Sociology and Criminal Justice
Phone: 718.489.5446
Department Mission
The Sociology and Criminal Justice Department offers an academic program that provides the foundation for students to pursue careers in law, social work, law enforcement, parole, probation, and non-profit organizational service and management. Those who graduate from our program are also well-prepared for graduate work in sociology, social work, criminal justice, and criminology. Our goal is to prepare students to solve social problems—to help eliminate homelessness, assist crime victims, reduce inequity, and create meaningful public policy. Our program offers majors in criminal justice and sociology. We offer the following minors and concentrations for students majoring in other areas: criminal justice, sociology, social work, and international migration studies. Our students have the opportunity to work with full-time faculty members as research assistants and are required to participate in a for-credit (3 credits) internship. During the internship, students work a minimum of 135 hours during the course of a semester in a professional setting related to their career goals.
Our department houses the Center for Crime and Popular Culture. The centers offer students the opportunity to hear lectures by academic experts and practitioners. We also house the Justice Initiative, which offers mentorship and support to students directly-impacted by the criminal justice system. Additionally, we house the Forum on Migration, which hosts a series of annual conferences, guest lectures, and public events centered on current immigration policies and focuses on global migration trends, current policies of criminalization and radicalization of undocumented immigrants, and the adjustment of newly arrived immigrants in their receiving countries.
The mission of the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department is to provide our students with the knowledge, confidence, and motivation to think deeply about social issues. We seek to inspire intellectual curiosity, develop critical thinking skills, train in the application of the scientific method, and encourage tolerance.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Criminal Justice Majors
- PLO 1: Identify the function and interrelationships between the major components of the American criminal justice system.
- PLO 2: Critically analyze key criminological theories.
- PLO 3: Understand the relationship between theory and criminal justice policy.
- PLO 4: Explain the impact of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and class on criminal justice outcomes.
Sociology Majors
- PLO 1: Describe and recognize key sociological concepts, theories, and methods.
- PLO 2: Apply and utilize qualitative and quantitative sociological research methods in the pursuit of social research.
- PLO 3: Apply sociological theory and sociological concepts to the study of social problems.
- PLO 4: Analyze and assess how personal identity (e.g. race, ethnicity, sex, sexuality, gender, & religion) relates to life chances and structural realities in contemporary society.
Criminal Justice
CJ-1020 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
This course introduces the student to the structure, operations and philosophy of the American system of criminal justice.
Typically offered: All Sessions
CJ-1200 Conditioning and Training (3 Credits)
Fitness, exercise, health and conditioning for everyone. This course will also help to prepare students for federal job standard fitness tests.
Typically offered: All Sessions
CJ-2010 Criminology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
The course explores the study of crime causation, primarily from a sociological perspective. Students are introduced to theories that explain the nature, extent, patterns, and control of criminal and delinquent behavior.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-2030 Policing in American Society (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course provides the student with a comprehensive review of current police practices and procedures. Particular attention will be paid to the development of police ethics, control of corruption, and the administration of a large police agency.
CJ-2040 Probation and Parole (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The historical and legal foundations of the modern practices of probation and parole in America are studied. The course will emphasize the administration and organization of the probation and parole system.
CJ-2050 Correctional Systems (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will address many of the issues concerning correctional institutions, for example: the organization and function of the prison system, the role of the corrections officer in the rehabilitative process, modern thought concerning prison reform, the character of the modern prisoner, and prisoners' and officers' rights.
CJ-2061 Introduction to Homeland Security (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The course exists to introduce interested St. Francis College students to the operations of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security was created following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. DHS currently encompasses twenty-two federal agencies, including the Secret Service, US Coast Guard, TSA, FEMA, and US Customs and Border Protection. The course is a requirement for students who declare a concentration in Homeland Security. The course will fit well in the field's curriculum as a specialized topical course of instruction for students who seek employment with the federal government, particularly with agencies in the Department of Homeland Security.
CJ-2062 Terrorism and Counterterrorism (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The student will be exposed to explanatory theories of terrorism with an eye to the creation of counterterrorism policy, while appreciating the delicate balance of protecting civil rights in a democratic society.
CJ-2064 Aviation Security (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The course will analyze the security procedures, programs, systems and equipment in the aviation industry. Pertinent legislation concerning aviation security is reviewed from a historical and modern perspective.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-2080 Rights of the Accused and the Victim (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will present a legal review of the constitutional, statutory and procedural rights of the accused in the matters of lawful arrest, fair trial, and just sentence.
CJ-3000 American Criminal Courts (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course provides a survey of the basic elements of American criminal law and provides an analysis of current legal issues. Particular attention is given to state laws in New York.
CJ-3010 Forensic Science (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will introduce the student to the techniques of scientific criminal investigation with emphasis on the value of various scientific aids to the officer, detective, or field investigator. This course will examine techniques used in investigating major criminal cases such as kidnapping, arson, bombings, and organized crime.
CJ-3012 Criminal Investigations (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will introduce the student to the actors and basic stages in the process of investigating a major crime scene. The student will become familiar with the techniques of interview and interrogation, evidence collection, and chain of custody issues. The course will also introduce the student to the roles and duties of the responding officer, the detective, the evidence collection officer, and the supervising officer.
Typically offered: Spring Only
CJ-3013 Media, Crime, & Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course focuses on the intersection of criminality, crime, and mass media. The student will explore media representations of those involved in the criminal justice system including law enforcement, offenders, and victims. Various media formats will be discussed as well as fictional and non-fictional representations of crime.
Typically offered: Fall Only
CJ-3014 Victimology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course offers a comprehensive survey of the field of victimology, particularly the empirical study of victimization and crime victims. We will explore the history of victimology, the role of victimologists, and responses to victimization.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-3015 Prisons and Prisoners in the U.S. (3 Credits)
The course analyzes and critiques the history and current realities of punishment in America. The inexorable links between prisons, prisoners, and racial, ethnic, and socio-economic status will be examined. The student will analyze the realities of prison life including issues of violence, education, healthcare, drug treatment, and mental health issues. Challenges to reentry will be addressed.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-3016 Sex Crimes and American Justice (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the history and social reaction to sex offenders and sex crimes in America. We exam research related to treatment, management, and recidivism. We critically analyze the history and social context of emerging mechanisms of social control aimed at curbing sex offenses including sex offender registries and community notification laws. This course is part of the American Studies minor.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-3017 Wrongful Convictions (3 Credits)
This course introduces students to factors associated with wrongful convictions including eyewitness misidentification, false confessions, forensic error, informant testimony, and prosecutorial misconduct. Students examine the consequences of wrongful convictions and assess the impact on exonerates, their families, and the broader community. Students will assess policy solutions to address these injustices.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-3020 Security and the Private Sector (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This is an introduction to the field of private security. An overview of security organizations, policies, and personnel is presented.
CJ-3040 Organized Crime (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The course will trace the history and development of organized crime in this country. Investigative techniques for penetrating organized criminal activities and prosecution strategies will be discussed.
CJ-3050 Crimes of the Powerful (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will study the history and prevalence of occupational, corporate, and computer crimes in a modern setting. Investigative and prosecution strategies will also be addressed.
CJ-3070 Addictions I (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Cross-listed with: PSY-2130. Review of research and theories concerning all forms of addictive behavior, including drug, alcohol, gambling, and sex addictions. Prerequisite: SOC 1000. This course is a Criminal Justice elective. 3 credits. Offered as needed.
CJ-3075 Addictions II (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: PSY-2131. Review of therapeutic techniques for all forms of addictive behavior. Outside sources are used to supplement class materials. Prerequisite: CJ 3070/PSY 3330. This course is a Criminal Justice elective. 3 credits. Offered as needed.
CJ-3080 Juvenile Justice (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The nature, prevalence, and causality of juvenile delinquency are studied in this course. The criminal justice system's response to delinquency is also discussed in detail.
CJ-3090 Cont Iss in Amer Law Enforcement (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The role of the law enforcement officer in the modern urban setting will be studied. Particular attention will be paid to the use of community policing and the operation of law enforcement in a multicultural setting.
Typically offered: Spring Only
CJ-4000 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
This course will explore specific, identified topics in the field of criminal justice. The subject matter will be selected by the instructor prior to registration, with approval of the department chairperson. Students may be granted credit for multiple sections of CJ-4000, providing the topic differs.
CJ-4001 Special Topics in Criminal Justice: Trial Advocacy (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
Special topics course
CJ-4003 Topic: Wrongful Convictions (3 Credits)
The United States has 6% of the worlds population and 25% of the worlds prisoners. One percent of the American population is currently incarcerated or on parole. This matter of great concern has garnered media attention in recent years owing to advances in forensics that have exonerated people falsely accused and convicted of serious felonies, typically murder and rape. This course will examine some of the legal, ethical and sociological implications pertaining to this issue. A variety of provocative questions will be considered. What constitutes a fair trial? What is the role of the plea bargain in sentencing today, and to what extent does the plea bargain circumvent the right to trial by jury? To what extent are confessions coerced? What political and economic factors influence mass imprisonment in America today?
CJ-4004 Topic: Criminal Investigations (3 Credits)
Special topics course
CJ-4005 Topic: Patterns in Crime (3 Credits)
Patterns in Crime is a special topics course that will introduce the student to fundamental techniques and practices used by crime analysts and profilers. The first half of the semester will cover the use of crime reports to discern temporal-spatial patterns in criminal behavior. The second half of the semester will explore the investigative technique commonly known as criminal profiling.
CJ-4007 Topic: Fire Safety & Arson Investigation (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course provides the students with a comprehensive study of issues pertaining to fire safety and loss control. An examination of current topics and recent professional standards will be conducted. Particular attention will be paid to issues regarding the retrieval and protection of evidence in an arson investigation.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4008 Topic: Cultural Criminology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course provides an examination of the intersection between culture, crime, and social control. We will explore crime in the context of contemporary society defined by mediated images (e.g. film, television, comic books, etc.) and the increasing commodification of violence (e.g. tabloid justice). With a focus on aesthetics, we will explore styles and symbols of culture and assess the criminalization of subcultures (e.g. graffiti writers, biker gangs, youth culture, etc.).
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4009 Topic: Sex Crimes and American Justice (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will focus on the history and current responses to sex offenses and sex crimes in the U.S. criminal justice, legal, and mental health systems. We will examine issues relating to sex offender treatment and management, as well as recidivism. We will also examine sex offender reform efforts, and examine the history and context of sex panics in U.S. history. Additionally, we will be exploring current initiatives and laws aimed at addressing and curbing sexual violence. In particular, this class will examine the impact of the public sex offender registry, implemented as federal law in the U.S. in 1996, and the enormous body of criminal justice and social science research analyzing the registry that has emerged as a result. The class will involve lectures, discussions, and guest speakers and experts from the fields of law, criminal justice, and psychology. We will also address current debates surrounding responses to sex crimes and sex offenses on American college campuses as well as issues of sexual harassment in the workplace. This course will also be part of the American Studies minor.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4010 Topic: The Death Penalty (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The United States is the only constitutional democracy that retains the death penalty as a criminal justice penalty. While there is growing pressure from other democracies and allies to abolish this practice, support for the death penalty remains strong. This course will examine the realities surrounding the implementation of the death penalty in the United States, including growing awareness of wrongful convictions that result from a flawed and imperfect criminal justice system (as of 2017, there have been almost 2000 people exonerations). The course will analyze theories and approaches to death penalty by researchers and scholars, in the fields of both law and social science. We will focus on the history and current manifestation of the death penalty, public attitudes and support, methods of execution, how capital cases are processed in the criminal justice system, the use of DNA evidence and new technology, the impact of race and class on trial and penalty outcomes, and the effectiveness of the death penalty to reduce crime. Each student will complete a comprehensive research project on the death penalty that will include an in-depth case study of a wrongful conviction and exoneration of an individual sentenced to death.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4011 Special Topic: Deviance (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This class offers an overview of the criminological and sociological study of deviance in order to critically assess its relevance in contemporary U.S. society. We will not only learn about a variety of deviance theories, but also examine how they help explain the nature of aberrant behaviors, the actions and labeling of deviants, and the application of social control. Some of these theories will challenge or altogether refute your current framework of thinking. In doing so, you will be asked to consider the complexity of defining deviance, the role that society plays in assigning this designation, and the various systems of social control that have been developed to eliminate deviance.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4012 Special Topic: Cyber-Criminology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
Course Description: Rapid advancements in technology and the exponential growth in Internet use have spawned a wide array of computer and technology related cybercrimes, deviant and criminal online identities, and new types of social control and enforcement responses. This course provides students with a foundational overview of the technical, social, theoretical, and legal aspects to understanding crime/deviance, victimization, and social control responses in the context of cyberspace. By exploring the threats, technologies, and participants of cybercrime and deviance and the various countermeasures used to combat them, we will attempt to better understand the theories and tools that facilitate scientific exploration of these phenomena, including the social, cultural, and legal issues created and affected by online crime and social control responses.
Typically offered: Fall Only
CJ-4013 Special Topic: Race & Crime (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This class is designed to provide sociological, criminological, and legal analyses of the American justice system as a mechanism for racialized social control. Problems of inequality are as old as the nation itself and inequality has had a long and stubborn life in the American experience. On one hand, ideas of race, class, gender, and orientation are human inventions. When viewed over time, these social constructions become what are referred to as the prevailing order or social structure of a society (e.g., upper, middle, and lower classes). That is, race and class become organized in ways that provide certain groups advantages at the expense of less advantaged groups. By examining both historical and contemporary topics related to race, crime, victimization, and the pursuit of justice, we will see that our evolving society in the United States has made ardent strides over time to promote equality and demonize overt and purposeful acts of discrimination. But how effective have these measures proven for providing protections and promoting true equality (e.g., use of force by law enforcement, racially representative jury trial, etc.) in practice? Does the criminal justice system actually work in a fair and evenhanded way regardless of individuals' race, class, gender, and orientation? Or, do the complex intersections of race (and gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation), crime, and justice really reflect how unconscious biases and more hidden forms of institutional discrimination and structural racism actually help perpetuate a system of racial caste in the United States? This class will explore these challenges in order to better understand why we fall short of achieving a truly equitable justice system.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4015 Special Topic: Justice in Brooklyn (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
In this course, students will study the history and current realities of the criminal justice system in Brooklyn, one of the nation's most populous and most densely populated boroughs. Students will have the opportunity to observe court proceedings, hear directly from prosecutors and defense attorneys working in local criminal, civil, and federal courts, and assess the unique challenges faced by legal actors and courts in an economically, racially, and ethnically diverse urban setting. This course will also analyze the criminal justice innovations first implemented in Brooklyn as demonstration projects that have since been implemented throughout the country, including specialized drug, domestic violence, and gun courts. Finally, students will explore the collateral consequences of mass incarceration on communities and families, and gain familiarity with the efforts of local organizers fighting for bail reform, restorative justice programs, and other efforts to increase access to community justice.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4017 Special Topics in Cj: Serial Killers (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
The purpose of this class is to provide you with an overview of the phenomenon of serial homicide and critically assess its existence in contemporary U.S. society. The course is designed to demonstrate the complexity in defining serial homicide; the role society plays in assigning this designation; and the factors that influence social and cultural representations of serial murder, criminal offending, and the ways that we define victimization. In addition to reviewing various serial homicide typologies and the nature and etiology of multiple murders, particular focus will be given to role of mass media (both news and entertainment) in socially constructing the phenomenon of serial homicide, including the killers themselves, their victims, and the law enforcement officials who investigate their crimes. By examining portrayals of serial, spree, and mass killings in entertainment and news media, we will explore how and why cultural depictions of mass murder influence our personal understandings of crime, criminality, victimization, and justice system, more broadly, in ways that diverge from objective reality.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4018 Special Topic: Criminal Subcultures (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course will explore different subcultures and subcultural theories of crime. We will also conduct in-depth analyses of several distinct criminal subcultures. Finally, this course will consider the various ways in which criminal subcultures emerge, and the extent to which criminal subcultures offer opportunities to those with limited access to legitimate paths to success.
Typically offered: Spring Only
CJ-4019 Special Topic: the Death Penalty (3 Credits)
The United States, almost alone among constitutional democracies, retains death as a criminal punishment. This course examines the legal, social, and ethical implications of capital punishment in the United States, with a particular focus on Supreme Court decisions since the early 1970s. During the semester we will critically assess modern executions by identifying the (1) social factors that influence our mold our individual and collective understandings of the death penalty, and (2) the legal and empirical analyses that expose students to capital punishment as a researchable subject. Topical areas will examine the following dimensions of America's death penalty: its history, current status, public support/opposition, judicial tinkering that has narrowed the death penalty's scope, race and capital punishment, and its impact and efficacy. In doing so, we will unpack the moral complexity and ambiguities of deciding who lives and who dies when capital punishment is interpreted (in a practical and constitutional sense) and applied in practice by less than perfect humans.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4990 Internship in Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): 24 CJ credits & Junior Standing - 60 credits
Students may intern at approved sites under professional supervision. Internships must be approved by the department chairman and are subject to availability.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4991 Internship in Criminal Justice (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-4990
This course is available only to those student who are participating in the New York Police Department Police Cadet Program. This internship must be approved by the department Chairperson.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4995 Independent Study in Criminal Justice (1-6 Credits)
Requisite(s): CJ-1020
This course allows the student to engage in a semester-long, detailed examination of a criminal justice topic. The course may be taken only with the permission of the instructor and the department chairperson prior to registration.
Typically offered: As Needed
CJ-4998 Criminal Justice Senior Thesis (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): 30 credits in CJ and SOC (excludsing SOC-1000) and Senior,Standing - 90 credits
A culminating seminar for senior criminal justice majors only. This course will integrate concepts, knowledge and practices the student has acquired during the course of their studies in criminal justice. The student will produce a paper of scholarly status on a selected topic of criminal justice research. The course satisfies the College's requirement for a comprehensive examination or project.
Typically offered: All Sessions
CJ-5400 Honors Seminar: Culture and Crime (3 Credits)
This course provides an examination of the intersection between culture, crime, and social control. We will explore crime in the context of contemporary society defined by mediated images (e.g. news, film, television, comic books, video games, etc.) and the increasing commodification of violence (e.g. tabloid justice, crime-based reality shows). With a focus on aesthetics, we will explore styles and symbols of culture and assess the criminalization of subcultures (e.g. graffiti writers, critical mass, youth culture, etc.).
Typically offered: Fall Only
Sociology
SOC-1000 Principles of Sociology (3 Credits)
An analysis of the basic structure and dynamics of society; social interaction, social organization, social change, social processes; a summary of ideas of seminal sociologists. This course is a prerequisite for all Sociology courses and for CJ-2010.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: All Sessions
SOC-1070 Sociology of Minority Groups (3 Credits)
The course analyzes the history and current realities of racial, ethnic, and religious groups in the U.S., including the extent to which racial, ethnic, and religious identity determine and impact life changes. Issues related to sexual and gender minorities are also addressed.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
SOC-2000 Social Problems (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
An inquiry into the nature of social problems, both causes and consequences, within a complex industrial society, from a sociological perspective. Special emphasis is given to problems of contemporary American society and current events.
Typically offered: All Sessions
SOC-2010 Criminology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
The course will explore the study of crime causation, primarily from a sociological perspective. The student will be introduced to theories that explain the nature, extent, patterns and control of criminal and delinquent behavior in contemporary society.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2020 Global Migration (3 Credits)
In recent decades, many developed high-income countries have been affected by an increased influx of immigrants who are racially, ethnically and religiously distinct from the native groups. The resulting heterogeneity of the population induces ethnically based political movements, rekindles ethnic loyalties, outbreaks of anti-immigrant political movements, and intergroup tensions and hostilities. This course examines the range of questions pertaining to migration issues from historical and cross-cultural perspectives. It focuses on the differences between the late 19th century and mid-20thcentury international migration and examines contemporary global migration trends with their emphasis on visas, walls, and deportation. The comparative perspective of this course provides students with a sharper insight into the migration problems in the USA. Prerequisite: SOC 1000
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: All Sessions
SOC-2030 Introduction to Social Work (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Designed to introduce students to the field of Social Work, this course deals with the history and philsophy of Social Work; analyzes the three major areas of Social Work-- case work, group work, and community organization; describes the major programs for special client groups: families, children, the elderly, the mentally ill, the handicapped, etc. Students are also introduced to the field of counseling and different therapeutic strategies.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2035 Criminalization of Immigration (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000;
This course focuses on the crimmigration (defined as the intersection of criminal law with immigration law) and its articulation in the current political environment. What led to the intertwining of the U.S. criminal law and immigration (systems that used to be almost entirely separate in the past)? Why do we have more immigration law enforcement agents than ever in the U.S. history? Why are there more than 600 immigration detention centers across the country? These are some of the questions students address in this course, while exploring the history of immigrants' demonization, enactment of harsh anti-immigrant laws, and how present-day political rhetoric fits into the crimmigration framework.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2036 Immigration: Issues & Concerns (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course focuses on the crimmigration (defined as the intersection of criminal law with immigration law) and its articulation in the current political environment. What led to the intertwining of the U.S. criminal law and immigration (systems that used to be almost entirely separate in the past)? Why do we have more immigration law enforcement agents than ever in U.S. history? Why are there more than 600 immigration detention centers across the country? These are some of the questions students address in this course while exploring the history of immigrants' demonization, enactment of harsh anti-immigrant laws, and how present-day political rhetoric fits into the crimmigration framework
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2040 Social Anthropology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): One of following: SOC-1000, ICS-1240 OR ICS-1241
Cross-listed with: ICS-3370. An inquiry into the concept of culture as applied to both simple and complex societies; the ethnology of pre-literate peoples with emphasis on social, economic, and political organization.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SOC-2045 Immigrant to New York (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1070
New York, also called The Big Apple and The City That Never Sleeps, is a large ethnically and culturally diverse immigrant metropolis, well known for its pro-immigrant political culture and its status as a sanctuary city. Its long-lasting immigrant tradition has been boosted by the arrival of brand-new immigrants who arrive in the city in remarkable numbers, replenishing the old immigrant groups. This course examines the history of immigration to NYC with an emphasis on the economic and political factors stimulating current immigration. Students are introduced to micro and macro levels of analysis of New York City's population growth. They explore how the city has been affected by the cultural diversity of newly arrived immigrants and how relocation to the city affects their life chances. At the end of the course, students do ethnographic research in a neighboring ethnic enclave to gain a better insight into the cultural mosaic of New York.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2050 Sociology of Communication (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Primary and secondary communication systems; language in socialization, social organiztion, and social control; theories of communication; modern mass communication media; structure, content, and effects.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2060 Child Welfare (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Traces the development of rights of the child in relation to parental rights; explores the methods of care of dependent and neglected children in their own homes, foster homes, and institutions; reviews the adoption process and the social trends toward integration in family and child care.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2070 Sociology of Minority Groups (3 Credits)
The course analyzes the history and current realities of racial, ethnic, and religious groups in the U.S., including the extent to which racial, ethnic, and religious identity determine and impact life changes. Issues related to sexual and gender minorities are also addressed.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2080 Conflict Resolution (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This seminar course applies theories of conflict resolution to case studies of interpersonal and intergroup conflicts; surveys major traditions of non-violence, and studies approaches to conflict resolution, with an emphasis on methods of mediation.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-2090 Human Trafficking (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000 or HIS/PSC-1203
In order to combat human trafficking, students must become articulate in the discourse, problem, the origins, the means, policy and the economics of trafficking. This course will explore how gender, human rights, and altruism influence human trafficking debates and how policy outcomes impact global human trafficking around the world.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-3010 Sociology of the Family (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
The structure and functions of the family; comparison of families in primitive and industrial societies in order to demonstrate the nature of problems associated with institutional change and civilization processes.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-3020 Theory and History of Sociology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000,Junior Standing-60 credits
A systematic survey of the growth of sociological theory; a study of influential individuals and representative schools from Auguste Comte to the present day.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-3030 Sociology of Religion (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course examines theoretical perspectives on religion and its reciprocal relationship to society. We will discuss religion from a macro-sociological perspective as a social institution and as a cultural system. We will also discuss definitions, functions, variation and linkages across history and across groups in collective religious experience. Thus students will be able to identify patterns of religious forms as these relate to types of societies and the phenomenon of modernization, as well as key issues of gender, ethnicity, class and politics.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SOC-3040 Complex Organizations: Structure and Process (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
The course covers all types of organizations: business, government, social welfare, education, medicine, voluntary, etc.; examines how structure contributes to processes such as power and conflict, leadership and decision-making, communication and change, etc.; shows how organizations interact with each other and with society in general.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-3050 Caribbean Culture and Society (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Cross-listed with: ICS-3050. The societies of the English-, French-, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean are the outcome of mass movements of population through slavery, indenture, and migration. This course examines important aspects of the complex cultural variants that have resulted against the background of the economic, social, and political forces that produced them: Cultural communities from Africa and Europe, patterns of race and ethnic relations, forms of cultural expression, the family, and class structures. Another focus is on issues which form contemporary Caribbean society, such as the impact of tourism, poverty, emigration, links with America and Europe, problems of ethnic and racial identity, and pressures on women and the family. Students develop an appreciation of Caribbean Culture, of the challenges facing Caribbean societies, and the cultural resources available to meet them.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SOC-3060 Law and Society (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course emphasizes the social, political, cultural and historical aspects of the law, rather than studying the law through legal doctrines, statutes or opinions. This course also enables students to understand how the law is informed by social change and inequality. How the law seeks to achieve objectives such as compliance, deterrence and social control is evaluated and analyzed too.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SOC-3130 Crime, Justice, and American Fiction (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: ENG-3130. This course is designed as an introduction to representations of crime and justice in contemporary American fiction. The course will focus on constructions of crime and justice in literature, comic books, and film. The course is interdisciplinary, providing students with multiple perspectives on crime and criminality and explores ways of critically analyzing and interpreting media images.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-3196 Interpreting the 1960s (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: HIS-3196. This course is designed as an intensive study of the politics, culture, and social movements of the 1960s. In addition to learning about the historical events of the decade, students will be also exposed to the transformative cultural, artistic, and social movements of the period. The course will begin with an exploration of the 1950s as prelude including the early civil rights movements. It will then move onto the Kennedy administration, Freedom Summer, the legislative and policy initiatives of the Great Society, an analysis of the social movements and culture of the second half of the decade, with particular focus on the anti-war, feminist, and Black power movements, and concluding with an assessment of the cultural changes initiated by the counter-cultural youth movements.
SOC-3370 Gender Roles in Cross-Cultural Perspectives (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Take PSY-1100 and SOC 1000;
This course reviews changing gender roles, gender differences, sexuality, kinship systems, gender- typed status hierachies, cultural perception of the nature of men and women, biological differences, and socilization and parenting practices across cultures. Special emphasis will be placed on multidisplinary approaches, in-depth investigation of gender roles in specific societies, and the value of a global perspective on gender roles.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4000 Special Topics in Sociology (3 Credits)
The course will explore specific, identified topics in the discipline of sociology. The subject matter will be selected by the instructor prior to registration, with approval of the department chairperson. Students may be granted credit for multiple sections of SOC-4000, providing the topic differs.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4002 Carnival: the Social Structure of Spiritual and Cultural Celebration (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): take SOC-1000
The Special Topics course explores specific topics in the discipline of sociology selected by the instructor with approval of the department chairperson. The topic of study in this semester is pre-Lenten and other seasonal festivals in Europe and the Americas. The format of the course is a combination of traditional lecture and performance series.
SOC-4003 Topic: Sociology of Sport (3 Credits)
Special topics course
SOC-4004 Topic: Urban Sociology (3 Credits)
Special topics course
SOC-4005 Topic: Social Welfare Policy (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Social welfare policy drives the social programs created to address social problems. Prevailing values determine which social policies are created. This course will provide an overview of social welfare policy and look at its role in social work practice. Exploring the historical context from which social welfare policy emerged will allow us to identify events that have influenced contemporary social welfare policy and review the economic and political influences as well. With an understanding of the historical, economic and political factors, students will study the tools used to analyze social policy, the process of determining need, and the steps in developing policy.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4006 Special Topic: American Social Movements (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course will explore the key social movements in U.S. history. The course will focus on the labor movement in the early 20th century and will end with attention on the rise of the Christian right during the last decade. This course will study why individuals come together and organize in ways that effectively challenge powerful social systems. We will study such movements as the civil rights movement, gay rights movement, environmental movement, and the Christian right movement.
SOC-4007 SP TPC: Perspectives on Women's Studies (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
The purpose of this course is to explore the interdisciplinary field of women's studies/feminist scholarship. We will address the origins and persistence of gender-based inequalities, and examine historical and current feminist critiques of American society and culture. The micro-level, day-to-day experiences of women will be a primary focus of this course. We will primarily focus on the experiences of American women; however, we will also consider international perspectives on women's experiences. Students should have an interest in understanding feminism and feminist critiques and also examining social data about the extent of gender disparities.
SOC-4008 Topic: Sociology of Health & Medicine (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course offers an opportunity to study the intersection of sociology, medicine and the law, relating to cross-cultural and comparative experiences arising out of advances in the medical field and medical technology. The course broadly examines the socio-medical aspects of emerging issues and the development of the culture of the medical community. Cases, laws, regulations and responses to culture and to the law are constructed and sometimes deconstructed to illustrate the medical profession and the doctor/patient relationship. The course is US based, but will cover some of the socio-medical issues presented by medical practice and medical ethics in a comparative context. The role expectation from a doctor, nurse or physical therapist is explored as are the political aspects of language in medicine. This course is suitable as an elective for sociology students, as also for pre-med, pre-dental, nursing, PT and OT students.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4009 Special Topic: Superstorm Sandy: A Social Autopsy (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
Special Topics courses explore specific topics in the discipline of sociology selected by the instructor with approval of the department chairperson. The topic of study in this term is Superstorm Sandy and its immediate impact on the social environment. A comparative assessment of recent disasters affecting the United States will be undertaken. The format of the course is a combination of workshop, research and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1000. 3 credits. Offered as needed.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4010 Post-WWII U.S. Protest Movements (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course focuses on post-war movements for social change in the United States. Co-taught by faculty in the history and sociology departments, this course analyzes the shift from traditional New Left movements for social change (civil rights, anti-war, and free speech) to movements focusing on identity (women's rights, Black Power, and gay liberation). This course will also explore recent non-traditional social movements, including battles for marriage equality, against police brutality, violence against women, and mass incarceration, and broadening definitions of sexual, racial, and ethnic identities.
SOC-4210 Social Research Methods (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000
This course introduces students to the methods and techniques of sociological research. We will explore the kinds of methods social research adopt, the contexts in which certain methods are used, and the benefits, drawbacks and ethical implications involved in different research methods. We will also engage in a critical perspective on quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques.
Typically offered: All Sessions
SOC-4220 Quantitative Sociology Methods (3 Credits)
In this course, students will be instructed in the use of specific statistical measures; the rationales for their use; the limitations of statistical inference and the computation of data. Sociological data will be used throughout. Recommended pre-requisite: SOC-4210.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SOC-4990 Internship in Sociology (1-3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-4210,Junior Standing-60 credits
Students will intern at approved sites or organizations in the fields of law, social service, or criminal justice. They will have to complete 135 hours of work at the approved organization, and they will have to complete written assignments about the work completed as well as midterm and final paper about their experience. Approval of the department Chairperson is required.
Typically offered: Fall and Spring
SOC-4991 Social Work Practicum I (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-2030,Junior Standing-60 credits
Students will intern at approved sites or organizations in the field of social work. They will have to complete 135 hours of work at the approved organization, and they will have to complete written assignments about the work completed as well as midterm and final paper about their experience.
SOC-4992 Social Work Practicum II (3 Credits)
Students are expected to continue to work as interns in a social work-related site. Students will continue to participate in the classroom environment where they integrate their field work experience with their theoretical study.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4995 Independent Study in Sociology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SOC-1000,Junior Standing-60 credits
Individual research or field work under the direction of a faculty member with the approval of the department chairman only.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-4998 Senior Seminar in Sociology (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Senior Standing-96 credits
A capstone seminar designed solely for senior Sociology majors to apply their acquired sociological knowledge to a senior thesis paper or comprehensive exam. This course requires weekly meetings and a formal presentation to the other students in the courses.
Typically offered: All Sessions
SOC-5010 Contemporary Migration (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: PSY-5010. This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of contemporary migration. The major focus is on the United States, with an international context. Migration is related to many central issues for contemporary society, such as international relations, the development of cities, urban politics, social policy, citizenship, and racial and ethnic identity.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: WHG, SEH
SOC-5020 Race, Ethnicity, & Inequality in the US (3 Credits)
The overall objective of this course is to explore how - and the extent to which - race and ethnicity link to social, cultural and economic realities on both the micro and macro level. Specifically, we will question the extent to which race and ethnicity continue to determine life chances in the United States.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-5401 Contemporary Islam: Its Socio-Economic Context (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: ECO-5401. Islam has the second largest religious following and is the fastest growing religion in the world. The dawn of the 21st century finds an increasing polarization between modernization and Islam. This course will have a basis in historiography, with politics as a backdrop, within the context of social/cultural and economic understanding, it seeks to describe the phenomenon of contemporary Islam.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH, WHG
SOC-5402 Honors Seminar: Ethical, Legal & Social Implications of the Human Genome Project (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: BIO-5310. The Human Genome was sequenced completely in 2002. This is a database that includes all of our genetic code. Not only did this research revolutionize science, it also inevitably impacted numerous spheres of our social life and continues to do so. In this course, we will learn about the human genome and the possibilities this knowledge generates for social consideration and social change. We will answer the following questions. Why do we want to study our genes? Who should have access to my genome? Who owns the genome? Should we be changing our genes? The areas of concern are: fairness in the use of genetic information; privacy and confidentiality; social consequences and stigmatization; reproductive issues; clinical issues uncertainties; ethical and legal concerns; conceptual and philosophical implications; health and environmental issues and the commercialization of gene products.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: NPW, SEH
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-5403 Carnival: the Social Structure of Spiritual and Cultural Celebration (3 Credits)
As an advanced level application of analytical tools in the discipline of sociology, this course investigates pre-Lenten and other seasonal festivals in Europe and the Americas. Using a sociological and interdisciplinary perspective, this course explores issues of gender, race, class, sexuality, culture and finance through text, film, guest lectures and a class excursion.
Typically offered: As Needed
SOC-5404 Cults and Conspiracy Theories in the Us (3 Credits)
This course examines how cults and conspiracy theories have both emerged from and influenced life in the United States. Drawing on historical and sociological perspectives, this course offers insight into why individuals are drawn to fringe ideas and how specific historical, social, economic, and cultural contexts fuel particular sorts of cults and conspiracy theories. In exploring this topic, we will also build strong information literacy by examining how leaders and promoters of cults and conspiracy theories use disinformation, mistrust, and fear to build followings. Students will read articles, listen to podcasts, and view documentaries that offer insight into this wide and fascinating field of inquiry.
Typically offered: As Needed