We are one of a few programs on campus that offers an Academic Concentration, which we believe can help students be more marketable while \u2018shopping\u2019 for a university or on the job market. An Academic Concentration is roughly comparable to a \u2018minor\u2019 at most four-year institutions. To learn more, visit Academic Concentration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What impacts do society and culture have on you and your choices? How is inequality embedded in society and what power do we, as individuals, have in transforming the world around us? Explore a broad introduction to sociology and learn useful ways to observe and analyze your own life, as well as the lives of others. Themes may include identity development, race, media, deviance, gender, culture, and social class.<\/p> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n What does it mean to be Black in the U.S.? How does racism from the past impact the present? How have Black communities resisted oppression, thus transforming U.S. society? Discover the central role Black voices have had in U.S. society. Themes may include Black resistance in the form of art, music, athletics, and culture as well as pressing social issues that Black people experience today.<\/p> Black history is<\/strong> 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\u2019ll 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 \u2013 music, athletics, art \u2013 have had worldwide, lasting impacts as well. This engaging course examines the fundamental ways in which the \u201cBlack experience\u201d is the quintessential \u201cAmerican experience.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can one person make a difference? What does making a difference look like? Using literature, film, music, and news media to look at past and present social movements, examine what makes us engage in acts of political protest, and critically analyze why some resistance efforts are successful and others are not.<\/p> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n What are the challenges of being a young person in U.S. society, and how do young people negotiate those challenges? Investigate the experiences of children and youth, and learn to apply sociological thinking to everyday life. Themes may include racial and gender identity development, friendships and dating, sports, peer pressure, and social problems that impact youth.<\/p> 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\u2019s 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 <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you know a social problem when you see one? Are you a part of the solution or part of the problem? Investigate contemporary social issues such as homelessness, violence and war, racism, education in America, and\/or the criminal justice system and learn how individuals and groups can combat major problems facing us today.<\/p> Violence and bullying, crime, poverty, teenage pregnancy, terrorism, and war \u2013 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 \u2013 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 \u201csocial,\u201d and you will explore how sociologists identify and study social problems. Finally, you will discover how the sociological approach differs from everyday, \u201ccommon sense\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes culture \u00bfpopular\u00bf? What can we learn about our society by studying popular culture? How does popular culture impact our identities? Discover the dynamic role popular culture plays in society and its impact on our everyday lives. Themes may include advertising, consumerism, music, gaming, fashion, memes, movies and shows, and social media.<\/p> 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 \u201cpopular?\u201d 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?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u201cread\u201d popular culture much like a text. This course touches upon a wide range of popular culture \u201ctexts,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n Does media reflect culture or does culture reflect media? In what ways does media transform the lives of the people who consume it? How has media evolved in the last few decades? Explore the ways in which media has changed our daily lives by impacting our ways of thinking and accessing and creating knowledge. Themes may include movies and shows, social media, streaming, news media, and the social history of media.<\/p> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n Are sports an avenue for personal empowerment or a path to exploitation? What do sports mean in society? Study the ways in which sports are embedded within social systems such as the economy, government, and education. Themes may include race, class and gender issues, crime and violence, activism, popular culture, and the economic and environmental impact of sport.<\/p> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n Is free and equal access to education a myth? What role do education and schools play in society? How does schooling shape individuals’ identities? Examine how educational systems influence and are influenced by people and societies. Themes may include race, class, and gender inequalities, access and challenges to college success, for-profit education, standardized testing, and current political controversies surrounding schools.<\/p> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n How do we become who we are? How are our Selves shaped in a busy, ever-changing world? In this introduction to social psychology from a sociological perspective, topics focus on identity development and the Self in all social institutions including family, social networks, and cultural environments.<\/p> (This course was formerly called “Social Psychology.” This class is an introduction to sociological social psychology.) <\/em>Ever wonder how people arrive at their decisions and how those decisions impact people\u2019s 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\u2019ll examine the sociological imagination, and you\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n\n\n How does the social world contribute to sickness and well-being? How do individuals\u00bf experience with healthcare systems impact health outcomes? How do race, gender, sexuality, class, and age impact access to medical care? This course examines the major frameworks of medical sociology, an important perspective for patients and practitioners alike. Themes may include healthcare institutions, social causes of illness, and health, illness, death, and longevity across different groups.<\/p> 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?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n Is religion only for the religious? What role does religion play in our everyday lives? How is religion infused throughout the social world? Explore the sociological phenomenon of religion, religious life, and the impact of religion on secular spheres of life. Themes may include popular culture, how race and gender intersect with religion, spirituality, new religious movements, the political and economic impacts of religion, and social change.<\/p> What role does religion play in modern American society? How \u201creligious\u201d are we as a people? What is the difference between \u201creligion\u201d and \u201cspirituality?\u201d Explore these questions, and more, as you critically engage the relationship religion has with American Society. This course goes far beyond a \u201cwho believes what\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is Public Health, and how does it differ from Health Care? Investigate the role of the American Public Health system and how it impacts different groups across racial, class, and gender lines. Themes may include the social history of Public Health, needle exchange programs, and germ panic in America.<\/p> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n What is \u00bfdisability\u00bf? What does it mean to be a person living with a disability? Explore how history and culture shape the experiences of people with disabilities. Topics include eugenics, representations like the \u00bffreak show,\u00bf the Disability Rights Movement, and the relationship of disability, gender, race, and class.<\/p> What is disability? How have history, society, and culture dealt with disability as both an identity<\/em> 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 \u2018medical model\u2019 and the \u2018social model\u2019 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.<\/p>\n\n\n What does it mean to be young, middle-aged, or elderly in American society? Examine coming-of-age and transitions in life from a sociological perspective. Themes may include rites of passage, age discrimination, work and retirement, sexuality and relationships, health, illness, and caregiving.<\/p> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n Got a job? Need a job? Don’t want a job? What does it mean to be a worker? Understand the complexities of workers, poverty, and social reform. See yourself as a worker, and understand what that may mean. Topics may include unions, the class system in the U.S., inequalities produced under capitalism, and the idea of a \u00bfgood job.\u00bf<\/p> Explore the sociohistorical meaning of the phrase \u201cGet a Job!\u201d 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 \u201cgood job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n What does it mean to be a \u00bfreal man\u00bf and is this in conflict with being a \u00bfgood man\u00bf? What are the challenges of living up to the ideals of masculinity? How is gender changing? Learn to critically examine how masculinity impacts everyone. Themes may include sports, risk-taking behaviors, male bonding, toxic masculinity, gender equity, and the effects of race, class, sexuality, age, and (dis)ability on men.<\/p> This course takes a more-focused look at gender by studying masculinities in depth. Explore the social construction of masculinities and men\u2019s 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!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSOC& 101:<\/strong> Introduction to Sociology 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Baby](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2025\/01\/Ad-Baby.jpg\")
What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n
SOC 105:<\/strong> Sociology of Black Communities 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Black-power-215x300-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n
SOC 122:<\/strong> Activism and Social Change 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Protesters](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Activism-300x263-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 150:<\/strong> The Social Lives of Children and Youth 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Asian-Female-Rapper1-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n
SOC& 201:<\/strong> Social Problems 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/bullying-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n
SOC 210:<\/strong> Pop Culture 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Homer](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/homer-simpson-elvis-255x300-150x150.gif\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 215:<\/strong> Media, Culture and Society 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Little](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/poltergeist-300x272-150x150.gif\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 222:<\/strong> Sports in Society 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"NFL](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2020\/10\/Colin-Kaepernick-Kneeling-198x300.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
SOC 230:<\/strong> Education and Society 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Education-300x226-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 240:<\/strong> Identity, Self, and Social Interaction 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Eye](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Eye3-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 244:<\/strong> Healthcare and Society 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Protesting](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2020\/02\/Health-care-3-300x214.jpg\")
<\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 246:<\/strong> Religion and Our Social World 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Picture](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Religious-symbols-296x300-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n
SOC 248:<\/strong> Public Health Around the Globe 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Cartoon](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Public-Health-300x285-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 249:<\/strong> Disability in Society 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Disability](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Disability-in-Society-300x2601-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 250:<\/strong> Growing Up and Older in America 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Elderly](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Aging-207x300-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 252:<\/strong> Work and the Culture of Employment 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\""Be](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/Happy-worker-300x231-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSOC 253:<\/strong> Men and Masculinities 5 cr<\/abbr>.<\/span><\/h2>
\n\n\n![\"Liberate](\"https:\/\/www.bellevuecollege.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/117\/2014\/05\/liberate-our-minds-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/span>What to Expect in This Class:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n