The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.
Sociology
cas.vancouver.wsu.edu/sociology
Science & Engineering Building (VSCI), Room 130
360-546-9620
Academic Director, Professor P. Narayanan; Professor, A. MacLean
Science & Engineering Building (VSCI), Room 130
360-546-9620
Sociology is the scientific study of social life. The fundamental insight of the discipline is that the social matters; our lives are affected by not only our personal psychology, but by our place in the social world.
Courses in sociology are designed to provide students with an understanding of what makes people and groups of people behave the way they do. The sociology curriculum covers a wide range of issues from inequality to human ecology, from deviance to religion, from medicine to politics. Few fields offer students (and researchers) opportunities of such breadth. The course of study for majors is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of individual interests. Some knowledge of sociology is widely regarded as a useful supplement to the course work in most fields.
A major or minor in Sociology provides preparation for careers in a variety of occupations, including public relations, teaching, government, social service agencies, and industry. Students will also be equipped with the necessary tools for understanding, evaluating, and conducting social research.
Sociology Requirements
A Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology requires a minimum of 31 credit hours of sociology coursework in which students must maintain a C average. The 31 credit hours include five core courses, five additional sociology electives, and 24 credit hours in related fields, half of which must be in 300-400 level courses. Related field courses enable students to individualize their programs of study to best meet their academic and career goals. Students select related field courses from a departmentally approved list and in consultation with a faculty advisor.
Required Core Courses
The following courses are required of all majors: Soc 101, *Soc 317 [M], and Soc 321, and one of the following "capstone experience" courses: Soc 495 [M], Soc 496 [M], or Soc 497 [M].
* Will substitute Soc 320 until Soc 317 is offered on the Vancouver campus.
Schedules of Studies
Honors students complete the Honors College requirements which replace the UCORE requirements.
Sociology (120 Credits)
This is a prototype of one of many ways to complete the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in four years. The program has built-in flexibility.
A Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology requires a minimum of 31 credits of sociology coursework in which students must maintain a C average. All majors must complete five required core courses: Introduction to Sociology (SOC 101), Development of Social Theory (SOC 310), Research Methods in Sociology (SOC 317 [M]), Quantitative Techniques in Sociology (SOC 321), and one of the following “capstone experience” integrative capstone courses: Internship Capstone (SOC 495 [CAPS][M]), From Theory to Practice Capstone (SOC 496 [CAPS][M]), or Research Practicum Capstone (SOC 497 [CAPS][M]).
Students must also complete 15 credits of elective courses in sociology and 12 credits in a concentration area, half of which must be in 300-400-level courses. Concentration courses enable students to individualize their programs of study to best meet their academic and career goals. Students select concentration courses from a department-approved list and in consultation with an academic advisor.
| First Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| Arts [ARTS] | 3 |
| ENGLISH 101 [WRTG] | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning [QUAN] | 3 |
| SOC 101 [SSCI] | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if necessary, or Electives | 4 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| Communication [COMM] or Written Communication [WRTG] | 3 |
| HISTORY 105 [ROOT] | 3 |
| Humanities [HUM] | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if necessary, or Electives | 5 |
| Second Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| Biological Sciences [BSCI] with lab1 | 4 |
| Diversity [DIVR] | 3 |
| Equity and Justice [EQJS] | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| Physical Sciences [PSCI] with lab1 | 4 |
| SOC Elective2 | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Complete Writing Portfolio | |
| Third Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| Concentration Elective3 | 3 |
| SOC 310 | 3 |
| SOC 317 [M] | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| SOC Electives2 | 3 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| Concentration Elective3 | 3 |
| SOC 321 | 4 |
| SOC Electives2 | 6 |
| Fourth Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| 300-400-level Concentration Elective3 | 3 |
| SOC Elective2 | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| SOC 495 [CAPS] [M] or 497 [CAPS] [M] | 3 |
| 300-400-level Concentration Elective3 | 3 |
| 300-400-level Electives | 9 |
Footnotes
| 1 | To meet College of Arts and Sciences requirements, students must complete 1 additional lab credit of [BSCI] or [PSCI] for a total of 8 credits (2 labs). |
| 2 | SOC Electives (15 credits): Any SOC course except required SOC courses and SOC 320. Must include sufficient 300-400-level courses to meet University Requirement of 40 credits of Upper Division coursework. |
| 3 | Concentration Electives (12 credits): At least 6 credits must be at the 300-400 level. Students are encouraged to select a concentration area that best furthers their career objectives. Concentration areas include: Work and Family (SOC 251, 340, 351, 384, 390); Crime, Deviance, and Control (SOC 360, 361, 362, 364, 368, 461); Sustainable Societies (SOC 332, 334, 335, 336, 430, 474); and Related Fields (COM 101, 410, 440, 464, 470, COMSOC 230, 321, 421, COMSTRAT 312, 380, CPT S 401, I BUS 380, MGMT 301, MIL SCI 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402, MKTG 360, SOE 110, 312, and any AMER ST, ANTH, ASIA, CES, CRM J, ECONS, H D, HISTORY, HONORS, PHIL, POL S, PSYCH, and WGSS courses). Students may not use the 12-credit concentration areas to fulfill the 15 credits of sociology electives required in the major. |
Minors
At-Risk Youth
A student may be admitted to the minor in At-Risk Youth after completion of 60 credits. The minor requires a minimum of 18 credits in sociology, including SOC 352, 360, 362, and 368, and at least 6 additional credits of electives (SOC 346, 351, 361, or CRM J 365/SOC 367). At least 9 credits must be upper-division taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses. A GPA of 2.0 is required for the minor.
Health and Society
Students may be admitted to the minor in Health and Society after completion of 60 credits. The minor requires a minimum of 18 credits in Sociology or related disciplines, including SOC 334; SOC 340; and at least 12 additional credits of Health and Society electives from the following: ANTH 205, 304, 405, PHIL 365, PSYCH 310, SOC 101 or 102, 251, 330, 336, 351, 356, 368, 384, 493, WGSS/SOC 385. At least 9 credits must be upper-division work taken in residence at WSU or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange programs. Up to 3 credits of SOC 493 may apply to the minor. All minor courses must be completed with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
Sociology
A student may be admitted to the minor in Sociology after completion of 60 credits. It requires a minimum of 18 credits in sociology, including SOC 101, 320, and at least 9 additional graded credits of 300-400-level work earned in WSU courses or through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange courses. Any SOC course may be counted toward the minor (subject to the above provisions). Only 3 credits of SOC 495 may apply to the minor. A GPA of 2.0 is required for the minor.
Certificates
Sustainable Organizational Leadership
The Certificate in Sustainable Organizational Leadership at WSU is open to all majors. This interdisciplinary certificate provides value to students by building synergies across two strongly complementary units: the Department of Sociology and the Carson College of Business. Environmental and resource sustainability is an important social problem and an increasingly common issue across for-profit, not-for-profit, and governmental workplaces. Achieving sustainability requires attention to the intersections of three key domains – financial, environmental, and social. This certificate will develop student expertise and skills in these three arenas and the intersections between them, producing leaders who can act to achieve sustainability goals across a diversity of organizational settings.
The Certificate in Sustainable Organizational Leadership requires 15 credits including SOC 332, 340, and MGMT 301, and two electives drawn from: HBM 381 or MGMT 401; MGMT 483, 487; SOC 230, 335, 336, 474.
Courses
The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective. Courses showing two entries of the same number indicate that the course information is changing. The most recently approved version is shown first, followed by the older version, in gray, with its last-effective term preceding the course title. Courses shown in gray with only one entry of the course number are being discontinued. Course offerings by term can be accessed by clicking on the term links when viewing a specific campus catalog.
Sociology (SOC)
101 [SSCI] Introduction to Sociology 3 Introduction to the discipline of sociology: Concepts and methods used in the inquiry into the social world. Typically offered Fall.
102 [SSCI] Social Problems 3 The structure of social institutions and cultural factors that constitute threats to society (crime, poverty, discrimination, drugs, family violence). Typically offered Spring.
106 Murder and Mass Mayhem in American Society 3 Similarities and differences in murder and mass mayhem within the US and between US and other nations.
230 Society and Technology 3 Role of technology in social evolution; social impacts and shaping of technology. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
245 Sociology of Sport 3 Sociological study of sport in America.
250 Perspectives on Disability 3 Historical, international, socioeconomic, ethical and personal perspectives on disability; individual choices, societal values, and social responsibility. Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.
251 [DIVR] The Sociology of Sex, Relationships, and Marriage 3 Social and personal factors in mate selection; the sociology of sexuality; development of gender roles; and intimate relationships and marriage. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 251, WGSS 251.)
300 [EQJS] [M] Intersections of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality 3 Course Prerequisite: SOC 101 or WGSS 101. Intersections between race, class and gender through case studies; experiences in interdisciplinary methods. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 300, ENGLISH 310, SOC 300.) Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
300 (Effective through Fall 2024) [DIVR] [M] Intersections of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality 3 Course Prerequisite: SOC 101 or WGSS 101. Intersections between race, class and gender through case studies; experiences in interdisciplinary methods. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 300, ENGLISH 310, SOC 300.) Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
302 Contemporary Masculinities 3 Analysis of the development of masculinity in its biological and cultural forms. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 302, SOC 302.)
310 [M] Development of Social Theory 3 Foundations of sociological theory; introduction to original works of early social theorists. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Spring.
317 Research Methods in Sociology 3 Designing, conducting, and reporting social research.
317 (Effective through Summer 2024) [M] Research Methods in Sociology 3 Designing, conducting, and reporting social research.
320 Introduction to Social Research 3 Methods of collecting data; surveys, experiments, field observations; organization and interpretation of data; reading social research findings. Typically offered Fall.
321 Quantitative Techniques in Sociology I 4 Levels of measurement; measures of central tendency, dispersion and association; normal curve, statistical inference; logic of quantitative comparison and decision making. Typically offered Spring.
331 Population, Resources, and the Future 3 Effects of population on resource depletion, environmental deterioration, social and economic structure; zero population growth prospects; limits to growth debate.
332 [SSCI] Sustainability and Society 3 The study of human-environment relationships and the connections between environmental, economic, and social systems. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
334 Medical Sociology 3 Study of the societal dimensions of health and medicine: social determinants of health.
340 [EQJS] Social Inequality 3 Causes and consequences of social inequality in contemporary America. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
341 Inclusive Workplace Leadership 3 For upper-division students, development of leadership skills necessary for careers in a diverse workplace.
342 Urban Poverty 3 Historical context and current debates on US urban poverty including public policy, employment and education, and gender, race, and ethnicity. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
343 Sociology of Professions and Occupations 3 Social organization of work in America including historical and contemporary trends, bureaucracy, gender/racial inequality, technological affects, work/family relations. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.
346 Sociology of Education 3 Examination of how educational institutions are influenced by other social forces, how school practices affect individual outcomes and how race/class/gender shape educational opportunity. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
347 Sociology of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration 3 Racial and ethnic categories and experiences of specific racial, ethnic, and immigrant groups.
350 Social Psychology 3 Course Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Attitude changes, conformity, interpersonal relations, groups and social influences explored to give a coherent view of social psychology. Recommended preparation: PSYCH 105 or SOC 101. (Crosslisted course offered as PSYCH 350, SOC 350.) Typically offered Fall and Spring.
351 [DIVR] The Family 3 Family system and its interaction patterns; family formation and dissolution; marital and partner relations, divorce, sexuality, parenting, work-family balance. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 351, WGSS 351.) Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.
352 Youth and Society 3 Social issues facing youth; youth and social institutions of education, employment, family, criminal justice system, and politics.
360 Social Deviance 3 A survey of the sociology of deviance. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
361 [DIVR] Criminology 3 Crime measurement, theories of crime, the correlates of crime, and specific types of crime such as white-collar and drug crime. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
362 Juvenile Delinquency 3 Sociological perspectives on delinquency; delinquent gangs and subcultures; delinquency causation and control; law and its enforcement: juvenile justice and corrections. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. Typically offered Fall.
367 Juvenile Justice and Corrections 3 Course Prerequisite: CRM J 101. History, philosophy, legal process, performance, and outcomes of the juvenile justice and corrections systems. (Crosslisted course offered as CRM J 365, SOC 367.) Cooperative: Open to UI degree-seeking students.
368 Drugs and Society 3 Social issues in drug use and addiction; drug policy. Typically offered Odd Years - Spring.
372 The Sociology of Film 3 The social, economic, and political factors that influence film production and the impact of films on American culture.
373 Media, Culture, and Society 3 The production of popular culture by media organizations and its effects on society.
375 Aspects of Sustainable Development 3 Course Prerequisite: ECONS 101 or 198. Ecological, economical, and sociological aspects of sustainable development. (Crosslisted course offered as ECONS 326, SOC 375.) Typically offered Fall and Spring.
384 Sociology of Gender 3 Construction and maintenance of gender and gender inequality in American society. Recommended preparation: SOC 101. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 384, WGSS 384.) Typically offered Odd Years - Fall.
385 [EQJS] Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Interdisciplinary exploration of issues related to gender and sexuality, explored transhistorically and cross-culturally, including race, class and age differences. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 385, SOC 385.)
385 (Effective through Fall 2024) [EQJS] Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Interdisciplinary exploration of issues related to gender and sexuality, explored transhistorically and cross-culturally, including race, class and age differences. (Crosslisted course offered as WGSS 385, SOC 385.)
390 Gender and Work 3 Gender and inequality at work including occupational segregation, wage inequality and balancing work and family. (Crosslisted course offered as SOC 390, WGSS 390.)
391 Special Topics in Sociology V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 credits.
415 [CAPS] [M] Globalization 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Structural foundations of global social change; theories of intersocietal interactions and interdependencies. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
418 Human Issues in International Development 3 Interdisciplinary analysis of complex interaction in the context of colonial and post-colonial development. (Crosslisted course offered as ANTH 418, POL S 418, SOC 418.)
418 (Effective through Spring 2024) Human Issues in International Development 3 Interdisciplinary analysis of complex interaction between tradition and modernity in Third World societies. (Crosslisted course offered as ANTH 418, POL S 418, SOC 418).
433 Urbanization and Community Organization 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Organization, function, change, development, and decline of communities; applications emphasizing rural or urban settings. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
461 Corrections 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. History, facilities, processes, strategies for the correction and punishment of offenders, analysis of concepts of prevention and control of crime. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
462 Geographic Information Systems in Health and Social Sciences 3 Utilizing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and mapping tools to examine and visualize epidemiological and social science data; assess public health, social, and policy issues including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and drug use; explore how this work can be applied to interventions. Required preparation must include a college-level statistics course. (Crosslisted course offered as NEP 462/562, SOC 462/562.) Credit not granted for both NEP 462/562 and SOC 462/562. Offered at 400 and 500 level.
468 Addictive Behavior Among Diverse Populations 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Overview of social, cultural, and historical perspectives on dealing with addictive behavior. Recommended preparation: SOC 101, PSYCH 105, or CRM J 101. (Crosslisted course offered as PSYCH 468, CRM J 468, SOC 468.)
474 Social Movements 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Social movement processes and social change in historical and contemporary societies. Recommended preparation: SOC 101.
491 Advanced Special Topics V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 credits.
493 Internship V 1-6 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 12 credits. Course Prerequisite: By department permission. Work experience related to undergraduate major and career interests. Typically offered Fall and Spring. S, F grading.
495 [CAPS] [M] Internship Capstone 3 Course Prerequisite: SOC 310 or concurrent enrollment; junior standing. Self-initiated supervised work experience in an approved campus or community setting. Recommended preparation: SOC 317 or 320, and SOC 321 or CRM J 321.
497 [CAPS] [M] Capstone Research Practicum 3 Course Prerequisite: SOC 317, SOC 320, PSYCH 312, or CRM J 311, or concurrent enrollment in any; admitted to the major in Sociology; junior standing. Hands-on experience in selection of a social problem, review of literature, identifying data sources, developing methodology and reporting results. Senior standing recommended. Typically offered Spring.
498 Research Assistantship 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 credits. Course Prerequisite: By department permission. Supervised experience in current research by departmental faculty.
499 Special Problems V 1-4 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: By department permission. Independent study conducted under the jurisdiction of an approving faculty member; may include independent research studies in technical or specialized problems; selection and analysis of specified readings; development of a creative project; or field experiences. S, F grading.
520 Research Methods in Sociology 3 Methodology of social research at the professional level.
521 Regression Models 3 Simple and multiple regression, structural equation models, nonlinear applications, applications for discrete dependent variables.
523 Qualitative Methods Practicum 3 Introduction to qualitative research methods as used in social sciences; epistemological underpinnings and empirical techniques. Recommended preparation: SOC 520. Cooperative: Open to UI degree-seeking students.
532 Environmental Sociology 3 Societal-environmental interactions; impacts of human societies on the physical environment; environmental impacts on human behavior and social organization.
535 Technology and Society 3 Analysis of sociotechnical systems; effects of technology on society; the social shaping of technologies and their environmental impacts.
542 Social Stratification: Class, Race and Gender Inequalities 3 Theoretical and empirical research in both classic stratification literature and recent scholarship on class, race/ethnicity and gender.
556 Sociology of Aging and the Life Course 3 Theory and research on the changes individuals undergo over the life course; influences of history, social structure, agency and social relations on lives.
562 Geographic Information Systems in Health and Social Sciences 3 Utilizing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and mapping tools to examine and visualize epidemiological and social science data; assess public health, social, and policy issues including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and drug use; explore how this work can be applied to interventions. Required preparation must include a college-level statistics course. (Crosslisted course offered as NEP 462/562, SOC 462/562.) Credit not granted for both NEP 462/562 and SOC 462/562. Offered at 400 and 500 level.
580 Sociology of Race Relations 3 Analysis of race/ethnic relations; historical and current theoretical explanations of race/ethnic relations.
590 Special Topics in Sociology 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits.
592 Special Topics in Sociology 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits.
593 Special Topics in Sociology V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 credits. Special topics in sociology.
600 Special Projects or Independent Study V 1-18 May be repeated for credit. Independent study, special projects, and/or internships. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and should check with their major advisor before enrolling in 600 credit, which cannot be used toward the core graded credits required for a graduate degree. S, F grading.
700 Master's Research, Thesis, and/or Examination V 1-18 May be repeated for credit. Independent research and advanced study for students working on their master's research, thesis and/or final examination. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and should check with their major advisor/committee chair before enrolling for 700 credit. S, U grading.
800 Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination V 1-18 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to the Sociology PhD program. Independent research and advanced study for students working on their doctoral research, dissertation and/or final examination. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and should check with their major advisor/committee chair before enrolling for 800 credit. S, U grading.
- Sociology
Courses
- Sociology
Schedules of Studies
- Sociology
Minors
- At-Risk Youth
- Health and Society
- Sociology
Certificates
- Sustainable Organizational Leadership