Online B.A. in Sociology

What is a self? How is one acquired? Most people have asked themselves the question, who am I? and perhaps wondered how do I fit in within society? When thinking about these questions, what role does society play in shaping who we are? In this course, we will examine these questions from sociological perspectives and through sociological research on the self. We will explore the interrelation between self and social identity and how these ideas can be applied to student’s own experiences and sense of social well-being. Topics for discussion include language and meaning making, socialization, self-esteem, the significance of roles, emotional experience, deviance, and social identities of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. Students will explore the personal and social implications of defining selfhood in certain ways. Satisfies General Education requirement SELF.

Sociological social psychology focuses on the construction of cultural meaning, the use of symbols to convey meaning, and meanings and symbols as the basis of interaction. Topics include language and socialization, processes by which meanings are negotiated, the production of the social self, presentation of self, self-fulfilling prophesies, group differences in the construction of meanings, and the effects of inequality in the production of cultural meaning. Satisfies General Education Quality of Life and upper division Area D.

Provides an analysis of the major theoretical perspectives that provide the conceptual basis for sociological research and analysis. Emphasis is on the terminology, assumptions, and implications of the dominant theoretical frameworks in classical sociology, including conflict theory, structural functionalism, and symbolic interaction theory. A grade of C or higher is required for graduation. Students who do not achieve the minimum grade will have to retake the course and get a grade of C- or higher to graduate. This course is reserved for students majoring in Sociology.

Provides an analysis of the major theoretical perspectives that provide the conceptual basis for sociological research and analysis. Emphasis is on the terminology, assumptions, and implications of the dominant theoretical frameworks in contemporary sociology, such as ethnomethodology, critical theory, contemporary feminism, rational choice, and postmodernism. Prerequisite: SOC 301 or 3100 or equivalent course. A grade of C- or higher is required for graduation. Students who do not achieve the minimum grade will have to retake the course and get a grade of C- or higher to graduate. This course is reserved for students majoring in Sociology.

This seminar focuses on the ethical considerations that must be carefully considered when using diverse and vulnerable populations for research purposes in Sociology. Vulnerable populations include for example children, women, racial/ethnic minorities, economically/socially disadvantaged, institutionalized or incarcerated, severely injured or ill, etc. Integral with the issue of making decisions in using research participants from vulnerable populations are three major principles: (1) respect for persons as autonomous agents capable of self-determination and the implementation of special procedures to protect persons with diminished autonomy; (2) beneficence in doing no harm and maximizing possible benefits and minimizing possible risks for the research participants; and (3) justice in that the burden of research participation is not unduly imposed and that all benefits to which the participant is entitled are not denied. This seminar further emphasizes social and cultural diversity, approaches to researching the other, and covers various research topics that are controversial and that face ethical challenges. Must have Junior Status. Satisfies General Education requirement JYDR.

This course examines issues involving multicultural diversity within the U.S. educational system, including the social processes and patterns of interaction operating within educational organizations, such as social relations, the roles of teachers, students and administrators, and the relationship of the educational system to broader issues of ethnic/racial stratification.

A chronological account of social and individual development during infancy, childhood, and adolescence with an emphasis on age-related changes in children’s cognitive, social, physical, and personal characteristics. An analysis of how children interact with their social world at different ages, and how these interactions play a role in the developmental changes that lead to new forms of social interactions at later ages.

Analysis of theories and concepts explaining patterns of social stratification. Focus on race, class, sex, age, and power, privilege and prestige in contemporary American society and other nations. The study of mobility, including trends in occupational mobility, is also considered.

This course offers a broad introduction to the social dimensions of technology and of emerging information and communication technologies. An emphasis will be placed on the specific historical and cultural contexts that shape practices of technology. Attention will be given to the diverse ways technology shapes social life, including culture, science, the economy, education, and the military. We will also examine how social structures of gender, race, class, sexuality, and nation are reproduced or reconfigured by technology. Satisfies General Education Revolutionary Ideas and Innovations upper division Area D.

This course will build on the concepts, quantitative skills, and techniques learned in SOC 300/2210. This will include refinement of concepts and a more extensive treatment of exploratory data analysis, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics. Each student will be required to complete a research project. Prerequisite: SOC 300 or 2210 or equivalent course. This course is reserved for students majoring in Sociology. This course builds on the quantitative concepts, skills, and techniques learned in SOC 2208: Introduction to Statistics for Social Research (or equivalent course) and SOC 2210: Introduction to Research Methods. The primary focus of this course is on quantitative research designs and statistical methods that sociologists use to analyze quantitative data. The first part of this course addresses with research design topics in quantitative research, including ethical concerns, data collection techniques, conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement. The second portion of this course introduces students to common statistical methods with an emphasis on multiple regression analysis. Specific topics include the interpretation of model coefficients, evaluation of model fit, model building strategies, dummy variable regression, a nontechnical discussion of statistical assumptions, and potential solutions to problems that arise in regression analysis. Each student will be required to complete a research project. A grade of C- or higher is required for graduation. This course is reserved for students majoring in Sociology.

Consideration of the nature of the discipline. Integration of material from other courses. The relationship of sociology to other fields of study. Prerequisite: SOC 2210/300, 3100/301, 3110 /302, with a C- or higher, and one of the following: SOC 4200/400, 4210/434, 4230/452, 4240/453, 4250/454. Completion of SOC 2210 and 3100 and 3110 and one of the following: SOC 4200, 4210, 4230, 4240, 4250 with a C- or higher. Reserved for Sociology majors only. You must earn a C-or higher in this course in order to graduate. Students must have either completed all four courses or be enrolled in the second theory and/or methods course when taking Senior Seminar. Satisfies General Education requirement Capstone.