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Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.
Course Descriptions
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Note: See Catalog Addenda as that information supersedes the published version of this catalog.
The course descriptions include all courses that are taught for academic credit at the university. They are arranged in alpha-numerical sequence by course subject code.
See How to Read Course Descriptions for additional information.
At present, the majority of the 500-600 level courses are offered in the evening hours. Students should be aware that not all courses are offered in the evening or every semester. Students who are only able to enroll in classes 4 pm or after should consult the appropriate department chairperson for information about the availability of evening sections of courses required in a specific major, concentration and/or minor. Students are urged to consult “Available Course Sections” through InfoBear each semester to determine when specific courses are offered.
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Social Work |
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SCWK 136 - Freshman Honors Colloquium (1 credit)
Prerequisite: Open to Commonwealth Honors students and others at the discretion of instructor
Freshman Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of three credits. Offered spring semester.
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SCWK 199 - First Year Seminar (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Open to all freshmen with a writing placement score of 3 or above or a SAT score of 500 or above.
Students with 24 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. First Year Seminars (FYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that introduce students to academic thought, discourse and practices. FYS courses prepare and orient students toward productive and fulfilling college careers by actively engaging them in a specific academic area of interest. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while learning to work both collaboratively and independently. These courses will fulfill the First Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one FYS course may be taken for credit. (CFYS)
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SCWK 250 - Introduction to Social Welfare (3 credits)
Prerequisite: PSYC 100 or SOCI 102
This course includes the analysis of the conceptions of social welfare, the historical development and function of social welfare and the value systems underlying the political, economic and social response to human needs. It offers an overview of the roles of the social worker and the varied settings in which interventions are employed. Offered fall and spring semesters. (CSOC)
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SCWK 270 - Social Work Issues of Diversity and Oppression (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the life-long learning process of (1) addressing issues of power and privilege and (2) developing culturally competent social work practice. Students will explore issues related to working with diverse groups of people locally and globally with regards to gender, ethnicity, race, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic level, ability status, age and faith. Emphasis will be placed on defining and developing skills for culturally competent social work generalist practice through students’ self-reflection, experiential learning, and critical analysis of social inequalities. This course aims to ground students in a strengths based/empowerment model and to support students in their work towards a more socially just world. Offered fall and spring semesters. (CMCL; CSOC)
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SCWK 286 - Sophomore Honors Colloquium (1 credit)
Prerequisite: Open to Commonwealth Honors students and others at the discretion of instructor
Sophomore Honors Colloquia allow honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of three credits. Offered fall semester.
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SCWK 287 - Sophomore Honors Colloquium (1 credit)
Prerequisite: Open to Commonwealth Honors students and to others at the discretion of instructor
Sophomore Honors Colloquia allow Honors students to explore challenging topics in discussion-based small classes; specific topics vary by semester and instructor. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of three credits. Offered spring semester.
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SCWK 298 - Second Year Seminar (Speaking Intensive) (3 credits)
Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101, and the speaking skills requirement. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
Second Year Seminars (SYS) are speaking-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their speaking, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)
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SCWK 299 - Second Year Seminar (Writing Intensive) (3 credits)
Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
Second Year Seminars (SYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. (CSYS)
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SCWK 305 - Interventions in Child Welfare (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Nine hours in behavioral studies
In this course students will learn how to protect children and support families at risk for child abuse and neglect. The course will teach students how to conduct a risk assessment and engage families and children in effective services. Practice, policies and program design of various methods of intervention including family preservation, kinship and foster care, and adoption will be covered. Attention will be given to the relationship between substance abuse and domestic violence and child abuse. Ways of promoting healthy child and family development will also be addressed. Offered annually.
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SCWK 320 - Human Behavior and Social Environment I (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 250 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 270 with a minimum grade of “C”; and one human biology course from the following: BIOL 100, BIOL 102, BIOL 110, BIOL 117, BIOL 121, BIOL 128
This foundation course introduces the student to the social work perspective on human development and its organizational and social contexts. The course provides a multidimensional framework, addressing the interactions among human biological, social, psychological and cultural systems as they affect and are affected by human behavior. Building on the introduction to the social work profession offered in SCWK 250 and the extensive content on oppression and discrimination in SCWK 270, the course offers a theoretical grounding upon which practice and policy courses will build. As a theory-driven course, this course will introduce students to diverse and sometimes conflicting theories that attempt to explain human functioning. Efforts will be made to understand the contexts in which these theories were developed as well as their strengths and limitations; students will learn to evaluate theories as tools for understanding clients in a multicultural society. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 321 - Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 250 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 270 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 320 with a minimum grade of “C”
This is the second course in the human behavior sequence; it builds upon a liberal arts base and addresses the varied biological, psychosocial, cultural, economic, and political factors that separately and together influence human adaptation. In this course, students will review and critique theories of human development, functioning and well-being as they apply to human interactions through the entire life span. To help students consider diversity in many of its manifestations, the course will examine what the research suggests is normative development while examining some of the particular challenges confronting individuals at each phase. Utilizing a strengths perspective, the course will focus on risk and resilience as they influence people’s lives as individuals and as members of families, communities, cultures and society. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 333 - Current Issues in Aging: A Multidisciplinary Perspective (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Six credits in behavioral sciences or health
In the United States and abroad, population aging is one of the most critical challenges facing national and local governments, business, social institutions, communities and families. This course will focus on issues and concepts in the field of aging with the goal of providing an overview of key elements of gerontological competency in social work. We will cover the normal physical, psychological, social and cognitive changes in later life and examine the services and programs available to older persons and their families.
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SCWK 338 - Introduction to Social Work Practice (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Social Work Program; and SCWK 250 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 270 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 320 with a minimum grade of “C”, which may be taken concurrently
This service-learning course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the basic knowledge, skills and values essential to entry-level generalist social work practice. The focus will be on the application of social work knowledge and values and the development of interviewing skills as they relate to relationship building, data collection and assessment of client systems. Instructors will provide students with the necessary information to arrange the service learning placement. Students may also make visits to social service organizations with the class. In addition to the weekly lecture, the course incorporates a 45-hour service learning component. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 349 - Perspectives on the Holocaust (3 credits) Cross Listed with CRJU/INTD 349
Prerequisite: CRJU 201 or SCWK 270
This course introduces students to an interdisciplinary approach to studies of the Holocaust. An apocalyptic event, the Holocaust provides countless opportunities for students to identify and construct central questions and then embark on a journey of critical analyses and increased understanding of this historical event. Several topics are pursued including the sociopolitical processes that permit government-led discriminatory treatment of various social groups despite their possession of citizenship; the codification of laws that legitimized the marginalization, criminalization, and the near genocide of the Jews and other groups during the ascension and the apex of Nazism in Germany and the ability of government to gain the participation of ordinary people in this coordinated effort of abuse, theft and murder. In addition, this course reviews the human experiences of resistance, resilience and the survivorship of those who remained alive and intact physically, mentally, spiritually and socially during the Holocaust. Finally, the determination of relevant applications from the study of the Holocaust to nascent social conditions and social problems occurring elsewhere in the world is undertaken. Offered annually. (CGCL; CMCL)
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SCWK 350 - Social Welfare Policy (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 250 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 270 with a minimum grade of “C”
This course offers students an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in the areas of social welfare policy and policy practice. Prerequisite courses have addressed important content related to the social welfare system in the United States, social problems, human diversity, government, and social work practice. This course will apply those knowledge areas to a detailed study of social welfare policy and policy practice. It will cover important areas of social welfare policy within the United States and will analyze selected major social policy issues of current concern. This course will also address the skills and tasks necessary in developing, implementing, and assessing policy at varying levels of sponsorship and implementation. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 355 - Study Tour in Social Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above or consent of instructor
This course will offer students a first-hand, supervised cross cultural travel and study experience from a historical and social perspective of social problems in the country they visit. Students will participate in lecture, site visits, research and other academic experiences, including pre and post-travel activities, as appropriate. Topics focus on historical development of world cultures, practices, beliefs and response to social problems. This course is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing upon, for example, visual and performing arts, religious traditions, political organization, economic development, social and family life. Repeatable for different itineraries. (CGCL; CSOC)
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SCWK 375 - Data Analysis for Social Work (3 credits)
This course is for social work majors who have not been exposed to statistical analysis. The course deals primarily with descriptive (i.e., summarizing and describing major characteristics of collected data) and inferential statistics (i.e., making predictions or inferences about the likelihood that relationships between variables within the data set also exist beyond the data collected). It prepares students to be knowledgeable consumers of social research by exposing them to the tools needed to appreciate, interpret, use, and integrate statistics within the practice of social work. Offered fall and spring semesters. (CQUR)
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SCWK 380 - Research Methods in Social Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 250 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 270 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 375 with a minimum grade of “C” or PSYC 201 with a minimum grade of “C” or SOCI 391 with a minimum grade of “C”
In this course, students will examine the ethical issues involved in research, understand the logic of research, and critically analyze pertinent literature. The course teaches students to develop research questions and introduces a number of research techniques by which their questions might be answered, including surveys, experiments, single subject designs, qualitative research methods and program evaluation. Students will be introduced to the preliminary stages of the research process including problem formulation, reviewing the literature, question/hypothesis generation, selection of data collection strategy and scales and measurement. Offered fall and spring semesters. (CWRM)
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SCWK 392 - Treating Childhood Sexual Abuse (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Six hours/credits in psychology or sociology
This course will introduce the student to the many ways in which child sexual abuse affects a young child and family. Beginning with a brief historical overview of sexual abuse of children and our society’s response to it, we will examine theoretical models for understanding abuse. The course will address the ways in which sexual abuse impacts the development of infants, toddlers and adolescents, and will include a discussion on treatment approaches for social workers and other practitioners. Offered annually.
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SCWK 399 - Special Topics in Social Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Nine hours in behavioral sciences
Various topics in social work will be offered from time to time. Topics will be announced prior to registration. Repeatable. Offered annually.
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SCWK 415 - Social Services in Alcohol and Substance Abuse (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 250 and SCWK 270
The course provides an overview of the problem of alcoholism and the various programs that deal with the problem. It has been designed primarily for students who have an interest in the area of alcoholism and substance abuse and either may be considering a career in treatment for alcoholism or may merely wish to expand their area of competence. The course focuses on the central issues of causation, resources, management, and treatment from a social work perspective. Students need to understand how the various programs and human service systems are planned, organized and evaluated. Students are introduced to theory and practice in relation to the functions that form the basis of various programs and services. Agency visits may be made. Offered annually. May be taken for graduate-level credit.
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SCWK 431 - Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 338 with a minimum grade of “C”
In this course, different practice models and theoretical perspectives will be examined with the goal of critical reflection on their usefulness and limitations in various practice situations. Focusing on the continuing development of practice skills and the ability to integrate them with social work knowledge and values, students address the development of the client/group/system relationship. Students also explore the differential use of self in assessment and intervention. In this course, students focus on diversity in all aspects of social work practice. Key topics include professional identity, the role(s) of the social worker and ways to address one’s own professional and personal needs in order to maintain high quality, ethical practice. Offered fall and spring semesters. May be taken for graduate-level credit.
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SCWK 432 - Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SCWK 338 with a minimum grade of “C”
This course introduces students to community practice and the “macro” perspective. The goals of macro practice are to empower clients, to strengthen communities, and to ensure that human services agencies deliver effective services. Attention will be given to the needs of vulnerable client populations, to the resources available to meet those needs, and to some of the strategies and techniques designed to make these systems more responsive and accountable to these populations. Emphasis throughout the semester is on critical thinking and on the needs of vulnerable populations. This course incorporates the use of researched-based investigation and the implementation of a community/social problem intervention. Offered fall and spring semesters. May be taken for graduate-level credit.
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SCWK 480 - Advanced Special Topics in Social Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
Special topics of current relevance to social work practice at an advanced level. Topics to be addressed will be announced prior to registration each semester. Repeatable for different topics: may earn a maximum of six credits.
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SCWK 485 - Honors Thesis in Social Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Open to Commonwealth and Departmental Honors students; formal application required
One-hour weekly meetings with the thesis director will culminate in an honors thesis. With the consent of the Department Honors Committee and the thesis director, this course may be extended into a second semester for three additional credits depending upon the scope of the project. Whether the final version of the thesis qualifies the student to graduate with honors will be determined by the department honors committee. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of six credits. Offered annually.
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SCWK 498 - Field Experience in Social Work (6 credits)
Prerequisite: Admission to the social work program; SCWK 320 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 338 with a minimum grade of “C”; and SCWK 380 with a minimum grade of “C”; consent of department; formal application required
The field experience provides opportunities for students to learn how to apply knowledge and to develop skills in direct services to clients under the direction of a qualified agency field instructor. A minimum of 464 hours is spent in a wide variety of community agencies from September-May of the senior year. This experience continues to build upon the practice sequence of SCWK 338, SCWK 431, and SCWK 432. A weekly seminar throughout the year allows students to integrate social work theory and practice into a unified whole as part of their development as beginning professional practitioners. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of 12 credits. Offered in fall-spring sequence.
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SCWK 499 - Directed Study in Social Work (1-3 credits)
Prerequisite: Consent of the department; formal application required
Directed study is open to juniors and seniors who have demonstrated critical and analytical abilities in their studies and who wish to pursue a project independently. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of six credits. Offered annually.
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SCWK 500 - Policy I: Social Welfare Policy (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program
The course introduces students to the American social welfare systems and the social policies that serve as its underpinnings. It provides a historical perspective, with attention to important social, economic and political contexts. Analysis of different values and ethical positions will illustrate the degree to which they promote social and economic justice and serve underrepresented populations. Students will be introduced to a framework for policy analysis for use in evaluating policy responses to key social problems including poverty, health care, substance abuse, housing, child welfare, mental health, hunger and issues facing the elderly. Special attention will be paid to social problems and policy responses in Southeastern Massachusetts. Offered annually.
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SCWK 502 - Dynamics of Diversity and Oppression (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in MSW program; may be taken concurrently with SCWK 500
This course introduces students to the concepts of diversity and oppression in our society as a foundation for the later infusion of these concepts throughout the MSW curriculum. Students will explore the dynamics of diversity, power differences and oppression as part of an examination of systems of privilege and disadvantage based on race, gender, age, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, class and economic status, religion and other forms of social differentiation and stratification. Offered annually.
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SCWK 503 - Directed Study (1-3 credits)
Prerequisite: Consent of the MSW program director
Directed study is designed for the graduate student who desires to study selected topics in a specific field. For details, consult the paragraph titled “Directed or Independent Study” in the “College of Graduate Studies” section of this catalog. Repeatable: may earn a maximum of six credits.
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SCWK 508 - Policy II: Policy Advocacy, Development and Analysis (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program and SCWK 500 and SCWK 502
This course offers students an opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to become effective policy advocates. As policy advocates, social workers work to influence and change social policies in communities, agencies or legislative settings, with the goal of addressing social problems, increasing social justice and assuring access to essential social resources, especially for groups that lack relative power in our society. The course will introduce skills for analyzing, developing, implementing, and assessing policy at varying levels of sponsorship and implementation. Offered annually.
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SCWK 510 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment I (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; may be taken concurrently with SCWK 500 and SCWK 502
This course introduces students to the multiple contexts in which people function – communities, organizations and families – and to the theoretical base that underlies social work practice. Building on the contributions to our understanding of human functioning provided by biology, psychology, sociology, economics and political science, it explores the challenges and opportunities created by multiple systems and by diverse and sometimes conflicting theoretical explanations of human behavior. Offered annually.
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SCWK 511 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment II (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in MSW program and SCWK 500 and SCWK 502 and SCWK 510
This course will present theories related to strengths-based practice such as social constructivism, narrative theory and family systems theory which foster understanding of resiliency used throughout the lifespan to face selected developmental challenges. A life span approach will highlight the common development themes of each stage along with an appreciation of inherent strengths that come from an integrated biopsychosocial cultural and familial understanding. Offered annually.
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SCWK 512 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment III: DSM-The Art and Science of Clinical Diagnosis (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in MSW program and SCWK 511; or consent of program coordinator
This course will expose students to the most commonly used perspective in assessing and diagnosing adults, adolescents and children, the DSM system for the classification of mental disorders. Students will learn how to assess and diagnose a client within the framework of the mental health system which relies upon the DSM. Students will use their experience with clients to understand the impact of mental illness on client and family functioning. The ethics of using the DSM in assessment will be explored as well as the ongoing debate on the validity and usefulness of the DSM system. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 530 - Generalist Social Work Practice (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 590; or consent of program coordinator
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the basic knowledge, skills and values essential to generalist social work practice. Key themes include relationship building and interviewing as they relate to clinical practice. The semester is organized keeping central the social work process: engagement, assessment, case conceptualization, goal setting, intervention and evaluation. Personal and professional values will be discussed along with the use of self, including cognitive and affective processes, the impact of power and privilege, and the importance of evaluation, research and ethics in becoming a graduate level social worker. The course introduces students to practice models for working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and populations at risk. Offered annually.
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SCWK 531 - Specialized Social Work Practice I with Groups (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; and SCWK 530 or as an Advanced Standing student; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 591; or consent of program coordinator
This course is designed to provide students with specialized knowledge, skills, ethical principles and theories used in the application of strength-based, culturally competent practice with treatment groups as well as task groups in organizations and diverse community settings. Throughout the semester, attention is given to effective leadership, critical thinking, as well as the examination of power dynamics and roles in groups. Social justice, social consciousness and responsible application of principles of cross-cultural communication will be highlighted. Students will develop skills in how to design, develop and conduct treatment groups and task groups working with people from diverse social locations. Students will learn engagement, assessment, conceptualization, goal setting, intervention and evaluation skills for group work that addresses the needs, resilience, and empowerment of individuals and groups across cultures, generations and communities. Student learning is supported by assigned course readings and class discussions. During this course, students will practice the skills of effective, culturally competent specialized group work through participation in simulated group experiences. Offered annually.
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SCWK 540 - Introductory Social Research (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program
This course introduces students to the role of research in social work and familiarizes students with the basic concepts and methods of social science research. It emphasizes ethical decision-making within the research process as it introduces students to research techniques including surveys, experiments, single-subject designs, qualitative methods and program evaluation. The stages of the research process including question formulation and hypothesis generation, research designs development of research instruments, and understanding findings will be addressed. Throughout, attention will be paid to the evaluation and application of existing social science research in social work practice and to the contributions made by social workers to new knowledge. Offered annually.
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SCWK 541 - Research: Evaluating Practice (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in MSW program and SCWK 540; or consent of program coordinator
The second required course in the research sequence builds on the skills introduced in SCWK 540 and introduces students to issues and procedures involved in analyzing social science research data. Students will learn what questions to ask regarding the selection of analytic strategies, how to understand the data analysis process, and how to use SPSS as an analytic tool. They will increase their skills in evaluating the data analysis decisions of other researchers, and, thus, their findings. They will also be introduced to the process of presenting analytic data through graphs and tables and through written reports. Offered annually.
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SCWK 550 - Specialized Social Work Practice III with Families (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program or as an Advanced Standing student; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 593; or consent of program coordinator
This practice course will present a theoretical analysis of family functioning and integrate this analysis with specialized social work practice with families. Broad definitions of “family” will be used, including extended families, unmarried couples, single parent families, gay or lesbian couples, adult siblings, “fictive kin” and other inclusive definitions. Models that have significantly contributed to social work practice with families are studied with a focus on the processes of engagement, assessment, case conceptualization, goal setting, intervention and evaluation. Theoretical approaches will be presented in order to help students understand family structure, communication patterns, and behavioral and coping repertoires. During this course, students will learn and practice the skills of effective, culturally competent specialized social work practice with families through participation in simulated demonstrations of family modalities. Offered annually.
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SCWK 551 - Specialized Social Work Practice II with Individuals (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program or as an Advanced Standing student; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 592; or consent of program coordinator
This practice course offers the opportunity to study and apply specialized clinical models in the treatment of individuals. The development of culturally relevant case conceptualizations of individuals utilizing intersectionality theory will be addressed. Students will be asked to demonstrate culturally sensitive and competent engagement, assessment, case conceptualization, goal setting, intervention and evaluation in their work with individuals. During this course, students will learn and practice the skills of effective, culturally competent specialized social work practice with individuals through participation in simulated demonstrations of individual modalities. Offered annually.
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SCWK 559 - Study Tour in Social Work (3 credits)
(Country to be determined) This course will offer students a first-hand, supervised cross cultural travel and study experience from a historical and social perspective of social problems in the country they visit. Students will participate in lectures, site visits, research and other academic experiences, including pre and post-travel activities, as appropriate. Topics focus on historical development of world cultures, practices, beliefs and response to social problems. This course is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing upon perspectives such as visual and performing arts, religious traditions, political organization, economic development, social and family life. Repeatable for different itineraries.
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SCWK 572 - Social Policy III: Mental and Physical Health Care Policy (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program and SCWK 508; or consent of MSW coordinator
This advanced policy course will examine mental and physical health care policy to promote students’ in-depth knowledge regarding policy in the United States and globally. Utilizing a social justice knowledge base, students will examine mental and physical health care policy, the history, present and future as it impacts various client systems, including individuals, families, groups and communities. The focus will include the role that social policy plays in social work practice as well as the role of the social work profession in the development of health care policy. Students will consider the social construction of “health” and “illness” as it relates to policy development. Students will explore issues relating to confidentiality, ethical practice, as well as equitable access to quality care. They will conduct in-depth examinations of the role of the various levels of government in the provision of services, as well as the organizational structures of service delivery, including financing and delivery of mental and physical health care. Finally, students will become knowledgeable in mental and physical health care policy in Massachusetts. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SCWK 580 - Special Topics (1.5-3 credits)
Prerequisite: Dependent on topic
Special topics of current relevance in social work will be offered each semester. Topics to be addressed will be announced prior to registration. Repeatable for different topics.
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SCWK 590 - Field Practice and Seminar I (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 530
This is the first of a two-semester practicum that provides for the integration of the student’s learning into the field. Students are placed in a single social work setting for 16 hours per week, working directly under the supervision of an MSW professional. Students meet in lecture sessions once a week for two hours for the purpose of integrating field practice experiences and the application of social work theory, knowledge, skills and values. Barriers to full participation by the disadvantaged in society’s economic, political, and social processes are explored, as are the economic and ethical challenges to professional practice. Graded on a (P) Pass/(N) No Pass basis. Offered annually.
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SCWK 591 - Field Practice and Seminar II (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 531
This is the second of a two-semester practicum that provides for the integration of the student’s learning into the field. Graded on a (P) Pass/(N) No Pass basis. Offered annually.
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SCWK 592 - Field Practice III (4 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 551
This is the second year, two-semester practicum that offers the student ongoing opportunities to integrate classroom learning in the field. Students are placed in a single social work setting for both semesters for 24 hours per week, working directly under the supervision of an MSW professional. Students meet on a scheduled basis with their faculty advisor to assess progress and problem-solve. Graded on a (P) Pass/(N) No Pass basis. Offered annually.
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SCWK 593 - Field Practice IV (4 credits)
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the MSW program; must be taken concurrently with SCWK 550
This is the second semester of the second year, two-semester practicum that offers the student ongoing opportunities to integrate classroom learning in the field. Students are placed in a single social work setting for both semesters for 24 hours per week, working directly under the supervision of an MSW professional. Students meet on a scheduled basis with their faculty advisor to assess progress and problem-solve. Graded on a (P) Pass/(N) No Pass basis. Offered annually.
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Sociology |
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SOCI 102 - Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
This course covers such areas as social structure, basic human institutions, analysis of social processes and major social forces. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 103 - Social Problems (3 credits)
Contemporary social problems which are reflected in the behavior of individuals, but whose origins and causes lie outside of individuals. Topics treated will include drug abuse, crime, juvenile delinquency, divorce and other family problems, mental illness and other health problems, social class, and selected social issues. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 104 - Global Social Problems (3 credits)
This course treats major world problems with particular emphasis upon those faced by non-Western peoples. The interdependence between economically developed and underdeveloped parts of the world will be explored according to such themes as collective versus individual good, short- versus long-term planning and cooperation versus competition. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 120 - Mentoring for Social Change (3 credits)
Mentoring and leadership are two skills most useful to students in their college and post-college lives. This course will explore the literature on these topics and on at-risk youth. Guest speakers will discuss different approaches to leadership and mentoring. Students will be given assignments, exercises and techniques geared toward improving their mentoring capacities. Successful students will be asked to participate in an exciting mentoring collaboration for local at-risk youth.
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SOCI 199 - First Year Seminar (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Open to all freshmen with a writing placement score of 3 or above or a SAT score of 500 or above or who have completed ENGL 101. Students with 24 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived.
First Year Seminars (FYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that introduce students to academic thought, discourse and practices. FYS courses prepare and orient students toward productive and fulfilling college careers by actively engaging them in a specific academic area of interest. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while learning to work both collaboratively and independently. These courses will fulfill the First Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one FYS course may be taken for credit. Offered fall and spring semesters. (CFYS)
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SOCI 203 - Families and Intimate Relationships (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course examines the families and intimate relationships as a building block of society. It will cover the historical and cultural development of family structures and how intimate relationships have changed over time. Students will examine the political, economic and social factors of contemporary family life. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI 303)
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SOCI 204 - Gender, Sexuality and Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
Sexuality is a central aspect of human social life. This course closely examines the theories, concepts, practices, and ramifications relating to issues of sex, gender, sexuality and identity. It will increase students’ understanding of the connections between human sexual attitudes and behaviors and larger social forces, and will examine taken-for-granted societal assumptions about human sexuality. Topics include the social construction of sex, gender, and sexual orientation; the interaction of gender roles and sexual attitudes; pornography; prostitution; date rape; and sexual harassment. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 205 - Sports in Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
Sport is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. It is so pervasive in the Western world that its mark has been stamped on every social institution. This course will use the conceptual frameworks, theories, and research methods of sociology to look at and better understand sport within the social context. The course will examine specific problems such as those faced by women in sport, ethnic outsiders and iconic sports figures. Topics including politics, education, deviance, the family, collective behavior, violence and stratification will be addressed. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SOCI 206 - Cities and People: Urban Sociology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course examines cities and urbanization in comparative perspective. It will also focus on changing urban social structures, the nature of city life, urban planning and grassroots participation in urban change. Offered annually. (Formerly SOCI 306)
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SOCI 207 - Social Inequality (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course explores inequality in the U.S. within a global context. The class focuses on the major dimensions of social inequality: class, race and ethnicity, and gender. It examines the causes, processes, and consequences of inequality and stratification. Topics covered include wealth and poverty inequality, crime, and criminal justice inequality and health; education and social mobility; and policy questions related to inequality and poverty. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI 304)
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SOCI 208 - Sociology of Religion (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
Comparative study of religious systems and institutions; function and role of religion and the church in society; professional status, history and relations of the clergy. Offered spring semester. (Formerly SOCI 108)
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SOCI 211 - Homelessness in U.S. Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course will explore the causes of and possible solutions to homelessness as a feature of contemporary life in urban, suburban and rural settings. The course will also examine homelessness in the context of what home means for us as individuals and as a society. Although home means different things for different people, it is generally understood as a socializing force that shapes how we understand both the world and ourselves. This course examines cultural conceptions of home as an anchor for personal identity. Offered fall semester. (CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 213 - Family Violence (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or CRJU 201 or consent of instructor
This course examines violence in the family from sociological and criminological perspectives. It also examines the response of the criminal justice system to family violence. The course examines the extent, types and causes of violence in families and domestic units and will also analyze the reasons why most family violence is directed against women and children. The course considers recommendations for family intervention and policies for the prevention of family violence, as well as the social and legal implications of those recommendations. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI 313)
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SOCI 214 - Middle Eastern Societies (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course introduces the cultures and social structures of Middle Eastern societies, with a focus on social change in the region. Topics covered include the role of Islam, patterns of leadership, the distribution of wealth and power, family patterns, the position of women and the nature of work. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 215 - Death, Dying and Bereavement (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
The study of death deals with questions at the roots of human experience. Encounters with death are individual, yet socially constructed. Human reactions to death and the rituals surrounding it are influenced by various social factors including family, peers, gender, race and ethnicity and our own identity. This course will help students appreciate the diversity of death and bereavement practices and will offer students critical-thinking skills that will be useful as they encounter death-related issues. Topics will include end-of-life care, suicide, euthanasia, funeral practices, bereavement and loss and near death experiences. Offered alternate fall semesters. (Formerly SOCI 317)
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SOCI 216 - Latin American Societies (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course introduces the socio-cultural structures of Latin American societies, with a focus on social change in the region. Topics covered include the distribution of wealth and power, development, tourism and sport, work and economy, family patterns, the position of women and rural-urban contrasts. Offered spring semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 217 - East Asian Societies: China and Japan (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course examines the cultural and social structure of traditional and modern China and Japan. The course will focus on topics such as work and economy, rural-urban contrasts, family and kinship, the position of women and the relationships between state and society. The course will conclude with an assessment of the positions of these two societies in the contemporary world. Offered fall semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 219 - Population and Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course describes the mutual influence of demography and social structure. Trends in population growth and their effect on industrialization and urbanization will be covered in the context of developed and Third World nations. Offered spring semester. (CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 220 - The Developing World (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course introduces the sociological aspects of comparative international development and the role of the developed world in that process. The course will address issues such as industrialization, urbanization, education, globalization, population growth, environmentalism, class structures, political structures, and contrasting development models. Offered fall semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 222 - African World Perspectives (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or SOCI 104 or consent of instructor
This course will examine some of the key events in African history from European colonialism to present including continental colonialism; apartheid in South Africa; the HIV/AIDS epidemic; war, conflict, and genocide; the impacts of globalization and political economy; social outcomes such as child labor, access to education, women’s rights, and infrastructural poverty; and people’s movements for social change and social justice. Offered fall semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC)
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SOCI 226 - Food and Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
Food is central to human survival and social life. This course examines food from social and cultural perspectives. Beginning with a focus on the global food system, the class examines changing agricultural systems and their effects on food from both social structural and cultural perspectives. Topics covered include food security and hunger; inequality and food; food and culture, food and gender; alternative food systems; food, agriculture and sustainability; global transitions in food and their relationships to authenticity; ethnic and immigrant food traditions and how people use them to retain aspects of their cultural identity; and global food commodity chains in the world economy. Offered spring semester. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 227 - Deviance and Social Control (3 credits) Cross Listed with CRJU 227
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or CRJU 201 or consent of instructor
This course examines deviant acts with an eye toward understanding social order and change. Topics covered include the types and causes of deviance, the social conditions and elements of deviant acts, and the effects of deviance and mechanisms for prevention, punishing and rehabilitating deviant individuals and groups. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI/CRJU 327)
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SOCI 228 - Criminology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course will be concerned with theories of crime causation, and perspectives on administration, treatment, prevention and prediction. Consideration will be given to the influence of social class and other factors in criminal behavior. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI 328)
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SOCI 230 - Art and American Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course will provide a sociological perspective on the arts in America. It will explore the social interactions, actors, and institutions of artistic production and consumption; the societal context of traditional and nontraditional art forms; and the intersection of race, class, and gender within the art world. Offered alternate years. (CSOC; CSPI)
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SOCI 232 - Understanding Japanese Society (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
This course introduces students to Japanese society and culture. By focusing on central aspects of the Japanese cultural heritage, the course provides a solid foundation for understanding key features of contemporary Japanese culture and social structure. Among the topics covered are class and stratification, work and labor, gender stratification, the family, diversity and discrimination, food culture, popular culture, education, and the political system. The course also examines the regional and global roles of Japan. Offered alternate fall semesters. (CGCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 239 - Unequal Spaces (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
Students in this course will develop their sociological imaginations as they study social inequities across places from rural to urban, and across scales from neighborhood to nation. Students will engage with sociological scholarship that recognizes places as a social structure which shapes life changes as forcefully as other social categories including race, class, gender and sexuality, as well as how these categories intersect through space in shaping life chances. During the semester, students will develop research projects which examine social inequality through an issue, place and scale of their choosing. Offered alternate spring semesters. (CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 255 - Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits) Cross Listed with CRJU 255
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or CRJU 201 or consent of instructor
Analysis of the nature and types of juvenile behavior that violates law; the mechanisms of defining such behavior as delinquent; and the relationship between delinquency and the social situations of juvenile offenders. Offered fall, spring, summer. (Formerly SOCI/CRJU 355)
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SOCI 256 - City Neighborhoods: Exploring the Formation of Urban Enclaves (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or consent of instructor
City neighborhoods are the backbone of urban life. They give city areas a distinct feel that welcomes some and excludes others. This course explores the formation of urban enclaves as city areas with high concentrations of particular ethnic groups. We will examine how and why these areas form and the economic and cultural activities that render them unique. This course focuses on US cities and tracks the intersection of immigration and economic policy as central to enclave formation. Offered alternate years. (CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 265 - Sociology Study Tour (3 credits)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and approved application through Study Abroad Office
This course will offer students a first-hand, supervised, cross-cultural travel and study experience from a sociological perspective. Students will participate in lectures, site visits, research and other academic experiences. Pre-departure and while traveling, students will learn about local society and culture, both current and historical, and have the opportunity to study and experience arts, religious traditions, political organizations, economy, sustainability, folklore and family life. Repeatable for different itineraries: may earn a maximum of six credits.
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SOCI 280 - Genocide and Political Violence (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 or SOCI 104 or consent of instructor
This course explores the perplexing and disturbing reality of widespread genocide and political violence throughout the world, particularly during the course of the 20th century and into the new millennium. We will explore the causes of genocide, what constitutes genocide, how genocide is rationalized and allowed to continue and what ends genocide. Case studies covered may include the Holocaust, Armenia, Rwanda, Burma, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, East Timor, Chiapas, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Sudan, Bangladesh, Tibet and Congo. Offered alternate spring semesters.
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SOCI 298 - Second Year Seminar (Speaking Intensive) (3 credits)
Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101, and the speaking skills requirement. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
Second Year Seminars (SYS) are speaking-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their speaking, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. Offered annually. (CSYS)
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SOCI 299 - Second Year Seminar (Writing Intensive) (3 credits)
Prerequisite: _ _ _ _ 199; Open to all sophomores and juniors who have completed ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Students with 54 or more transfer credits will have this requirement waived. Cannot be taken if _ _ _ _ 298 or _ _ _ _ 299 are taken for credit.
Second Year Seminars (SYS) are writing-intensive, topic courses that build on the academic skills and habits introduced in the First Year Seminar. SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning. These courses will fulfill the Second Year Seminar requirement and may fulfill other requirements for the core curriculum. Each course may fulfill different requirements and topics may change each semester. Only one SYS course may be taken for credit. Offered fall, spring, summer. (CSYS)
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SOCI 300 - Seminar: Social Theory (3 credits)
Prerequisite: One SOCI course at the 200-level or above; restricted to majors and minors in sociology
This course addresses the history of social theory and selected topics in modern social theories, analysis of alternative conceptual approaches and their methodological requirements. Offered annually. (Formerly SOCI 290 and SOCI 400) (CWRM)
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SOCI 305 - Sociology of Education (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course examines schools as social organizations, the culture of schools, the relationships between education and social stratification and the sociology of educational reform. All levels of education are considered, from kindergarten through higher education. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SOCI 315 - Race and Ethnicity in America (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course explores debates on diversity within the U.S. by taking a sociological perspective on the experiences of various racially and ethnically defined groups and on the relations among those groups. Drawing on a sociological approach to immigration, race and ethnicity, stratification and conflict, the course focuses on the role of power, privilege and access to resources in the social construction of race and ethnicity. The course will also examine important policy debates, including those over Affirmative Action, poverty, crime and criminal justice; inequality and health education and social mobility; and policy questions related to inequality and poverty. Offered alternate fall semesters. (CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 316 - Social Movements (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
Many societies have been shaped by and continue to be affected by a politically diverse array of social movements. In the United States, social movements focusing on temperance, abolition, labor, civil rights, women’s rights, fundamentalism and environmental issues have played major roles. This course provides an overview of social movements and their effects on cultures, societies and individuals. Topics covered include the structures and stages of social movements, and theories of the emergence of social movements. Offered alternate fall semesters.
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SOCI 322 - Sociology of Childhood (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course recognizes and examines childhood as a social construction that differs within various historical. economic, social and cultural contexts. Topics covered will include socialization; peer culture; the institutionalization of childhood; the racial, cultural, economic and gender dimensions of childhood; and the emergence of adolescence. Offered fall semester.
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SOCI 323 - Sociology of Adolescence (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course provides a critical examination of adolescence in North American societies, focusing on the causes and consequences of the lengthened period in which the transition to adulthood occurs. It provides a brief history of adolescence research identifying a select set of topics, themes and research problems that guide current research on adolescence and youth. These themes include, but are not limited to, peer group relations, biological influences on adolescence, employment experiences, increased autonomy, racial and gender differences, youth culture, dating patterns, family and education. Special emphasis will be placed on the relationship of adolescents’ social roles to processes of social change and stability. Offered spring semester.
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SOCI 330 - Femininities and Masculinities (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This class provides a systematic study of the historical, social, economic and political aspects of gender and sex. The class will examine how gender and sex are constructed, performed and reinforced through social institutions and in relation to other social identities. Offered alternate years.
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SOCI 332 - Sociology of Organizations (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
Analysis of the emergence, structure, function, culture and social significance of complex organizations. Emphasis will be placed upon the results of research in hospitals, schools, prisons and military and industrial organizations. Attention will be given to informal associations and organizational change. Offered fall and spring semesters.
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SOCI 337 - Environmental Sociology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
Environmental sociology is the study of how complex social systems interact with complex environmental systems (ecosystems). In this writing-intensive course, we will use a sociological lens to consider issues such as: How do we define nature and what effects do those definitions have on how we treat it?; Why do natural disasters or climatic changes effect groups of people differently?; How do poverty, race and power impact the natural world?; and What are people around the world doing to change how we use and abuse the environments in which we live? Offered alternate fall semesters. (CGCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 340 - Sociology of Politics (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
A study of the state, political practices, power and theories in the field. The emphasis is on the sociological conditions under which the above phenomena evolve. Offered alternate spring semesters.
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SOCI 341 - Globalization, Political Economy and Social Change (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course examines debate surrounding globalization and development through the multiple lenses of theory, public debate, public policy and research. Comparative and international development will be analyzed, with an in-depth look at transnational corporations, modern technology, and powerful international macro-governing and macro-lending organizations under the modern neo-liberal free trade model. This course examines the meaning of globalization, the impact it has on quality of life throughout the world, and the interplay of the strategies of global, national and local actors including ourselves as members of this course. Offered alternate fall semesters.
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SOCI 342 - Comparative Sociology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course explores different varieties of human behavior, beliefs, values, and social structure in different societies. The diversity shows that people are shaped by the social context around them, and social rationalization is based on culture and tradition. Social institutions and policies in the United States are examined first and then compared to the experiences of selected countries in East Asia (China and Japan) and Europe (primarily Britain, Germany and Sweden). Comparison is used as the explicit means to interpret social formations. Offered yearly.
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SOCI 343 - Social Structure and Social Justice (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 104 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course examines the role of social actors in creating and recreating social structures, as well as how social actors create social justice movements inside these frameworks. We will examine the role of sociology and sociologists in creating social change, and how the tools of sociology have been applied in both micro and macro movements for social justice. Ultimately, we also will examine our own role as social actors working for social justice inside existing social structures. Offered alternate spring semesters.
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SOCI 347 - Immigration and Migration: A Sociological Perspective (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This writing intensive course allows students to examine immigration and migration in the United States and around the world, looking at similarities and differences in the processes, causes and outcomes of immigration, as well as responses to immigration among nations. Students will draw on previous sociological course work, including social theory, as well as knowledge of various social inequalities and social problems, to think holistically about global immigration. Offered alternate years. (CGCL; CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 350 - Sociology of Work (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300 or permission of instructor
This course will focus on the development of a sociological understanding of work, occupations, and labor markets and their relationships with social life. Students will develop their sociological imaginations to understand how work and work opportunities are changing in the contemporary economy as they are impacted by local, national, and global forces. The course will examine how workplace organization contributes to social inequality and how is it shaped by social structures and cultural understandings. Offered fall semester.
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SOCI 351 - Sustainable Cities (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 206 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
A sustainable city is one that does not pollute the environment, that promotes economic development and the fair and equitable distribution of resources for all citizens. This course offers a sociological perspective of whether it is possible to work simultaneously to achieve these goals. Traditionally associated with environmental pollution, poverty and vice, cities throughout the world are beginning to question how to improve their quality of life and make themselves more sustainable. This course will examine the historical development of cities and suburbs, and examine innovative initiatives that have been successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing poverty and maximizing profit. Offered alternate spring semesters.
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SOCI 352 - Urban Crime (3 credits) Cross Listed with CRJU 352
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or CRJU 201;or consent of instructor
This course examines urban and neighborhood crime. In addition to surveying theories of urban crime, disorder and unrest, it examines responses to urban crime, including community policing, order maintenance policing, crime prevention through environmental design and programs to ameliorate the deeper causes of crime. The course examines the effects of inequality, racial and ethnic discrimination, substance abuse and gun violence on urban crime. Another topic covered is the drop in urban crime rates during the 1990s. Offered alternate years.
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SOCI 353 - Experiencing World Cities (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 300 or consent of instructor
The world is now urban. From global cities such as New York, Tokyo and London, to large but much poorer cities such as Sao Paolo, Mexico City and Cairo, over half of the world’s population lives in cities. In order to understand cities in a global context, the course covers the processes of globalization especially as they have an impact on cities around the world. Topics covered include the global cities hypothesis, the new inequalities among and within cities, case studies of cities in the new urban global economy, global urban networks and the nature of urban life in rich and poor cities. Offered spring semester. (CGCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 356 - Urban Disasters, Resilient Cities (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 206 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course focuses on urban vulnerability and resilience to disasters. We will examine why certain cities are more vulnerable than others and why disasters have more serious consequences for some groups than for others. In addition to examining the causes and consequences of urban disasters, the course will look at how cities recover from disasters and what factors help them to become “resilient cities.” We will also look at social and policy aspects of natural and man-made urban disasters. Another focus of the course will be on the relationships between urban disasters and urban sustainability. The course will examine case studies of global urban disasters. Offered alternate years.
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SOCI 360 - Feminist Theory in Sociology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course introduces students to feminist theory in sociology and social science. It also covers the history of women in social theory as well as historical and contemporary contributions by women theorists. Feminist theories of human behavior and social life will be analyzed and compared to other theories. Offered alternate years. (CMCL; CSOC; CWRT)
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SOCI 370 - Seminar: Sociological Analysis (3 credits)
Prerequisite: SOCI 102 and SOCI 300; or consent of instructor
This course provides students with research opportunities, helps them to develop theoretical explanations and gives them practice in bringing sociological data to bear on those theoretical explanations. This course is the Writing Intensive in the Major course and acts as a bridge between basic and advanced sociology courses. (CWRM)
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