Our Courses

We offer an incredibly broad range of Sociology courses, probably more courses than any other 2-year institution in the nation. Currently, we have close to 30 exciting courses in our rotating curriculum. In addition to the classics of Sociology such as Introduction to Sociology, Deviance, Race & Ethnicity, and Dating, Relationships & Families, we offer courses with such wide-ranging topics as Sexualities, Sports, Religion, Food, Death & Dying, Education, Gender & Masculinities, Popular Culture, Disabilities, and Children & Youth, among many more. No matter your interests and no matter the field or career you decide to pursue, we believe that the things you can learn in a Sociology class will be useful to you in a practical way. If you will need to work with or understand people, Sociology can help. Take a look at what we have to offer below; we think you’ll find something of interest to you.  All Sociology courses are five (5) credits.

If you’d like to know which courses we plan to offer in upcoming academic years, visit our Projected Annual Schedule.  Please note that this schedule is tentative and subject to change.

We are one of a few programs on campus that offers an Academic Concentration, which we believe can help students be more marketable while ‘shopping’ for a university or on the job market. An Academic Concentration is roughly comparable to a ‘minor’ at most four-year institutions. To learn more, visit Academic Concentration.


SOC& 101: Introduction to Sociology – 5 credits

Baby covered in advertisementsWhat to Expect in This Class:

This course provides you with a broad introduction to the field of Sociology, exploring topics such as deviance, structural inequality, social construction, and how social institutions (such as media, government, the economy, education, etc.) shape our lives.  This is an interactive class where you will learn by doing.  You will be encouraged to begin observing and analyzing your own life, as well as the lives of those around you, by exploring the ways in which society and culture profoundly influences our everyday lives.  Students who take this class often tell us that it changed their view of the world, empowering them to think differently about their own lives and the lives of others.

Two Black athletes showing a "Black Power" salute on the medal podium at the 1968 OlympicsWhat to Expect in This Class:

Black history is American history.  This course examines the central role Black communities have played in American society. This course has an historical component (but certainly a sociological history!), as it examines the impact of long-term institutional and individual racism.  You will explore Black social and political empowerment in the form of music, the arts, athletics, and culture.  You’ll learn about Black social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement and Black nationalism.  Black social movements have transformed American society, even providing models for other social movements to follow.  And other elements of Black culture – music, athletics, art – have had worldwide, lasting impacts as well.  This engaging course examines the fundamental ways in which the “Black experience” is the quintessential “American experience.”  Students of all races and ethnicities enroll in this class, a class that has a lot of film, discussion, and important dialogue, and they tell us that their view of the world shifts after taking this course.

SOC 122: Activism and Social Change – 5 credits

Protesters holding a sign that reads "I can't believe we still have to protest this crap."What to Expect in This Class:

This course provides historic and contemporary perspectives on social change, social movements, and activism.  You will be exposed to an overview of social movements, and you’ll examine examples of activist voices in television, film, the arts, and/or popular music.  Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement, Environmental Movement, and Gay and Lesbian Movement, among others, may be covered.  This course pays close attention to the ways in which activism is represented in our culture, and it examines a variety of methods used to enact social change.  Course concepts and themes will be demonstrated through lectures, discussions, readings, multi-media presentations, and possible guest lectures. 

SOC 150: The Social Lives of Children and Youth – 5 credits

Young Asian female in baseball cap and headphonesWhat to Expect in This Class:

This is an introductory-level course that applies fundamental sociological principles and concepts to the experiences of being a young person in America.  Students will focus primarily on the following sociological questions: How do we become who we are? What is the role of our families, our schools and friends, and the media in shaping us? Why do children’s lives differ from one another? What are the challenges of being a young person, and how do young people negotiate those challenges? Although we have noted that oftentimes students who enroll in this course are nannies, coaches, future teachers, and parents, please know that this is not a parenting class.  In light of this, we have had many students in this class who have told us that it changed the way they thought about and treated young people, including their own children.  Nevertheless, we think this is a very useful course for anyone who will be interacting with kids and youth.

SOC& 201: Social Problems – 5 credits

Photo of a student about to kick another student in a school hallway (bullying)What to Expect in This Class:

Violence and bullying, crime, poverty, teenage pregnancy, terrorism, and war – these are just a few of the social problems that affect everyone, regardless of our positions in American society.  We all must deal with social problems in one way or another on a nearly daily basis – even if we are not consciously aware.   In this dynamic, thought-provoking class, students will explore social problems using a sociological perspective.  You will learn what exactly makes a social problem “social,”  and you will explore how sociologists identify and study social problems.  Finally, you will discover how the sociological approach differs from everyday, “common sense” explanations.  Each quarter, your instructor will focus on specific social problems facing Americans today, discussing the causes of and solutions to them.  This course is designed for the beginning sociology student and thus serves as a broad introduction to the discipline of sociology.

SOC 210: Pop Culture – 5 credits

Homer Simpson dressed as ElvisWhat to Expect in This Class:

In recent decades, popular culture has become increasingly central to social life in America.  In fact, popular culture plays a vital role in shaping not only how we think about ourselves and each other, but also about the larger world around us.  In this class, you will learn how to analyze popular culture from a sociological perspective, so you will watch and consume a LOT of popular culture over the quarter.  Some of the key questions examined are: What makes culture “popular?”  Who are the creators of popular culture?  How does popular culture impact our lives?  What can we learn about who we are as a people by studying popular culture?

By the end of the quarter, you should be able to critically analyze popular culture by placing it within a broader social context.  You might learn how to “read” popular culture much like a text.  This course touches upon a wide range of popular culture “texts,” from commodities and advertisements to movies and television to music and fashion.  Students who take this class tell us that they think about popular culture in a very different way as a result of what they’ve learned.

SOC 215: Media, Culture and Society – 5 credits

Little girl with her hands on a television screen (from the movie Poltergeist)What to Expect in This Class:

Undoubtedly, the media have a profound effect on contemporary American society.  Social media has transformed our social relationships, and the internet has shaped how we think about much of the world.  This course examines the sociohistorical development of the media by asking questions such as: are the media a reflection of who we are, or do they create who we are?  What role does the media play in our consumer economy?  How has the content changed over the decades, and how have these changes impacted our society?  In this class, you should come prepared to engage with a LOT of media in a new, thought-provoking way.  You will talk and write about what you’ve seen, and you’ll likely never look at the media in the same way again.

SOC 222: Sports in Society – 5 credits

NFL Player Kneeling to Protest Racial Injustice

What to Expect in This Class:

This class explores the deep social complexities of sports and athletics in America.  What role do politics and social dynamics have on our playing fields and in our locker rooms?  How are major corporations and organizations turning sports into a money-making machine?  In what ways have sports long been an outlet for political protest and social causes?  What role in our culture do sports play?  In this interactive course, students will engage with a wide range of materials – readings, films, lectures, websites, etc. – as they grapple with the very important and influential world of sports.

SOC 230: Education and Society – 5 credits

Kids raising their hands in a classroomWhat to Expect in This Class:

Examine the crucial roles education and schools play in society. Why go to school?  How are private schools different from public schools?  Why is there such a huge gap in quality in our public schools?  How do schools both encourage and discourage social change? How can we improve our schools?  This class untangles such complex issues as differences in education, segregation, affirmative action, the economics of schooling, school reform, political controversies about schools, and the culture of schools in America.  This class is great for anyone interested in the state of schooling in America.

SOC 240: Identity, Self, and Social Interaction – 5 credits

Eye looking through a holeWhat to Expect in This Class:

(This course was formerly called “Social Psychology.” This class is an introduction to sociological social psychology.)  Ever wonder how people arrive at their decisions and how those decisions impact people’s lives? One of the fundamental elements of this course is to assist you to think about the dynamic interplay between individuals and society. Social psychology provides explanations of the complex relationship between how people live, why people live in a particular way, and what difference culture and group membership has on people, institutions, and systems. This course is designed to assist students with their analytical and critical thinking skills. You’ll examine the sociological imagination, and you’ll explore the structure of society and the relationships of individuals to these structures. After taking this class, you will better understand your own behavior as well as the behaviors of others.

SOC 244: Healthcare and Society – 5 credits

Protesting for healthcareWhat to Expect in This Class:

How is healthcare structured in the US, and how are our lives impacted by it? This course will examine the major frameworks and sociological understandings of health and the healthcare system. Through a social and cultural lens, we will examine hospital and health care delivery institutions. We will ask probing questions about the distribution of health, illness, death, and longevity across socioeconomic strata and population subgroups. How does identification with certain subgroups of race, gender, sexuality status, class position, and age impact health and illness outcomes? In other words, how and why does the medical system provide better outcomes for some groups and not others?

SOC 246: Religion and Our Social World – 5 credits

Picture of most religious symbolsWhat to Expect in This Class:

What role does religion play in modern American society?  How “religious” are we as a people?  What is the difference between “religion” and “spirituality?”  Explore these questions, and more, as you critically engage the relationship religion has with American Society.  This course goes far beyond a “who believes what” approach.  Expect to examine the relationship between religious beliefs and our major social institutions, such as government, the economy, and schools.  You may also study cults, popular culture, death and dying, and/or social change.  Some instructors require students to attend a religious event or service over the course of the quarter, and to write/reflect on what they’ve observed.  Either way, this is a very discussion-provoking course that oftentimes challenges students’ misperceptions about the roles of religion in contemporary society.

SOC 248: Public Health Around the Globe – 5 credits

Cartoon of vampire about to bite a woman who is saying, "I'd better warn you - I've high cholesterol!"What to Expect in This Class:

COVID.  Bird flu. HIV/AIDS.  Teen pregnancy.  Every few years, a new public health issue seems to capture the interest of Americans.  What exactly is Public Health, and how does it differ from Health Care? Investigate the role of the American Public Health system and learn how it impacts all of us.

SOC 249: Disability in Society – 5 credits

Disability Justice advocatesWhat to Expect in This Class:

What is disability? How have history, society, and culture dealt with disability as both an identity and a category of people? After unpacking the definition of disability, students will look at different forms of historical oppression of the disabled such as eugenics and the freak show. You will then learn the difference between the ‘medical model’ and the ‘social model’ of disability, and this shift in perspective may just transform your view of disabled people. Students will also seek to understand some important sociological texts and personal narratives dealing with disability as a social phenomenon. You will also examine the Disability Rights Movement, from the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act to the development of Universal Design. This course will include compelling, powerful documentaries and video clips pertaining to disability in society, and students will engage in meaningful discussion and writing.  This is a cutting-edge, fast-growing, and exciting area of sociology.

SOC 250: Growing Up and Older in America – 5 credits

Elderly woman doing a leg split up a stop signWhat to Expect in This Class:

Study how the experience of aging affects individuals, families, and society. What does it mean to be young, middle-aged, or elderly in American society? What are our rites of passage, and how have they changed over time?  What impact will our aging population have on the remainder of society, including our economy?  Examine the social transitions of life from a sociological perspective. Themes may include rites of passage, age discrimination, work and retirement, sexuality and relationships, health, illness and caregiving.

SOC 252: Work and the Culture of Employment – 5 credits

"Be A Happy Worker" signWhat to Expect in This Class:

Explore the sociohistorical meaning of the phrase “Get a Job!” Understand the complexities of workers, employers, and social reform related to work. Topics may include social change, government policies, unions, and the cultural idea of a “good job.”

SOC 253: Men and Masculinities – 5 credits

Liberate Our Minds At Any Cost poster with Malcolm X holding a gunWhat to Expect in This Class:

This course takes a more-focused look at gender by studying masculinities in depth.  Explore the social construction of masculinities and men’s lives.  Masculinities, in its various forms, shapes the lives of both women and men, and this course will examine the construction, reproduction, and impact of masculinities on the institutions of education, work, religion, sports, family, media, and the military, to name a few.  This course involves many films and discussions, particularly since masculinity is so rarely discussed in our culture.  Oftentimes, we’ve noticed students in this class saying things like, “I’ve never thought of that before, but you’re right!”

SOC 254: Gender in the Social World – 5 credits

Artistic photo of androgynous personWhat to Expect in This Class:

What does it mean to be a “man” or a “woman?”  Is one born a “man” or “woman,” or does society make “men” and “women?”  This course deeply explores our complex social ideas about masculinity and femininity.  You will explore the ways in which gender organizes our lives, shaping our everyday interactions with others.  This class examines the small gendered things we all do everyday as well as gendered institutions (such as the economy and mass media).  Students frequently tell us that, after taking this class, they can’t look at the world the same way again.  You’ll learn that social and cultural ideas about gender are embedded in almost everything that we do.  You’ll reflect on the course material, and you’ll apply it to your own life.  Come prepared to watch films, participate in activities, discuss gender in your own life, and dialogue on important topics.

SOC 255: Dating, Relationships, and Families – 5 credits

Photo of lesbian couple with their childrenWhat to Expect in This Class:

Families are among the most dramatic social relationships in the world, as they can lead to both sheer joy and extreme pain.  We might be thrilled to date, fall in love, or have children, but we may also experience deep sorrow from abuse, separation or divorce, and the death of a loved one.  Although the experiences of families are often mundane (imagine the daily routines of household chores, for example), they can also sometimes be equally thrilling (imagine having your first child).  Indeed, families are a paradox in multiple ways.

For most of us, the family was central to our personal development as human beings.  In our families – no matter what our families “looked” like and no matter the struggles we faced within them – we learned to become who we are.  Likewise, families are central in the structure of societies.  Families nurture, prepare, and train workers for the economy.  Families also teach us culture and values, allowing the society to survive.  Families are so important, in fact, that many scholars argue that individuals and societies would not exist without them.  In this class, you will examine several aspects of the family using a sociological perspective.  You’ll study the crucial interaction between families and other social institutions (like the economy and government).  You’ll explore the social patterns and characteristics of families in America.  You’ll learn about diversity within families (e.g. no two children come from the same family), and you’ll study a wide range of family forms.  Our overarching goal for the quarter is to place families in a social context.  Indeed, families do not exist independently of their societies.  Please note that this is not a “how to have a good relationship” class, although students do tell us that the research we talk about in this class does give them many good ideas!

SOC 256: Sex and Sexualities – 5 credits

Yin Yang design from above on two white and black bodiesWhat to Expect in This Class:

This is not a “how to have sex” class, and it’s not a sex ed course; this is a course that studies a wide range of sexual phenomena from a sociological perspective.

We live in a society where sex is everywhere – on television and radio, in movies and the arts, on bus stop billboards and magazine advertisements.  We talk about sex at home, in school, on Capitol Hill, and at work.  We call people studs, sluts, pimps, whores, and prudes.  Sex is all around us, touching nearly every aspect of our lives – yet we rarely take the time to study it.  Sex is tied up with history, culture, politics, and power.  This class explores these connections in depth.  The major goal is to understand how the larger social environment fundamentally shapes our intimate, private sex lives for better or worse.  You will probably look at sex and sexuality in a very different way after taking this class. 

SOC 258: Bodies in Society – 5 credits

Photo of the movie Batman with Robin and BatgirlWhat to Expect in This Class:

How do societies and cultures perceive and group people according to their bodies?  What impact does your body have on your social experiences?  This course explores the ways in which cultural ideas about the body fundamentally drive social arrangements.  How do we attempt to convey who we are by controlling and/or manipulating our bodies?  Why do we adorn our bodies, pierce and tattoo our bodies, and surgically alter our bodies?  This is an active learning class, where students explore a wide range of bodily phenomena, from plastic surgery to eating disorders and the diet industry to tattooing and scarification to disability.  Please know that this course discusses some topics that are sensitive to students.

SOC 260: Death and Dying – 5 credits

Cartoon of a corpse with a sign readings "The Business of Death"What to Expect in This Class:

In this is deeply profound class, examine the process and experience of “death” as well as cultural understandings of “dying.”  You will learn about the business and economics of death (i.e. the money that’s made surrounding death), religious beliefs about death, popular culture representations of death and dying, and the impact of death and illness on survivors.  This class may very well be one of the highlights of your educational experiences, as it deals with topics that all of us will face at some point or another.

SOC 262: Race Matters: Racism in the U.S. – 5 credits

Photo of graffiti that reads "You are on Indian land"What to Expect in This Class:

Race and ethnicity remain hot topics in American society.  Good friends, even family members, often disagree about racial issues.  Are we in a “post-race” America?  Is there a level playing field?  Do we still need affirmative action?  This course provides an overview of the social scientific research on race. Themes include the sociohistorical construction of racial categories, contemporary representations of race in pop culture, and political and social controversies about race. 

SOC 264: Intersections of Inequality and Identity – 5 credits

Photos of racially diverse peopleWhat to Expect in This Class:

Decades of research have shown the degree of social inequality that has existed in our society.  Until the 1990s, most sociologists talked about inequality along just one variable or identity – such as race or gender.  But in recent years, scholars have attempted to understand the relationship between these phenomena.  For example, upon first glance we might conclude that there are certain social expectations women are supposed to follow, and there are different social expectations for men.  But it’s more complicated than that, however, as not all women have the same social expectations placed upon them, nor do all men.  Some women, by virtue of their social class, are likely expected to work for most of their lives (maybe waiting tables, or doing bookkeeping or housekeeping), while other women are socially discouraged from working (perhaps to raise kids, attend college, frequent social events, or raise monies for charity).  So the reality is that we can’t talk about the expectations of gender without also talking about how it differs by class or by race or by sexual orientation. This course students will study race, class, and gender not as separate entities, but as entities that intersect and interact with one another.  Students will examine the intersections, interconnections, tensions, and harmonies of race, class, gender, and sexuality.  This “intersectional” approach is comparatively “new” in the social sciences, and it is at the forefront of a more-complex way of thinking about human beings.

SOC 265: City Life and Culture – 5 credits

Photo of urban highway overpassesWhat to Expect in This Class:

This course takes the Urban Center as its focus in order to better understand the many complexities of the culture of city life over time in America.  The City will also be looked upon as a metaphor for social change, public life, conflict, order, and the history in which we create and engage.  The city is a social, cultural, historical, and political phenomenon that changes as quickly as societies may “naturally” shift.  We might look at urban renewal, architecture, immigration, gentrification, suburbanization, the arts, and urban sprawl, paying close attention to wealth, poverty, and crime.  Course concepts will be demonstrated through lectures, readings, multi-media presentations, and library research.   **PLEASE NOTE: You may be required to make weekly visits to a city while enrolled in this class.**

SOC 268: You Are What You Eat: Food In Society – 5 credits

Computer generated photo of a Starbucks in every directionWhat to Expect in This Class:

Most Americans know little about the food we eat.  Perhaps this morning, as you opened your favorite box of cereal and read the label, you were taken aback at the number of unrecognizable ingredients.  You might have wondered, “What is all of this stuff?  Is it good for me?  Why am I eating things I don’t recognize?”’  Those are certainly important questions, but if we think even more deeply, perhaps about the more hidden, social aspects of food, even more questions arise.  “Why is the vast majority of our society’s food processed and full of additives?  Since it hasn’t always been this way, how did we get to this point?  Where do all these ingredients come from?  Who are the people who produced my cereal…the farmers, the food chemists, the packers?  How are their lives similar to or different from mine?  Why is it relatively easy for me to have access to breakfast, whereas others are going hungry?”  Indeed, there are many, many social aspects to food production, distribution, and consumption, and this course examines all of these phenomena from a sociological perspective.  This means that the class will be asking different kinds of questions about food than you may at first be accustomed to.  For example, this class will attempt to answer the following:  Why do we eat what we do?  What does the food we eat reveal about who we are as a people?  From where does our food come?  Which people produce our food?  What kind of social system are we participating in when we eat cereal, a hamburger, a hot dog, or a salad?  Why do some societies have an overabundance of food and others not enough? Why do Americans sometimes have problematic relationships with food, leading to health problems, like obesity and eating disorders?  Indeed, food has many sociological “layers.”  The fact of the matter is that food connects us to a complex web of cultures and peoples around the globe – even though most of us are not consciously aware of this connection.  Drinking a cup of coffee may never be the same again.

Please note that, as sociology instructors, we do our best to integrate “active learning” into all of our classes.  In the case of this Food course, students may be required to do something like keep a food journal, visit a variety of restaurants, and/or participate in a potluck.  These activities vary depending on the instructor and course materials.

SOC 270: Deviance and Social Control – 5 credits

Photo of a preschooler giving someone the middle fingerWhat to Expect in This Class:

Some in academia used to joke that this core sociology class was a course about “sluts, nuts, and perverts.”  Although that view has faded away, this course does touch upon a wide range of human behaviors, including those that our culture defines a “unacceptable.” But it’s important to note that just about all of us engage in behaviors, express beliefs, or possess some set of physical traits that other people may not like or approve of, and just about all of us disapprove of some of the behaviors, beliefs, and/or traits of others.  The societal construction of deviance is undoubtedly a joint human enterprise.  Humans construct it together, as actors and audience; that is, we behave and others respond in a seemingly endless social “loop.”  Sometimes what we do pleases others and, in those cases, they socially reward us.  Sometimes, however, the exact same behavior may infuriate someone else.  Indeed, there is disagreement about what counts as “deviance” – what you consider “wrong” may be very different from what someone else considers “wrong.”

In this course, students will explore in depth the sociological idea of “deviance.”  You’ll look at how deviance is defined, constructed, and resisted in society, paying special attention to how power plays into all of this.  Who gets to decide what’s “right” and “wrong” in a society?  Who gets to punish others?  And how do the so-called “deviants” resist all of this?   Please be advised that this class addresses topics that are sometimes difficult and/or controversial.  This course involves films, discussions, and activities all aimed and increasing your critical understanding of deviance and rule-breaking.

SOC 275: Technology and Society – 5 credits

Deviance facebookWhat to Expect in This Class:

Fire. Tools.  Medicines.  Electricity.  Automobiles.  Cellphones.  Computers.  Artificial Intelligence. Over the course of human history, technological innovations have transformed the way in which we live our lives.  In modern society, virtually no aspect of our day-to-day lives remain untouched by technology.  In this fascinating and relevant class, analyze and discuss the myriad impacts technology has had on our lives.  How has it changed the way we interact with friends and family?  How has it changed the way we do business?  How has it changed the way we think of ourselves?  How has it driven the economy and even aided wars?  After taking this class, students are sure to understand and view technology in a new light.

SOC 278: Global Sociology – 5 credits

Image of earth with a large barcode across itWhat to Expect in This Class:

This class explores a variety of current political, economic, cultural, and social changes that are transforming our world. Investigate globalization and its consequences. Some of the key questions examined are: What does it mean to be a global citizen in the 21st century? What exactly is globalization?  How does it affect me anyway?  Embark on a virtual tour around the world to explore these and other vital questions. Using literature, art, music, history, film and popular culture, we will examine how countries are increasingly interconnected by flows of information, money, and people.

After completing this course, you will be able to argue the pros and cons of globalization, explain possibilities for the future of globalization, and articulate the impact of globalization on your own life.

 

Last Updated January 23, 2025