Dedman College
(2010 Undergraduate Catalog)
Sociology
www.smu.edu/sociology
Professor Linda Brewster Stearns,
Chair
Professors: Anthony Cortese, Linda Brewster Stearns.
Associate Professor: Richard Hawkins.
Assistant Professors: Dalia Abdel-Hady, Matthew R. Keller, Sheri Locklear Kunovich, Anne E. Lincoln.
Lecturers: Debra Branch, J. Michael Cruz, Adrian Tan.
Adjunct Lecturer: Karen de Olivares.
The sociology curriculum includes courses on research design, data analysis, social theory, and conceptualization of domestic and international organizational and social problems. In today’s information society, these skills give sociology majors a competitive advantage in the fields of social research, criminology, demography, public administration, policy analysis, gerontology, education, social work and market research.
Sociology majors entering the business world often work in marketing research, human resources, management, industrial relations, public relations or sales. Sociology majors entering human services often work with youths at risk, the elderly or people experiencing problems related to poverty or substance abuse. Sociology majors entering the government sector often work in policy analysis, program evaluation or urban planning.
Requirements for the B.A. Degree. This major requires a minimum of 33 term hours, 18 of which must be at the advanced level. The four required courses include SOCI 2300 or 2310, SOCI 3311 and 3312, and SOCI 4313 or 4314. Of the remaining 21 credit hours, six hours must be at the 4000 level. Students should take SOCI 2300 or 2310 and SOCI 3311 or 3312 before taking a 4000-level course. STAT 1301 or 2331 can be counted as one of the 11 courses needed for the sociology major. Twelve term hours of foreign language are recommended.
Requirements for the B.S. Degree. The B.S. degree is a more specialized program than the B.A degree. It provides a sound foundation for graduate study in sociology or law. The major requires 36 term hours, 18 of which must be at the advanced level. The five required courses include SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311, 3312, 4313, 4314. Of the remaining 21 credit hours, nine hours must be at the 4000 level. Students should take SOCI 2300 or 2310 and SOCI 3311 or 3312 before taking a 4000-level course. STAT 1301 or 2331 may be counted as one of the courses within the sociology major. Twelve term hours of foreign language are recommended.
The Department Distinction Program. Students wishing to work for distinction in sociology should consult the director of Undergraduate Studies as soon as possible in the junior year. Students will be expected to engage in original research (based on a topic covered in a 3000- or 4000-level course) and write a journal-length article under the supervision of a faculty member while enrolled in SOCI 4396. At the end of the term, the supervising faculty will make a recommendation to departmental faculty regarding distinction. The department committee will then evaluate the merits of the paper and determine if distinction will be awarded. Either a B.A. or B.S. student can attempt distinction in sociology.
Requirements for Minor in Sociology. Students majoring in other departments may obtain a minor in sociology by completing SOCI 2300 or 2310; one of the following: SOCI 3311, 3312, 4313 or 4314; one additional course at the 4000 level; and two courses at the 3000 level or above, for a total of 15 hours.
2300. Social Problems. Selected problems of modern urban life analyzed with an emphasis on American values, the nature of community, and the manifest and latent functions of proposed solutions to social problems.
2310. Introduction to Sociology. The perspective and basic content of sociology, emphasizing the ways in which values and other beliefs influence social behavior.
2377. Markets and Culture. A general introduction to economic sociology, examining the effects of culture and social relations on shaping production, distribution and consumption in domestic and global markets.
3301 (ANTH 3301, CFB 3301). Health, Healing and Ethics: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Sickness and Society. A cross-cultural exploration of cultures and organization of medical systems, economic development and the global exploration of biomedicine, and ethical dilemmas associated with medical technologies and global disparities in health. Meets Human Diversity corequirement.
3305 (CFA 3310, ETST 2301). Race and Ethnicity in the United States. An interdisciplinary seminar designed to introduce students to the analysis of race and ethnicity in the United States within a global context. Meets Human Diversity corequirement.
3311. Qualitative Research Methods. Course provides an overview of commonly used methodologies in sociology, with a focus on qualitative methods. Topics include the relationship between theory and qualitative methods, an inductive versus deductive approach, data collection, data analysis and presentation of findings.
Prerequisite: SOCI 2300 or 2310.
3312. Survey Research Methods and Data Analysis. Course provides an overview of social survey design and collection of quantitative survey data. Topics include questionnaire design, field implementation, statistical analysis of data and presentation of findings. Lab sessions will investigate sociological data sets.
Prerequisite: SOCI 2300 or 2310.
3320 (RELI 3310). The Social-Scientific Study of Religion. An introduction to scientific ways of thinking about the social, cultural and psychological aspects of religious life. Attentive to major thinkers and theories dealing with religion in the disciplines of anthropology, psychology, sociology and the social-scientific study of religion.
3330. Person vs. Society. Social-psychological examination of causes and consequences of conformity and loss of individuality; emphasis on strategies for countering pressures to conform and for achieving personal autonomy.
3340. Global Society. Provides students with a sociological orientation to the contemporary world viewed as an evolving network of nation-states. Focusing on the global interdependence of countries, the position of societies in the world system will be related to their internal patterns of social stratification.
3345. Media Ethics and Gender. Provides a broad historical and contemporary background to the study of media, ethics and gender images – both in the U.S. and abroad.
3351. Marriage and Family. Husband-wife and parent-child relations in the United States; traditions and alternatives.
3355. Family Conflict. Domestic violence, conflict over child custody in divorce, incest and child abuse, neglect and failure to support are topics in the changing family in America. Intergenerational issues and problems are also discussed.
3360. Law and Society. Designed to give students a broad overview of the history and functions of our major legal institutions and their relationship to American culture and social structure.
3363. Crime and Delinquency. Extent of the problem, causal theories, prevention and public policy.
3368 (ANTH 3368). Urban Life: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. An introduction to urban life and culture around the world, including how we study cities, who inhabits cities, and the special features of city places and spaces. Meets Human Diversity corequirement.
3370. Minority-Dominant Relations. The nature, origins and consequences of relationships between unequal groups; U.S. and other societies compared.
3371. Sociology of Gender. Roles of men and women in American society; analysis of the acquisition, content and consequences of sex roles; and social movements and implications for social change.
3372. Chicanos in the Southwest. Contemporary Chicano life and culture in the Southwest; effects of racism and rapid urbanization.
3377. Organizations and Their Environments. Explores the theories and relationships between organizations and environment. Applies these theories to the analysis of real world organization activities.
Prerequisite: SOCI 2377.
3383 (CF 3385). Race, Culture and Social Policy in the Southwest. This interdisciplinary seminar introduces students to conceptualizing social problems. Focus is on the distinctive conditions defined and treated as social problems in the American Southwest. Meets Human Diversity corequirement.
4193, 4293, 4393. Individual Research. Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, SOCI 3311 or 3312, and one 3000-level course.
4313. The Sociological Tradition. Introduction to ideas and theories of 19th- and early 20th-century sociologists.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4314. Contemporary Sociological Theory. Recent trends in sociological theory and research.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4321. Immigration and Population Issues. Causes and consequences of population growth and change in the United States and the world.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4335. Social Movements and Collective Behavior. Nature, causes and consequences of crowds, riots, fads, public opinion, social movements and revolution.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4340. Sociology of Culture. This course provides an overview of the sociological study of culture and focuses on the ways language, artifacts, ideas, identities and narratives construct social reality.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4353. Political Sociology. Political movements, the impact of politics on other institutions in America, and issues of power and control are discussed. Global issues of economics and political power are included.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4360. Gangs in the United States: Developing Historical, Social and Theoretical Understandings of a Modern Problem. An examination of the history, development and structures of gangs in the U.S., which incorporates explanatory theories, policy and models for prevention, intervention and suppression of gang activity.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4363. The Administration of Justice. Law enforcement and criminal court systems; the ideal of justice and public policy.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4364. Correctional Systems. The history of punishment, adjustment to incarceration, and comparison of prisons for men and women. Constitutional issues of criminal punishment are discussed.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4366. Deviant Behavior. Causes and consequences of deviant behavior; evaluation of leading theories.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4372. Wealth and Consumption. This course focuses on how group membership (e.g. race, social class) and societal forces (e.g. economic development) affect spending and savings patterns with particular attention paid to sociological theories of consumption.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4373. Class, Race and Gender Inequalities. Unequal distribution of power, prestige and opportunity within society; causes and consequences.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4374. Social Change. Review of major social-change theories emphasizing technology, modernization, social power, and impact of change on individuals and institutions. Also examines possible solutions to resulting problems. Seminar format.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4377. Contemporary Markets and Culture. Students apply knowledge acquired in core markets and culture courses to develop critical understanding of the social, economic, technological and political forces shaping current global markets.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2377 and 3377.
4379. Markets and Culture Internship. By arrangement with faculty sponsor and program adviser. Eligible students will perform an analysis of a particular market and culture problem at the interning firm or organization. The project will be approved by the student, faculty sponsor, program adviser, director, and interning firm or organization prior to term registration. In addition, the student must complete a 15- to 20-page paper under the supervision of the faculty sponsor and give an oral presentation to the faculty sponsor and program adviser.
Prerequisites: 3.0 GPA in markets and culture major, and 3.0 average in SOCI 2377 and 3377.
4396. Individual Research for Distinction. Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, SOCI 3311 or 3312, one 3000-level course, and permission of director of Undergraduate Studies.
4398. Sociological Internship. Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, SOCI 3311 or 3312, and permission of director of undergraduate studies.
4399. Special Topics: Sociology Seminar. Seminar on selected sociological areas. May be repeated for credit if topics differ.
Prerequisites: SOCI 2300 or 2310, and SOCI 3311 or 3312.
4401–4. Washington Term. Intensive study of domestic and international economic, political, and social institutions. Includes a 4-hour research project (4401), a 4-hour internship (4402), and two 4-hour seminars (4403 and 4404).
Prerequisites: Two courses in the markets and culture or sociology major or sociology minor (at least one at the upper level) that are relevant to the selected program, and permission of the department chair.
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