Classes in soc

SOC 1A Introduction to Sociology 3.0 units
Description: Analysis of the structure and dynamics of human society focusing on basic concepts, theories and methods; the development of culture; the socialization process; group behavior; social inequality, deviance; sexism, racism, and ageism; major social structures and social institutions; human ecology, and global dynamics. Emphasizes contemporary American society. (C-ID: SOCI 110) ADVISORY: Completion of English 280 or equivalent skill level recommended.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify and explain the basic concepts, theories, and/or methodologies of sociology.
2. Define and apply the sociological imagination/sociological perspective.
3. Explain how various social locations such as class, race, and gender, are vital to the study of sociology and apply them to specific sociological topics.
4. Identify important social institutions and explain how sociologists examine them.


SOC 1B Introduction to Sociology: Social Problems 3.0 units
Description: This course provides an overview of how sociologists understand, identify, and address social problems, including the role of power and ideology in the definition of social problems. Students will be introduced to and critically evaluate various theories to explain and analyze the causes and consequences of social problems, their presence in our lives, and the extent to which they can be defined as social problems. In addition to identifying contemporary social problems, students will explore the root causes of these social problems and search for potential solutions and methods of intervention. Some issues that may be examined are: economic globalization, immigration, poverty, inequalities in educational and employment opportunities, race and gender inequality, and crime and violence in society. (C-ID: SOCI 115) ADVISORY: Sociology 1A.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Describe and analyze what constitutes a social problem.
2. Explain and analyze what particular social problems exist in terms of one or more useful social theories.
3. Employ the scientific method to analyze explanations for any given social problem.
4. Evaluate practical alternatives for addressing social problems through the use of sociological methodology.
5. Examine, analyze, and address social problems at the local, national, and global level.


SOC 3 Sociology of Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Identity 3.0 units
Description: This course is designed to introduce students to the basic sociological concepts and theories of race, ethnicity and cultural identity in U.S. society. Students will examine race, ethnicity and cultural identity as social constructs that permeate social structures and institutions, and how they change over time and space. Over the semester students will critically analyze the ways which race, ethnicity, class, and gender/sexuality continually shape people's lives and experiences. While the class focuses on U.S. societies, students will also critically compare and contrast race and ethnicity in other societies. (C-ID: SOCI 150) . Also listed as ETHN 3B.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Explain and evaluate various sociological theories on race and ethnicity.
2. Describe contemporary and past forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination as well as sociological explanations for their causes and effects.
3. Describe and assess the history of relations among dominant and minority racial and immigrant groups in the United States.
4. Describe and evaluate the reasons for the prevailing social, economic, and political positions of the different racial and ethnic groups.


SOC 4 Sociology of Gender 3.0 units
Description: This course is designed to introduce students to gender as a basic organizing principle of social life at the macro-analytic institutional level and the micro-analytic individual level. Students will examine how gender, femininity, and masculinity are socially constructed, and how these constructions shape gender, the socialization of gender, how individuals "do" gender, and how these affect self-identity, interpersonal interaction, and inequality in society. Students will critically analyze the interactions of gender with race, class, sexuality, the impact of economic and political change on gender expectations and practices. NOTE: Course formerly Sociology of Women and Men (C-ID: SOCI 140) ADVISORY:ENGL 280 or eligible for ENGL 1A .

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Explain how gender is a social construction
2. Demonstrate how our personal experiences are shaped by cultural assumptions about gender and social interaction in gendered institutions.
3. Compare the ways in which different cultures view and understand gender
4. Analyze gender as an organizing principle of social life and social inequality
5. Identify the role of gender in various social institutions such as family, education, economy, religion, and mass media
6. Recognize how gender intersects with race, class, and sexuality


SOC 9 Global Social Change 3.0 units
Description: This course examines the social, economic and political forces that have led to a process known as "globalization." It explores how the global integration of societies, economics, and cultures fundamentally transforms human life with specific emphasis on: the global economy and economic development; transnational political organizations; culture and identity; the effect of globalization on social stratification, including gender/race/ethnic inequalities; transnational migration; environmental change; and transnational social movements. Also listed as POLS 9. PREREQUISITE: English 250 ADVISORY: English 1A

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. To examine how institutional forces shape a global society and reflect critically on the process of global social change
2. To examine the linkages between local and global processes and the ways in which various social groups are affected by the global social change
3. To evaluate theories and explanations of global social change and globalization
4. To analyze global social problems, such as environmental degradation, clandestine migration, gender inequality, global slums, etc. and to propose possible solutions
5. To examine responses to global social changes through various social movements and forms of resistance
6. To analyze the role of information technology and communication flows in global social change and to evaluate their impact on local and global cultures


SOC 10 Mass Media and Society 3.0 units
Description: This course helps students understand the 20th century revolution in mass media by focusing on the history, economics and social impact of the newspaper, book publishing, magazine, film, television, public relations, advertising and music industries. Students will study audience, propaganda and mass communication theory; and discuss new technology, ethnic media in the United States, ethical issues and attempts to regulate or control the media. Honors students will complete more in-depth analysis of media issues, and will finish a media-related research project. This course is also listed as JOUR 10. This course has the option of a letter grade or pass/no pass.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will write and discuss the evolution of American media and how media currently operate, and evaluate the relative benefit or harm of media trends in the students' lifetimes.
2. Students will evaluate the social, political, and cultural impact of media.
3. Students will explain how changes in technology affect the communication process and the exchange of information.
4. Students will apply the following critical thinking skills: comparing and contrasting media and their impact, analyzing news for facts or opinions, applying inductive and deductive reasoning to news materials, evaluating conclusions based upon facts and tests of hypothesis, analyzing cause and effect relationships as they relate to media, detecting persuasion techniques used by the media, identifying bias, stereotyping and spin-doctoring in media and proposing safeguards.
5. Students will articulate and employ an understanding of the First Amendment protections and responsibilities.
6. Students will critically examine their own use of media and the influence of media upon their lives.


SOC 21 Marriage and the Family 3.0 units
Description: Overview of the sociological study of the family as a social institution. Examines historical and contemporary family patterns, theoretical perspectives regarding family roles and formation, and the effect of the economy, public policy, and other social institutions on families. Emphasis placed on gender, sexuality, social class, and racial/ethnic diversity in American families. (C-ID: SOCI 130) ADVISORY: Eligible for English 1A.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify current and historical trends in marriage and family formation in the United States using evidence from the course materials
2. Discuss sociological theories explaining aspects of family life (e.g. parenting, family violence, divorce).
3. Identify role of gender, race, social class, and/or sexuality in family dynamics.
4. Critique public policy related to marriage and family, and assess its impact on your own lived experience.


SOC 22 Field Work and Service 0.5 units
Description: Supervised field work within the college and with local agencies. Students serve in useful group activities in leadership roles prescribed for them by faculty or community agencies. A maximum of six units may be completed. This is a pass/no pass course. REQUIRED: Learning contracts must be filled out and signed by the student and the supervising instructor.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. No learning outcomes


SOC 23 Independent Study 1.0 units
Description: Designed to afford selected students specialized opportunities for exploring areas at the independent study level. The courses may involve extensive library work, research in the community, or special projects. May be repeated until six units of credit are accrued. This course has the option of a letter grade or pass/no pass. REQUIRED: The study outline prepared by the student and the instructor must be filed with the department and the dean.



SOC 25 Sociology of Crime and Deviance 3.0 units
Description: Sociological analysis of crime and deviance, criminal and deviant behavior, and the criminal justice system. Explores the history and social construction of crime and criminality and examines the definition of crime and its violations as well as the laws and methods used to control criminal behavior. Discuss measurement of crime and basic theoretical explanations of criminal behavior. Advisory: Completion of ENGL 280 or equivalent. C-ID (SOCI 160).

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify and explain various theoretical perspectives that have been used to explain deviant and criminal behavior.
2. Describe and critique the methodological techniques used to study crime.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of current practices within the criminal justice system and contemporary concerns with policing and mass incarceration.
4. Identify ways gender, race, and class relate to crime and justice.


SOC 30 Drugs and Society 3.0 units
Description: This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the sociological study of drug use. Course will include a systematic review of the research on psychoactive drugs and the socially constructed reality that surrounds their use in contemporary American society. Topics will include: the socio-cultural based definitions of drugs; the individual, group, and social structural dimensions of drug using behavior; theoretical perspectives on drug use behavior; research methods for studying drug use; and an analysis of the implications of these definitions and relationships for drug legislation, prevention, and treatment in both historical and contemporary contexts.



SOC 40 Research Methods for Sociology and the Social Sciences 3.0 units
Description: This course provides an introduction to various techniques of social science research. The basic goal of all social research is to gather empirical evidence in order to answer questions about the nature of relationships between individuals, groups, institutions, and societies. This course is designed to give students a broad overview of the logic of social science research, of the process of research design, and of the major types of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques and methods of data analysis.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of methods and specific techniques used by social scientists to conduct research
2. Evaluate the appropriateness of different research designs for particular research goals
3. Explain the basic principles of the scientific method.
4. Evaluate research findings in terms of quality, credibility, and applicability