SOCI - Sociology
SOCI 101IS Introduction to Sociology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
(F, Sp) Theoretical and methodological underpinnings of sociology. How theory guides investigation of social life and results in creation of factual knowledge. How sociological questions are studied and results are interpreted.
SOCI 110IS Honors Sociological Inquiry: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
In-depth study of the sociological enterprise: the broad range of theories and research used by sociologists to think about and examine the social world. All major areas of sociology are covered with an emphasis on institutions and systems of stratification.
SOCI 150D Social Difference: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
Examination of social differences by focusing on the construction and consequences of a limited set ascribed social characteristics: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and class. Focus on how these ascribed statuses are central to the sociological study of inequality.
SOCI 201D Social Problems: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
Major social problems such as human deviance, discrimination, crime, mental illness, and economic inequality. These problems will be considered primarily as consequences of cultural premises and values in American society. Competing theoretical explanations.
SOCI 202 Social Statistics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS, SOCI 110IS or equivalent course; Quantitative Core; or consent of instructor. Topics covered include: Levels of measurement; measures of central tendency, dispersion and association; normal curve, statistical inference; logic of quantitative comparison and decision making utilized by social scientists; introduction to data collection techniques
SOCI 221IS Criminal Justice System: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
(F, Sp) This course is an overview of the institutions that comprise our justice system. The emphasis is on criminal justice and the sources of crime but topics relevant to the broader study of the law and justice included.
SOCI 235 Aging and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS or consent of instructor. Introduction to the study of aging in humans and how cultural and social structures shape individual and population experiences of aging. Examination of how the aging process is related to different social institutions as well as inequalities in the aging process
SOCI 290R Undergraduate Research: 1-6 Credits (1-6 Other)
Directed undergraduate research which may culminate in a written work or other creative project. Course will address responsible conduct of research. May be repeated.
Repeatable up to 99 credits.
SOCI 291 Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: None required but some may be determined necessary by each offering department. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.
SOCI 303 Society and the Individual: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Social behavior of the individual in the group, linguistic behavior, social perception, motivation and learning, and self-focus on symbolic interaction
SOCI 307 Soc of Childhood & Adolescence: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examination of cultural and societal forces influencing development among children and adolescents from a sociological perspective
SOCI 308 Becoming an Adult in America: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examine the sociohistorical construction of the transition to adulthood, the changing institutional roles associated with the transition, and unique aspects of the transition to adulthood among marginalized populations
SOCI 311 Criminology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. (F, Sp) Discussion of major theories of crime and delinquency with special attention to systems of adult and juvenile deterrence
SOCI 313 Principles of Criminal Law and Procedure: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. This course introduces the student to fundamental American legal principles as developed in criminal law. In addition, the student will gain a basic understanding of key issues in the application and development of contemporary legal procedures
SOCI 318R Sociological Research Methods: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS and STAT 216Q or SOCI 202. (F, Sp) Introduction to research methods in sociology with emphasis given to defining variables, hypothesis formation, and development of strategies used to test hypotheses. Student research project. For Sociology majors. Non-majors allowed with consent
SOCI 320 Sociology of Religion: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Religion as a sociological phenomenon. Theories of the evolution and functions of religion. Religion's effects on society and believers. The structure of religious groups. Religion and public discourse. Religion and social change. Civil religion
SOCI 325 Social Stratification: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. The study of socio-economic inequality and its intersection with racial and gender inequality. Class and class structure in America. Changes in economic inequality. Social policy and economic inequality
SOCI 326 Sociology of Gender: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examines the social and biological bases of gender; how gender is constructed through socialization, social interaction and institutional processes, and the social, cultural and economic consequences of gender differences for men and women
SOCI 327 Sociology of Deviance: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS
This course examines how particular attributes or behaviors are defined as deviant, the social consequences of formal and informal deviant designations, and the construction and imposition of norms, values, and rules.
SOCI 332 Sociology of the Family: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS. The family as a structural and functional unit in social life and organization, as a unit of social control; its status, change, and associated problems
SOCI 333 Sociology of Education: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS. This course will focus on the relationship between education and society including the role of education in structuring socialization; racial, ethnic, gender and class stratification; human capital development; economic, political and labor market opportunities; and the political system
SOCI 334 Gender, Crime, and Criminal-Legal System: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. (F) Examination of crime, criminal-legal processes, and the interlocking institutions of the criminal-legal system through a gendered lens. Emphasis on social construction of criminality, historical and contemporary representations of gender and crime, and impacts of structural conditions on women within the justice system
SOCI 335 Juvenile Justice System: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 221IS. An analysis of the juvenile justice system in the United States, including the historical development of policies and practices. The role of various social agencies in defining, preventing, and responding to delinquency will also be considered, primarily from a sociological perspective
SOCI 340 Social Movements: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Of all the means of achieving social change, movements are among the most controversial. This course looks at movements through the theories used to interpret their activities in order to improve our understanding of their dynamics
SOCI 344 Sociology of Race & Ethnicity: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Historical, comparative, and social psychological study of race and ethnic relations in the U.S. and elsewhere. Power, prejudice, and discrimination relating to minority status are emphasized
SOCI 345 Sociology of Organizations: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Rational, natural, and open systems theories of complex organizations. Introduction to organizational structure. Irrational aspects of organizations. Organizational environments and their effects on structure and activity
SOCI 346 Rural Sociology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Demographic, economic and sociocultural change in rural communities with an emphasis on global economy, political structure, urbanization, and economic and social infrastructure. Special attention given to the rural west and Montana
SOCI 347 Urban Sociology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS. Introduces basic concepts of human ecology and focuses on basic patterns of social life in urban areas and their effect on the society and culture which can be expressed by the individual. The urban area is presented in its communal, ecological and morphological aspects including planning for the future
SOCI 355 Population and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Distribution, growth trends, and future prospects of human population numbers in local, national, and world communities including analysis of birth, death, and migration changes. Elementary methods and theories of demographic analysis
SOCI 357 Occupational/Corporate Crime: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. A sociological analysis of crimes committed by individuals within the work place and by corporations. Addressed are the extent of the problems, social costs, legal responses, and theoretical perspectives assessing the etiology of such crimes
SOCI 358 Crime and Inequality: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. This course examines how crime amid justice play out in the context of a stratified society. Students explore how social organization, inequality and conflict influence and shape the nature and distribution of crime and social control
SOCI 359 Crime, Justice and Media: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examines interrelationships between mass media, criminal justice system and crime in the US; public policy implications of media portrayals of crime, criminals, police and court system; relationship between media consumption and crime
SOCI 362 Sociology of Law Enforcement: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS or SOCI 221IS. An examination of policing in society, with emphasis on the cultural context in which it occurs, its structural characteristics, and social psychological processes
SOCI 363 Crime Prevention: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS or consent of instructor. (F) This course will examine the complexities of crime prevention in the United States. Criminological theory will be applied to examine current crime prevention strategies. In addition, this course will emphasize the importance of program evaluation as it relates to the implementation of crime prevention programs
SOCI 370 Sociology of Globalization: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examines the global interconnectedness of economic, political and cultural processes. Topics covered include theories and historical analysis of globalization, global culture and consumerism. The human struggles that accompany these changes including gender, family, and immigration
SOCI 374 Sociology of Culture: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Survey of major approaches to the sociology of culture and the use of cultural theory in sociological analysis. Focus on cultural aspects of hegemony, language, artifacts, ideas, identities, and narratives to construct social reality
SOCI 375 Law & Globalization: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or instructor consent. Study of the relationship between law and globalization. Examination of the effects of globalization processes on various aspects of the legal field and the role that law plays in globalization
SOCI 380 Sociology of Health & Medicine: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. An in-depth exploration of differing perspectives on health, medicine, practitioners, and healthcare systems with a focus on how gender, race/ethnicity, and social class affect health care systems, policies, practice and individual experiences of health and illness
SOCI 401 Animals and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. This course explores the spaces that animals occupy in human social and cultural worlds and the interactions humans have with them. Central to this course will be an exploration of the ways in which people and animals shape each other’s lives. -
SOCI 414 Family Violence: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examination of family violence. Couple violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and sibling abuse. Theories of cause, prevention, and treatment
SOCI 415 Sociology of Trauma: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. (F) This course introduces students to contemporary trauma theories and research. Special topics include: the neurophysiology of trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), ongoing adversity (i.e., racism, sexism, and economic disadvantage), occupational trauma exposure, intergenerational and historical traumas, and epigenetics. An experiential approach to learning and understanding basic trauma interventions and trauma resolution techniques is also used (i.e., mindfulness and social support)
SOCI 420 Violence in America: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS or consent of instructor. This course offers a comprehensive explanation of the nature of violent crime and its social control in America. We will explore a number of different types of violence, including homicide, rape, assault, domestic violence, child abuse, robbery, and terrorism
SOCI 423 Sociology of Corrections: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Examination of the nature and extent of corrections in the Unites States as well as the purposes, structures, and procedures of penal sanctioning and the institutional systems of correction. Emphasis on historical developments and current trends and issues in corrections
SOCI 425 Victims and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS or SOCI 221IS. This course introduces students to the field of victimology, response to victimization in the United States, and crime victim typologies. Special topics include: human trafficking, school violence, child abuse, intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault, hate crimes & cyber victimization. -
SOCI 434 Sociology of Human Sexuality: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. (Sp) Investigation of human sexuality from a sociological perspective. Focus on social aspects of human desires experiences, and meanings in historical and cultural context primarily using a social construction of human sexuality perspective. -
SOCI 435 Law and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Analysis of law, legal processes, and legal and quasi-legal institutions from sociological and philosophical perspectives. Some issues that are addressed include the functions of the law in modern society, the issue of the law's power (or impotence) in the everyday, and the law's violence. -
SOCI 436 Law and Inequality: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. This course addresses the problem of social inequality by examining the contradictory ways in which the law may be used as both an instrument of social change and as a medium to formalize and solidify social inequality
SOCI 437 Communities & Crime: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. This course examines the ways in which crime and violence are concentrated in certain neighborhoods and communities. The course overviews relevant theoretical models, the spatial concentration of crime, and informal and formal efforts to combat crime at the neighborhood level
SOCI 448 Society and Sport: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Employs sociology as a means to understand and analyze social issues related to sports. Addresses both the positive and negative features of sport in society today, examines the current popularity of sports, the benefits they provide, and the problems they may pose. Discusses how participation in sports can teach cultural values, encourage socially appropriate behavior, and foster community spirit and looks at how particular social problems such as economic inequality, sexism, and racism
SOCI 455 Classical Sociological Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Introduction to major sociological theories with focus on the implication for the development of empirical research. Theory as a set of tools to guide research. The explanations provided by theorists are compared and their contributions to the study of selected social phenomena are discussed. For Sociology majors. Non-majors allowed with consent
SOCI 470 Environmental Sociology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. The study of spatial and temporal arrangements of human population. The relationship of human society, natural resources, and constructed environments. A review of the contemporary environmental movement
SOCI 485 Political Sociology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS. Power. Who has it, who doesn't, and why. Political sociology explores the omnipresence of power in society from political power in government to power relationships in our day-to-day lives. Political economy will also be examined
SOCI 490R Undergraduate Research: 1-6 Credits (1-6 Other)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS. Directed undergraduate research which may culminate in a research paper, journal article, or undergraduate thesis. Course will address responsible conduct of research. May be repeated
Repeatable up to 12 credits.
SOCI 491 Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.
SOCI 492 Independent Study: 1-3 Credits (1-3 Other)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS, and at least Junior standing, and approval of Department Head. Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 6 credits.
SOCI 494 Seminar: 1-3 Credits (1-3 Other)
PREREQUISITE: As determined for each offering. Max 12 cr. Topics offered at the upper division level which are not covered in regular courses. Students participate in preparing and presenting discussion material
Repeatable up to 9 credits.
SOCI 498 Internship: 2-12 Credits (2-12 Other)
PREREQUISITE: SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS, and at least Junior standing, and approval of department head. (F, Sp) An individualized assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization to provide guided experience in the field. See departmental qualification standards for internships
Repeatable up to 12 credits.
SOCI 499 Senior Thesis Capstone: 3 Credits (3 Other)
PREREQUISITE: Senior standing, SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS, SOCI 318R, and SOCI 311 or SOCI 455. (F, Sp, Su) Senior capstone course. The application of theory and methods in the development of an integrated framework for understanding and explaining issues of current concern. Verbal and written presentation of research paper
SOCI 591 Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)
SOCI 592 Independent Study: 1-3 Credits (1 Other)
PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, approval of department head and Dean of Graduate Studies. Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 3 credits.
SOCI 594 Seminar: 1 Credits (1 Other)
PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing or seniors by petition; course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Topics offered at the graduate level which are not covered in regular courses. Students participate in preparing and presenting discussion material
Repeatable up to 4 credits.