Course Descriptions | Department of Sociology

Course Descriptions

GRADUATE COURSES

SOCI 5030 - Work and Organizations
Theories of bureaucracy and related types of organizations; interrelationships of formal and informal organizations.
Meets with SOCI 6030.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5030 and SOCI 6030.

SOCI 5050 - Sociological Theory
Overview of the evolution, forms, and relations of classical and contemporary sociological theory. Focuses on the most influential classical and contemporary macro- and micro-sociological theories from the founding of sociology to the present day.
Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of advanced sociology.

SOCI 5100 - Social Psychology
Comparative analysis of the major sociological theories of social psychology.

SOCI 5200 - Research Methods and Design
Research designs; techniques of sampling and scaling; problems of reliability and validity; consideration of appropriate tests of association and significance.
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 3220 or equivalent, or consent of program chair or instructor.

SOCI 5202 Qualitative Research Methods
Qualitative research methods and hands-on training in observational and interview-based data collection.

SOCI 5203 - Social Science Text Mining
Text mining and text analysis methods for the social sciences. Covers principles of research design and ethics as they apply to text-based research, and major methodologies within social science text mining including topic models and opinion mining.

SOCI 5204 - Qualitative Data Analysis
Workshop-style seminar on how to code, analyze, and report qualitative research using digital tools.
Meets with SOCI 6204.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5204 and SOCI 6204.

SOCI 5210 - Introduction to Social Statistics
Probability theory, descriptive statistics, nonparametric statistics and the general linear model, including multiple regression analysis, and their application in sociological research.
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 3280 or equivalent.

SOCI 5230 - Data Management and Visualization
Managing data and effectively communicating results of quantitative analysis. Covers downloading, cleaning, recoding, transforming and visualization of data.

SOCI 5260 - Topics in Sociology
Graduate seminar devoted to investigation, analysis and discussion of significant problems in contemporary sociology. May be repeated for credit.

SOCI 5300 - Social Stratification
Types of stratification; theories of stratification and its function in society; the methodology of stratification studies.

SOCI 5301 - Intermediate Statistics: Multiple Regression Analysis and Related Methods in Sociology
Methodological training in regression analysis and related techniques with application toward student individual research projects.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of department.
Meets with SOCI 6301.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 6301 and SOCI 5301.

SOCI 5305 - Sociology of Gender
Explores sociological theories of gender. Presents foundational debates in the study of gender.

SOCI 5310 - Seminar on Occupations and Professions
Hierarchies of occupational status; work roles in relation to other social identities, power configurations and cultural norms; problems in measurement and theory of professionalization.

SOCI 5315 - Intersectionality
Theories, epistemologies, methods, and general paradigm of intersectionality. Tracks the origin of intersectional thought and its development from the earliest writings in the late 1800s to contemporary works.
Meets with SOCI 6515.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5315 and SOCI 6515.

SOCI 5320 - Seminar on the Family
Advanced studies of family roles, structures and cycles.
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 3000 or consent of department or instructor.

SOCI 5330 - Seminar on Race and Ethnicity
Historical and institutional theories of race relations; contemporary forms of racism; and exploration into possible social, institutional and policy solutions to the social problems linked to racism.

SOCI 5350 - Seminar on Urbanization
Application of ecological and demographic methods to the study of urban and metropolitan development; sociological aspects of urban and metropolitan problems and planning.

SOCI 5410 - Medical Sociology
Analysis of social factors in health and illness focusing on children and non-aged adults; organization of health care and the health professions for children and non-aged adults.

SOCI 5450 - Population and Society
Evaluation of demographic concepts and methods for the study of society; comparative analysis of population characteristics in various stages of socioeconomic development.

SOCI 5600 - Criminological Theory
Examination of the major theoretical explanations of criminality, the distribution of crime and the behavior of justice agencies.
Meets with SOCI 5600.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5600 and SOCI 6800.

SOCI 5700 - Health and Aging
Analysis of sociological and sociopsychological approaches to the study of aging with emphasis on consideration of current research.
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 4550 or consent of program chair.
Same as AGER 5700.
May be repeated for credit.

SOCI 5900/5910 - Special Problems
Open to advanced students capable of doing independent research under the direction of the instructor. To be registered for only on recommendation of the instructor and with the consent of department.

SOCI 5940 - Sociology Internship
Supervised work in an approved setting designed to maximize student's learning and application of professional skills.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of department or instructor.

SOCI 5950 - Master's Thesis
To be scheduled only with consent of department. 6 hours credit required. No credit assigned until thesis has been completed and filed with the graduate school. Continuous enrollment required once work on thesis has begun.
May be repeated for credit.

SOCI 6000 - Sociology Proseminar
Professional development seminar to develop the skills necessary to succeed as a professional sociologist. Includes preparation for academic and non-academic careers.

SOCI 6030 - Work and Organizations
Sociological theories of work and organizations that examine the features of work under capitalism, how organizations shape our working lives, and what the future of work may hold. Examines key debates around alienation and emotions, precarity and inequality, and unemployment and technology.
Meets with SOCI 5030.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 6030 and SOCI 5030.

SOCI 6101 - Seminar on Classical Sociological Theory
Advanced examination of a body of theory and method in classical sociology; a critical comparative analysis and interpretation of the contributions of the most relevant sociological theories and theorists from the second half of the 19th century through the early 20th century (ending with the late 1920s).

SOCI 6102 - Seminar on Contemporary Sociological Theory
Advanced examination of a body of theory and method in contemporary sociology; a critical comparative analysis and interpretation of the contributions of recent American and European sociologists; trends in modern theory.

SOCI 6201 - Quantitative Research Methods and Design
Advanced research designs; techniques of sampling and scaling; questionnaire construction, problems of reliability and validity; consideration of appropriate tests of association and significance.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of department.

SOCI 6202 - Qualitative Research Methods and Design
Theory and application of advanced qualitative methods to sociological data.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of department.

SOCI 6203 - Social Science Text Mining
Seminar on contemporary text mining research methods used in the social sciences. Principles of research design and research ethics as they apply to text-based social science research. Surveys major contemporary approaches to sociological text mining.
Prerequisite(s): Experience with social science research methods.

SOCI 6204 - Qualitative Data Analysis
Workshop-style seminar on how to code, analyze, and report qualitative research using digital tools.
Meets with SOCI 5204.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5204 and SOCI 6204.

SOCI 6301 - Intermediate Statistics: Multiple Regression Analysis and Related Methods in Sociology
Application of regression and related methods to analyze data in sociology and related disciplines. Topics include bivariate and multiple ordinary least squares linear regression models, diagnostics, moderating and mediating effects, logistic regression, and use of statistical software for conducting these analyses.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of department.
Meets with SOCI 5301.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 6301 and SOCI 5301.

SOCI 6302 - Advanced Statistics in Sociology
Provides the second part of a two-semester introduction to quantitative methods in sociology and is designed for doctoral students. Covers aspects of the generalized linear model and data analyses of cross-sectional, nested and/or panel data.
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 6301 or an equivalent multiple regression analysis course.

SOCI 6401 - Comparative and Global Sociology
Theoretical and methodological literature in comparative and global sociology. Topics include comparative-historical sociology, global sociology and globalization.

SOCI 6402 - Population and Society
Advanced evaluation of demographic concepts and methods for the study of society; comparative analysis of population characteristics in various stages of socioeconomic development.

SOCI 6500 - Topics in Sociology
Intensive analysis of selected topics in specialized areas.
Prerequisite(s): A minimum of 18 hours in sociology, or equivalent.
May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

SOCI 6501 - Social Stratification
Advanced analysis on types of stratification; theories of stratification and its function in society; the methodology of stratification studies.

SOCI 6502 - Race and Ethnicity
Advanced analysis of historical and institutional theories of race relations; contemporary forms of racism; and exploration into possible social, institutional and policy solutions to the social problems linked to racism.

SOCI 6503 - Sociology of Education
Advanced examination of the interrelationships of schools and communities in American society; comparative application of sociological concepts to the study of schools as social systems.

SOCI 6504 - Development and Social Change
Advanced analysis on theories of the sociology of development and social change, including the nature of social change and development, along with the history and debates within the field.

SOCI 6505 - Sociology of Gender
Foundational theories and contemporary debates in the sociology of gender. Examines how gender is reproduced in identity, discourse, interactions, organizations, and institutions, as well as how it is resisted and reconfigured at the individual and collective levels.
Prerequisite(s): The course is intended for graduate students in sociology and assumes a graduate-level understanding of sociological theory and methods.
Meets with SOCI 5305.
May not receive credit for SOCI 6505 and SOCI 5305.

SOCI 6515 - Intersectionality
Advanced study of theories, epistemologies, methods, and general paradigm of intersectionality. Tracks the origin of intersectional thought and its development from the earliest writings in the late 1800s to contemporary works.
Meets with SOCI 5315.
May not receive credit for both SOCI 5315 and SOCI 6515.

SOCI 6601 - Health and Aging
Advanced analysis of social factors and consequences in health and aging with a focus on the health care system as an organization and the health care systems in other countries.

SOCI 6603 - Medical Sociology
Advanced review of the field of Medical Sociology focusing on social factors such as age, sex, race and social class concerning health and the medicalization process.

SOCI 6701 - Sustainable Communities
Advanced analysis of the history and development of environmental policy and theory, including the growth of sustainable programs in U.S. cities. Topics include the focus on technological development, social, economic, and environmental conditions, and grant writing related to sustainable community development.

SOCI 6702 - Environmental Sociology
Advanced analysis of the field of environmental sociology, including the nature of the relationship between humans, their societies, and their environments.

SOCI 6703 - Urbanization
Advanced application of ecological and demographic methods to the study of urban and metropolitan development; sociological aspects of urban and metropolitan problems and planning.

SOCI 6900/6910 - Special Problems

SOCI 6940 - Individual Research

SOCI 6950 - Doctoral Dissertation
To be scheduled only with consent of department. 9 hours credit required. No credit assigned until dissertation has been completed and filed with the graduate school. Doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment in this course subsequent to passing qualifying examination for admission to candidacy.

INSD 5200 - Digital Social Science
Social dimensions of digital technologies. Introduce ways to study society with digital tools. Offered every spring.

INSD 5220 - Digital Research Methods
Hands-on methods training. Introduction to Python. Ethical and privacy challenges of big data and algorithmic decision-making. Offered every fall.