Averett University Undergraduate Catalog

 


Courses of Instruction in Sociology

Number Title Credits Description
101 Introduction to Sociology 3 A scientific study of social behavior examining the topics of culture, socialization, social organization, social class, minority groups, social power and conflict, patterns of social interaction, the environment, and social change.  Offered fall and spring semesters.
102 Social Problems 3 An examination of the contemporary social problems of poverty, war, racism, sexism, domestic violence, and resource depletion.  Theories of causation, cost, and possible solutions are discussed.  Offered spring semester.
104 Elections and Current Events 3 This course is designed to examine the structure of national, state, and local election activities.  The social and economic forces underlying the election process will be studied along with the strategies used to achieve success.  Current events that affect social and political institutions around the country will be studied.  Offered election years.
212 Death and Dying (Same as REL 212) 3 The goal of this course is to examine the phenomenon of death and dying within various cultural and religious contexts with the view of understanding how such perspectives inform our understanding of the end of life.  This approach will survey the principles and perspectives of science and the humanities as they apply to the experience of death and dying.  Numerous studies and instructional methodologies will be examined for the purpose of correcting stereotypes and myths concerning death and the reactions of people to death and dying.  The course will pay particular attention to the phenomenon of death and dying through the lenses of social science and religion.  Offered fall semester.
216 Criminology 3 An examination of criminal behavior and crimes against society.  The crimes surveyed include murder, burglary, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, confidence games, and business crimes.  The course provides an analysis of the social and legal factors affecting the nature of crime and the development of social responses to it.  Offered fall semester.
230 Cultural Anthropology 3 A comparative study of cultures around the world.  Emphasis is on the variations in marriage and kinship, religion and magic, the arts, language, and social systems of politics, stratification, and economics. 
306 Marriage and the Family 3 A study of courtship, marriage, and the family, focusing on the problems in these relationships and promoting self-understanding in dynamic relationships.    Offered fall and spring semesters.
309 Society and the Individual 3 An examination of the individual in a changing society and the dynamic relationship between the person and society at large.  Particular attention is paid to the topics of personality development, perception, symbolic communication, drug addiction, madness, social control, and deviant subcultures.  Several theoretical perspectives are employed to analyze these topics.
317 American Minorities 3 An examination of the conditions and problems of minority groups with particular emphasis on the social and psychological processes involved in prejudice.  The focus is on racial, ethnic, class, and religious minorities, but consideration is given to women, the elderly, homosexuals, and the mentally and physically disabled as minority groups.  Prerequisite:  SOC 101.  Offered fall semester.
320 Urban Sociology 3 An examination of the origin and development of the city and urbanization as a social phenomenon.  The organization, functions, and problems of modern urban communities are examined with special emphasis on population growth and environmental decay.  Prerequisite:  SOC 101.
329 Drugs and Substance Abuse (same as CRJ 329) 3 An examination of drugs and substance abuse in American society. The course examines the social, physical, and mental effects drugs have on the user, as well as the impact they have on the family and society.  Major issues include addiction, recovery, treatment, rehabilitation, and relapse prevention.  Offered spring semester.
332 Gender Roles in Society 3 A study of the impact of gender roles on the institutions of our society including the family, church, school, economy, military, sports, media, health care, law, and government.  The biological, psychological, and socio-cultural explanations for the acquisition of gender roles also will be examined as well as the importance of language and the nature of same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.  Offered fall semester.
340 Juvenile Delinquency and Justice (Same as CRJ 340) 3 An examination of the causes of juvenile delinquency, sociological theory, and the responses of the legal system.  The extent of juvenile delinquency, the organization of police, judicial, and correctional response to juvenile offenders, the legal developments in statutory and case law, and the future of this system are examined.  Offered fall semester.
344 Sports on the Silver Screen 3 Most Americans are at least somewhat interested in sport and many are downright fanatical about it.  This does not mean they necessarily understand sport.  Today, every facet of sport culture is media culture.  By looking at sports films, this course will examine how sport is linked to other institutions in society and the role sport plays in socializing youngsters in American values.  Sport movies will also be used to examine the issues of race, gender, deviance, and violence.  Offered fall semester.
365 Aging and Society 3 An exploration of the characteristics, experiences, problems, and needs of older persons.  Issues examined include population changes, health, physical changes, social psychological processes of aging, social policies for the aged, and community programs and services for older adults.  Prerequisite:  SOC 101.
375 Corrections (Same as CRJ 375) 3 A survey of prison, jail, and correction alternatives in the United States.  Topics include federal, state, and local correctional facilities, sentencing, the prison experience, community correctional programs, probation, and parole.  Prerequisite:  SOC 216 or CRJ 301.  Offered alternate years.
401 Social Theory 3 A review of the growth and development of sociology, the major theories of symbolic interactionism, conflict, functionalism, and the fundamentals of theory construction.  Prerequisites:  SOC 101 and six additional hours in sociology.  Offered spring semester.
440 Senior Seminar 3 A capstone course for the major.  The student will complete a project combining theory, research, and evaluation methods on a selected topic in the major.  A portion of the course will be devoted to career development.  Prerequisite or co-requisite:  SOC 470.  Offered spring semester.
445 Internship 3 A supervised work experience in a setting that requires the student to use sociological skills in a practical, applied program.  A qualitative analysis and report are required.  Prerequisite:  2.0 cumulative grade point average and permission of the instructor.  Offered each semester, including summer.
470 Research Methods 3

An examination of the methods sociologists use in gathering and evaluating scientific facts.  Topics include surveys, participant observation, content analysis, questionnaire construction, and interviewing.  Prerequisites:  SOC 101 and six hours of sociology.  Offered fall semester.