Course Descriptions
Sociology
SOC 101
Introduction to Sociology
3 credits
Why are people part of groups? This course introduces students to the scientific study of group behavior in terms of social interactions and processes. By developing their sociological imagination, students will understand the ways in which we interact with each other in the various groups to which we belong and how those interactions influence our behavior. Students will consider diverse topic areas such as culture, socialization, social institutions, social inequality, social psychology, and social change. Students’ role as global citizens is examined through the lens of global stratification. Students will apply theoretical approaches, such as functional-analysis, symbolic interactionism, and conflict theory, to an examination of institutions and social processes in the United States and globally. Students will also consider how sociologists “do” research and how that research can help to solve real world problems.