UGRD > SOCIOL
Sociology Courses
SOCIOL 101 Introduction to Sociology +
Description:
This course provides a broad overview of sociology and how it applies to everyday life. Major theoretical perspectives and concepts are presented under the following broad sections: sociological imagination, social inequality, and social institutions. Applying C. Wright Mills; notion of the 'sociological imagination,' this course will seek to find ways to connect an understanding of ourselves with broad dynamics of national and global social structures and forces of social change. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 102 Sociology in Boston +
Description:
This course is an advanced introduction to sociology majors. In this course we will engage with the neighborhoods, culture, and people of the Boston area through primary data collection such as conducting interviews or participant observation. Using our sociological imaginations, we will draw on sociological theories and concepts to analyze data we have gathered and locate our data in the larger context of local, national, and global social structures. We will learn to use the library to locate scholarly resources as well as participate in activities that seek to improve writing skills in order to successfully complete the written portion of our research projects. These writing activities will include developing a research question or puzzle, constructing a thesis statement or argument, using scholarly research to support your arguments, explaining your methods for data collection, and effectively deploying theory or concepts to answer 'why' questions about your data. Through this engagement with the Boston area, we explore the careers students may pursue with a BA or higher degree in sociology. To this end, we will learn effective paths for completing a BA in sociology and learn about research that sociologists at UMass Boston are currently engaged in. Therefore, this course is designed for and open to declared sociology majors. Non sociology majors must receive instructor approval to join this course. Finally, we will work towards career planning by tackling practical concerns such as cover letter and resume writing. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 104 Introduction to Systems of Criminal Justice +
Description:
This course introduces students to the social scientific study of crime and criminal justice systems through a sociological perspective. Topics covered will include theories of the causes of crime; the structure and function of the police, courts, and correctional systems; and the experiences of people who are processed through the justice system. Special attention will be paid to controversial issues and public policy debates, and students will consider proposals for criminal justice reform. Students will also consider the relationships between criminal justice systems and society. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 110G Insiders/Outsiders +
Description:
This course examines issues of identity that create processes of inclusion and exclusion. Issues of class, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, and sexuality are examined in the context of power and inequality. Readings include autobiographical materials, scholarly articles in sociology and other fields, and analytical essays. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 120G Sociology of Popular Culture +
Description:
This course examines popular culture from a sociological and comparative perspective with emphasis on the influence of media and entertainment in everyday life, the production and consumption of popular culture domestically and globally, and consumer culture and leisure. Specific topics vary and may include Hollywood movies and television, Disney theme parks, popular music, fashion and style, new media technologies, shopping, and sports. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 160 Social Problems +
Description:
This course will examine social problems with a focus on the United States through various sociological perspectives. We will apply the analytical insights and theoretical frameworks of sociology to understand which issues are constituted social problems and how social conditions may lead to the development of contemporary social problems. Additionally, we will explore possible strategies and solutions to address social inequality. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 200 Sociology of Race & Racism +
Description:
This course uses contemporary social problems to introduce students to sociological theories of race and racism and to examine the cause of systemic racial inequalities across many social institutions. Some of the issues the course may address include, mass incarceration, the racial wealth gap, racial disparities and discrimination in health care, education, housing and employment, as well as media discourses and stereotypes of racialized populations. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 201 Sociological Theory +
Description:
This course is a study of basic sociological works in theory. Students will read and discuss both classical and contemporary theorists. Students will learn to identify different schools of sociological theory, explain the relationship between different schools of sociological theory, and apply sociological theory to contemporary events. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 202 Methods of Sociological Research +
Description:
This course covers all aspects of social research design, implementation, and data analysis. Emphasis is placed on the development of research projects and using quantitative and qualitative methods to study contemporary social issues. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 211G Race and Power in the US +
Description:
The focus of this class is to gain insight into race and power dynamics in the U.S. We will devote attention to state treatment and responses to different racial/ethnic groups. In exploring what led up to the government's actions, as well as the consequences for and the responses from those targeted, we will analyze and evaluate the social, cultural, political, economic, and interpersonal contexts of racism, which bear on our current policies and institutional arrangements. The course is designed to familiarize students with theoretical overviews of racism and oppression, the historical accounts and contemporary experiences of racism, the formation of complex racial identity, and to expose them to effective social change efforts. Students will develop critical reading, thinking, and writing skills by engaging with issues of racial inequality. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 226 Youth & Society +
Description:
This course explores the social construction of ''youth'' in the United States at the turn of the 20th/21st century. A central aim of the course is to question the taken-for-granted assumptions of ''youth' and to explore the experiences of youth through an intersectional approach. Possible topics covered include how youth experience sexuality, public spaces, schools, the labor market, violence, and activism. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 230 Race, Incarceration, and Deportation +
Description:
Police shootings of black youth have become a lightening rod for debates over race and racism in the US today. Debates over immigration and border control are another barometer of US racial attitudes. Operating behind these highly visible and controversial public issues, there are disparate patterns of privilege and inequality that are connected to the rise of mass incarceration and mass deportations, but which are not as easy to see. The goal of this class is to help students develop a deeper sociological understanding of these issues that is informed by theories of race and racism, stratification, and structural inequality. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 242 Sociology of Family +
Description:
This course focuses on current social changes affecting American families, with particular emphasis on the intersection of families with other social institutions. It considers the social and political implications of these changes at the individual level and for society at large. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 260 Ethics in Justice +
Description:
This course examines how philosophies of justice and ethical challenges may influence or shape human behavior. This course will expose students to the ethics of justice by contemplating the challenges that arise when considering right versus wrong (Who defines what is right? Are definitions of right actions universal?) by looking at a series of historical and contemporary issues in social and criminal justice. The goal of the course is to expand thinking about the personal, societal, and professional considerations brought to bear when making judgements regarding what is right and what is wrong in social policy and justice. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 261 Deviance and Social Control +
Description:
In this course we look at deviance as a socially constructed phenomenon: how people and activities come to be defined as deviant, why, and to what effect that has on them and the broader society. We use the interactionist perspective to explore various types of deviance, how time, place, and person impact the application of the deviant label, and how these definitions impact our lives. The course may address topics such as researching deviance, moral panics, and policies and politics related to defining and responding to deviance. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 262 Criminology +
Description:
This course examines sociological perspectives on why crime occurs, including the causes of crime, who commits crime, why some places have more crime that others, and how we can reduce crime. In this class, we will examine the historical foundations of crime, theoretical explanations for offending, and the measurement of crime. Additional topics may include juvenile delinquency, victimization, media portrayal of crime, and social and criminal justice responses to offending. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 268 Religion in Contemporary Society +
Description:
This course will introduce students to theoretical approaches and empirical investigations in the field of sociology of religion. Course topic may include churches, sects and cults, religious conflicts, the globalization of religious through, the marketing of religion as a consumer product, and analyses of the origins and dynamics of world religions. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 281 Society and the Individual +
Description:
Basic survey of the social environment of individuals and its impact on psychological processes. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 300 Sociology of Media and Communication +
Description:
This course is broadly concerned with the mutual influences of mass media and society. It will address media institutions, products, and audiences, as well as the global circulation of media, media literacy, and visual culture. Topics may include film, news media advertising, novels, and social media technologies and their influence on cultural practices and everyday life. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 305 Sociology of Culture +
Description:
This course will focus on developing sensitivities to culture, its importance in sociological understanding and analysis and its relevance for the complexities and challenges that individuals and societies face . This course treats culture - whether defined as practices, signs, symbols, discourses, languages, forms of knowledge or systems of meaning - at multiple levels of analysis. Students will gain an appreciation of the influence of culture in shaping world-views, life-worlds and identity, the significance of culture in everyday life as well as the importance of culture of more ''macro'' levels. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 311 Inequality in Cities +
Description:
This course will discuss how inequality manifests in cities, including segregation, poverty, and gentrification. The course will also study historical housing policies, such as redlining, to better understand these contemporary issues. This course focuses not just on problems but what we can do to make our cities more equitable places to live. We focus on Boston whenever possible, connecting sociological ideas to our own city. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 316 Family Violence +
Description:
This course provides a critical understanding of force and violence within family structures with a focus on the United States. The course focuses on the intersections of race/ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation and gender to explore the long-term impact of family on victims, the social context of perpetrators, and he causes of violence. Topics also include society's reaction to family violence, policies of control and treatment, and the sexual abuse and exploitation of children of women. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 333L Sociology of Migration +
Description:
The number of migrants worldwide has increased dramatically in the past forty years. This course will explore ''hot topics'' in migration, paying close attention to the intersections of gender, race, class, and nation. The topics include debates about undocumented (im)migrants, transnational families, and student activism in the immigrant rights movement. This course will draw on documentary films as well as readings that raise difficult and interesting moral, political, and academic questions. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 335 Politics in the Digital Age +
Description:
From fake news to Facebook feuds, politics today can seem like a mess. This course works to make sense of it using classic and current research in political sociology. This course tackles big questions of the day such as how think tanks and lobbying work, how social movements like the Arab Spring and Black Lives Matter happen, and whether people are becoming move polarized online. Students will improve their understanding of political institutions and civil society, engage current events with evidence-based analysis, and learn to research and write more effectively about matters of public concern. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 337 The Police in Society +
Description:
An examination of police as a system of social control; a survey of major studies of police by sociologists and government commissions. Emphasis placed on police organization, patterns and consequences of police training, historical and cross-cultural perspectives of police systems and studies of police discretion and police-citizen interaction. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 338 Criminal Courts +
Description:
This course considers the organization and functions of criminal courts. The foundations and designs of court systems and issues relevant to American state and federal courts are examined. Special attention is paid to the roles and interactions of courtroom actors, including defendants, victims, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries. Pre-trial processes, plea-bargaining, sentencing, and specialized courts are also considered. This course focuses on the design, structures, and processes, of criminal courts rather than on legal theory or on the study of particular laws. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 339 Sociology of Law +
Description:
This course provides a general analysis of the social origins and consequences of law and legal process. Special attention will be paid to law as a method of conflict resolution, law as a social control structure, and the law as a medium that both reflects and creates social change. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 342L Aging and Society +
Description:
This course provides and overview of aging across the life course. Topics include the sociological components of aging from birth through childhood, young adulthood, adulthood, old age, and dying. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of gender, race, and social class on the aging process in the United States. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 346 The Self in Society: Studies of Autobiographies +
Description:
This course uses sociological readings and a wide variety of autobiographical materials to help students make sociological sense of their own and others' lives. The course addresses how the development of identity and the development of personal empowerment are affected by discrimination. Selected readings by Goffman, Gilligan, Erikson, Mills, and others aid in the interpretation of autobiographies. Written and oral reports are used to practice the skills of listening, describing, analyzing, and interpreting. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 350 Social Statistics +
Description:
This course examines the fundamentals of social statistics with a special emphasis on probability, tests of significance, and measures of association. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 352 Criminological Statistics and Data Analysis +
Description:
This course introduces students to common sources of data in criminological research and to methods of data analysis. The purpose of the course is to teach student show to analyze social scientific data, using crime and the criminal justice system as the substantive focus. In addition to basic statistical techniques, the course will introduce mapping and qualitative data analysis, and discuss their application to criminological research. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 355L Gender, Development, &Globalization +
Description:
This interdisciplinary course explores women, gender, globalization and development theories, and their relationship to policy and practice. The politics of representation and the relationship between knowledge production and power will be running themes throughout the course. We will also discuss how gender intersects with race, class, nation, sexuality, (dis)ability, regional location, and other aspects of identity. We will answer questions such as: How do we theorize women, gender, masculinity in development discourse''? How has development knowledge defined both women and men from the: Third World/Developing Countries/The Global South? How have local and transnational advocacy organizations and movements resisted this impact? More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 361 The Nature of Offending over the Life Course +
Description:
This course will introduce students to the foundational aspects of the life course paradigm and its application to the understanding of offending across all phases of the life span (prenatal, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and adulthood). Students will examine patterns of offending, criminal careers and career criminals, stability and change in deviance/crime, trajectories/transitions/turning points, life course theories of offending, and policy implications. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 362 Juvenile Delinquency +
Description:
This course considers how juvenile delinquency is defined and socially constructed. Students will explore a variety of perspective that help us understand juvenile delinquency, such as social process theories, social structural theories, and critical theories. This course considers the realities and challenges that youth experience in a variety of contexts such as the family, school, peers, and gangs. In addition, consideration is given to how society responds to youth who violate social norms and the historical contexts of juvenile justice policy and practices. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 363 Punishment and Corrections +
Description:
This course provides a general overview of the American correctional system. The course will consider how society responds to crime by looking at approaches to punishment and corrections. The class will explore the history of punishment, the internal dynamics and workings of a prison, the experiences of both corrections officers and the individuals who are incarcerated, and the impact former inmates and our correctional systems have on our communities. Throughout the course, students will examine the issues that challenge corrections today including shifting societal expectations. The course considers a number of issues such as the history of penology; jails, prisons, and community-based supervision; the duties and discretion of correctional employees; and prisoner reentry. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 364 Internet, Society, and Cyber Crime +
Description:
This course provides an overview of cybercrime and related criminal justice system responses. Topics covered will include the types and extent of cybercrimes, how law enforcement officers respond to these crimes, the constitutional rights of computer users, the law and policies that govern cybercrime detection and prosecution, and the technologies used by law enforcement in the pursuit of cybercriminals. Special attention will be paid to the rapidly changing role of technology in society, and the ways the technological advances challenge traditional understands of deviance and privacy. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 365 Victimology +
Description:
This course examines criminal victimization including the measurement of victimization, the scope of the problem, and how victimization differs from its portrayal in the media. This class will consider questions such as why victimization occurs, who is most at risk to be victimized, and what factors are associated with fear of crime. We will also examine topics such as the victim's role in the criminal justice process, the role of various occupations in working with victims, the consequences of victimization, how to reduce victimization risk, and strategies to minimize harm resulting from criminal victimization. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 367 Drugs and Society +
Description:
This course considers drug use in a variety of social contexts, comparative approaches to addressing drug use, and the evolution of drug policy it the United States. We will consider the origins and consequences of the use and abuse of consciousness-altering substances, as well as the relationship between substance use and property and violent offending. We will consider how society defines the harms associated with drug use and how social and political constructions of drugs as a social problem shape legislation, policy debates, and drug policy enforcement. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 368 Substance Use, Abuse, and Addiction +
Description:
This course provides and in-depth interdisciplinary analysis of the nature, causes, and extent of substance use/misuse/abuse, including alcoholism and drug addiction. The course analyzes drinking patterns and drinking problems across gender, race, and ethnicity and among subgroups in the population such as children and adolescents, criminal justice clients, the elderly, and the homeless. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 372 Globalization and Social Change +
Description:
Globalization is a controversial issue. Some people believe that globalization offers unlimited positive potential for economic growth, cultural exchange, the expansion of liberal democracy, and advances in technology. Others view globalization as dominated by corporations and wealthy elites, representing the destructive power of capitalism. This course examines the contested meanings and realities of globalization by exploring the development of global capitalism with a focus on changing relationships between markets, states, cultural institutions, and individuals. Questions of power and inequality will be central to our approach. We will also explore the possibilities of transnational activism and global justice movements. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 375L Indian Cinema +
Description:
This course will provide an introduction to Indian cinema and to Indian culture and society through the study of films. The Indian film industry is the largest producer of feature films in the world. In this class we will examine the films as entertainment as well as cultural narratives and commentaries on society, exploring themes such as social change, the family and gender. The course will combine content analysis of film texts with study of the public culture of film reception. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 382 The Sociology of Gender +
Description:
Gender is often taken-for-granted in everyday life, yet it is one of the most salient dimensions of social inequality. This course will use feminist theory to analyze the social construction of sex and gender. This course will pay attention to how gender intersects with other systems of power such as race, class, and sexual orientation to shape individual interactions, institutions, and larger social forces in both the U.S. and global contexts. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 383L Masculinities +
Description:
This course explores how boys and men construct and perform gender in the U.S. This course investigates the production of masculinities in various institutional contexts such as family, school, work, and sports. This course examines the diverse experiences of boys and men by unpacking the intersections of masculinities with other systems of power such as race, class, and sexual orientation. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 384 Sociology of Health, Illness, and Health Care +
Description:
The course focuses on the contribution of the social sciences to the field of medical care. This is done along two dimensions: (1) Illness and treatment are defined from a sociocultural, biological perspective; (2) sociological theories and studies are then brought to bear on the problems of definitions of illness, illness behavior and the use of medical services, the organization of medical services and the future frontiers of social science in medicine. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 386 The Sociology of Mental Health and Illness +
Description:
The sociological study of mental disorder and well-being in American society. The course emphasizes the study of the prevalence and the incidence of disorder, and theories of its causation. Attention is also given to family and societal reactions to the impaired, and how these responses and definitions influence legal processes, treatment, and illness severity. Social policy is discussed. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 444 Cooperative Education Field Experience in Sociology +
Description:
Field placements accompanied by a weekly seminar; the application of sociological concepts to field settings. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 460 Internship: Sociology in the City +
Description:
As a capstone to the major, this course is designed for Sociology and Criminology & Criminal Justice majors to integrate academic learning and supervised work experience in communities in and around Boston. Students with internships can expect to expand their resumes, stand out in the competitive job market, and develop professional relationships with mentors, all of which students can use to launch their careers in Sociology and/or Criminology & Criminal Justice. Students will use a sociological lens to examine social inequality on the ground. Internship possibilities could include organizations that work on public health inequalities, immigrant services, domestic violence, LGBTQIA+ issues, re-entry and probation, safety and security, legal services, union organizing, and more. Through internships, students will develop skills in applying sociological perspectives and methods in a variety of community settings, engage in professional socialization, and observe the factors related to positive social change. A weekly on-campus seminar is accompanied by 10-12 hours per week in a supervised internship. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 461 Internship in Law and Criminal Justice +
Description:
It includes both an internship component and seminar-style classroom meetings. The course meetings will give a complete overview of the criminal justice system. Focusing on core topics such as crime, policy, courts, corrections, probation, parole, reentry, criminal justice proceedings, crime causation, criminal law, sentencing, victims, and the social impacts of crime. Students will apply for an internship the semester prior to taking the course at a criminal justice agency or related organization. Examples include law enforcement agencies, private or public research entities, policy-making bodies, the legislature, the court system, substance abuse treatment facilities, probation, parole, corrections, or human services agencies that are connected to the criminal justice system. The internship, in conjunction with lectures and classroom activities, is designed to allow students to gain practical knowledge of the criminal justice system. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 470 Senior Seminar in Sociology +
Description:
This course fulfills the capstone requirement for Sociology majors. Each course offering takes an in-depth look at one key topic or issue in sociology that varies semester-to-semester. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 474 Senior Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice +
Description:
This course fulfills the capstone requirement for Criminology and Criminal Justice majors. Each course offering takes an in-depth look at one key topic or issue within criminology and/or criminal justice that varies semester-to-semester. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Offending over the life course, issues in mass incarceration and prisoner reentry, racial and ethnic disparities in criminal justice, victimization, comparative criminal justice, and the politics of crime control. More Info
Offered in:SOCIOL 478 Directed Study in Sociology +
Description:
Students conduct independent research into a topic of their choosing. Students must have a faculty sponsor who agrees to oversee the research project. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 479 Directed Study in Sociology +
Description:
Students invited by the department to conduct independent research during the senior year. Periodic consultation and guidance provided by the staff. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
SOCIOL 480 Special Topics +
Description:
Intensive study of special topics varying each year according to instructor. More Info
Offered in:- TBA