methodological clarity, and value‑neutral engagement with complex topics.

SOCI 3335. Sociology of Religion: A Global Perspective.

This course introduces students to sociological tools and concepts used to analyze religion and religiosity in diverse cultural settings. Students examine the work of classic and contemporary theorists to understand how religion functions within societies, how it intersects with institutions, and how individuals and groups experience religious life. The course emphasizes empirical approaches to studying religious beliefs, practices, organizations, and symbols across global contexts. Students will explore how social structures shape religious expression and how religion influences social behavior, identity formation, and patterns of inclusion and exclusion. Throughout the course, religion is treated as an object of study rather than a system requiring adherence or critique.

SOCI 3337. The Family.

This course provides a sociological study of the family as a central social institution. Students explore cultural, historical, and contemporary variations in family forms, considering how social norms, economic conditions, and demographic patterns shape family life. Emphasis is placed on understanding families through empirical inquiry rather than promoting specific policy or ideological positions. Topics include kinship, marriage, parenting, household organization, and family responses to social change. Students gain experience interpreting research findings and evaluating how sociologists analyze patterns of stability and change in varied family arrangements.

SOCI 3338. Family Problems.

This course examines sociological perspectives on family-related challenges, including abuse, illness, poverty, unemployment, and demographic changes such as aging and teen pregnancy. Students analyze theoretical frameworks and evaluate empirical research to examine how social structures and cultural norms shape family experiences. The course also examines global traditions and practices influencing family organization. Emphasis is placed on interpreting data and applying sociological concepts to explain patterns and variation in family life across diverse contexts.

SOCI 3340. Sociology of Sport.

This course examines sociological theories and empirical research related to sport, and its relevance, and impact on society. Students analyze how organized and informal recreational activities reflect broader social structures, including institutions, group behavior, identity formation, and patterns of participation. Topics include social meanings of sport and competition, youth sports, and how different populations experience sport. The analytical focus encourages independent evaluation of sociological frameworks.

SOCI 3343. Criminology.

This course examines major criminological theories, empirical research findings, and methodological approaches used to analyze the emergence of crime, criminal behavior, and societal responses to law-breaking. Students study historical and contemporary explanations of crime, the operation of criminal justice institutions, and variations in crime patterns across groups, places, and time. The course emphasizes how criminologists develop and evaluate evidence-based explanations. Students engage with research on offending, victimization, and punishment while learning to distinguish theoretical claims, empirical findings, and normative judgments. The course prepares students to analyze crime as a social phenomenon and to assess criminological arguments with clarity, evidence, and methodological awareness.

SOCI 3347. Juvenile Delinquency.

This course examines juvenile delinquency as a social phenomenon through empirical research and sociological theory. Students explore patterns of youth offending, the social conditions associated with delinquent behavior, and the ways families, schools, peers, and communities influence developmental pathways. The course analyzes how the juvenile justice system responds to young people through prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation practices. Attention is given to historical and contemporary trends, major theoretical frameworks, and methodological approaches used to study delinquency. Students evaluate evidence‑based findings, compare explanations across perspectives, and consider how social institutions shape outcomes for youth.

SOCI 3349. Drugs and Society.

This course examines the social contexts in which drug use, regulation, and control occur, emphasizing how social factors, institutions, and cultural meanings shape individual and collective experiences. Students analyze sociological theories, empirical research, and methodological approaches used to study drug‑related behaviors. The course considers historical and contemporary patterns of drug use, public responses, and the role of social institutions. By treating drug‑related issues as sociological phenomena, the course supports students in evaluating evidence, understanding multiple perspectives, and forming independent conclusions within a structured analytical framework.

SOCI 3350. Gender and Society.

This course explores the sociological study of gender, focusing on its origins, variations, and consequences within social systems. Students examine major theories and research findings to explore the dynamics of gender across cultures worldwide. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of gender relations and the societal implications of such changes, including their impact on family structures, marriage, and intimate relationships. By engaging with empirical evidence and theoretical arguments, students develop the ability to critically assess claims about gender and its role in shaping social organization and individual experiences.

SOCI 3353. Urban Sociology.

This course examines cities and urban life through sociological frameworks from early settlements to contemporary global metropolitan systems. Students investigate demographic transitions, urban political economy, ecological models of urban organization, and processes such as gentrification, suburbanization, and spatial planning. Additional topics include neighborhood formation, temporal organization of urban life, and housing and homelessness as social phenomena. The course emphasizes evaluating theories, empirical research, and comparative case studies to understand how urban environments develop, function, and change over time. Students will engage with a range of scholarly approaches that illustrate the complexity of urban systems and the diverse factors shaping social life within cities.

SOCI 3358. Work & Society.

This course examines sociological research on work, occupations, and labor markets, with attention to how work is organized, how it changes over time, and how individuals experience workplace opportunities and constraints. Students study empirical findings on job structures, technological and economic shifts, employment relations, and patterns of mobility and unemployment. The course also analyzes how organizations shape work roles and how different groups encounter varied work outcomes. Through readings and discussion, students learn to interpret sociological evidence, compare theoretical explanations, and evaluate how work affects social life.

SOCI 3363. Medical Sociology: The Sociology of Health & Illness.

This course introduces students to major theories, concepts, and research methods in medical sociology. Topics include population health trends, social determinants of illness, changing patterns in acute and chronic disease, and the organization of health‑care systems. Students examine relationships among patients, practitioners, and institutions using empirical studies from social epidemiology. The course emphasizes the sociological investigation of health as a social process, encouraging students to analyze data, interpret research findings, and understand how social environments influence disease distribution, treatment practices, and health‑related behaviors.

SOCI 3365. Society and Environment.

This course introduces students to the field of environmental sociology, focusing on how sociologists study interactions between human societies and the physical environment. Students examine empirical research from interdisciplinary approaches to understand how social structures, institutions, and policies influence environmental outcomes. Topics may include social and economic organization, environmental decision‑making, and the relationships between social systems and ecological conditions. Emphasis is placed on analyzing research, evaluating theoretical perspectives, and developing evidence‑based interpretations of socio‑environmental issues.

SOCI 3367. Sustainable Cities.

This course is a one-semester introduction designed for undergraduates to study issues surrounding the complex socio-historical relationship between environmental change and urban settlements. The course aims to develop a broad understanding of key issues, concepts, processes and debates from a social scientific perspective. We will pursue this objective through reading, discussion, and analysis of key theories and methodologies as well as their implications for contemporary environmental change. Per the TSUS Board of Regents, this course will not advocate in favor of political and economic ideologies (e.g., democracy and capitalism) and it will follow the legal framework of environmental justice, which says that nobody should be treated differently based on protected categories.

SOCI 3372. Food and Society.

This course examines the sociological study of food as a social and cultural phenomenon. Students analyze how societies define and construct “food,” how individuals and groups acquire and distribute it, and how these processes connect to health, economic systems, and environmental conditions. The course explores food‑related institutions, social inequalities, and cultural practices without prescribing particular perspectives or policy preferences. Through sociological frameworks, students study how race‑ethnicity, social class, gender, and other factors shape food experiences and meanings. Emphasis is placed on empirical research, analytical reasoning, and understanding food as a subject of scholarly inquiry.

SOCI 3375N. Urban Sociology in Comparative Perspective.

This course explores major themes in urban sociology using London and selected American cities as comparative cases. Students examine the development of urban spaces, the formation of cultural and economic institutions, and the ways planning, migration, and neighborhood change influence social life. The course introduces key sociological theories of urbanization and incorporates empirical studies to illustrate how urban researchers analyze contemporary issues. By comparing cities across national and historical contexts, students gain an understanding of how structural forces and local decision‑making shape the lived experience of urban communities.

SOCI 3375O. Culture and Society in Comparative Perspective.

This course examines cultural processes and social phenomena in comparative context, with a particular emphasis on England and the United States. Students study cultural change, diffusion, and the ways social concerns such as gender, inequality, subcultures, and popular culture emerge across different settings. Using sociological theories and empirical approaches, the course analyzes how cultural meanings are produced, maintained, and contested in varied environments. Comparative case studies allow students to explore similarities and differences in social practices, institutional patterns, and everyday life. The course positions cultural and social dynamics as objects of analysis and encourages students to engage in evidence‑based reasoning about the factors that shape cultural expression and social behavior.

SOCI 3375Q. Climate Change and Society.

This course examines sociological research on how social structures, cultural norms, and institutional practices are analyzed in relation to climate change. Using environmental sociology theories, students analyze public responses, policy developments, and scholarly explanations of human–environment interactions. The course evaluates empirical research on social factors associated with environmental change, including adaptation and mitigation strategies. Students also assess studies of inequality, community vulnerability, and analytical frameworks commonly used in environmental justice research, with emphasis on sociological methods and evidence-based reasoning.

SOCI 3375R. Creating Connections.

This course examines the sociology of human connections, from close friendships and families to community organizations and large-scale social networks. Students investigate how physical and digital environments are associated with patterns of interaction, participation, and social support across different groups. Topics include theories of social capital, third places, civil society, and research on technology’s relationship to face‑to‑face and online interaction. Through readings, discussions, and applied research projects, students analyze empirical evidence on changing forms of connection and disconnection in contemporary societies. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of competing perspectives without prescribing particular policy solutions or personal choices about connection.

SOCI 3375S. Social Psychology.

This course examines how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts through the lens of social constructionism, symbolic interactionism, and identity theory. Students explore how social reality is constructed through interaction, language, and shared meaning-making processes. Topics include the development of self and identity, impression management, emotional labor, socialization processes, and the social construction of knowledge. Through classic and contemporary readings, experiential activities, and applied research, students analyze how micro-level interactions shape macro-level social patterns and how social structures influence individual experience.

SOCI 3383. Aging and Society.

This course analyzes the process of aging primarily within the United States. It emphasizes three dimensions of aging: individual life course, social environments, and institutional responses. Students examine empirical studies, sociodemographic indicators, and policy initiatives that address aging-related challenges. Instruction emphasizes examination of sociocultural, behavioral, and psychological perspectives of age- and aging-related issues using sociological thinking. Analytical outcomes focus on comparing theoretical approaches, assessing evidence quality, and synthesizing findings to explain how aging is shaped by social context.

SOCI 3384. The Sociology of Death & Dying.

This course explores how societies understand, structure, and respond to death and dying. Drawing on classical and contemporary sociological research, students investigate the social meanings of death, the organization of end‑of‑life care, cultural variation in mourning rituals, and the social psychological dimensions of bereavement. The course highlights how social institutions—including families, healthcare organizations, religious institutions, and governments—shape both individual and collective experiences of mortality. The course emphasizes evidence‑based inquiry while supporting students’ ability to form independent interpretations of complex social phenomena.

SOCI 3390. Technology and Society.

This course examines the reciprocal relationship between technological change and social life, drawing on history, sociology, and philosophy of technology. Students analyze competing theoretical frameworks, including social constructivism, technological momentum, and related perspectives, and apply them to case studies spanning proto-human hunter and gatherers, through Tang Dynasty China, and up to the present. Topics include transformative technologies, automation, artificial intelligence, surveillance, and the politics of knowledge. Students evaluate how technological systems develop, diffuse across cultures, and interact with social institutions, developing analytical tools for assessing current debates about topics including AI and the consequences of living within complex sociotechnical systems.

SOCI 3395. Sociology of Sexuality.

This course examines sexuality as a sociological domain of inquiry, focusing on how societies describe, categorize, and interpret sexual identities, behaviors, and norms. Students study major theoretical frameworks—including social constructionist, essentialist, and biosocial perspectives—and analyze how each explains patterns of sexual behavior across cultures and historical periods. Topics may include identity formation, intimacy, desire, social regulation, stigma, and the relationship between sexuality and institutions such as family, medicine, law, and media. Emphasis is placed on empirical research, comparative analysis, and understanding how different models shape scholarly debates.

SOCI 4306. Sociological Theory.

This course introduces students to major traditions in sociological theory and examines how scholars have used theoretical frameworks to interpret social structure, interaction, and change. Students study classical contributions alongside contemporary developments that extend or critique earlier approaches. Emphasis is placed on understanding functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interaction, and other influential perspectives as analytical tools used within the discipline. By comparing assumptions, concepts, and explanatory models, students learn to evaluate how theories guide empirical research and shape sociological questions. The course treats theories as objects of study and encourages students to develop their own informed assessments of theoretical strengths and limitations. (WI) Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

SOCI 4308. Quantitative Research Methods.

This course introduces key concepts, designs, and analytical procedures used in quantitative sociological research. Students learn how to formulate testable research questions, operationalize variables, evaluate measurement quality, and apply statistical techniques appropriate for social data. Emphasis is placed on understanding research design, assessing evidence, and interpreting quantitative findings using real‑world datasets such as the General Social Survey. Students complete structured research exercises leading to a written analysis of secondary data and practice evaluating the strengths and limitations of published empirical studies. The course develops foundational skills necessary for conducting independent inquiry, interpreting statistical information, and engaging in evidence‑based reasoning within the discipline of sociology. (WI) Prerequisite: SOCI 3307 with a grade of "D" or better. Corequisite: SOCI 3318 with a grade of "D" or better.

SOCI 4309. Qualitative Research Methods.

This course introduces students to the principles, logic, and practices of qualitative research in sociology. Students examine major methodological traditions, including interviewing, observation, and document analysis, while learning how researchers design studies, gather data, and interpret findings. Emphasis is placed on evaluating the strengths and limitations of different approaches and understanding the relationship between research questions and methodological choices. Students will prepare a qualitative study proposal grounded in a systematic review of sociological literature and aligned with ethical standards in research practice. (WI) Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

SOCI 4360. Directed Study.

This course provides advanced undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue an individualized program of sociological study under faculty supervision. Students design and complete a focused project such as a literature review, theoretical analysis, methodological study, or applied research inquiry on a topic within sociology. The course emphasizes independent scholarly work, critical engagement with sociological literature, and regular consultation with the supervising faculty member. Specific topics, readings, methods, and deliverables are determined collaboratively at the outset of the semester and documented in a learning agreement. The course may be repeated for credit when the topic or emphasis differs substantially. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

SOCI 4690. Internship in Applied Sociology.

This course provides supervised work experience in a professional setting relevant to students’ career interests in applied sociology. Students complete a 300‑hour internship for 15 weeks during long semesters or 10 weeks in the summer, accompanied by scheduled seminars focused on workplace communication, professional conduct, and the application of sociological tools. The internship emphasizes observation, documentation, and analysis of organizational processes and sociological applications in real‑world contexts. This course is limited to BSAS majors who meet all prerequisites and may be taken for credit only once.