This course introduces students to the field of Sociology; a scientific field that emphasizes how structural, institutional, and group related social forces shape our society. These issues are addressed through an examination of historical and modern theoretical developments in the field. Students encounter topics such as the Sociological Imagination, socialization, culture, social class, race, ethnicity, age and gender in a context of social change. Credit will not be awarded for both the honors and regular versions of a course. Credit will be awarded only for the first course completed with a grade of "C" or better or "P.".

This course introduces students to the field of Sociology; a scientific field that emphasizes how structural, institutional, and group related social forces shape our society. These issues are addressed through an examination of historical and modern theoretical developments in the field. Students encounter topics such as the Sociological Imagination, socialization, culture, social class, race, ethnicity, age and gender in a context of social change. Credit will not be awarded for both the honors and regular versions of a course. Credit will be awarded only for the first course completed with a grade of C or better or "P.".

This course is a study of contemporary social problems from a theoretical framework that emphasizes how social problems are rooted in structural conditions. Specifically, this course focuses on the role of power and politics in defining social issues as social problems, the causes and consequences of social problems, and practices and policies that can help alleviate social problems.

This course will provide a sociological analysis of race, ethnicity, and racism. It examines the cultural, political, and economic practices and institutions that support or challenge racism, racial and ethnic inequalities. We will also explore historical and contemporary patterns of interaction between various racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

This course will introduce students to sociological concepts and issues within contemporary family sociology. The intersections between the family and other social institutions as well as diversity of families will be central foundations for this course. Issues of privilege and inequality will be explored, along with social justice as it pertains to families. Using sociological analysis we will examine family as an institution, including historical and recent changes, present nature and the socio-cultural and economic forces shaping these changes.

This course examines the institutional and structural conditions that have and continue to shape the Chicana/o experience in the United States. This course makes use of a Sociological perspective that incorporates various paradigms/theories including but not limited to: Stratification, Colonialism/Imperialism, Chicana Feminism, Queer Theory, Conflict Theory, and Assimilation/Acculturation. Of specific interest is the impact of social institutions such as: Education, the Legal System, the Economy, Politics, Family, and the Media on the Chicana/o community. This course will examine institutionally perpetuated systems of oppression and privilege such as: white supremacy, sexism, heteronormativity, and classism.

In this course students examine the fundamental elements of empirical research through a Sociological perspective. The course includes attention to the nature of theory, hypotheses, variables, and ethical considerations when conducting research. In addition, the course will focus on qualitative and quantitative methods used to collect and analyze data such as surveys, experiments, observations, and comparative historical research. Course may involve the use of computer applications/software for data analysis.

Social philosophy studies humans in society from the standpoint of metaphysical and ethical principles and presuppositions of human nature. This course highlights major historical and contemporary perspectives in the history of philosophy and focuses on prominent social philosophers for detailed study. Questions concerning legal and social relationships, purpose in social order, and ethical values in human institutions are explored.

This course provides a sociological analysis of crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. It 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. Measurement of crime and basic theoretical explanations of criminal behavior will be discussed.

This course includes a survey of helping institutions and social issues concerning human services and social welfare; identifying target populations, the historical perspective of human services and social welfare in the U.S., theoretical perspectives of human services and social welfare, survey of social service occupations and careers, and economics of the helping professions. Special attention is given to current service delivery systems, their policies and procedures, and the tasks of culturally responsive social workers and human service workers within those settings.

This course offers the student a supervised field experience in a community organization, agency, or institution, allowing the student to apply knowledge and learn new skills outside of the classroom environment. A weekly class meeting provides the academic element to this experiential course offering and reinforces the application of concepts gained in the prerequisite course. This course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to develop skills that would facilitate gaining employment in the human services field.

Students learn and apply statistical methods to social science data. The topics include: descriptive and inferential statistics, levels and types of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal t and chi-square distributions, probability and hypothesis testing, and correlation and regression. Applications of statistical software to social science data are required.

This course examines the social construction of gender identities and practices as societal and institutional products that are performed on macro, meso, and micro levels. This examination incorporates the intersection of various statuses and identities, such as race, sexuality, and class, that influence the construction of gender. As an institutional product, the course analyzes the role of culture, the economy, politics, and other institutions that define and reshape gendered expectations and practices.

Work Experience Education provides supervised employment extending classroom occupational learning at an on-the-job learning station relating to the students’ educational or occupational goals. Each unit of credit requires 54 hours of employment during the semester. Work Experience Education is available to all students.