Apr 25, 2024  
ARCHIVED 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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ARCHIVED 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

The courses listed herein  have been approved by the faculty as authorized by the Board of Trustees.  Prerequisites (if any) and the General Education Requirement(s) which each course fulfills (if any) are noted following each course description.

Current course offerings are available in Merlin.
 

Sociology
  

  • SOCI 100 - Life Chances and Choices: Introduction to Sociology

    4.00 credit hours
    Gateway to the social science of human interaction and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Development of a sociological imagination to grapple with diverse and fascinating societal issues ranging from deviance to structured inequalities. Special focus on the life chances and life choices in emerging adulthood in areas of relationships, education, and work.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Science, US Power Structure.
    iCon(s): Challenge Inequity.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 200 - Social Inquiry I: Quantitative

    4.00 credit hours
    An assessment of the strengths and limitations of various modes of quantitative data collection including experiments, surveys, content analysis and the use of secondary data. Sustained focus on applying the methods and techniques learned to actual social science data. Emphasis is placed on ethical issues, becoming a critical consumer of research and developing the ability to design and carry out an independent study.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Quantitative Analysis.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 210 - Gender: Patterns/Privileges/Possibilities

    2.00 credit hours
    Explores the social construction and importance of gender and sexualities in our social world including life experiences, opportunity structures and institutions, such as the military and the media. Evaluates who is privileged and disadvantaged in this categorization system and some of the ways in which current practices are being challenged. Particular attention paid to the intersection of race/ethnicity, social class and disabilities.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Science, U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Being Human.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 211 - Race/Ethnicity: Conflict and Change

    2.00 credit hours
    An examination of racial and ethnic diversity in American society, with a focus upon racial and ethnic inequality; prejudice, discrimination and institutional racism; patterns of race and ethnic relations; racial and ethnic responses to racism and subordination. Attention to the various ways race and ethnicity are created and recreated in society, and the way these social constructions permeate all aspects of societal life, despite remaining largely invisible and normalized.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Science, U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Being Human.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 212 - Social Class: Get Ahead/Fall Behind

    2.00 credit hours
    Social class impacts every aspect of life-from food choices, to college attendance, career options, good health, vulnerability to crime, happiness, life span, and on. Most importantly, it impacts the chances for getting ahead in society or falling behind. The social causes and personal consequences of class in American society are examined through a discussion of key concepts and theories, a cultural and structural tour through the class system, an examination of social mobility, and a debate on possible solutions to the problems of growing inequality.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Science, U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 220 - Crime, Law and Society

    4.00 credit hours
    An analytic and real world examination of the intricate relationship between crime, law and society. Examination of the social roots of criminal behavior, the emergence of criminal laws, the types of crime (homicide, burglary and arson), characterizing segments of society and the criminal justice response to offenders. Special attention devoted to specific types of crime, including white collar and organized crime.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 221 - Youth Justice, Crime and Law

    4.00 credit hours
    A close-up look at juvenile laws, crimes committed by young people and the juvenile justice system. Special attention given to specific crimes such as shoplifting, tagging and vandalism and more serious crimes of theft, assault and drug behavior. Discussions of social policies related to treatment and prevention and an analysis of juvenile courts, diversion program and incarceration.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 222 - Power-Based Personal Violence

    4.00 credit hours
    Debunks pervasive myths by delving into the causes and consequences of Power-Based Personal Violence, which takes many forms (e.g. harassment, stalking, sexual assault, intimate partner violence). Utilizes the lenses of intersectionality and social justice. Engages deeply with community partner prevention programs and trains with a strengths-based model of survivor empowerment. Makes space for candid conversations about the emotional impact of researching PBPV and anticipated career challenges in fields, such as criminal justice and social services.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): U.S. Power Structures, Community Engaged Learning.
    iCon(s): Engaging Civic Life.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 223 - Community and City Life

    4.00 credit hours
    Discover the breath of experiences, the range of life styles, and the persistent problems that make city life the social setting for the richest opportunities and most perplexing inequalities in contemporary society. Attention given to issues of urban culture, schooling, housing and planning for more sustainable and equitable environments.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Science, U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Engaging Civic Life.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 295 - Research Practicum

    1.00-4.00 credit hours
    Work in collaboration with faculty on ongoing research. Activities vary according to project needs and student background, but may include bibliography construction, literature review, recruitment of participants, data collection and entry, qualitative coding or statistical analysis. This course is graded pass/no pass. May be taken more than once for up to four total credit hours.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  
  
  

  • SOCI 300 - Social Inquiry II: Qualitative

    4.00 credit hours
    Social researches and detectives have much in common. Both are concerned with human behavior and both investigate the world to gather evidence that produces valid and meaningful conclusions. This class provides students the opportunity to learn, practice and develop their research skills though the investigation of social worlds, with special emphasis upon in-depth interviews, observations, content analysis, focus groups and the ethical standards associated with each of these methods.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Writing Intensive.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 330 - Policing and Corrections

    4.00 credit hours
    Reviews how criminal punishment and the justifications for it (e.g. deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, incapacitation and restoration) have evolved over time. Reflects on contemporary trends, such as the increased militarization and mass incarceration. Assesses the strategies of police and corrections officers and identifies best practices in criminal investigations, law enforcement, prisoner supervision, rehabilitation and reintegration. Special emphasis on relationships with the broader community.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 332 - Chicago Encounters

    4.00 credit hours
    From the Gold Coast to Pilsen, Bucktown to Bridgeport. Join with fellow students in a first-hand, field study of Chicago’s most interesting and intriguing neighborhoods. Students work together and conduct an original investigation of a selected neighborhood by means of interviews, demographic analysis and street level observations. A Chicago Semester course that provides students with a supervised introduction to the communities of the city and the opportunity to develop an appreciation for the personal and career opportunities in this world-class urban environment.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Community Engaged Learning.
    iCon(s): Experiencing Place.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 340 - Criminal Justice System

    4.00 credit hours
    An in-depth study of the functions, structure and organization of the agencies that are responsible for the administration of justice. Special emphasis is placed on the institutions and processes of law making and enforcement, the judicial system, corrections and the juvenile justice system. Attention is given to issues such as overburdened court calendars, crowded and explosive jail conditions, pervasive citizen fear of crime and understaffed police departments.

    Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100 .
    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Global Understanding.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 341 - Schools and Society

    4.00 credit hours
    Examines the education system through the sociological lens, focusing on the practices and outcomes of schooling and the structural environment in which schools are situated. Considers the relationship between organizational practices and individual experiences, as well as cross-cultural variation in educational systems. Attention given to school reform efforts, the “achievement gap” between students from different communities and debates about K-12 curricula.

    Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100 .
    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Global Understanding.
    iCon(s): Thinking Globally.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 342 - Families and Intimate Relationships

    4.00 credit hours
    Examines topics from a sociological and feminist perspective including the history of the family, the relationship between work and family, the changing definition of the family and the impact of class, race and gender on family dynamics. Thought-provoking discussions explore ideals about love, marriage, gender, parenthood, sex and sexuality-scientifically considering both the “public” and “private” dimensions of families over the course of the semester.

    Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100 .
    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Global Understanding.
    iCon(s): Thinking Globally.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 343 - Health, Illness and Care

    4.00 credit hours
    This course covers the theoretical orientations that guide sociological and anthropological insights into health, illness, treatment seeking and the organization of medical care and the current state of empirical knowledge in the field. Topics include the social origins of illness; lay beliefs about disease; sociodemographic variations in health care utilization; the profession of medicine; the structure of the American health care system and cross-national disparities in health and longevity. This course challenges our assumptions about the social foundations of health disparities, the sovereignty of medical providers and the administration of health care.

    Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100 .
    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Global Understanding.
    iCon(s): Examining Health.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 344 - Sport in Society

    4.00 credit hours
    An historical-comparative analysis of sport across time and cultures and its uses in ancient, medieval and modern societies is undertaken. Examines work-leisure patterns that developed over the course of American history. Primary consideration of the urban, industrial and commercial processes that contributed to culture formation, with particular emphases on class and gender relations, commercialized leisure practices and the impact of the mass media in the formation of value systems.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): U.S. Power Structures.
    iCon(s): Challenging Inequity, Engaging Civic Life.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  

  • SOCI 350 - Social Life and Social Theory

    4.00 credit hours
    An introduction, review and application of classic and modern sociological theories to everyday life. Emphasis placed upon the attempts to understand the emergence of modern and post-modern times and the underlying problems brought about by these social developments. Applications of social thought to issues of work, marriage, deviance, presentations of self, love, police work, gender, consumer behavior and punishment.

    Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, U.S. Power Structures.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.
  
  
  
  

  • SOCI 400 - Sociological Culminating Experience

    2.00 credit hours
    A synthesis and integration of the sociological knowledge acquired in coursework and other learning experiences. Students, either individually or in small groups, apply sociological understanding (theory, research methods or substantive knowledge) to a selected problem or public issue. Students demonstrate the mastery of their sociological expertise and create samples of work to further careers or advanced educational goals.

    Prerequisite(s): Senior standing and Sociology major or minor.


    Click here for the schedule of classes.