This course is designed to provide students with a sociological framework for analyzing gender arrangements in contemporary American society. It will examine the significance of social forces in shaping differences between men and women as well as the social problems created by rigid gender expectations. It will also explore gender inequality within major social institutions, focusing on mensand womens different experiences of and opportunities within work, family, sexuality, and medicine. Prerequisite: 125. SS

This course will examine, from a sociological perspective, the ways race and ethnicity matters in society and the consequence of how we organize these concepts for peoples lives. These questions will be addressed: How does race and ethnicity shape social life How do social inequalities get organized along racial lines How does race and ethnicity intersect with other social categories of difference (e.g., class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc) How have inequalities developed over time, and in what ways have they transformed How racism shapes and is shaped by media, aesthetics, social movements, politics, the economy, housing policy, education, the environment, the criminal justice system, immigration, and intimate relationships will be explored. Prerequisite: any 100-level VUSM course or transfer student placement. SJE, SS

Culture of pre-literate and contemporary societies. Concept of culture; elements of culture, including technology, economic and political organization, family and kinship, associations, ideology, arts, and language; dynamics of culture stability and change. SS

This course will provide an overview of research in the social sciences. In this course you will learn how to read and evaluate research methods and design your own research study. The course follows the basic steps in social science research: problem identification, research design, subject selection, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. In learning these steps, you will also be introduced to the dominant methods used in social science research: surveys, experiments, qualitative interviews, ethnography, program evaluation, and mixed methods. Prerequisite: 125.

Marriage-family complex as a social institution: variations, interrelationship of family to other social institutions, dating, marriage, childraising, divorce, death, and remarriage, contemporary issues in marriage and family life, and future of marriage and family. This course will empower the student to make more informed decisions about marriage and family life choices. SS

Non-classroom experiences in the field of sociology. Placements are off-campus, and may be full- or part-time, and with or without pay. Credit for experiences must be sought prior to occurance, and learning contracts must be submitted before the end of the first week of the semester. See the Experiential Learning: Internship section of this catalog for more details. Senior standing required. Graded CR/NC.

Independent reading and/or research under the supervision of a criminal justice faculty member. Refer to the academic policy section for independent study policy. Independent study contract is required. Prerequisite: 150. May be repeated for credit.

This course provides an applied and in-depth exploration of the assessment, management, and rehabilitation of offenders, emphasizing evidence-based practices in criminal and community justice, corrections, and policing. Students will develop a strong foundation of offender rehabilitation across diverse socioeconomic and demographic backgrounds while examining strength-based approaches for working with both offenders and victims. Prerequisite: 150.

Social psychology is a scientific area in the discipline of psychology that seeks an understanding of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. This course will focus on gaining an understanding of social psychological explanations for social influence and to improve understanding of common research methodologies utilized in social psychological research. Topics of study may include social cognition, attitudes and persuasion, errors of everyday human judgment, social influence, obedience and conformity, romantic attraction, morality and pro-social behavior, aggression, intergroup relations and prejudice, and group processes. Prerequisite: 171. SS

This course will introduce students to the theories and scientific methods that sociologists use to explain human behavior and describe the organization of society. Students will acquire a sociological perspective to analyze how individuals are products of their social environments. Students will also examine the social patterns that comprise systems of social inequality and major social institutions within contemporary American society. Prerequisite: any 100-level VUSM course or transfer student placement. LDW, SS