Program in Sociology
Website: https://twu.edu/sociology/
Program Head: James L. Williams, Professor
Location: CFO 605
Phone: 940-898-2055
E-mail: sociology@twu.edu
The Department of Social Sciences and Historical Studies offers undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degrees. At the undergraduate level, the student may major in sociology or criminal justice. Minors in these areas provide backgrounds complementing majors from other fields. Interdisciplinary minors in Ethnic Studies and in Global Studies are also available in the department. At the graduate level, the department offers programs in sociology leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. (For information about the graduate degrees in sociology, see the graduate catalog.)
The sociology major is general and broad-based, providing for a systematic study of human society and the application of sociological theories, research methods, and techniques. The criminal justice major is designed to provide students with a sociological understanding of the organization and operation of the criminal justice system and to prepare students for satisfying professional careers in criminal justice.
For information about the sociology program, please visit our sociology website. For information about the criminal justice program, please visit our criminal justice website.
Undergraduate Degrees Offered
Special Departmental Requirements
No grade lower than C can be counted as credit toward completion of a major or minor in this department. A course can be repeated for credit no more than twice – that is, taken a total of three times.
No more than three semester credit hours of Internship can be counted toward a major in this department, and none can be counted toward a minor.
Majors must take a three-semester credit hour 1000-level sociology course (with a grade of C or higher) before taking an advanced sociology course.
Students are not allowed Independent Study credit for courses typically offered as organized classes.
Internship credit will not be given for former or current employment.
Faculty
Asterisk (*) denotes Graduate Faculty status.
Courses
Contact hours identified in the course descriptions are based on a 15-week term. Students who enroll in Summer or mini-terms are expected to meet the same total number of contact hours as a 15-week term.
SOCI 1013. Introductory Sociology. (TCCN SOCI 1301) Basic concepts, theoretical orientations, research, and applications in sociology. Survey U.S. and global contexts of social organization, culture, socialization, institutions, populations, and society diversity. Examines basic sociological ideas of social interaction, structure, and change in the U.S. and globally. Satisfies Social & Behavioral Sciences Core (80). Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 1023. Current Social Problems. (TCCN SOCI 1306) Examines linkages between personal problems, social problems, and social policy. Critical analysis of problems such as inequality, health care, substance abuse, the environment, family violence, etc. as these relate to societal conditions. Satisfies Social & Behavioral Sciences Core (80). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 1413. Culture, Inequality, and Self. Human behavior as affected by culture, social institutions, class, ethnicity, and interpersonal relations. Satisfies three hours Core Component Area Option (90). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 2023. Marriage, Family, and Intimate Relationships. (TCCN SOCI 2301) Overview of the structural, developmental, functional, and institutional aspects of marriage, intimate relationships, and the family. Changes in family patterns and racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity in families. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 2133. Crime in America. (TCCN CRIJ 1307) U.S. crime problems in sociological perspective; public policies affecting crime; impact of inequality, race, and gender on crime; crime trends; crime patterns; theories of criminal behavior; prevention of crime. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 2213. Introduction to Criminal Justice. (TCCN CRIJ 1301) History and philosophy of criminal justice and ethical considerations; crime defined: its nature and impact; overview of criminal justice system; law enforcement; court system; prosecution and defense; trial process; corrections. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3003. Theories of Crime and Deviance. Examination of leading theories of crime and deviance. Classical and contemporary theories are reviewed, with particular attention to the context within which each developed. Emphasis is on applications to the study of crime and crime control. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3023. Introduction to Sociological Theory. Historical development of sociological theory, structure and role of theory, sociological theoretical perspectives, and major sociological theories from classics to contemporary sociology. Required of sociology majors. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3043. Deviant Behavior and Social Control. Examines social definitions of deviant behavior; the historial development of knowledge concerning deviance; theories of deviance; and the development, organization, and operation of systems of social control including criminal justice, mental health, and welfare. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3053. Social Research. Introduction to research in the social sciences and practice fields. Emphasizes the decision making involved in planning and executing a study. Gives practice in all stages of the research process. Students are expected to plan and carry out a group or individual research project. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3063. Topics in Urban Sociology. Historical and contemporary developments in urban sociology including the local community. Emphasis will vary depending on current issues and research, such as classical and contemporary theory and research, urban political economy, community organization-development, community relations, and the non-profit sector (community assessment, social activism, and volunteerism). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3073. Social Inequality. The study of social inequality in human society, with emphasis on the social class structure of society, its origins, development, and consequences for the society and the individual. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3083. Population Dynamics. Population theories, the use and interpretation of demographic data, population change and policy, relationships between population, and socioeconomic factors. Emphasizes demographic processes and compositions in age, sex, residence, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status of U.S., and world populations. Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3093. Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States. Sociological perspectives on the dynamics of racial and ethnic relations focusing on social structure, group interaction processes, group inequality, cultural diversity, and gender relations within and between groups. Uses sociological-historical analysis, gendered analysis, social theory/research to study Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and European Americans. Satisfies three hours Core Component Area Option (90). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3113. Juvenile Delinquency. The adjustment of youths as they take on the roles and statuses culturally defined for their age group; emphasis on causation, treatment, and prevention of juvenile delinquency; sociological principles for working with youth. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3133. Sociology of Religion. Religious behavior in primitive, folk, and modern societies, religious participations, practices, and control in contemporary society; religion as a social institution and its relation to other institutions. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3153. Sociology of Health and Illness. Introduction to the field of medical sociology. Sociology theories and concepts applied to the field of health care: cultural definitions of illness, social roles of health care personnel, emphasis on input of social research in health care. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3163. Social Statistics. Introduction to basic statistical techniques in the social and behavioral sciences and data analysis using computers. Basic descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and variation, normal curve, hypothesis testing, t tests, ANOVA, chi square test, measures of association, regression and correlation. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3193. The Mexican American in Contemporary Society. A sociological analysis of Mexican American history, heritage, and people, and of their contributions to American life. Focus on the political, social, and cultural forces that affect this group in the United States. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3213. Women's Roles. Women's roles are examined in the context of social institutions such as the family, the economy, and the government. Implications of sexual inequality; changing gender roles; and diversity by race, ethnicity, class, and age. Satisfies three hours Core Component Area Option (90). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3223. Women, Crime, and Justice. Introduction to gender, crime, and justice. Focus on women as offenders, as crime victims, and as employees in criminal justice. Feminist and critical perspectives on women, girls, and crime. Issues of gender inequality in criminal justice policy and practice. Prerequisite: SOCI 1013, SOCI 3213, WS 3213, WS 2013, or WS 3023. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3233. Sociology of Serial Murder. Introduction to the sociological study of serial murder. History, nature and patterns, theories, and cultural construction of serial murder. Social and criminal justice responses to serial murder. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3273. World Regional Geography. Introduction to major concepts in geography. Criteria for definition of regions. Survey of world cultural regions with emphasis on factors (physical, demographic, economic, political) affecting level of development and patterns of regional interaction. This course will not satisfy sociology requirement for the baccalaureate degree. Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3303. Cultural Anthropology. Description and analysis of human cultures: the socially learned traditions of past and present ages. Global and comparative perspective for understanding the origin and prospects of societies in the modern world. Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3423. Individual and Society. Sociological research on the relationship between individuals and society; current theoretical perspectives including symbolic interactionism, role theory, and dramaturgy; includes personality and social structure, socialization, deviance, and sociological research on the self. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3483. Developing Societies. Survey of global development issues: definitions and theoretical perspectives. Case studies from varied world regions illustrate development strategies and outcomes. Examines role of international organizations and policies. Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3523. Internet and Society. Social, economic, political, and cultural impact of the internet and electronic communication technology. Topics including social networking, cybercapitalism, internet crime, privacy, surveillance, and internet regulation. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3533. Sociology of Sport. Sociological analysis and theoretical perspectives of sports and society. Topics include gender, race, and sport; and sport's relationship to sexuality, media, social movements, and religion. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 3723. Criminal Justice Ethics. Sociological study of criminal justice ethics, including ethical issues in law enforcement, courts, and correctional systems. Emphasis on the institutional, structural, and cultural foundations of ethical dilemmas. Prerequisite: Criminal Justice or Sociology major. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4013. The Family. A sociological and feminist analysis of the family as an institution and dynamics of the interpersonal relations of marriage and family. Examines cultural diversity among families as well as historical changes in the family and the impact of social policy. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4023. Sexualities and Identities: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies. Sexuality as an identity formation, social category, and theoretical construct. Interdisciplinary in focus and foundation. Aesthetic, cultural, historical, and institutional discourses that frame our contemporary understandings of sexuality. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4043. Law and Society. Sociological analysis of the relationship between law and society. Examination of legal institutions, law and social structure, law and social change, and sociological theories and research. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4053. Race, Crime, and Justice. Relationships between crime, criminal justice, and racial/ethnic minorities. Issues of racial and ethnic inequality in criminal justice policy and practice. Examination of current controversies. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4083. Comparative Criminal Justice. Sociological analysis of world legal and criminal justice systems. Examination of systems of law, organization of police, courts, and correctional systems. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4093. Drugs, Crime, and Health. Substance use as criminal behavior and a health-related problem. Criminal-legal, public health, and medical sociology perspectives. Domestic and global policy implications. Substance use and crime adjudication. Substance use and health, prevention, treatment, and harm reduction. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4103. Senior Seminar: Theory and Practice. Selected theories and concepts with emphasis on application in social organizations, occupations, research, and social policy. State of the discipline, professional ethics, preparations for job market and/or graduate school. Prerequisites: SOCI 3023, SOCI 3053, and senior standing. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4203. Family Violence and Sexual Assault. Examines the various forms of family violence and sexual assault with an emphasis on women as victims and as survivors. Theoretical explanations, research literature, treatment, and prevention will be studied in relation to child abuse, battering, incest, and sexual assault. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4303. Correctional Systems and Practices. Corrections in the criminal justice system; organization of correctional systems; role of criminal justice practitioners; institutional operations; alternatives to incarceration; treatment and rehabilitation; current and future issues. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4403. Community Corrections. Sociological study of community corrections including probation, parole, and intermediate sanctions. Examination of contemporary practices and trends in community corrections. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4603. Sociology of Disasters. Sociological study of disaster events. Social factors affecting vulnerability and disaster response. Case studies of major disasters. Relationship of disasters to social change. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4903. Special Topics. Topics of timely interest or importance but not included or adequately covered in the present inventory of courses. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4911. Independent Study. A focused, independent study. Credit: One hour.
SOCI 4913. Independent Study. A focused, independent study. A contractual agreement between a student and an instructor who agrees to supervise the work and engage in one-on-one instruction. Research projects or concentrated reading are examples of appropriate independent study. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4953. Internship. Practical experience and supervised training in a work environment consistent with student's major and career goals. Pass-Fail grade only. Thirteen practicum hours a week. Credit: Three hours.
SOCI 4956. Internship. Practical experience and supervised training in a work environment consistent with student's major and career goals. Pass-Fail grade only. 26 practicum hours a week. Credit: Six hours.
