Undergraduate Course Descriptions
SOCI 1101. Introductory Sociology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: INTRO SOCIOLOGY.
Basic concepts, theoretical approaches, and methods of sociology, with an emphasis on culture, socialization, social organizations, and major institutions.
Non-traditional format: This course is also offered through University System of Georgia Independent Study (USGIS).
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.
SOCI 1101H. Introductory Sociology (Honors). 3 hours.
Oasis Title: INTRO SOCIOLOGY.
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 1101.
Prerequisite: Permission of Honors.
Basic concepts, theoretical approaches, and methods of sociology, with an emphasis on culture, socialization, social organization, and major institutions.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI(AFAM) 2020. African American Society. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: AFRICAN AM SOCIETY.
The class, status, and power relations of African Americans as part of both the United States social structure and the African diaspora.
Offered every year.
SOCI 2090. Social Change. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOCIAL CHANGE.
The causes, nature, and consequences of changes in social structure and institutions.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
(SOCI)AFST(ANTH)(CMLT)(GEOG)(HIST) 2100. Introduction to Africa. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: INTRO AFRICA.
The history, physical environment (landforms, vegetation, and climate), and sociocultural environment (artistic, political, and social development) of Africa.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 2420. Class, Status, and Power. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: CLASS STATUS POWER.
Modern social status systems, with a focus on the United States. The use of prestige, occupational skills, and economic assets to create classes; the impact of class on life chances; and the interaction of class with race, gender, and belief systems to shape individual earnings, wealth, and power.
Offered every year.
SOCI 2470. Deviance and Social Control. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: DEVIANCE & SOC CNTL.
The nature, extent, and correlates of deviance and its control by social institutions and agencies; theories of deviance and societal reactions to deviance.
Offered every year.
SOCI 2500. Culture and Social Institutions. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: CULTURE & SOCL INST.
Social institutions that are the foundation of social and cultural continuity from one generation to the next, including family and kinship, education, religion, work, and politics.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 2600. Social Problems. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 1600.
The causes, consequences, and social construction of American social problems, including poverty, crime and delinquency, environmental degradation, and race and ethnic relations.
Non-traditional format: This course is also offered through University System of Georgia Independent Study (USGIS).
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 2730. Social Interaction. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC INTERACTION.
The relationship between individuals and groups, as it shapes the development of social competence, personality, self-concept, motivation, attitudes and cognition.
Offered every year.
SOCI(AFAM) 2820. Race and Ethnicity in America. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: AM RACE & ETHNICITY.
The causes and consequences of race and ethnic discrimination in America, with a focus on ethnic competition and conflict.
Offered every year.
SOCI 2850. Sociology of Poverty. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF POVERTY.
The origins and social construction of poverty; theories of the origin and perpetuation of poverty.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3000. Sociology in Film. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC IN FILM.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Popular Hollywood films as they illustrate culture, social class, race, gender, identity, and other sociological concepts. The ideological and utopian aspects of film are emphasized.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3010. Sociology of Culture. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF CULTURE.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Recent trends in American culture, focusing on traditions, practices, and products, including books, music, and film. Organizing themes are culture as both a source of social integration and an arena of strife, and the reciprocal effects of culture and human agency.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3060. Sociology of Education. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF EDUCATION.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Overview of teachers and teaching of students and learning. Focuses on the structure and culture of schools; socialization; stratification; gender and schooling; as well as special problems areas as reflected in society. Materials based on all levels of schooling, but emphasis is on higher education.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3070. Juvenile Delinquency. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: JUV DELINQUENCY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The juvenile justice system, including the measurement of delinquency, contexts of adolescent socialization, and techniques of evaluation research.
Non-traditional format: This course is also offered through University System of Georgia Independent Study (USGIS).
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 3080. Youth Subcultures. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: YOUTH SUBCULTURES.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 2600.
Theoretical and empirical work on youth subcultures in terms of deviance, gender, identity, media, societal reaction, and style. Various subcultures considered: Cybercultures, Deadheads, Gay/Lesbian, Goth, Hackers, Motorcyclists, Punk/Hardcore, Riot Girls, Skinheads, and Straightedgers.
SOCI 3100. Medical Sociology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Social factors in health and illness, with an emphasis on United States society. Topics include the socialization of health professionals; the organization and finance of health care systems; and ethical and political issues related to health.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3140. Social Control of Crime. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC CNTL OF CRIME.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The nature of responses to crime by victims, criminal justice agencies, and other institutions; theories explaining reactions to crime.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3150. Criminal Punishment and Society. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: PUNISHMENT & SOC.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The relationship between society and the nature and extent of American punishment over time; theories of and justifications for punishment.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 3220. Development of Sociological Theory. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: DEV OF SOC THEORY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Pivotal sociological theorists from classic theorists such as Marx, Weber, and Durkheim to the present.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3230. Sociological Theory: The German Tradition. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: GERMAN SOC THEORY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The German theoretical tradition, beginning with Marx and continuing with Wilhelmine-era sociologists, particularly Simmel and Weber; the Weimer and Nazi periods; and postwar critical theorists, notably Habermas.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3250. Social Movements and Collective Behavior. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC MOVE & COLL BEH.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The origin, nature, and processes of crowd behavior and social change movements.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3270. Personality and Social Structure. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: PERS & SOCL STRUCT.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The social factors that shape behavior and self-concept; theories such as behaviorism, symbolic interactionism, Freudian psychology, cognitive social psychology, and critical approaches. Topics include emotions, human development, and authenticity and sincerity in the postmodern age.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3280. Sociology of Gender. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF GENDER.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Feminist theories and methodologies on gender, with an emphasis on contemporary American society and the intersection of gender, race, and class. Topics include socialization, sexual orientation, reproduction, violence, family and household, work and global restructuring, and politics.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3290. Gender and Work. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: GENDER & WORK.
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 4270.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Research and theories on the role of gender in shaping labor market opportunities, experiences, and rewards; remedies for enduring problems, including those applied in United States workplaces; and new research directions.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI(AFAM) 3300. Global Perspectives on Racism and Sexism. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: GLOBL RACISM/SEXISM.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Race and gender relations and discrimination around the globe; the origins and practice of race and gender domination and empowerment in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI(AFAM) 3310. Race and Culture. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: RACE AND CULTURE.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Evolution of cultures among racial groups as part of, and in contrast to, Western civilization. Particular attention is given to the ways race and culture intersect to provide styles, practices, and patterns of living for individuals in contemporary society.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 3320. Sociology of Urban Life. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF URBAN LIFE.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The use of urban areas by individuals and institutions. Topics include urban ecology, crime, residential segregation, and poverty.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3330. On the Road: Tourists, Travelers, Vacationers, Pilgrims, and Adventurers. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: ON THE ROAD.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The common experience of travel, particularly that associated with tourism, pilgrimages, and migration. Analysis of travel motifs, including cultural tours; nature/wilderness tours; local social worlds; the lure of cities; and encounters with roadside attractions and amusement parks.
SOCI 3350. Animals and Us. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: ANIMALS AND US.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101.
Our lives depend upon and are enriched by the presence of animals. This course explores the social, cultural, and economic aspects of the relationship between humans and other species, with particular focus on contemporary American society.
SOCI 3400. Environmental Sociology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SOC.
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 2400.
The social causes and consequences of resource scarcity and environmental depletion. Topics include world population growth, pollution, depletion of energy sources, species extinction, and environmental movements.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3460. Political Sociology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: POLITICAL SOC.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Theoretical approaches to the state; the formation and legitimation of nations; collective action, social movements, and revolutions. Focus will be on issues of class, gender, and race.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 3500. Sociology of the Political Economy. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF POL ECON.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The balance of political power between classes, races, and nations, and how it shapes the economic forces that determine social order and the success or failure of social change.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3550. Population Issues. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: POPULATION ISSUES.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Population trends, policies, and issues around the world with special emphasis on fertility, mortality, and migration. Students will also learn rudimentary techniques of demographic analysis.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3590. Qualitative Methods of Social Research. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: QUALITATIVE METHODS.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Qualitative sociological analysis that emphasizes participant observation, intensive interviewing, and analysis of text; examples of field work studies; the design and completion of an independent field research project.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3600. Logic and Practice of Sociological Research. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC RES METHODS.
Prerequisite: [(SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600) and STAT 2000] or permission of department.
The basic ideas and techniques used to conduct and evaluate research. Topics include the purposes and types of social research; the logic and interpretation of bivariate and multivariate data analysis; and the use of microcomputers to analyze evidence commonly used in social research.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
(SOCI)POLS 3700. Research Methods in Criminal Justice. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: RSCH METH CRIM JUST.
Not open to students with credit in POLS 4150.
Prerequisite: POLS 1101.
Fundamental principles of social science research and related research design. Structured to develop students' abilities to think clearly, critically, and logically about social science issues through the scientific evaluation of empirical issues and evidence.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 3730. Social Psychology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The relationship between individuals and groups, as it shapes the development of social competence, personality, self-concept, motivation, attitudes, and cognition.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3740. Sociology of Sport. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF SPORT.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The structural and cultural relationship of sport to society; contemporary issues in sport.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 3750. Sociology of Work and Industry. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: WORK AND INDUSTRY.
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 2750.
The structure of work and industry with an emphasis on the rise of management and the modern corporation, the growth and decline of labor unions, and the emergence of service industries.
Offered every year.
SOCI 3810. Criminology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: CRIMINOLOGY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The nature, extent, and correlates of crime; theories of criminal behavior and victimization.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 3820. Communities and Crime. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: COMMUNITIES & CRIME.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Theory and research on urban crime and spatial variation in crime rates; the impact of crime on the structure of communities and its role in neighborhood decline.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 3830. Violence and Society. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: VIOLENCE & SOCIETY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Theory and research on the relationship between criminal violence and social structure and processes.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3850. Sociology of Occupations. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF OCCUPATIONS.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Overview of work, workers, and their worlds in contemporary life. Focuses on professions and professionalization; career; recruitment and socialization to work; the intersection of gender, family, and work; satisfaction; well being, and "dirty work."
Non-traditional format: This course is also offered through University System of Georgia Independent Study (USGIS).
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3860. Sociology of Alcohol and Drug Use. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF ALC/DRUG USE.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Sociohistorical analysis of cultural and policy changes regarding alcohol and psychoactive drugs; theoretical approaches to defining abuse and addiction; causes of substance abuse; treatment strategies, especially Alcoholics Anonymous; and intervention strategies, especially those based in the workplace.
Offered every odd-numbered year.
SOCI 3900. Sociology of the American South. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF THE SOUTH.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or permission of department.
An analysis of the cultural, social class, economic, and ethnic features of the American South, and investigation of the historical and contemporary forces which shape the unique character of the southern United States.
SOCI 3950. Sociology of Organizations. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF ORGANIZATNS.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Research and theories emphasizing organizational structures and cultures; bureaucracies and their alternatives; the control of workers; and the role of gender in organizations.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 4010. Seminar in Culture. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SEMINAR IN CULTURE.
Prerequisite: SOCI 2500 OR SOCI 3010 or permission of department.
Special topics in culture for advanced undergraduates.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 4240/6240. Sociology of War and the Military. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF WAR/MILITARY.
Undergraduate prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
War as a phenomenon with social causes and consequences; the military as an occupation and organization. Topics include conscription; the historical experiences of women and minorities in the military; and war as a source of collective memory for generations, ethnic groups, and nations.
Offered every year.
SOCI 4260. Seminar in Sociological Theory. 3 hours. Repeatable for maximum 9 hours credit.
Oasis Title: SEMNR IN SOC THEORY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 3220 or permission of department.
Selected topics in classic and contemporary theory for advanced undergraduates.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 4280. Global Perspectives on Gender. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: GLOBL GENDER PERSP.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The diverse social and cultural manifestations of gender located within an economic, social, and political context. Case studies drawn from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 4350. Seminar in Work and Occupations. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SEMNR WORK & OCCS.
Prerequisite: SOCI 2750 or SOCI 3850 or SOCI 3950 or permission of department.
The organization of work and occupational processes, such as the emergence of temporary and contract work, the decline of manufacturing jobs and the rise of the service sector, and the impact of technology on the structure of work and the experiences of workers.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI(AFAM) 4370. Seminar in Race and Ethnicity. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SEM RACE/ETHNICITY.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
Special topics in race and ethnicity for advanced undergraduates.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 4470. Seminar in Deviance and Social Control. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SEMNR IN DEV/CONTRL.
Prerequisite: [SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600] and SOCI 2470.
Special topics in deviance and responses to deviance, with an emphasis on theoretical perspectives.
Not offered on a regular basis.
(SOCI)CHFD 4610. The Family. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: THE FAMILY.
Undergraduate prerequisite: Junior or senior standing or permission of department.
Family study utilizing data from the fields of anthropology, individual and social psychology, history, sociology, economics, and psychiatry.
Non-traditional format: This course is also offered through University System of Georgia Independent Study (USGIS).
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 4650/6650. Sociology of Aging. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC OF AGING.
Undergraduate prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600 or permission of department.
The status, roles, and demographic aspects of the aging population and its relationship with social institutions.
Offered every year.
SOCI 4660/6660. Sociology of the Life Course. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOC LIFE COURSE.
Undergraduate prerequisite: SOCI 1101 or SOCI 2600 or permission of department.
Overview of work that defines the sociological study of lives, which is broadly concerned with the intersections of history, society, and biography in modern life. Focus will be on a number of topics including: socialization over the life course; age norms; the stratification of lives; cross-cultural comparisons of aging and human development; the family and the life course; deviance and the life course; health and the life course.
Offered every even-numbered year.
SOCI 4730. Seminar in Social Psychology. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SEMNR IN SOC PSYCH.
Prerequisite: SOCI 3270 or SOCI 3730 or permission of department.
Special topics in social psychology for advanced undergraduates.
Not offered on a regular basis.
SOCI 4830. Sociology of Law. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: SOCIOLOGY OF LAW.
Prerequisite: [(SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1600) and SOCI 2470] or permission of department.
The nature of law, and the ways the legal system reflects its broader social context.
Offered every year.
SOCI 4900. Supervised Research in Sociology. 3 hours. Repeatable for maximum 9 hours credit.
Oasis Title: SUPERVSD RES IN SOC.
Prerequisite: Permission of department.
Research conducted under the direction of a faculty member; includes a review of the literature, data collection and analysis, and interpretation of research findings.
Non-traditional format: Weekly meetings arranged between instructor and student.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 4960H. Supervised Research in Sociology (Honors). 3 hours. Repeatable for maximum 9 hours credit.
Oasis Title: SUPERVSD RES IN SOC.
Prerequisite: Permission of Honors.
Research conducted under the direction of a faculty member, including a review of the literature, data collection and analysis, and interpretation of research findings.
Non-traditional format: Weekly meetings arranged between instructor and student.
Offered fall and spring semesters every year.
SOCI 4990H. Honors Thesis. 3 hours.
Oasis Title: HONORS THESIS.
Prerequisite: SOCI 1101 and permission of Honors.
Individual research in the major or a closely related field.
Non-traditional format: Students will meet with faculty members on a regular basis.
Offered fall, spring, and summer semesters every year.
(SOCI)POLS 5500. Criminal Justice Internship. 4 hours.
Oasis Title: CRIM JUSTIC INTERN.
Prerequisite: POLS 1101.
An internship specifically designed for and required of students pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Centers on regular and systematic analysis of experimental learning under direct faculty supervision.
Non-traditional format: Student works independently and meets with project director several times during the semester to monitor progress and discuss requirements for written paper.
Not offered on a regular basis.
(SOCI)POLS 5510. Criminal Justice Internship. 4 hours.
Oasis Title: CRIMINAL JUST INTER.
Prerequisite: POLS 1101.
An internship specifically designed for and required of students pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Centers on the design, execution, and reporting of original research related to the specific placement or internship.
Non-traditional format: Internship.
Not offered on a regular basis.
(SOCI)POLS 5520. Criminal Justice Internship. 4 hours.
Oasis Title: CRIMIN JUST INTERN.
Prerequisite: POLS 1101.
An internship specifically designed for and required of students pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Criminal justice students are required to intern in an approved agency full time over the semester.
Non-traditional format: Internship.
Not offered on a regular basis.
