FMU Sociology Course Descriptions
201 Principles of Sociology (3) F, S, SU.
Introduction to the concepts and methods of sociology. Investigation of socialization, group processes, social institutions, and social change.

202 Methods of Sociology (3) (Prerequisite: 201) F, S, SU.
Introduction to the principles and techniques of organizing, conducting, and interpreting sociological research; the appropriateness of particular methodologies for different kinds of research problems; emphasis on data collection.

205 Courtship and Marriage (3) F, SU.
Mate selection; meaning of love, engagement; physical, psychological, and social adjustments in marriage; the development of research in marriage; legal aspects of marriage; the past, present, and future of marriage.

215 Computers and Society (3) F.
Survey of the present and future role of computers as they affect individuals and impact upon organizations; the historical interplay between technology and society; a nontechnical course.

245 Modern Social Problems (3) F, S.
Critical review of major social problems: crime and juvenile delinquency, mental and physical health, education, aging, drug abuse, population.

290 Computer Applications in the Social Sciences (3) (Prerequisite: 313 or Psychology 302 or Mathematics 312 or equivalent) (Same as Computer Science 290) F.
Computer use for analyzing social science data; introduction to statistical packages, e.g., SPSS, BMD, and SAS, for both data management and analysis; survey of other computer applications in the social sciences such as simulating social systems; a technical, experiential course for the beginning social science computer user.

300 Leadership and Group Dynamics (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or Psychology 206) (Same as Psychology 300) F, S, SU.
Designed to provide the student with the main theoretical constructs concerning leadership and to introduce him/her to the leadership process. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of the interaction of the group.

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301 Sociological Focus (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F or S.
In-depth study of one sociological subject emphasizing interpretations, methodologies, and relevant applications to contemporary society. May be taken twice for academic credit with departmental approval.

305 Criminology (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F, S.
Factors in the genesis of crime and the organization of criminal behavior from the perspective of the individual and society; methods of dealing with criminals; police courts, prisons, probation, and parole.

308 Social Stratification (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F, SU.
Consideration of class analysis versus strata analysis; strata as policy decision versus natural order; indices of power versus criterion of prestige; community versus natural stratification; hierarchical bias versus egalitarian bias; definable classes versus merging continual.

310 Racial and Cultural Minorities (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F, S, SU.
Survey of racial and cultural conflicts in contemporary civilization, theories of race and culture; the status of racial, religious, and ethnic minorities in the United States.

313 Quantitative Methods in Social Research (3) (Prerequisite: 202) F, S, SU.
Introduction to probability and sampling; levels of measurement and choice of research method; known and unknown parameters in sociological research; relationship, association, and correlation in data analysis.

315 Sociology of Sex Roles (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) SU.
Includes definitions, verbal and nonverbal communication patterns, early socialization to sex roles, different education experiences of the sexes, roles, stereotypes and self-evaluation, behavior in groups.

319 Sociology of Religion (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F.
Scientific study of religion as a social phenomenon; the interplay between religion and other institutions; correlation between religious and social variables.

325 Sociology of Health and Illness (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F.
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Trends and group differences in health and illness; data sources and analysis techniques; rival theoretical perspectives on health; the sick role; seeking and using health services; patient-practitioner relationships; social characteristics of physicians, nurses, and alternative providers; social organization of hospitals; current issues and problems.

330 Complex Organizations (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) F, S.
Historical overview of development of complex organizations; how individual behavior is influenced by complex organizations; how subunits function to comprise the whole; the relationship between complex organizations and the larger society.

340 Society and the Individual (3) (Prerequisite: 201) S.
Survey of selected micro-sociological theoretical orientations and methodological procedures and illustrative substantive data examining the relationship between society and the individual. Emphasis on symbolic interaction and dramaturgy.

345 Social Deviance (3) (Prerequisites: 202 or permission of department).
Introduce several theoretical perspectives from which deviant behavior is analyzed, following a basic distinction between "kinds of people" theories versus explanations focused upon society and culture. Current research on several forms of deviance Ð violence against persons, sexuality, substance use, organizational crime, economic crime.

350 Research Design and Analysis (3) (Prerequisite: 313) F, S.
Selection and formation of a research problem; studies testing causal hypotheses; general problems of measurement; emphasis on analysis, interpretation, and the research report.

385 Regional Sociology: The American South (3) (Prerequisite: 201 or permission of department) SU.
Examination of the society and culture of the southern region with special attention both to the diversity and similarity apparent in the region and to the development of an objective perspective for viewing a major segment of the American people.

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402 The Family (3) (Prerequisite: 202 or permission of department) S.
Consideration of the family as a social institution; the changing American family; the family in relation to personality development of its members; review of research on the American family.

407 Urban Sociology (3) (Prerequisite: 202 or permission of department) F.
Historical and current urban growth patterns, theoretical perspectives regarding urban structure and change, distribution of power and other resources in urban settings, urban cultural and social forms, problems of urban areas, strategies of urban planning.

419 Population and Society (3) (Prerequisite: 202) S.
Scientific study of population size, composition, and distribution; analysis of trends and differentials in birth rates, death rates, and migration; consideration of actual and potential pressures of population on natural resources; the interrelationship of population and the social structure.

425 Sociological Theory (3) (Prerequisite: 202, 313, and advanced standing in sociology) F, S.
Designed to help acquaint the student with general theory in sociology. A consideration of classical to contemporary theories with emphasis on the influence that theory and research have on each other.

440 Social Change (3) (Prerequisite: Advanced standing in sociology) F, S.
Examination of the phenomenon of change on social structures. Particular attention is given to surveying the research literature on social change. Functional and conflict models of change are studied in order to relate theoretical and research implications of social change.

497 Special Studies (3), (2), or (1) (Prerequisite: Permission of department) F or S. Open only to juniors or seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their major courses. A maximum of 3 semester hours may be earned. All individual research projects are reviewed by three faculty members from two different disciplines.

498 Sociology Internship (3:1-6) (Prerequisite: 18 hours in sociology, including 201, 202, and 313, and permission of the department) F, S.
Providing a structured experience working in a community service agency. Students are expected to observe and participate in contacts with agency clients, agency planning and evaluation meetings, and contacts with other agencies. Each student is expected to work 6 to 10 hours each week on-site, as arranged with the cooperating agency. Participating students will meet weekly as a group. Readings and discussions will cover such topics as the organizational structures of service agencies, relationships with clients, relationships with other agencies.

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