Sociology Courses
SOCL105. Sociology in Practice
In this course students will be introduced to the discipline and practice of sociology to prepare them for lives of civic engagement. Students will use sociological insights, theories, and research methods to examine social issues and suggest means of improving social conditions. Topics that will be explored include culture, social institutions, social inequality and diversity, social interaction in organizations, communities, and groups, and social change. Students will be challenged to apply sociological frameworks to critically examine conventional wisdom and personal experience. This course serves as a foundational course in the sociology major and will provide students with knowledge and skills that will prepare them for upper-level college courses. Students will learn how to read and study the work of sociologists, conducts effective library research, and write papers in the discipline. 3 credits. WI, FHBS.
SOCL1XX. Sociology Elective
SOCL205. Deviance
This course is an in-depth examination of deviant behavior, its social forms and functions. Societal response to deviance is examined to highlight norms, values and control mechanisms. Emphasis is placed on sociological theories that explain deviant behavior. 3 credits.
SOCL206. Digital Society
This course introduces students to a sociological analysis of the relationship between technology and society. We will examine how technology is rapidly restructuring how we think about ourselves, each other, and societies across the world. Topics will include technological change, shaping and controlling technology, the internet, privacy, digital identities, digital interactions, work, environment, and democracy. 3 credits.
SOCL220. Self in Society
The interplay of societal forces and self are examined in this course. Attention is given to such topics as: self in society and society in self; collective behavior; mass movements, public opinion, propaganda and the mass media; group processes; socialization and social psychological aspects of social structure. 3 credits.
SOCL222. Persptive Childhood/Parenting
In this course socialization is examined as a reciprocal process between parents and children/adolescents and other social institutions. Topics that will be explored include transitioning to parenthood, infant and child development, attachment theory, parenting practices and stresses, family structure, the changing of dynamics of parent-child relationships across the lifespan, and the influence of gender, race, and socioeconomic status on family dynamics. 3 credits.
SOCL233. Intro Social Inequality Diff
This course focuses on the causes, consequences and justifications of social inequalities in the United States and in other societies. Current social policies are critically examined and alternative routes to social change are explored. Race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, age and physical ability/disability are among the significant variables by which human societies make distinctions among their members. Such distinctions often lead to an inequitable distribution of political power, social well-being, and the resources available to individual members of the society. In this course we seek to increase students' awareness and understanding of the inequities in society and the consequences of those inequities for different communities and individuals within society. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
SOCL241. Marriage and the Family
The history of American families and contemporary family issues are analyzed using sociological theory and research. Topics that are covered include marriage, cohabitation, divorce, single parent families, blended families, the impact of race and gender norms, and socioeconomic status on family structure. 3 credits.
SOCL260. Environment and Society
This course provides an introduction to environmental sociology and the sociology of natural resources. Students will investigate the relationship between social and biophysical systems. Key topical areas include: social definition of the environment and natural resources, theoretical approaches to understanding the relationship between humans and the non-human environment, environmental attitudes, environmental social movements, environmental justice, and the social organization of resource use. Students will also explore how environmental/natural resource assets shape social organization, how resource development and use patterns affect social change and the effects of changing resource conditions on natural resource dependent communities. 3 credits.
SOCL261. A Comparative Stdy Sport in UK
This course will entail a study abroad experience in London, England with a focus on UK Sport. The course explores issues related to the structure and culture of sport as well as the historical foundations of UK sport. Students will focus on how sociological ideas such as forms of inequality, globalization, identity, fandom, and the relationships between other institutions and the sporting system. Attention will be paid learning the skills and strategies associated with different UK sports such as cricket, stoolball, and lawn bowling. Students will be expected to participate in all pre-departure logistics planning/informational sessions. The course is open to all academic majors, yet students must pre-apply for participation in the course. Students must possess a 2.5 overall GPA, and must be able to secure on reference to qualify for participation. 3 credits.
SOCL275. Soc of the Welfare St & Soc Pl
In this course students will learn theoretical paradigms addressing how welfare states are created and how the change. Additionally, students will be exposed to an array of ways the welfare state has been researched in the United States and cross-nationally. An in-depth understanding of how the American welfare state is different from other industrialized nations will be addressed with particular emphasis being placed on research that evaluates policy. Particular attention is spent examining how policies affect individuals and families, as well as how these policies shape family structure and decisions. Students learn how to design and conduct both basic research and applied research. Methods of conducting program/policy evaluation are emphasized. 3 credits.
SOCL284. Sociology of (Dis)Ability
This course will explore the definition of disability, individual prejudice and institutional discrimination as it affects individuals with a disability, the relationship between disabilities and other social characteristics, and how individuals with disabilities negotiate different social institutions. Physical, intellectual, and cognitive disabilities are considered. 3 credits.
SOCL295. Special Topics
Selected topics in Sociology. The topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topics change. 3 credits.
SOCL2XX. Sociology Elective
SOCL306. Stress and Crisis in Families
Normative and traumatic stresses and crises that families and their members experience, including birth of a child, divorce, violence, death, natural disasters, and war time family separations, are examined. Family stress theory, protective factors, coping strategies, prevention and intervention are addressed as well. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
SOCL320. Sociology of Education
Sociology of Education examines the structure and process of education in contemporary society. The primary focus is on U.S. public education. Topics include the contribution of sociology to understanding education and teaching; the relationship of education to other institutions such as the family, government, religion, and the economy; demographic changes that effect education; the effect of social class on student achievement and teaching; formal and informal positions, roles and processes in schools; and consideration of current issues such as school funding, compensatory and special education programs, race and gender issues, and educational reform movements. 3 credits. PHBS, WI.
SOCL321. Supernatural Belief Systems
This course provides an investigation of the social aspects of religion, its forms of organization, and its relationships to other institutions. 3 credits.
SOCL325. Gender and Society
This course provides an examination of the social construction of gender and the social organization of gender inequality, as well as an analysis of gender identity in socialization, interpersonal behavior, the family, the media, and the economy. 3 credits.
SOCL326. Sexuality and Society
This course offers an integrative look at human sexuality. Students will be challenged to think deeply and critically about sexuality and to develop an understanding of the sociological perspective on the subject. The perspective of other disciplines including history, biology, psychology, and anthropology will be incorporated where appropriate. Topics include sexual anatomy and behavior, sexual orientation and identity, sexual socialization, sexual values, sexual relationships and consent, sexual violence, and the commodification of sexuality. Prerequiste: SOCL 105. 3 credits.
SOCL331. Aging and the Life Course
This course provides a comprehensive examination of social gerontology, with particular emphasis on the historical changes in the role of the elderly in society, future social and demographic trends, the contribution of sociological theories to understanding this group, and public policy implications. Also addressed are specific social problems associated with aging (poverty, loneliness, suicide). 3 credits.
SOCL333. Race & Racism in United States
This course will explore how race and ethnicity shape unequal opportunities and outcomes for Americans within society and the uniquely important role that black-white relations plays in influencing our understandings of race and the practice of racism. Some topics covered in this course include: slavery, racial ideologies, mass incarceration, job discrimination, and housing inequality. These topics will be investigated using a variety of lenses: biological, sociological, historical, psychological, economic, political, and aesthetic. Pre-requisites: SOCL 105. 3 credits. PHBS. WI.
SOCL341. Balancing Work & Family Life
Students will examine the competing and interlocking demands of work and family in their personal lifes, how people respond to those demands, and what role workplace and governmental policies play in alleviating these demands. Throughout the course the significance of social class, gender, race, and other social constructions in shaping the experiences and responses people have to balancing work and family life will be explored. Topics covered in this course will include: the history of work-family conflict, the structure of the modern workplace, the wage gap, labor market discrimination, family leave policies, household division of labor, parenting, childcare, and international comparisons of governmental family leave policies. Prerequisites: SOCL 105. 3 credits.
SOCL345. Social Research and Program Ev
In this course students learn the logical basis for conceptualization and research in sociology and criminology. Research design, concept formation, data collection, data reduction, data analysis, and data interpretation are studied. Students learn how to design and conduct both basic research and applied research. Methods of conducting program evaluation are emphasized. Prerequisite: SOCL 105, CRIM 100 or permission of instructor. Open to Juniors and Seniors only. 3 credits.
SOCL346. Stats for the Social Sciences
Basic Statistics. Computer application of quantitative and statistical techniques to sociological data. Emphasis on questionnaire construction, coding, sampling, building and maintaining data sets, probability, statistical distributions, hypothesis testing, and theoretical modeling. Students are required to become proficient in the use of a statistical software package. Offered spring semester. Open to Juniors and Seniors only. Prerequisite: SOCL 345. 3 credits.
SOCL351. Sociology of Family Violence
This course is designed to familiarize students with the sociological literature on family violence. Topics which will be explored include the social causes and consequences of spouse abuse, marital rape, child maltreatment (physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse) and parent abuse, as well as the response of the criminal justice system to and the societal perceptions of such violence. Emphasis will be on synthesizing and critiquing family violence theories and research. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
SOCL355. The Community
Students review theories of community and analyze representative community studies. 3 credits.
SOCL370. Medical Sociology
Students study sociocultural factors that influence health, health care and illness in addition to an analysis of health care services, hospital organization, roles and role relationships in the health care setting and the processes of socialization of health care personnel and patients. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
SOCL376. Sociology of Law
In this course students learn the relationship between law and social structure. They further study the processes of law creation, interpretation, enforcement and modification, and examine police, judicial and jury behavior as well as analyze the legal profession itself. 3 credits.
SOCL377. Sociology of Sport
This course provides an analysis of sport as a changing social institution. Emphases will be placed on the organization of sport, the interaction of sport with other institutions, sex, race, and ethnic status, collegiate sport, professionalization, law, and shifting social values. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits.
SOCL378. Race & Violence in US/Europe
This course examines when, how, and why racial violence happens in the United States and Europe. While seemingly random, racial violence is the result of complex social and historical forces which occur across time and place. The goal of this course is for students to study this complexity from an interdisciplinary perspective. In doing so, students will grapple with how racial violence happens through interactions and institutions. Topics covered in this course include: racism, antisemitism, genocide, fascism, eugenics, the Klu Klux Klan, Nazis, lynching, forced sterilization, white supremacy, police brutality. These topics will be investigated using a variety of lenses: sociological, historical, psychological, economic, political, and aesthetic. Pre-requisite: Completion of FHBS pillar. 3 credits. PHBS. WI.
SOCL382. Topical Seminars
These courses are advanced seminars for sociology majors and non-majors interested in sociology. These seminars are designed to permit small groups of qualified students to pursue specialized topics in sociology, as listed below. Prerequisite: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor. 3 credits. Collective Behavior and Social Movements. In this course, students study social behavior that is guided by nontraditional norms and is less structured than more traditional behaviors. the topics of crowds, cults, riots, rebellions, social change movements, and revolutions are explored. Small Groups. In this course, students gain a sociological appreciation of units consisting of two or more members engaged in meaningful contact such as families, work groups, therapeutic associations, athletic teams, and peer groupings. Sociology of Mass Communication. This course is an exploration of the structure of media industries (press, radio, television, and advertising), their impact on audiences, mass culture, and specific public issues such as violence and politics.
SOCL401. Sociological Theory
This course is an examination of the major theoretical positions in classical and current sociology. Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: SOCL 105 or permission of instructor; Open to Juniors and Seniors Only. 3 credits.
SOCL461. Senior Seminar in Sociology
This course is a capstone course for the senior sociology major designed to integrate knowledge of the various subfields of the discipline. Research skills, professional ethics and career development are particularly emphasized. Students' mastery of the discipline is assessed through quantitative and qualitative measures. Open only to senior sociology majors. 3 credits.
SOCL490. Directed Independent Study
Individualized study, must be approved by the head of the department. 1-18 credits.
SOCL492. Internship in Sociology
This course provides direct student learning in applied settings that permits a practiced supervised experience. Students learn through performance in meaningful tasks in a variety of social environments. Prerequisite: 18 hours of sociology at Longwood. Student's cumulative GPA must be 2.0 or above to be eligible for internship. Must be arranged at least one semester in advance with chair of department. May be repeated in subsequent semesters. Variable credit; no more than 15 total credits may be earned. Only six credit hours of Internship will earn quality points (A, B, C, and D grades); all credits earned beyond six credits will be assigned Pass/Fail grades. 1-15 credits.
SOCL495. Special Topics
These courses are recommended when the student desires to pursue a specialized topic in depth. Students must have permission of department chair and instructor directing the course. Student's cumulative GPA must be 2.00 or higher to be eligible. 3 credits.
SOCL498. Senior Thesis in Sociology
Students conduct an in-depth project in sociology under the direction of a faculty member and the Longwood Senior Thesis Committee. May be repeated as 499. 3 credits.
SOCL499. Senior Thesis in Sociology
Students conduct an in-depth project in accounting under the direction of a faculty member and the Longwood Senior Thesis Committee. 3 credits.
