Course Descriptions

A survey of the science of humankind focusing on the worlds cultural diversity and the search for general explanatory theories that explain this diversity. The class will explore empirical methods to describe cultures and intracultural variation.

A study of the nature of human societies, groups, social processes, social integration, and the sociological approach.

An exploration of the development of societies, and the problems associated with population shifts to industrialized urban areas.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 The study of the sociology of minority groups including theories of prejudice and discrimination.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 or consent of instructor. This course introduces the student to sociological theories that address interpersonal interactions and the construction of meaning. Topics included are social roles and statuses, emotions, socialization, social control, deviance, social identity, inequality, exchange, expectation states, collective behavior, frame analysis, and labeling.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 or consent of instructor A study of marriage and family relations as changing institutions in a changing social world with respect to variations in fertility, socialization, and social control.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 or consent of instructor. Family violence has become one of the most prevalent political and social issues of our time. Within the last 20 years, numerous laws and public policies have been enacted pertaining to such forms of domestic violence as child abuse, elder abuse, and spousal abuse. This course is designed to critically analyze the theoretical causes and some of the public policies associated with domestic violence.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 or consent of instructor. An examination of what deviant behavior is (including specific examples of behavior which is so labeled) and social explanations for its existence.

The study of theories of social, race/ethnic, sex, and age stratification. Social inequality in the United States will be examined in a comparative context, giving emphasis to the analysis of resulting conflicts.

Prerequisite: CRJ 1301 or SOC 2301. This course provides an introduction to basic statistical techniques used by social scientists to effectively organize and present data about the social world. Topics include measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, measures of association, normal curve, ANOVA, and multivariate analysis. Students will design and complete original research as well as make use of existing data.

Various topics of Sociology

This course examines the social meanings of health and illness. A sociological insight into illness reveals that infirmity is often a condition rather than a disease, is socially constructed and is aligned to different socio-economic parameters. Overall, this course provides a different perspective into how ideas of health and illness are interpreted, its sociological meaning and the overall implication of being in one of two states.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 and 6 hours of sociology. This course provides an understanding of demographic theories and population projection methods in relation to changes in societies, based on migration, fertility, and mortality patterns.

Prerequisite: CRJ 1301 or SOC 2301 and CRJ/SOC 3396. An introduction to the fundamentals of designing, conducting, and evaluating social science research in applied settings.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301. This course examines the dynamics of the local community, including individual and institutional interactions and neighborhood organizations. It also looks at factors contributing to the development of a well-functioning community. The local neighborhood of Polytechnic Heights and local community leaders may be referenced throughout the course.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 and 6 hours of sociology. A review of the history of social thought with considerable attention given to contemporary sociological theory.

A review of the history of social thought with considerable attention given to contemporary sociological theory.

Prerequisite: SOC 2301 and 6 hours of sociology. This course provides hands-on experience within the student's chosen field. A total of 160 hours of volunteer work is required at a selected site suitable to the student's goals, abilities, chosen discipline, and interests. Texas Wesleyan University faculty and on-site supervision ensures professional development of the student and integrity of the program. The student acts as a representative of Texas Wesleyan University and therefore is expected to exhibit professional behavior. The internship includes field supervision, classroom experience and a presentation as part of the Sociology colloquium.