Sociology (SOC)
SOC 100 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
3, 3/0; SS23
An introduction to the study of human society, its culture, institutions, processes, and change, including an examination of socialization, and relationships between and among individuals and groups in society. A prerequisite for many other courses in sociology and a requirement for all sociology majors. Useful for students planning careers in which they must interact with people of varying social and economic statuses. Offered every semester.
SOC 189 TOPIC COURSE
1, 0/0
Current topics in Sociology. Offered occasionally.
SOC 199 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER USE IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
3, 3/0
Hands-on introduction to the application of computers to applied social research problems, including a review of past practices, current uses, and future trends; computer analysis of data to develop insights into the ways applied sociologists use computers in their work. Offered occasionally.
SOC 204 CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100. Ideas developed by the early founders of sociology, including Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Georg Simmel, Herbert Spencer and their contemporaries. Course offered every semester.
Equivalent Course: SOC 400
SOC 208 SOCIOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY CHINA
3, 3/0
Contemporary China from various sociological perspectives; brief history of China; recent developments of social structure, cultural values and norms in China; comparison of China and Western societies; practical outcomes of China studies. Offered occasionally.
SOC 212 FEMINIST THEORY
3, 3/0
Background in feminist social theory and changes in feminism over time. Introduction to theoretical analysis from a feminist perspective. Offered occasionally.
Equivalent Course: WGS 212
SOC 240 ANALYZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS
3, 3/0; SS23
Analysis of several major social problems selected according to faculty and student needs and interests; a variety of approaches, techniques, and theories will be used. Offered Every Semester.
SOC 250 SOCIOLOGY OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The city of Buffalo from the perspectives of socio-historical development, socioeconomic conditions, environmental conditions, and neighborhood development. Use of secondary data and field experiences to better understand the condition of the city and its neighborhoods. Includes a field component as part of regular class time and outside assignments. Students complete term papers based on readings, research, and field work. Offered occasionally.
SOC 295 RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN SOCIOLOGY
1-3, 0/0
Prerequisite: Instructor Permission. Scholarship or creative work conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Offered occasionally.
SOC 299 SOCIAL STATISTICS
3, 3/0; IN23
Prerequisites: SOC100. Overview of the major statistical concepts necessary for sociological research and analysis of social data. Introduction to statistical software and methods to analyze social data. Topics include database construction, database management, descriptive statistics, probability, inferential statistics, statistical association, and data presentation. Required for sociology majors. Offered every semester.
Equivalent Course: SOC 301
SOC 300 METHODS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH
3, 3/0; RE23
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The nature of scientific evidence, induction, and deduction; the application of scientific methods to sociological data; the use of statistics and other means of data collection; case histories, narrative and descriptive methods; methods of writing for publication; use of social materials from journals and books as illustrative material. Offered Every Semester.
SOC 301 SOCIAL STATISTICS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Statistical methods and reasoning will be used to analyze and clarify sociological information; Also, operationalizing variables; database management; probability; descriptive statistics; inferential statistics; and data presentation. Software applications, specifically SPSS and SAS, familiarize students with recent and powerful technology in the field. Offered Every Semester.
Equivalent Course: SOC 299
SOC 302 QUALITATIVE METHODS
3, 3/0; RE23
Prerequisites: SOC 100. Introduces students to the basics of conducting qualitative field research. Requires original qualitative research projects. Prepares students for senior-level capstone coursework. Offered occasionally.
SOC 310 SOCIOLOGY OF SEX AND GENDER
3, 3/0; DI23
Critical examination of the roles women and men play in society; social statuses of women and men will be analyzed historically, comparatively, demographically, theoretically, and biologically; sociological implications of sex inequality in the economy and political systems, marriage, family relationships, and other social roles. Offered occasionally.
SOC 312 WOMEN IN SOCIETY
3, 3/0; DI23
Multifaceted analysis of women in society; women's issues in relation to the social and natural sciences; critical examination of modern societies in light of women's perspectives. Offered occasionally.
SOC 320 SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The family as a social institution, its historical development, function and structure, and interaction with other institutions; cross-cultural comparisons are made. The current status of the family, diversity in contemporary American families, as well as stability and change in the life course of families. Offered occasionally.
SOC 321 THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
3, 3/0; DI23
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The examination of the relationship between American social institutions and the African American family and familial relations within the African American family. Offered occasionally.
Equivalent Course: AAS 321
SOC 322 SOCIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The social construction of childhood and adolescence; interactive nature of the socialization process; children's production of peer culture; global social problems faced by children and youth. Offered occasionally.
SOC 323 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The social organization of education in the U.S. and elsewhere, and schools as social institutions reflecting and influencing society; roles and behaviors of participants in the educational system, including educational goals, theories, philosophies, and methods; educational achievements, historical developments, and future trends. Offered occasionally.
SOC 324 SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
3, 3/0
Presents an application of the sociological perspective to sport; focuses on the social organization of sports-related activities; the norms, goals, and values of sport using theoretical frameworks and empirical tools of the social sciences. Offered occasionally.
Equivalent Course: HPR 319
SOC 325 SOCIOLOGY OF MEDIA
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100 or 6 credit hours of sociology. The role of film and photography on social interactions and memories; the contradictions and challenges of social media; the social and political potential of various media; the saturation or oversaturation of media in our lives. Key texts from leading authors and thinkers in the field of sociology of media. Offered occasionally.
SOC 326 BLACK FEMINIST THOUGHT
3, 3/0
This course provides an introduction to Black feminist thought from the 19th century through the present. Topics include the origins and development of intersectional thinking, intersectionality in contemporary social thought, and critical race theory. The course draws from multiple academic disciplines, public intellectualism, and activist work. Offered occasionally.
SOC 328 SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Theories in the sociology of religion will be examined. Emphasis is upon religion and social change; religion in society; church and sect; social class and religion; the role of the minister, priest and rabbi. Offered occasionally.
SOC 330 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Human motivation and the nature of attitudes, including attitude change and stability; social phenomena, such as interpersonal perception and behavior, role prescriptions and role conflict, prejudice, and conflict resolution. Offered Every Semester.
SOC 331 SOCIOLOGY OF GROUP DYNAMICS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The social structure and social dynamics of social groups, including the division of labor, types of leadership, communication and authority structures, social conflict, and social control mechanisms. The relationship of the individual to the group; comparisons of different types of "natural" groups such as family, peers, work groups; and the use of "experimental" groups to investigate various aspects of group life. Offered occasionally.
SOC 333 SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Social movements, their character, development, dynamics, and consequences; the relationship between discontent at the individual and wider social levels. Selected social movements and sociological theories. Offered occasionally.
SOC 340 SOCIOLOGY OF THE CITY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The social organization of urban life in the U.S. and elsewhere, with emphasis on the growth and development of cities and metropolitan areas; lifestyle in the city and suburbs; the relationship of power and social control to urban stratification and the distribution of wealth; racial and ethnic distribution and relationships in urban settings; such urban problems as poverty, blight, crime and violence; and urban planning and redevelopment. Offered occasionally.
SOC 350 POWER, CLASS, AND INEQUALITY
3, 3/0; DI23
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Historical and contemporary dimensions of social inequality and power differentials in the United States and globally; contrasting theoretical interpretations of the origins and significance of social inequality, including the intersectional relationship between inequality on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, and class; current trends and projected transformations in social inequality. Offered occasionally.
SOC 351 SOCIOLOGY OF RACE AND ETHNICITY
3, 3/0; DI23
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The study of racial and ethnic groups in American and other societies; focuses on forms, causes, and effects of prejudice and ethnic conflicts, and the changing relationships of these groups to the larger society. Possible solutions to social problems involving issues of race and ethnicity are also explored. Offered Every Semester.
Equivalent Course: AAS 351
SOC 352 SOCIOLOGY OF AGING
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. How society structures the experience of aging; major transitions and role changes experienced by the elderly within social institutions such as family, the economy, and religion; understanding the way these same institutions adapt to an aging population. Includes investigation of programs and policies aimed at assisting individuals at varying levels of independence throughout the aging process. Offered occasionally.
SOC 353 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100 or 6 credit hours of sociology. Analyzes the relationship of society and the natural environment (global, national, and local levels) using empirical and theoretical methods. Specific topics include the "toxics crisis," Central America, work, and environmental racism. Interprets societal structures and processes that lead to ecological crises and responses to them. Offered occasionally.
SOC 360 SOCIOLOGY OF WORK
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The social relations surrounding the world of work as the contours of modern urban-industrial society emerge, mature, and begin to decline; typical forms of work in industry; the functions of work organizations; changing of structures of social class; patterns of labor relations; the transfer of these forms to non-industrial and government contexts; how these factors influence the interest and meaning workers find in their work; the consequences for social action and social change. Offered occasionally.
SOC 366 CULTURAL PROFICIENCY AND PUBLIC ACHIEVEMENT
4, 3/0; DI23
Public achievement serves as a framework for analyzing diverse student perspectives, opinions, and assets to identify and meet the needs of different cultural groups and to learn to work effectively in cross-cultural settings. Students will be provided with practical experiences in implementing a project with children in a local school district. Offered occasionally.
Equivalent Course: SPF 366
SOC 370 SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Deviant behavior in American society; its nature, theoretical perspectives, and societal reactions; deviance as both an interactive and political process, with special attention paid to the development of deviant identities; specific behaviors may include substance abuse, sexual deviance, crime and delinquency, mental illness, and social protest. Offered occasionally.
SOC 380 SOCIOLOGY OF CRIME
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Crime, its nature, variation, and causation; social responses to crime; methods of crime prevention, punishment, and treatment of offenders. Theoretical perspectives and controversies are presented in social and historical context. Offered occasionally.
SOC 381 SOCIOLOGY OF VIOLENCE
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. An analysis of various manifestations of violence. Theories of violence will be presented, as well as investigation into such specific topics as child abuse, battered spouses, rape, violence in schools, and collective violence; programs which deal with violence. Offered occasionally.
SOC 382 SOCIOLOGY OF LAW
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The numerous ways in which law permeates all forms of social behavior; focuses on the law itself and the social context within which it has been created and exists; dominant theoretical perspectives and sociological methods used to explain the interrelationships between law and society, including types and purposes of law, major legal organizations, the lawmaking process, law and social control, law and dispute resolution, law and social change, and the legal profession. Offered occasionally.
SOC 383 SOCIOLOGY OF PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTIONS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Recent theories and research findings regarding correctional practice; offender typologies, the nature and forms of treatment, and obstacles to treatment. Offered occasionally.
SOC 389 TOPIC COURSE
3, 0/0
Current advanced topics in Sociology. Offered occasionally.
SOC 390 SOCIOLOGY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Juvenile delinquency; description, extent, and sociological theories of explanation; institutions and agencies dealing with and/or attempting to prevent delinquency, including courts, law enforcement agencies, social service agencies, and educational institutions; development of data. Offered occasionally.
SOC 391 SOCIOLOGY OF ADDICTION
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Alcohol and drug abuse as a social problem and a sociological phenomenon; nature of drug and alcohol abuse, the situations in which this behavior occurs, and the characteristics of users; legal, medical, and other efforts made to influence addicts. Offered occasionally.
SOC 392 SOCIOLOGY OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Recent sociological findings concerning sexual behavior as a social process; the nature of various sexual practices, such as homosexuality and sadomasochism in light of sociological theory; sociological literature concerning sexual behavior with special emphasis on the interactionist approach. Offered occasionally.
SOC 393 SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL ILLNESS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Sociological perspectives on mental health and illness, including their social histories; includes evaluation of social factors and processes involved in modern approaches to the causes and treatment of mental illness; problems of definition and diagnosis; recent research findings in areas of epidemiology, institutional care and control of the mentally ill, the care of mental patients, and social issues. Offered occasionally.
SOC 400 FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIOLOGICAL THOUGHT
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100 and 6 additional credit hours in sociology. Ideas developed by the early founders of sociology, including Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and their contemporaries. Offered Every Semester.
Equivalent Course: SOC 204
SOC 408 CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100 and 6 additional credit hours of sociology. The significance and uses of sociological theory; includes the major current approaches to understanding society and social life, such as contemporary Marxism, conflict theory, functionalism, and the interpretive theories, such as symbolic interactionism, phenomenological sociology, and ethnomethodology; and theories of rational choice such as behavioral sociology and exchange theory. Newly developing perspectives such as feminist theory and postmodernism. Offered Every Semester.
SOC 430 SOCIOLOGY OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100 and upper-division status. Societal development and change on an international level, with emphasis on the third world; topics include the major sociological theoretical models, conceptual frameworks and assumptions of development; the emergence and dynamics of the world system; the international division of labor; the interplay of development with gender, race, and ethnicity; social policy alternatives and strategies of social change and liberation. Offered occasionally.
SOC 484 PRACTICUM IN TEACHING SOCIOLOGY
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100 and 15 additional credit hours in Sociology; 3.0 GPA and 3.0 in Sociology. How sociology classes are constructed and administered. Instruction in lecture development, exam construction, and record keeping. Experience in mentoring and helping to prepare students for exams. Required journal and analysis paper. Offered occasionally.
SOC 485 MOCK TRIAL
1-3, 1/0
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of instructor. Simulation of a trial court or appellate court proceeding involving teams of students acting as prosecutor/plaintiffs' attorneys, defense attorneys, and witnesses. Students develop case strategy, analyze evidence, integrate legal precedent, prepare a written brief, question witnesses, and present oral arguments to the court in opening and closing statements. Final project is a mock trial presentation held in a formal courtroom setting. Offered occasionally.
SOC 486 PRACTICUM IN APPLIED SOCIOLOGY
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. The study of field research techniques in the classroom, subsequently applied during the completion of 75 hours of field experience working with an agency or organization in the community. Offered occasionally.
SOC 488 INTERNSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY
1-15, 0/0
Prerequisites: SOC 300 or SOC 302; SOC 400; senior standing; faculty intern supervisor permission. Supervised fieldwork in appropriate agencies where students expand their knowledge of sociology and establish interactive ties in the job market. Academic components include orientation, training sessions, ongoing conferences with faculty/ agency supervisor, log/journal of the field experiences, and final report. Offered occasionally.
SOC 490 SEMINAR IN SOCIOLOGY
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100, SOC 300 or SOC 302, SOC 204, senior status. Research in selected area(s) of sociology; designing and conducting original social research. Required for sociology majors. Offered Every Semester.
SOC 491 TOPICAL SEMINAR
3, 3/0
Prerequisites: SOC 100, 6 credit hours of sociology in a related field, and permission of instructor. In-depth special problems in sociology. Interested students should contact a member of the sociology faculty, who will secure approval from the Sociology Department. The course is then listed in the master schedule with a subtitle indicating the area of special concentration.
SOC 495 SPECIAL PROJECT
1-3, 0/0
Offered occasionally.
SOC 497 SPECIAL WORKSHOP
3, 0/0
Sociology workshop. Offered occasionally.
SOC 499 INDEPENDENT STUDY
3-12, 0/0
Offered occasionally.
SOC 501 CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PROBLEMS
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Problem areas of American society; sources of information; techniques for discovering and analyzing social problems; analysis of several major problems, selected in accordance with student needs and interests.
SOC 505 TECHNOLOGY, SOCIETY, AND SELF
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Interplay between society, technology, and science; social organization of research; social factors fostering research and development; consequences of science and technology for society, various institutions, subgroups within society, and individuals in society.
SOC 506 MINORITY GROUPS IN AMERICAN CULTURE
3, 3/0
Prerequisite: SOC 100. Current and historical sociocultural characteristics, experiences, and development of major religious, racial, and ethnic minorities; social conflict, current trends, and recent issues in minority-majority social relationships.
SOC 587 TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY
1-4, 1/0
Examination of emerging disciplinary issues, topics, or practices; offered occasionally.
SOC 590 INDEPENDENT STUDY
1-3, 0/0
SOC 690 MASTER'S PROJECT
3, 0/0
SOC 695 MASTER'S THESIS
3, 0/0
SOC 721 THESIS/PROJECT CONTINUATION
0, 0/0
SOC 722 THESIS/PROJECT EXTENDED
0, 0/0