Sociology
Brent Simpson, Chair
Sociology looks at the many ways in which society shapes the behaviors and outcomes of individuals and groups. Our faculty engage in research using a wide range of data analysis techniques to better understand how race, gender, social class and the groups and networks individuals are embedded in impact people’s health, social mobility, family formation and life chances. Students learn to apply these research techniques to examine questions about the society they live in and to pursue careers in education, law, politics, research, social work, counseling, and health-related professions, or to pursue graduate work in sociology.
Students entering the department can choose from a variety of degree options including a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. All major students have the opportunity to develop their own research project in the capstone course. Major students who meet the GPA requirements may also pursue a Distinction in Sociology by completing a more extensive independent research project. The sociology minor is available to complement any major course of study by bolstering skills in research, analytical thinking, substantive knowledge of contemporary social challenges, and communication.
Courses
SOCY 101 - Introductory Sociology (3 Credits)
An introduction to sociological facts and principles: an analysis of group-making processes and products.
Carolina Core: GSS
SOCY 300 - Social Structures (3 Credits)
Selected theoretical orientations, methodological procedures, and illustrative substantive data pertaining to social structures.
SOCY 301 - Sex and Gender (3 Credits)
Offers a sociological lens to develop critical ways of thinking about sex and gender as social processes in everyday lives. This course considers how sex and gender shape and affect the experiences of women, men, girls, boys, and individuals who live in the spaces in-between (those who are intersex or transgender) across a wide range of social institutions (family, work, education, politics, etc.).
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
Cross-listed course: WGST 300
Carolina Core: GSS
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 304 - Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality (3 Credits)
Historical and contemporary power relationships in race, social class, gender, and sexual orientation.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 305 - Sociology of Families (3 Credits)
SOCY 307 - Sociology of Religion (3 Credits)
Sociological perspectives related to selected aspects of religious behavior. Includes references to non-Western religions.
Cross-listed course: RELG 338
Carolina Core: GSS
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 308 - Community Organization (3 Credits)
An analysis of formal and informal organization, the interrelationships among public and private agencies, and means through which community action programs are initiated, coordinated, and maintained.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 309 - An Introduction to Social Inequality (3 Credits)
A sociological analysis of the distribution of wealth and income in selected societies.
Carolina Core: GSS
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 310 - Social Demography (3 Credits)
Introduction to key areas of population studies. Methodological approaches, time trends, regional differences, and contemporary policy issues.
Carolina Core: GSS
SOCY 311 - Ecology of Human Social Systems (3 Credits)
Relationships among and changes in populations, social organization, technology, and the environment.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 312 - Bureaucracy and Modern Society (3 Credits)
Bureaucracies in the public and private sector, their internal dynamics and relationship to the social environment.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 313 - Sociology of Aging (3 Credits)
Analysis of aging as a process of socialization and the status of older people in society, their roles in the community, demographic aspects of aging, and the impact of aging upon social institutions.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 315 - Global Population Issues (3 Credits)
Overview of global population history, theory, statistics, and issues related to recent population trends.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Global Learning
SOCY 320 - Individual and Society (3 Credits)
Selected theoretical orientations, methodological procedures, and illustrative substantive data pertaining to the relations between the individual and society.
SOCY 322 - Sociology of Suicide (3 Credits)
An introductory survey of the social aspects of suicidal behaviors and attitudes.
SOCY 323 - Sociology of Deviant Behavior (3 Credits)
Theories, methodology, and substantive issues in the study of social deviance.
SOCY 325 - Sociology of Childhood (3 Credits)
A consideration of the child in the family group, play group, school group, and community.
SOCY 326 - Sociology of Adolescence (3 Credits)
Sociological perspectives and research findings related to adolescence.
SOCY 330 - Sociology of the Paranormal (3 Credits)
A critical examination of factors that lead to the widespread acceptance of paranormal claims.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
SOCY 340 - Introduction to Social Problems (3 Credits)
Contemporary social issues such as poverty, health, the criminal justice system, globalization and the environment, their causes and possible solutions.
Carolina Core: GSS
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Community Service, GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 350 - Juvenile Delinquency (3 Credits)
SOCY 351 - Urban Sociology (3 Credits)
Analysis of urban trends, characteristics, and functions of cities with reference to the social psychological factors in urban living. Attention is directed to the emergence of urbanism in the United States, with particular reference to the Southern region, and to institutions, problems, and city planning.
SOCY 353 - Sociology of Crime (3 Credits)
SOCY 354 - Collective Behavior (3 Credits)
An analysis of crowds, publics, social movements, and the mass society in terms of their institutional and social psychological consequences.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 355 - Race and Ethnic Relations (3 Credits)
Theoretical and empirical approaches related to race/ethnicity and the current state of race relations in America, with some attention to global issues.
Cross-listed course: AFAM 355
Carolina Core: GSS
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy, GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Leadership Experiences
SOCY 356 - Sociological Perspectives on Poverty in the U.S. (3 Credits)
This is a course about the demographics, measurement, ideologies, and theories of U.S. poverty.
SOCY 357 - Sociology of Education (3 Credits)
Analysis of educational institutions, organizations, processes, and their effects in contemporary society.
Cross-listed course: EDFI 357
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 360 - Sociology of Medicine and Health (3 Credits)
Health and illness in relation to social institutions. The organization and professionalization of medicine and social barriers to medical care.
SOCY 368 - Society through Visual Media (3 Credits)
Analysis of social phenomena and sociological questions through various forms of media, including films, TV, photography, and other visual media.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 370 - Sociology of Sport (3 Credits)
Theories, methods, and substantive issues in the study of sport in contemporary societies.
SOCY 391 - Sociological Research Methods (3 Credits)
Qualitative and quantitative methods of sociological research.
SOCY 392 - Elementary Statistics for Sociologists (3 Credits)
An introduction to concepts and application of quantitative methods, including descriptive and inferential statistics. Emphasis on analysis of empirical sociological data.
SOCY 393 - Sociological Theory (3 Credits)
Examination of key ideas from classical, modern, and contemporary sociological theories.
SOCY 398 - Topics in Sociology (3 Credits)
Reading and research on selected sociological topics. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of classes by title.
SOCY 399 - Independent Study (3-6 Credits)
Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and department chair is required for undergraduate students.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
SOCY 500 - Social Networks (3 Credits)
Analysis of personal, social and organizational networks, their structural patterns, practical consequences, and principles of formation and change.
SOCY 502 - Political Sociology (3 Credits)
Theory and research concerning the interrelationship between the polity and social structures.
SOCY 503 - Family and Social Stratification (3 Credits)
An analysis of the contemporary American family emphasizing social stratification, mobility, occupations, and urbanization.
SOCY 504 - Social Stratification (3 Credits)
Theory and research in social stratification.
SOCY 505 - Social Structures in Communities (3 Credits)
Interrelationships of major social structures within communities.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 506 - Social Organizations (3 Credits)
Selected theoretical orientation, methodological procedures, and illustrative substantive issues pertaining to organizations.
SOCY 507 - Sociology of Social Control (3 Credits)
Theories and issues relating to the definition of and response to crime and/or deviance.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 509 - Advanced Social Structures (3 Credits)
The analysis of core methodological and substantive issues in the study of social structures.
SOCY 510 - Life Course Demographics (3 Credits)
People's demographic lives, structural contexts, and social change. Emphasis on the socioeconomic context in which lives unfold.
Prerequisites: SOCY 310.
SOCY 511 - Sociology of Mental Health (3 Credits)
Social factors in the development, identification, and treatment of mental illness.
SOCY 512 - Internal and International Migration (3 Credits)
A survey of methods of analysis and research findings with emphasis on the social and economic concomitants of internal migration. Cultural, economic, and historical aspects of international migration. Effects of governmental policies on immigration and emigration. Examination of selected countries.
SOCY 514 - Urbanization (3 Credits)
Analysis of urbanization using contemporary and historical data from developing societies. The demographic components of metropolitan growth and the changing structure of metropolitan communities.
SOCY 515 - Scientific Methods and Sociological Inquiry (3 Credits)
Introduction to methods used to answer theoretical, empirical, and practical sociological questions, including scientific inquiry and research design.
SOCY 520 - Advanced Social Psychology (3 Credits)
Advanced survey of social psychological perspectives and research on inequality, discrimination, power and status, cooperation and collective action, social norm and morality, networks and relationships.
SOCY 521 - Small Group Analysis (3 Credits)
A behavioral analysis of small groups.
SOCY 522 - Power and Authority Structures in Groups (3 Credits)
An exploration of theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and substantive issues in the study of interpersonal power and authority.
SOCY 523 - Social Processes of Deviance Control (3 Credits)
A systematic analysis of the interrelation among the creation, involvement, recognition, and control of deviance.
SOCY 524 - Interpersonal Behavior in Families (3 Credits)
Social psychological perspectives on family behavior.
SOCY 525 - Selves and Social Transaction (3 Credits)
A systematic analysis of interrelationships among social acts, selves, roles, transactions, and language.
SOCY 540 - Sociology of Law (3 Credits)
Review of theoretical and empirical developments in the sociology of law, including classical and modern sociological theories of law and selected sociological themes of law in various social settings.
SOCY 550 - Sociology of Science (3 Credits)
Interrelationships among society, culture, and contemporary science.
SOCY 557 - Sociology of Education and Inequality (3 Credits)
Advanced inquiry into the relationship between education and inequality.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Diversity and Social Advocacy
SOCY 560 - Advanced Sociological Theory (3 Credits)
Theoretical perspectives on society and social behavior.
SOCY 561 - Real World Research Experience (3 Credits)
SOCY 562 - Advanced Sociological Research Methods (3 Credits)
Advanced survey of methods used in sociological research.
SOCY 598 - Selected Topics (3 Credits)
Readings and research on selected sociological topics. Course and content varies and will be announced in the schedule of classes by title.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
SOCY 599 - Advanced Independent Study (3-6 Credits)
Advanced Independent study. Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and department chair is required.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.
SOCY 698 - Special Topics (3 Credits)
Reading and research.
Prerequisites: SOCY 101.