2005-2006 CATALOG
SOC 1051 Introductory Sociology 3 cr.
Offered each semester. A first course in the study of human beings in society using basic concepts and methods of sociology. Topics include the influences of social groups on individuals’ attitudes and behaviors, stability and change in the family, and social inequality.
SOC 2098 Special Topics in Sociology 3 cr.
A theoretical and methodological examination of selected sociological topics with emphasis on current trends and tendencies in modern societies. This course may be repeated once for credit.
SOC 2152 Social Institutions 3 cr.
An analysis of stable and enduring social institutions, including the family, education, the economy, religion, government, the arts, science, law, and recreation.
SOC 2175 Industrial Sociology 3 cr.
Human relationships in industry; the relations of industry to the community and society.
SOC 2273 Society and the Person 3 cr.
A review of the relationships between society and the person. The social conditioning of the individual through infancy, childhood, and adult life and the reciprocal influences of the person in society are the essence of the course.
SOC 2707 Social Statistics I 4 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: three hours of mathematics above DEVM 0107. A study of descriptive and inferential statistics employed in social science research including measures of central tendency and variation, rates, graphing techniques, measures of association, tests of significance, and regression. Laboratory meetings also cover introduction to computer usage, spread sheets, and PC-based statistics programs. Successful completion of SOC 2707 and 2708 meets the general degree requirement for computer literacy. Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory.
SOC 2708 Methods in Social Research 3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: SOC 1051. A comprehensive examination of the logic and applications of the scientific method in the social sciences. Topics include survey, evaluation, experiment, existing sources, and field research. In addition, the student is introduced to computer usage, including work processing and data analysis with a statistics package on a main frame computer. Successful completion of Sociology 2707 and 2708 meets the general degree requirement for computer literacy.
SOC 2871 The Environment as a Social Problem 3 cr.
Prerequisite: Sociology 1051 or consent of instructor. Examines environmental hazards and depletion of natural resources as important social problems confronting contemporary society. Alternative understandings of the seriousness and probable causes of a number of environmental problems, such as air pollution, toxic contamination, loss of wetlands, and species extinction, are explored.
SOC 2881 The City 3 cr.
A comparative study of cities and social groups and processes in the urban environment.
SOC 2962 Current Social Problems 3 cr.
A study of contemporary social problems and their consequences for humankind with emphasis on American society. Topics include crime, drug abuse, family problems, inequality, mental illness, population problems, and suicide.
SOC 2994 Multiculturalism and Diversity in U.S. Society 3 cr.
U.S. society has been settled by immigrants from all over the world. In addition, such constitutional protections as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association create legal protections for diversity.The present course uses sociological concepts and theories to analyze diversity and multiculturalism is U.S. society. It identifies circumstances which tend to give rise to tolerance or repression, assimilation or separation, respect or condemnation. It addresses both the problems diversity generates, as well as the potential it has to enrich our lives.
SOC 3091 Independent Work 1 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Readings, conferences, and research reports under the direction of a member of the sociology faculty. In no case may a student register for SOC 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3092 Independent Work 1 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Readings, conferences, and research reports under the direction of a member of the sociology faculty. In no case may a student register for SOC 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3093 Independent Work 1 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Readings, conferences, and research reports under the direction of a member of the sociology faculty. In no case may a student register for SOC 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3094 Independent Field Research in Sociology 3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Practical applications of data collection methods in natural settings; observation, participant-observation and field experimentation; emphasis on implementing research methods in the community. In no case may a student register for Sociology 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3095 Independent Field Research in Sociology 3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Practical applications of data collection methods in natural settings; observation, participant-observation and field experimentation; emphasis on implementing research methods in the community. In no case may a student register for Sociology 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3096 Internship in Sociology 3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisites: Sociology 2707, 2708 and consent of department. The sociology intern is placed in a city, parish, or state government agency or office in the metropolitan area to learn about the applicability of the sociological perspective and methodology to applied endeavors in government. Interns usually work eight hours a week at times mutually agreeable to the individual and the agency. In addition, students must meet regularly with the faculty adviser and the student’s work must be evaluated by both the supervisor and adviser. In no case may a student register for Sociology 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3097 Internship in Sociology 3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisites: Sociology 2707, 2708 and consent of department. The sociology intern is placed in a city, parish, or state government agency or office in the metropolitan area to learn about the applicability of the sociological perspective and methodology to applied endeavors in government. Interns usually work eight hours a week at times mutually agreeable to the individual and the agency. In addition, students must meet regularly with the faculty adviser and the student’s work must be evaluated by both the supervisor and adviser. In no case may a student register for Sociology 3091-3097 for a total of more than nine hours, nor may a student apply more than six hours of sociology courses numbered 3091-3097 toward the hours required for the major in sociology.
SOC 3099 Senior Honors Thesis 3 cr.
Prerequisites: consent of department and director of the Honors Program. Directed research leading to the writing of a Senior Honors Thesis. This course must be repeated once in order to graduate With Honors in Sociology. The sociology honors program requires six hours of honors thesis in addition to all other requirements.
SOC 3595 Academic Year Abroad: Special Topics in Sociology 3 cr.
This course is only offered through UNO’s Academic Year Abroad (AYA) in Innsbruck, Austria and can be repeated once for credit.
SOC 4070 Special Topics in Women, Literature, and Society 3 cr.
(WS 4070, ENGL 4070 and SOC 4070 are cross-listed) Prerequisite: ENGL 2378 or SOC 1051 or WS 2010 or consent of instructors. A team-taught, interdisciplinary study of women in literature and society. Variable topics include women and crime, women and work, women and the family, women and religion.
SOC 4086 Sociological Theory 3 cr.
Prerequisite: nine hours in sociology. A systematic inquiry into the origins of modern sociological thought, with emphasis on major concepts and theoretical perspectives. Offered each semester.
SOC 4094 Social Change 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. A comparative study of theories and processes of social change, with emphasis on modernization, economic development, and revolution.
SOC 4098 Selected Topics in Sociology 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. Selected problems of sociological research and theory with emphasis on trends and tendencies in modern society. This course may be repeated once for credit.
SOC 4101 Social Organization 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. The structure and functioning of social groups and institutions, emphasizing American society.
SOC 4104 The Family 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An analysis of the family in social context, with emphasis on the ways in which communities and societies promote stability and change in families. Patterns of interaction among family members are also explored, together with the impact of family life on the individual’s social development.
SOC 4105 Sociology of Religion 3 cr.
Examination of the social dimensions of religious beliefs and institutions. Emphasis on patterns of religious behavior in contemporary American society. Analysis of relationships between religion and processes of social change.
SOC 4107 Sociology of Gender 3 cr.
Prerequisites: six hours in sociology. This course examines issues of gender for men and women in society through a range of theoretically defined topics. Topics covered include the intersections of gender with race/ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation; gender role socialization, childbearing, reproductive rights, and parenting. Also included are units on gender and health, intimacy, and friendship. These topics are examined in terms of the social, economic, and political bases for gender differences.
SOC 4111 Sociology of Medicine 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. A sociological analysis of the interpersonal dynamics involved in the treatment of illness and the organizational structure and functions of health services.
SOC 4112 Sociology of Mental Health 3 cr.
Prerequisite: Sociology 1051 or consent of department. A sociological analysis of mental illness including the following areas: the history of mental illness in society, etiological explanations of mental illness, epidemiology of mental illness, mental health professions, law and psychiatry, community mental health, and mental health and social policy.
SOC 4113 Sociology of Aging and Death 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An examination of the personal, interpersonal, and cultural dimensions of aging, together with an appraisal of the meaning and consequences of death in America. While the emphasis is contemporary, some historical and cross-cultural materials are also used. Attention is drawn to personal and societal needs associated with aging and death.
SOC 4124 Social Stratification 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. A study of classes, status groups, castes, and social mobility.
SOC 4130 Sociology of Women 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. This course examines the position of women in society. Such topics as sex role socialization, sexuality, reproductive rights, housework, childrearing, and violence against women are examined in terms of the social, economic, and political bases for gender differences.
SOC 4150 Sociology of Popular Culture 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of the department. The course provides a survey of the sociology of culture, with a focus on popular culture. The emphasis is on theoretical approaches to the relationship of culture and society, the process of cultural production, and the reception of culture. The substantive focus includes the variety of meanings of film, rock music, and sport.
SOC 4152 Social Welfare Institutions 3 cr.
An analysis of social welfare institutions, both private and public, in fields of philanthropy, employment, insurance, health care, housing, urban renewal, poverty, crime prevention, and human development
SOC 4161 Political Sociology 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. An examination of social institutions and political ideologies under conditions of early and late modernity. Particular attention is given to the new types of social and political challenges created by globalization and such human-created risks as global climate change and bioterrorism. Additional topics include the relation between deliberative democracy and community, the continuing influence of tradition and fundamentalism, and international efforts to promote gender equity and human rights.
SOC 4178 Occupations, Professions and the Urban Labor Force 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051, or consent of department. Study of the organization of work in modern, urban societies, emphasizing the United States. Topics include professionalization, occupational choice and placement, methods of labor force analysis, and theories of the meaning of work.
SOC 4180 Women and Work 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of the department. Topics include an overview of the status of women, market work, including labor force participation, wages and wage discrimination, occupational segregation, equal pay for work of comparable worth, and domestic work.
SOC 4191 Seminar in Non-Profit Organizations 3 cr.
Prerequisite: Consent of the Department. The course is designed to prepare students for internships and ultimate employment in non-profit organizations. The course will introduce the non-profit sector and locate it between government and the for-profit sector. The emphasis is on problem solving in the non-profit sector, including areas such as finance, personnel, marketing, and management of a simulated organization.
SOC 4192 Practicum in Non-Profit Organizations 1 cr.
Prerequisite: Consent of Department. This practicum explores strategic planning, marketing, and communication within non-profit organizations and the particular challenges involved in the non-profit sector. Course may be repeated twice for a total of three credits. One hour of lecture and laboratory.
SOC 4216 Advanced Social Psychology 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. Current theoretical and research problems in social psychology from a sociological perspective. Review of traditional areas such as socialization, perception, role attitudes, and group dynamics. Emphasis on new developments in socio- and psycho-linguistics, information theory, participation, observation, and experimental methods.
SOC 4218 Power, Surveillance, and Control 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An examination of formal and informal mechanisms of social control, types of social power, and surveillance techniques. Students are introduced to social theories which offer contrary positions on the questions of whether control is necessary to protect individuals in a society from the harmful actions of others, or whether control is means by which the powerful protect their privilege. Other topics covered include the distribution of power resources and the implication of this for different groups’ ability to influence social policy, the nature of propaganda, subtle forms of control achieved through the manipulation of physical space, and the increasingly sophisticated nature of surveillance technology.
SOC 4219 Social Deviance 3 cr.
Prerequisite: six hours in sociology. A survey of theory and research on the violation of social norms and laws. Primary emphasis is on social phenomena influencing conformity and deviance, together with institutional responses to individual and group deviance.
SOC 4788 Social Statistics II 3 cr.
Fall semester. Prerequisite: SOC 2707 or equivalent. An exploration of intermediate level multivariate statistical techniques for analyzing sociological and other social science data. Topics include analysis of variance and covariance, correlation, regression analysis, causal models and specialized topics in multivariate statistical methods.
SOC 4871 Sociology of the Environment 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051, or consent of instructor. In-depth examination of the social dimensions of one to several environmental issues of contemporary relevance. Examples of the kinds of topics which will be covered include: biodiversity and species preservation; comparitive cultural beliefs and values about the environment; conservation of wilderness areas and other environmental amenities; renewable energy and resource supplies; risk management; substainable development; and technological controversies. The examined topics will be used as a venue through which to introduce students to an array of sociological concepts and theories about the human society-environmental interface.
SOC 4881 The Urban Community 3 cr.
An analysis of the major subcommunities and subcultures to be found in any large urban complex. Special attention will be given to neighborhoods, ethnic and racial groups, suburbs, and religious and occupational subcultures.
SOC 4882 Urban Issues: Planning and Social Policy 3 cr.
This course will deal with theory, policy, and methods in urban planning. It will also focus on special issues of contemporary problems, such as housing, urban renewal, and regional government.
SOC 4903 Population Issues and Dynamics 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An examination of social demography, with emphasis on the development of the theories and methods used to examine transitions in fertility, mortality, and migration, and their impact on population growth, distribution, and composition. Other foci include the debates regarding the relationship between population growth and economic development, resource depletion, and environmental degradation, and the policy implications of the various positions taken.
SOC 4911 Drugs and Society 3 cr.
This course approaches the subject of drugs from a multidisciplinary perspective, with attention given to the biological, psychological, sociological, and educational implications of drug use and abuse in American society. Special concern will be given to the analysis of the values as they relate to the development and elaboration of subcultures and countercultures whose lifestyles reflect the use of and/or dependency upon drugs.
SOC 4915 Black Women and Violence 3 cr.
This course surveys significant issues related to violence against women of African descent. Using a sociological approach that is largely structural and social-psychological, students examine the causes and consequences of sexual and domestic violence in the lives of Black women, and Black women’s response to such violence. Most important, violence against women and the social structures that contribute to it are not studied in isolation from other social problems, but are discussed in relation to race and class-based forms of oppression and inequity. The course issues and subjects are approached from a perspective that connects theory to practice and action.
SOC 4921 Criminology 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An analysis of causes, consequences, and control of crime in American society. Special attention is given to the theoretical explanations of crime and the special methodological problems in studying criminal behavior.
SOC 4954 Juvenile Delinquency 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 1051 or consent of department. An examination of the theoretical approaches to juvenile delinquency, alternative treatment programs, and the juvenile justice system, with primary focus on modern American society.
SOC 6096 Sociology in Applied Settings 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 6783, 6784 and consent of department. These two courses constitute a graduate internship where the graduate intern works in a public or private agency or organization a minimum of eight hours a week. The purpose is to apply sociological theory and methods to evaluate a particular problem or to assess the impact of proposed organizational changes or policies. The focus of the course is to produce an applied research paper, prepared under the direction of a graduate faculty advisor and a two-person committee. See program requirements for more details. No more than six hours in 6096-6097 may be counted for the degree, and a student may not count hours in both the 6096-6097 sequence and Sociology 7000 for the Master of Arts degree in Sociology.
SOC 6097 Sociology in Applied Settings 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 6783, 6784 and consent of department. These two courses constitute a graduate internship where the graduate intern works in a public or private agency or organization a minimum of eight hours a week. The purpose is to apply sociological theory and methods to evaluate a particular problem or to assess the impact of proposed organizational changes or policies. The focus of the course is to produce an applied research paper, prepared under the direction of a graduate faculty advisor and a two-person committee. See program requirements for more details. No more than six hours in 6096-6097 may be counted for the degree, and a student may not count hours in both the 6096-6097 sequence and Sociology 7000 for the Master of Arts degree in Sociology.
SOC 6105 Seminar: Complex Organization and Bureaucracy 3 cr.
Analysis of the characteristics of the major types of large-scale, bureaucratic organizations found in contemporary industrial society, emphasizing the special common features of human organizations which cut across the many types of organization life.
SOC 6107 Sociological Perspectives on Gender 3 cr.
Prerequisites: SOC 4086 or equivalent. This course is an advanced graduate seminar that examines a variety of theoretical perspectives in the social construction of gender and the applications of these perspectives to empirical research. Methodological issues and controversies involved in the study of gender are also explored. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on the impact of race, ethnicity, age, and sexual preference on gender relations.
SOC 6396 Independent Readings in Sociology 1-3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Amount of credit to be determined at the time of registration. This course will consist of readings, conferences, reports, and research papers under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Total credit which may be accumulated in 6396, 6397, and 6398 is limited to six hours. Section number will correspond with credit to be earned.
SOC 6397 Independent Readings in Sociology 1-3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Amount of credit to be determined at the time of registration. This course will consist of readings, conferences, reports, and research papers under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Total credit which may be accumulated in 6396, 6397, and 6398 is limited to six hours. Section number will correspond with credit to be earned.
SOC 6398 Independent Readings in Sociology 1-3 cr.
Offered each semester. Prerequisite: consent of department. Amount of credit to be determined at the time of registration. This course will consist of readings, conferences, reports, and research papers under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Total credit which may be accumulated in 6396, 6397, and 6398 is limited to six hours. Section number will correspond with credit to be earned.
SOC 6573 Social Psychology 3 cr.
(SOC 6573 and PSYC 6400 are cross-listed) Analysis of the relationship between human behavior and social context, emphasizing the impact of social forces on social action and cognition. Topics include theoretical paradigms in social psychology, language use and interaction, small groups, self and identities, collective behavior, attitudes and behavior. Critical analysis of existing theory and research methodology will be considered for each topic.
SOC 6783 Advanced Sociological Theory 3 cr.
Prerequisite: SOC 4086. A critical and analytical study of the major theoretical perspectives in contemporary sociology emphasizing the specific concepts and issues as well as ways these theories have shaped and guided social research.
SOC 6784 Methods of Sociological Investigation 3 cr.
A study of the principle methods of social science research with the purpose of developing students’ ability to conduct research and be critical users of professional research.
SOC 6785 Seminar in Research Applications 3 cr.
Prerequisites: SOC 4788 6783 and 6784 or consent of department. The course provides graduate students advanced instruction in research design and analysis. It examines the types of validity claimed by sociological knowledge, covers research design and analytical methods, and culminates in a specific thesis proposal from each student.
SOC 6788 Qualitative Methods in Sociology 3 cr.
This course examines qualitative research methods in sociology, focusing on participant and nonparticipant observation, in-depth interviewing, and the use of documents as data. Attention is paid to the sociological analysis of qualitative data and how qualitative research is written for publication.
SOC 6813 Seminar: Urban Ecology and Demography 3 cr.
An investigation of population trends in urban areas, and an attempt to account for these trends within the framework provided by contemporary human ecological explanations.
SOC 6814 Seminar in Sociology of Development 3 cr.
This course offers advanced instruction in the sociology of development using a comparative cross-national perspective. It examines various theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of societal development, as well as the implications of diverse development strategies for developed and underdeveloped countries. The social, institutional, and historical factors and processes affecting national development will be addressed.
SOC 6871 Environmental Analysis 3 cr.
Prerequisite: URBN 6850 or consent of coordinators. An investigation of environmental problems from a sociological perspective, with an emphasis on environmental analysis, management, and policy.
SOC 7000 Thesis Research 1-9 cr.
Offered each semester. To be repeated for credit until thesis is accepted. Section number will correspond with credit to be earned.
SOC 7040 Examination or Thesis Only No credit 0 cr.
Open to students in a thesis program who have only (other than application for degree) the final typing and acceptance by the Graduate School of their thesis or dissertation or to students in a non-thesis program who have only (other than application for degree) to pass the final examination to complete graduation requirements.
