Sociology & Anthropology

Perhaps the most comprehensive of the social sciences, sociology is concerned with the analysis and explanation of social phenomena. These phenomena, which range from the socialization of the child to criminal behavior and cultural change, are studied and investigated using a wide variety of research techniques. Through formalized standards of inquiry, sociologists focus on the relationships between the parts of social systems and how the systems are formulated, how they function, and how they are related to the everyday lives of human beings.

The Sociology and Anthropology Department offers four tracks:

• Sociology Major : General Track
• Sociology Major : Criminology Track
• Sociology Major : Family Studies Track
• Sociology Major : Anthropology Track

The department also supports the following interdisciplinary majors:

• Crime and Justice (sociology-political science-psychology)
• Child and Family Studies (sociology-psychology)
• Environmental Studies (sociology-anthropology)
• Urban Affairs (sociology-anthropology-politcal science-economics-communications-philosophy-history)

In addition, students can combine each of the four tracks mentioned above with another academic discipline to form a combined major. The department also offers minors in Anthropology,  Criminology and Sociology.

Core Courses

This diversity of majors covers a wide range of topics, but they are unified by a set of core requirements for all students in the department (with the exception of the environmental studies interdisciplinary major). These core courses include:

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (or ANT 101 for anthropology majors)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics
• SOC 213 Social Theory (anthropology students have other course options to satisfy this requirement)
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar

(Some substitutions are allowed in the above for students co-majoring in another social science with similar required courses and those with interdisciplinary majors. These are noted below).

Appropriate academic skills are also ensured at each level in that all 300-level courses (excluding 400-level Anthropology) require a sophomore standing or above as a pre-requisite, and all 400-level sociology (excluding 400-level Anthropology) courses require a junior standing or above. Courses at the 400 level also have as a prerequisite that all other core courses be completed in addition to at least one additional 300-level course. Many other prerequisites exist for individual courses to ensure that students can build on a specific set of foundational skills in their upper-level courses.

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Sociology Major : General Track

The sociology major is designed for students who are interested in a general, though intensive, study of sociological methodology, theory and content areas. Students with a major in sociology can find employment in business and government, in human service organizations and international organizations, as politicians, educators, journalists and social researchers, and in foreign service. The general sociology major is intended primarily for students who plan to attend law school or pursue graduate study in sociology. It is also intended for those who seek careers in business, governmental or community service occupations for which graduate school training is unnecessary.

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning Course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• SOC 382/482 Internship, travel abroad course, or a 400-level approved substitution
• Two of the following:
  • ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOC 201 Social Problems
  • SOC 202 The Criminal Justice System
  • SOC 230 Cultural Sociology
  • SOC 261 The Family
  • SOC 262 Social Stratification
  • ANT 285 The Human Animal
• One of the following:
  • ANT 310 Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
  • ANT 320 Sex, Gender and Culture
• Two of the following:
  • SOC 203 Human Service for Families & Children
  • SOC 231 Cults & New Religious Movements
  • SOC 251 Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 270 Parenting & Technology or SOC 271 Work and Family Conflict
  • SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
• Three of the following:
  • SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 305 Terrorism
  • SOC 307 Organized Crime
  • SOC 311 Domestic Violence
  • SOC 331 Mass Media & Popular Culture
  • SOC 332 Sport & Leisure
  • SOC 333 Sociology of Religion
  • SOC 334 Religion & Popular Culture
  • SOC 360 Crime and the Media
  • SOC 385 Violence and Victims
• One of the following:
  • SOC 430 Collective Behavior & Social Movements
  • SOC 440 Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 450 White Collar Crime
  • SOC 460 Serial Murder

Combined Sociology Major : General Track

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• One of the following:
  • ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOC 201 Social Problems
  • SOC 202 The Criminal Justice System
  • SOC 230 Cultural Sociology
  • SOC 251 Crime & Deviance
  • SOC 261 The Family
  • SOC 262 Social Stratification
  • ANT 285 Human Animal
  • SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
• One additional 300-level sociology course
• One additional 400-level sociology course

Sociology Minor

Sociology is the scientific study of people and groups. This focus can be as narrow as looking at short interactions between people in passing or as complex as analyzing global social processes. Perhaps the most comprehensive of the social sciences, sociology is concerned with the analysis and explanation of the most challenging issues of our time: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing and dislocation, child abuse and dysfunctional families, welfare and education reform, racism and ethnic cleansing, and problems of peace and war. The sociology minor provides significant study of the discipline through a selection of 5 courses.

Students are required to complete SOC101 “Introduction to Sociology” and four additional courses with a SOC- or ANT- prefix.

Sociology Major : Criminology Track

The criminology major exposes students to the sociological perspective through study of the methodology of the field, basic theoretical paradigms, as well as the study of socialization, culture, deviance and conformity, social organization and societal development, complex organizations, and the principles of stratification and other forms of social inequality. In addition, students study the social problem of crime and deviance within the context of other social problems, e.g., family dysfunction, poverty, education, racism, gender issues, and the sociology of work and occupations. Courses that concentrate on crime and delinquency are concerned with:

· The study of behaviors defined as criminally deviant in both American society and other developed and developing societies

· The traditional and contemporary theoretical explanations of both the process of defining criminal behavior and the social and interpersonal decisions and circumstances related to engaging in criminalized deviant behavior

Students study the methodology of social research used in the study of these forms of deviance including secondary data analysis and empirical research construction and design. A course in parametric and nonparametric statistics provides students with additional analytic tools for use in collecting and studying aggregate- as well as individual-level data on crime and delinquency.

Students are able to use internship opportunities to experience and participate in the activities of an organization or agency whose activities relate to the application of the program content. Internship opportunities can be either in a local organization or agency or in association with an off-campus experience such as the Washington Center or the Philadelphia Center. The senior seminar provides students a capstone course integrating the various components of the program and incorporating the opportunity to complete a major empirical study of some facet of crime and delinquency of interest to them.

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• SOC 251 Crime & Deviance
• SOC 202 The Criminal Justice System
• SOC 382/482 Internship, travel abroad course, or a 400-level approved substitution
• Two of the following:
  • ANT 101 Intro to Cultural Anthropology
  • SOC 201 Social Problems
  • SOC 230 Cultural Sociology
  • SOC 231 Cults & New Religious Movements
  • SOC 261 The Family
  • SOC 262 Social Stratification
  • SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
  • ANT 285 The Human Animal
• Four of the following:
  • SOC 253 Criminal Investigation and SOC 254 Advanced Criminal Investigation (must take both courses to satisfy one of the requirements from this list)
  • SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 305 Terrorism
  • SOC 307 Organized Crime
  • SOC 309 Crim. Corrections
  • ANT 310 Crime, Culture, Conflict Resolution
  • SOC 311 Domestic Violence
  • SOC 360 Crime and the Media
  • SOC 385 Violence & Victims
• One of the following:
  • SOC 440 Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 450 White-Collar Crime
  • SOC 460 Serial Murder

Study Abroad courses are also encouraged as electives.

Combined Sociology Major : Criminology Track

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• SOC 251 Crime & Deviance
• One of the following intermediate specialized courses:
  • SOC 253 Criminal Investigation and SOC 254 Advanced Criminal Investigation (must take both courses to satisfy one of the requirements from this list)
  • SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 305 Terrorism
  • SOC 307 Organized Crime
  • SOC 309 Crim. Corrections
  • ANT 310 Crime, Culture, Conflict Resolution
  • SOC 311 Domestic Violence
  • SOC 360 Crime and the Media
  • SOC 385 Violence & Victims
• One of the following advanced application courses:
  • SOC 440 Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 450 White-Collar Crime
  • SOC 460 Serial Murder

Because this is a combined major there are relatively few topically based requirements.  Therefore it is strongly encouraged that criminology combined majors use their electives to take additional topical courses

Criminology Minor

The criminology minor exposes students to the sociological perspective through study of the methodology of the field, basic theoretical paradigms, as well as the study of socialization, culture, deviance and conformity, social organization and societal development, complex organizations, and the principles of stratification and other forms of social inequality. In addition, students study the social problem of crime and deviance within the context of other social problems such as family dysfunction, poverty, education, racism, gender issues, and the sociology of work and occupations.

Requirements:

• SOC101 Introduction to Sociology
• SOC251 Crime and Deviance
• Three of the following courses:
  • SOC202 The Criminal Justice System
  • SOC210 Research Methods
  • SOC211 Social Statistics
  • SOC213 Social Theory
  • SOC253 Criminal Investigation
  • SOC254 Advanced Criminal Investigation
  • SOC302 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC305 Terrorism
  • SOC307 Organized Crime
  • SOC309 Criminal Corrections
  • SOC311 Domestic Violence
  • SOC360 Crime and the Media
  • SOC385 Violence and Victims
  • ANT310 Crime Culture, Conflict Resolution

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Sociology Major : Family Studies Major

The family studies major provides students with an extensive academic understanding of family systems and their relationship to the development and social participation of their members as well as the skills to evaluate and conduct research on topics related to family interaction. The course requirements for students in this program focus on understanding the family as a social group and the dynamics of family participation in American society as well as in a global context. Students are introduced to the theory of group formation, the external forces that impinge upon family functioning and the methods that can be used to measure and anticipate family dysfunctions. Students who combine family studies with another major may enter the employment market immediately upon graduation in fields such as preschool education, elementary education, and residential treatment and care, or may pursue a graduate degree in family studies.

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Quantitative Reasoning course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• SOC 203 Human Services for Families and Children
• SOC 261 The Family
• SOC 270 Parenting & Technology or SOC 271 Work & Family Conflict
• SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
• SOC 311 Domestic Violence
• ANT 320 Sex, Gender, & Culture
• SOC 382/482 Internship, travel abroad course, or a 400-level approved substitution
• Two of the following:
  • SOC 201 Social Problems
  • SOC 230 Cultural Sociology
  • SOC 251 Crime & Deviance
  • SOC 262 Social Stratification
  • SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
  • ANT 101 Introduction to Anthropology
  • ANT 285 The Human Animal
• One of the following:
  • SOC 470 Immigration & Transnational Families

Combined Sociology Major : Family Studies Major

Requirements

• SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
• SOC 210 Research Methods
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Quantitative Reasoning course)
• SOC 213 Social Theory
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar
• SOC 261 The Family
• One of the following intermediate courses:
  • SOC 203 Human Services for Families and Children
  • SOC 270 Parenting & Technology
  • SOC 271 Work and Family Conflict
  • SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC 311 Domestic Violence
  • SOC ANT 320 Sex, Gender, & Cultur
• One of the following advanced application courses:
  • SOC 470 Immigration & Transnational Families

Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as an elective.

Sociology Major : Anthropology Track

The anthropology major expands the focus of investigation to include biological, cultural and ecological forces that have effects on humans. From human evolution to cultural diversity to ecological constraints, students learn to incorporate a broad array of information and perspectives to arrive at a more complete and complex understanding of the human species. Four core courses provide a comprehensive foundation about the essential constraints that act on mankind. Additionally, two electives must be completed to enhance the students’ understanding in particular areas (conflict, sex, evolution). Finally, students complete their anthropological courses with an independent study in which they design and conduct a semester-long research project that requires them to gather and assess data in one particular area of human activity.

Due to the broad and multidisciplinary nature of anthropology, students completing this major will be prepared to undertake graduate studies in a variety of disciplines including anthropology, sociology, law, medicine and a number of other social, environmental and biological sciences. Likewise, they will be prepared to enter careers in a variety of areas, such as international relations, international business, education, medicine, public policy, law, labor organization, government, environmental resource management, economics and development, social work and counseling.

Requirements

• ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science requirement)
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning Requirement)
• SOC 210 Research Methods or ESS 298 Ecological and Anthropological Field Study in Peru
• One of the following:
  • PSY 205 Biological Psychology
  • SOC 213 Social Theory
  • PSY 319 Evolutionary Psychology
• ANT 285 The Human Animal
• ANT 310 Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
• ANT 320 Sex, Gender and Culture (ANT 303 Food and Culture can be substituted for either ANT 310 or ANT 320)
• ANT 342 Human Evolution
• ANT 382/482 Internship (or an approved course)
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar (students in the anthropology major may substitute an independent study with permission from the department)
• One of the following:
  • SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 201 Social Problems
  • SOC 231 Cults
  • SOC 251 Crime and Deviance
  • SOC 261 The Family
  • SOC 262 Social Stratification
  • SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
• One of the following:
  • ANT 270 People of the World
  • ANT 303 Food and Culture
  • ANT 365 Ecological Psychology
• Two of the following:
  • ANT 270 People of the World (if not used above)
  • ANT 280 Martinique Studies
  • ANT 303 Food and Culture (if not used above)
  • ANT 365 Ecological Psychology (if not used above)
  • ESS 298 Ecological and Anthropological Field Study in Peru (if not used above)
  • LAS 160 Caribbean Culture
  • LAS 225 Introduction to Latin American Studies
  • LAS 275 Service Learning in the Dominican Republic
  • LAS 285 Ritual in Latin America
  • LAS 352 Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World
  • REL 250 Judaism: Religion and Culture
  • REL 251 Islam: Ideals and Realities
  • REL 257 Buddhism Across Cultures
  • REL 266 Asian Cultural Life
  • REL 267 African and African-American Religious Traditions
  • REL 268 The Sacred Paths of Native Americans
  • SOC 331 Sociology of Mass Media and Popular Culture
  • SOC 395 Comparative Cultures: Ecuador

Combined Anthropology Major

Requirements

• ANT 101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science requirement)
• SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning Requirement)
• SOC 210 Research Methods or ESS 298 Ecological and Anthropological Field Study in Peru
• One of the following:
  • PSY 205 Biological Psychology
  • SOC 213 Social Theory
  • PSY 319 Evolutionary Psychology
• ANT 342 Human Evolution
• SOC 490 Senior Seminar (students in the anthropology major may substitute an independent study with permission from the department)
• Two of the following:
  • ANT 285 The Human Animal
  • ANT 310 Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
  • ANT 320 Sex, Gender and Culture
• One of the following:
  • ANT 270 People of the World
  • ANT 280 Martinique Studies
  • ANT 303 Food and Culture
  • ANT 265 Ecological Psychology

Anthropology Minor

The anthropology minor enables students to gain a holistic understanding of both biological and cultural effects on humans. The courses in the anthropology minor provide a basis for understanding the effects of these forces on humans cross-culturally in a variety of habitats. Topics of investigation include violence, sex, cooperation and ecological relationships. Contact Prof. Barty Thompson.

Requirements:

• ANT 101
• One from ANT 342 or ANT 285
• Three from ANT 270, 303, 310, 320, 365

• Sociology Courses
• Anthropology Courses
• Urban Affairs Courses

Sociology Courses

SOC 101
Introduction to Sociology
A general study, emphasizing the concepts and methodologies through which the sociologist investigates the nature of the social structure and the social processes related to individual behavior. General Studies Foundations-Social Science

SOC 201
Social Problems
An introduction to the sociology of social problems. This course concentrates on the sociological analysis of significant problems as they relate to the social institutions in contemporary American society and their global counterparts. It provides an introduction to the sociological research and literature concerning major social problems such as health care, public education, poverty, racism, sexism, etc. General Studies Foundations-Social Science

SOC 202
The Criminal Justice System
This class allows students to examine a broad array of topics related to the criminal justice system in America. A number of guest speakers who are working in various positions in the system will be invited to describe and discuss their work and areas of expertise. Students are encouraged to think critically about public safety questions and focus on issues, complexities and policies of the criminal justice system, while demonstrating the inter-relationships of the system’s components. Students will also be expected to complete a research paper on one area of interest.

SOC 203
Human Services for Families and Children
The development and evolution of legislation, programs and services for families and children are analyzed. This course focuses on the social problems of poverty, drug addiction, domestic violence, sexual abuse and limited health services as experienced by children through their family structures and organization. Students are exposed to the range of private and public human services through examining program goals and the operation of these parts of the human services network.
Prerequisite: SOC 101

SOC 210
Research Methods
An exploration of the application of the basic tenets of scientific research to social science topics. Topics investigated include the formalization of research topics, the isolation and operationalization of theoretical concepts, the construction of hypotheses, sampling theory and alternative means for selection, study design selection and evaluation, data collection techniques, the organization of empirical data for hypothesis testing.

SOC 211
Statistics
An introduction to the theory and practice of basic statistical analysis. Topics considered include the organization and tabulation of raw and grouped data, graphical presentation of univariate and multivariate distributions, central tendency and variability measures, elementary probability theory with binomial applications, the theory of sampling and the central limit theorem, one and two sample tests of hypotheses concerning means and proportions, the analysis of variance and regression. Satisfies general studies quantitative reasoning requirement.

SOC 213
Development of Social Theory
An exploration of the evolution of social thought leading to the systematic and scientific basis of modern sociology.

SOC 230
Cultural Sociology
What is culture and how and why should we study it from a sociological perspective? How do we conceive culture in relation to other concepts such as power, identity, social structure and society? These are a few of the questions that will be addressed in this course as we explore several traditions of cultural theory and examine current debates in sociology over how to analyze culture.
Prerequisite: SOC 101

SOC 231
Cults and New Religious Movements
This course provides an opportunity for students to develop a general sociological understanding and perspective with which to evaluate, interpret, and understand new religious movements, also known as “cults.” Topics investigated include the historical emergence of new religious movements, recruitment strategies, and the use of violence. Several case studies are used throughout the course, including the People’s Temple, the Branch Davidians, Aum Shinrikyo, Montana Freemen, Solar Temple, Heaven’s Gate and Chen Tao. General Studies Connections.

SOC 251
Crime and Deviance
An introduction to the sociology of deviance as it relates to criminal behavior. An analysis of crime and delinquency, as well as the cultural implications of conformity and deviance in society, are the major topics of the course. Sociocultural definitions of deviance and conformity are investigated as they relate to their causes, prevalence and sanctioning.

SOC 253
Criminal Investigation
This course is designed to provide students with the basic theoretical and philosophical understanding of the investigatory process. The course covers the fundamentals of criminal investigation and teaches the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct thorough preliminary investigations of crime. Crime scene search and recording, collection and preservation of physical evidence and scientific aids are studied. Analysis of problems encountered in interviewing, interrogating, evidence collection, and admissibility are examined. Sources of information, follow-up and case presentation are addressed. Application of investigative theories to the administration of justice is also examined.
Prerequisite: SOC 101, SOC 251

SOC 254
Advanced Criminal Investigation
This course is designed to provide students with a detailed understanding of the scientific methods and instrumentation used in processing crime scenes and physical evidence collected during a criminal investigation. Topics include fingerprints, cast and mold development, blood and other body fluids, hair, fibers, tool marks, paint, glass and plastic fragments, ballistics and specialized instrumentation. Practical exercises will supplement lecture to provide students with a better understanding of the techniques discussed in class.
Prerequisite: SOC 101, SOC 253

SOC 261
The Family
For better or for worse, we are all part of a family!  Families are universally important social institutions both historically and contemporarily.  However, the majority of families around the world have certain things in common: relating people biologically and socially, organizing reproduction, care, and residence.  However, the specifics of how these things are accomplished may vary substantially based on context.  This course focuses on families in the United States, but will also make connections to global families as well.  It will introduce you to how sociologists study families and the related topics that can be very “private,” personal, emotional, and important to many of us.  How can we examine topics like love, sex, marriage, and parenthood in a scientific and rigorous way?  We will also discuss the ways in which families are made incredibly “public” through policy discussions and constraints. A central theme will be diversity and change as we consider the many ways families have changed over the past century. The course begins with the defining of the family followed by historical origins, changes, and contemporary issues.  We then move on to talk about marriage and social class and racial issues in families.  We will also examine non-marital relationships including cohabitation, divorce, and remarriage. Lastly we will investigate parenting roles, child socialization, and the social construction of motherhood and fatherhood.  We will end the course with a case study examining why some women break traditional norms and put motherhood before marriage.  General Studies Foundations-Social Science

SOC 262
Social Stratification and Structured Inequality
This course provides an opportunity for students to develop a general sociological understanding and perspective with which to evaluate, interpret and understand social stratification in America. Topics investigated include racial, ethnic, gender and cultural stratification as well as inequality in the American educational, criminal justice, economic and political systems. General Studies Connections

SOC 270
Parenting & Technology
Technology is changing all around us!  Have you watched a two-year-old work your smart phone?  And what is this thing called “sexting”? Our lives have been taken over by digital devices, social media, and in some cases, a whole new language (ROTFLMAO!).  But what does that mean for one of society’s oldest institutions, the family?  First, we will assess the way technology has changed the way in which we meet people, date, and form our own families.  Next, we will examine the way in which technology has changed the way we raise our kids, starting from infancy to young adulthood.  Finally, we will study the conflict often involved with our technology tether to the workplace and the impact it has on our lives and the lives of our family members.

SOC 291
Environmental Sociology
This course will focus on the interconnections between social systems and ecosystems. Cultural, economic, social and environmental paradigms will be examined as to their effect on a wide range of ecosystem scales. By using a sociological focus to examine complex environmental issues, students will gain a deeper understanding of how these issues can be resolved in a fair and equitable way. Specific topics covered will include consumption, global warming, environmental movements, international and domestic development, food and agriculture, etc. All topics covered in the course will maintain a specific focus on their effects on the environment and the role that social systems play within them.  General Studies Connections

SOC 302
Juvenile Delinquency
Patterns of juvenile delinquency are examined within the framework of the social definition of the adolescent years in American society and the response of the criminal justice system to behavior which society has deemed deviant. Within this framework the course focuses on the conflicting expectations and opportunities available to youth in American society; the operation of the juvenile justice system including the formal and informal processing of those whose age-specific behavior is defined as “delinquent”; the patterns and trends in delinquent behavior; the major theoretical perspectives used to account for and explain juvenile delinquency; and the range of options society has to control, punish, reward or treat those who exhibit delinquent behavior.
Prerequisite: SOC 101, sophomore standing or above

SOC 305
Terrorism
This course examines the concept of terrorism through a comprehensive overview of the many disciplines the subject crosses. Various positions on issues of controversy, fear and prevention are examined. Illustrations of cultural, historical, tactical factors, and social causes of some of the major forms of terrorism are addressed. An integrated approach to the subject includes domestic and international issues as well as the importance of security techniques and intelligence gathering. Case studies of terrorist groups and their activities are presented.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 307
Organized Crime
This course examines criminal activities carried out through criminal organizations and focuses on organized crime as it related to cultural history, assimilation processes and the characteristics of American society, which have fostered its growth and success. Trends in organized crime in terms of ethnicity, structure and activities are investigated. Law enforcement strategies and tactics used to control organized crime are also examined. (Cross-listed as LAS 307).
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 311
Domestic Violence
The definition, characteristics and nature of domestic violence are explored, with particular emphasis on the various forms of violence that take place within the familial context such as abuse of spouses, children and the elderly. The perspectives of both the victims and those who batter them are addressed through case studies. Prevention strategies, treatment techniques and the role of law enforcement are also explored.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 331
Sociology of Mass Media and Popular Culture
This course provides an opportunity for students to develop a general sociological understanding and perspective with which to evaluate, interpret and understand popular culture. Topics investigated include how and when the academic study of popular culture began; what theories have been instrumental in the field; the sociological analysis of the meaning of popular culture; the organization of popular cultural production; and the relationship between popular culture and social change. The lectures, readings and discussions use examples from several of the popular arts including music, movies, publishing and advertising.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 333
Sociology of Religion
This course provides an opportunity for students to develop a general sociological understanding and perspective with which to evaluate, interpret and understand religion and religious institutions. Topics investigated include the role of belief, values and symbols; religious recruitment; how religious organizations are formed and maintained; the link between religion and social inequality; how religion has changed and adapted in American culture; and various contemporary expressions of religion in the U.S. including cults, civil religion, fundamentalism and the commercialization of religion.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 334
Religion & Popular Culture
How do popular culture and the mass media affect religion? Conversely, how does religion affect our popular culture and mass media? What are we to think of Christian forms of commercial entertainment like “religious rock music,” “Christian hip-hop” and “Christian romance novels” or motion pictures? Several critics have pointed out that the industry that produces these things is nothing more than an attempt to make money off of religion. Others, however, feel that this industry provides an important role in maintaining and reinforcing religion by giving people what they want: religious commercial entertainment. This course provides an opportunity for students to explore the role religion plays in creating and maintaining culture through popular cultural expressions such as music, television, motion pictures, sports and fashion. Students analyze how popular culture affects religion and how religion, in turn, affects popular culture and society.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC351: Race, Ethnicity, Status and Families
Families are universally important social institutions both historically and contemporarily. Additionally, the majority of families around the world have certain things in common: relating people biologically and socially and organizing reproduction, care, and residence. However, the way families are formed and maintained often varies based on race, ethnicity, and immigration status. The course begins with a foundational understanding of families and the way they are socially constructed. This will include a brief history of families in the US. The course will then be broken into five modules: Race, Ethnicity, Immigrant Status, Multiracial/Interracial, and Intersectionality with Marginalized Statuses. Each module will focus on the differential lived experiences of different types of families and the way in which those families engage with and relate to the world around them based on race, ethnicity, and status. We will explore questions including what are the lived experiences of Black mothers, what should white parents know about adopting Black children, how do Latinx parents raise children differently from Asian parents, what is the lived experience of children in mixed-status families, and how do indigenous families maintain cultural familial traditions in a contemporary context?

SOC360
Crime and the Media
From CSI to Law & Order to Chucky and the evening news, Americans are saturated with images of crime and deviance. This course explores the causes and consequences of our fascination with this genre. With foundations in both sociology and communication studies, this course addresses such questions as: Why are people fascinated with images of crime? Does exposure to such media affect propensity to commit crime, and, if so, what kind of depictions are the most influential? Can influences result from material that isn’t even explicitly crime-related (e.g. cartoons or sexualized material)? Since most people experience “virtual crime” daily but rarely if ever experience serious crime first hand, how might the media shape or distort our perception of crime and how might this in turn shape our civil society? Finally, how do media effects shape the criminal justice system itself? In addition to traditional study, this discussion-based course will ask students to view and analyze samples of contemporary crime based media. Students should come prepared to be exposed to some graphic violent or sexually themed material for the purposes of academic study. Multiple forms of media will be addressed including print, dramas, cartoons, movies, news and web-based communications.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above

SOC 382
Internship
An off-campus placement in a human services, community, criminal justice, health-care or business setting for students in the Sociology and Anthropology Department. Students are under supervision of both a faculty member and an employee of the sponsoring organization. Students must complete at least 150 hours of study during one semester of the academic year and complete a project related to the sponsoring organization.
Prerequisites: Junior standing and permission of the department

SOC 385
Violence and Victims
This course focuses on the socio-cultural basis for violence in American society and for others throughout the world. Using a global perspective, this course addresses a variety of types of violence, its causes and its consequences. Topics addressed include street violence, gang warfare, hate crimes, serial murder and gender specific crimes. The theoretical basis of the causes of violence is also examined. The consequences of violence for both individual victims and society as a whole are explored.
Prerequisite: SOC 101, sophomore standing or above

SOC 430
Collective Behavior and Social Movements
This course provides an opportunity for students to develop a general sociological understanding and perspective with which to evaluate, interpret and understand social movements and collective behavior. Topics investigated include behavior in crowds, moral panics, fads, riots and organized movements intended to create major social changes.
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, all other core courses below the 400 level (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

SOC 440
Ethnographies in Crime and Deviance
Ethnography is a type of research by which an investigator, overtly or covertly, participates in the lives of his or her research subjects over an extended period of time. This participation is accompanied by the use of a trained scholar’s skills to observe what happens, listen to what is said, and, occasionally, pose questions or conduct interviews. Quality ethnography makes a reader feel as if he/she personally knows the people and places described. Students in this course are asked to complete their own small ethnographic projects, but the bulk of this seminar-style course is devoted to the study of significant works in ethnographies of criminal or deviant populations. Hence, students will read and discuss studies in which researchers live with, interview and otherwise share their lives with such individuals as drug dealers, muggers, crack addicts, rapists, prison guards, and their respective families and acquaintances. Through intimate exposure to the personal thoughts and lives of deviants and law enforcement personnel, an understanding is gained that goes beyond the abstractions of theory or remoteness of statistical analyses.
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, SOC 251, all other core courses below the 400 level (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

SOC 450
White Collar Crime/Elite Deviance
Elite deviance constitutes a major social problem for American society, and much of the world as well. This course introduces students to the concept of elite deviance and the variety of cultural, political and social situations that foment it. The course focuses on the global nature of elite deviance and examines its corporate, political and occupational dimensions. Both policy and regulatory issues in government and business are also examined relative to major theoretical positions.
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, SOC 251, all other core courses below the 400 level (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

SOC 460
Serial Murder/Criminal Profiling
This course is designed to be a scholarly, comprehensive, empirical examination of the phenomenon known as serial murder. Content will include, but is not limited to, psychological, sociological, biological and familial influences, and individual case studies. Serial murder will be distinguished from other forms of multiple homicides. The many problems associated with addressing serial murder will be considered. Other topics that will be covered include serial murder and its relation to race and gender, the many myths associated with serial murder, and the role of the media and law enforcement officials. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the difficulties in apprehension of serial killers. A major course component is an applied exercise where students in small groups create, investigate and apply profiling techniques relating to this phenomenon.
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, SOC 251, all other core courses below the 400 level (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

SOC 470
Immigration and Transnational Families
Both the study of immigration and the questions that study raises are at the very root of social science.  These studies also suggest that immigration is rapidly changing the structure of the family unit through the creation of transnational families. In this seminar, we will survey the literature that gives evidence of the major concepts and questions in immigration studies as well as a variety of case studies that will bring to life the lived experiences of migrant workers, their families, and in particular, their children.This course will insist that immigration is central to US history because of its permanent historical and social imprint on the country as well as the current and future demographic impacts that we are witnessing on both a national and global scale. We will begin with a basic foundation of “what is immigration” and a history of immigration policy in the US.  Next, we will examine the impact of immigration on families and the resulting transnational families and global care chains inadvertently created.  When it comes to the impact of migration on children, we will examine the impact on children when they are left behind, when they try to immigrate alone, and when they are born in the US to an undocumented parent(s). Prerequisite: Junior standing or above, all other core courses below the 400 level (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

SOC 482
Internship
An off-campus placement in a human services, community, criminal justice, health-care or business setting for students in the Sociology and Anthropology Department. Students are under supervision of both a faculty member and an employee of the sponsoring organization. Students must complete at least 150 hours of study during one semester of the academic year and complete a project related to the sponsoring organization.
Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of the department

SOC 490
Senior Seminar in Sociology
An advanced research seminar that focuses on conducting a hypothesis-testing empirical research project on a topic of interest to the student. Building on the content of SOC 210 Research Methods, this course concentrates on the collection and analysis of social science data and culminates in the writing of the senior thesis.
Prerequisite: Senior standing, all other core courses (SOC 101, SOC 210, SOC 211, SOC 213), and at one additional 300 level SOC or ANT course.

Anthropology Courses

ANT 101
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Anthropology is an inherently interdisciplinary exploration of the study of humanity in all its glory and problems. This course examines humans holistically. It covers diverse topics ranging from human evolution to religion. Cross-cultural comparisons of a variety of human behaviors provide insights to the question of what it means to be human. Satisfies general studies social science requirement.

ANT 270
People of the World
This course examines the way people live from around the world. This is accomplished through ethnographies and films. All forces that may have combined to produce a particular way of life are incorporated in the analysis. These include ecology, history, politics, economics, etc. The groups selected for analysis are predominantly of non-Western origins. Students should emerge with a broader and more sophisticated understanding of humans and their cultural diversity and universality. (Cross-listed as LAS 270)

ANT 285
The Human Animal
What are humans and how did we get to be the way we are? How do we live? What makes us act the way we do? Are we moral? How do we affect other species and the world around us? These are the questions we shall investigate in this course, and to answer them we will take an interdisciplinary approach drawing on the disciplines from both the natural (biology, ecology) and social (anthropology, sociology) sciences to provide insights into the heart and soul of the human species. After examining the process of natural selection we will explore how it forged modern Homo sapiens over the last 5 million years. We will then look at the finished product in terms of our mental and physical characteristics. We will complete this investigation by examining how we (humans) tend to interact with other species and our surrounding environment. It is hoped that many of the complexities and confusion about who we are will become more clear as we develop an understanding of both our capabilities as well as our limitations. Overall, students should gain a more complete comprehension of who they are as a member of the human species. (Cross-listed as IDS 285)

ANT 303
Food and Culture
This course explores why we eat what we eat. What affects you in your eating decisions? We will examine all the factors that go into these most significant decisions for all humans. We will find that there is a complex group of influences starting with our biological adaptations for hunger and appetite, extending through ecology, and culminating with cultural influences. This process will require you to draw from your past courses, which have exposed you to a variety of perspectives about reality. You will need to synthesize these different ideas and apply them to the specific questions about food use. You will find that this more comprehensive perspective used in combination with critical thinking will enable you to understand the complexities to the answer of why we eat the foods we eat and why cultures differ. (Cross-listed as SYN 303)

ANT 310
Crime, Culture and Conflict Resolution
This course introduces students to the “law ways” of different societies, in particular non-industrialized societies. The goal is to explore the extent to which different societies employ coercion, punishment and consensus in order to maintain order and resolve conflicts. Topics include rules and crime, the cultural basis of right and wrong, informal and ritualized disputing, conflict theory and conflict resolution (avoidance, community action, ritual reconciliation, negotiation and mediation), oaths, ordeals, and punishment, adjudication and codified law, feuding, raiding and warfare (internal and external).

ANT 320
Sex, Gender and Culture
This course introduces students to the diversity of roles that men and women occupy in a wide variety of societies. The course covers topics such as the biological basis of sex differences, primate studies as windows into human sexuality and social life, feminist perspectives on evolution, gender complementarity, the cultural construction of gender differences, religious ideas about women as both polluting and powerful, notions of masculinity (vis-à-vis femininity), and the impact and spread of capitalism on the position of men and woman.

ANT 342
Human Evolution
How humans came to be what they are today is one of the most intriguing and interesting topics that can be examined. We can gain powerful and enlightening insights into the mystery of the human animal: How did we come to be? What is our evolutionary legacy? Why do we act the way we do? What might we expect in the future? This course explores human origins starting with the evolution of primates. It focuses on hominids commencing with their split from chimpanzees and traces their transitions to modern Homo sapiens. Students examine how we got to be the way we are both physically and mentally, and they will examine both the variety and similarity in humans around the world, population genetics and evolved psychology.

ANT 365
Ecological Psychology
What are our environmental problems and how does our psychology affect them? In most cases we have the ability to solve our environmental problems from a technological and physical perspective. So why don’t we “just do it!” The reason seems to lie in our values, desires, etc., which emanate from our underlying psychology. However, in order to understand how our psychology operates, we need to examine it from a wide array of disciplinary perspectives. This course will utilize a range of perspectives from the humanities and social and natural sciences in order to examine and develop an understanding of the underlying psychology that contributes to our environmental problems. (Cross-listed as SYN 365 and PSY 265)

ANT 482
Internship
An off-campus placement in a human services, community, criminal justice, health-care or business setting for students in the Sociology and Anthropology Department. Students are under supervision of both a faculty member and an employee of the sponsoring organization. Students must complete at least 150 hours of study during one semester of the academic year and complete a project related to the sponsoring organization.
Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of the department

ANT 490
Senior Seminar in Anthropology
An advanced research seminar that serves as the synthesis and culmination of prior coursework in the Anthropology major.  This course concentrates on the collection and analysis of social science data and culminates in the writing of the senior thesis. Prerequisite: Senior standing

Urban Affairs Courses

URB 490
Senior Seminar in Urban Affairs
An advanced research seminar that serves as the synthesis and culmination of prior coursework in the Urban Affairs major.  Coursework includes reflection on how learning in the major can be applied in a student’s career and the creation of a senior thesis addressing a specific urban problem. Prerequisite: Senior standing