Courses
Click here to see the current schedule of courses in YES. For all Sociology courses, enter ”soc” in the search box.
UNDERGRADUATE SOCIOLOGY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SOC 1001. Commons Seminar. Topics vary. General Elective credit only. [1] (No AXLE Credit)
SOC 1010. Introduction to Sociology. The study of human society; the nature of culture and its organization. Processes of communication, socialization, mobility, population growth. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1010W. No credit for students who have earned credit for 103. [3] (SBS)
SOC 1010W. Introduction to Sociology. The study of human society; the nature of culture and its organization. Processes of communication, socialization, mobility, population growth. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1010. No credit for students who have
earned credit for 103. [3] (SBS)
SOC 1020. Contemporary Social Issues. Social change, conflict, and inequality in modern societies. Basic sociological concepts and methods as they apply to social issues and policy. Focus varies by section. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1020W. [3] (SBS)
SOC 1020W. Contemporary Social Issues. Social change, conflict, and inequality in modern societies. Basic sociological concepts and methods as they apply to social issues and policy. Focus varies by section. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1020. [3] (SBS)
SOC 1030. Environment and Society. Inequality, population, social change, technology, and the state. Application of concepts from general sociology and environmental sociology to environmental problems across institutional sectors such as food, water, energy, health, and transportation. [3] (SBS)
SOC 1041. Men and Women in American Society. This course focuses on ideas about masculinity and femininity and how these ideas carry with them inequalities in the distribution of power and resources
available to men and women. We examine how gender permeates seemingly neutral aspects of everyday life – how we date, sexuality, family life, work relationships, political life, media images. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1041W. [3] (P)
SOC 1041W. Men and Women in American Society. This course focuses on ideas about masculinity and femininity and how these ideas carry with them inequalities in the distribution of power and
resources available to men and women. We examine how gender permeates seemingly neutral aspects of everyday life – how we date, sexuality, family life, work relationships, political life, media images. Repeat credit for students who have completed 1041. [3] (P)
SOC 1111. First-Year Writing Seminar. Independent learning and inquiry in an environment in which students can express knowledge and defend opinions through intensive class discussion, oral
presentations, and written expression. May be repeated for credit once if there is no duplication of topic, but students may earn only up to 3 credits in any 1111 course per semester of enrollment. [3; maximum of 6 credits total for all semesters of 1111] (AXLE credit category varies by section)
SOC 2100. Statistics for Social Scientists. Descriptive and inferential statistics with social science research applications. Sampling issues; describing data with measures of central tendencies and dispersion; hypothesis testing using categorical and continuous indicators; multivariate techniques for continuous, categorical, and time dependent data. Limited to majors and minors in Sociology, Public Policy Studies, and Communication of Science and Technology, with preference given to Sociology majors and minors. [3] (No AXLE credit)
SOC 3001. Sociological Perspectives. Major classical and contemporary sociological perspectives such as symbolic interactionism, functionalism, and conflict sociology. Attention to the orientation and style of outstanding representatives of each perspective. Analysis in terms of basic concepts, central questions, substantive themes, methodology, and bearing on contemporary social issues. [3] (P)
SOC 3002. Introduction to Social Research. Overview and evaluation of research strategies. Interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data. Research methods and design. Evaluate research ethics, research hypotheses, and literature reviews. Prerequisite: 1010, 1010W, 1020, or 1020W. Open only to majors. [3](SBS)
SOC 3003. Research Practicum. Review of sociological concepts and methods coupled with experience in data collection and analysis as applied to a research project underway by one or more sociology faculty members. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits if there is no duplication of content. [3] (No AXLE credit)
SOC 3201. Cultural Consumption and Audiences. How audiences and consumers engage with art and culture – from popular music to film, classical art, fashion, and food. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3202. Cultural Production and Institutions. The production of culture. The role of artists, firms, and markets in creating cultural objects, ideas, and practices, including novels, television and news,
science, music, visual arts, and food. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3203. Art in Everyday Life. Art and the public sphere. Cultural analysis, critical theory, art production and reception, curation, ethnography. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3204. Tourism, Culture, and Place. The nature of tourist encounters. Marketing and displaying culture to tourists. Implications for urban economies and landscapes, and for tourists and locals. Biweekly
field trips in Nashville. Open only to Sociology majors and minors. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3205. Seeing Social Life. History, theory, and ethics of visual images in sociological research. Truth status of visual data. How individuals and groups use photographs to make sense of social
worlds. Race, ethnicity, gender, social class, and their visual documentation. Methods for collection and analysis of visual data, especially photographs. Prerequisite: SOC 1010, 1010W, 1020, 1020W, 1041, 1041W, or ANTH 1101. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3206. Creativity and Innovation in Society. The social context for innovation and creativity. Interdisciplinary approaches to the creative process, invention, and entrepreneurship. Social relations
and networks surrounding creative work; gate keeping; the diffusions of innovation; changing institutions; and economic forces. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3207. Popular Culture Dynamics. Examination of theories and research that link culture and society. Consideration of the mass media arts with particular emphasis on popular music. Focus on
creators, industry, and audiences. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3213. Artists, Community, and Democracy. Communities of diverse artists, minority viewpoints, and cultural pluralism in a democratic society. Contemporary United States with cross-cultural and historical comparisons. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3221. The Family. Study of the relationship of family structure to social organization. Comparative and historical approaches to the family. Recent changes in the American family. Courtship, marriage,
marital adjustment, parenthood, and family dissolution in relation to contemporary American society. [3] (P)
SOC 3222. Sociology of Religion. Theories of the nature, function, and structure of religion. Religion in America, including fundamentalism, the Black Church, and cults. How religion changes and is changed by secular society. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3223. Schools and Society: The Sociology of Education. How schools affect individuals and relate to institutions: the government, the economy, social classes, and families. How social attributes,
including race and class, affect academic achievement. Controversies such as desegregation and intelligence testing. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3224W. Sociology through Baseball. Baseball as a social institution. Group dynamics, baseball as work and business. Free agency and law, race and ethnic relations, and globalization. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3231. Contemporary Latin America. Current history and long-term trends; regional trade. Development strategies and social inequalities. Hispanic Americans, immigration, and the U.S. border;
the war on drugs. Race, music, and popular culture. [3] (INT)
SOC 3232. Contemporary Mexican Society. Sociological understanding of contemporary Mexican society. Historical roots of the modern Mexican state. Economic, political, and social institutions operating
in Mexico, formal and informal structures, and their consequences. [3] (INT)
SOC 3233. Contemporary American Society. Shifts in the political, economic, and social structure of the United States; changes in technology, demography, and social mores. [3] (US)
SOC 3301. Society and Medicine. Cultural and social factors in the perception, definition, diagnosis, treatment, and distribution of disease. Doctor-patient relations; role of nurses and other health professions. Social consequences of hospitals, medical technology, medical specialization, and health insurance. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3302. Poverty, Health, and Politics. Politics of poverty, health, and social welfare policy in the U.S. from the 1930s to the present. Profiles of poverty and health. Social change, social movements, advocacy, and social enterprise. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3303. Social Dynamics of Mental Health. Definition and classification of mental health and mental illness. Emphasis on social factors affecting mental health. Different ways of responding to persons in poor mental health and consequences of particular responses. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3304. Race, Gender, and Health. Effect of racial and ethnic background, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, and age or generation on the experiences of health, illness, medical institutions, and work in the health professions. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3306. Gender and Medical Work. Gender inequality in the health professions. Relationship between gender inequality and other forms of inequality in health care work. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3311. Climate Change and Society. The sociology of climate change, including efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and problems caused by climate change. Comparative analysis of how governments and businesses develop strategies to adapt to climate change. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3312. Environment and Development. Relationship between economic development and the natural environment. Implications of development on our contemporary ways of life and the environmental conditions of our planet. Different models of development for both Western industrial and developing societies, from early imperialism to contemporary globalization. Current global environmental crises, problems of environmental inequality and injustice, and social movements for alternative development initiatives. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3313. Sociology of Health and Environmental Science. Basic concepts in the sociology of science and their applications to controversies in the health and environmental sciences. Toxins and risk, nutrition, and health. Health and environmental aspects of emerging technologies. Case studies to develop generalizable social-science hypotheses. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3314. Environmental Inequality and Justice. Relationships between social inequalities and environmental degradation, both in the U.S. and internationally. Distribution of environmental hazards across race and class, natural resource rights and management, urban health and sustainability, climate injustices, and environmental justice movements. No credit for students who have earned credit for WGS 1111 section 4. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3315. Human Ecology and Society. Demography, social organization, technology, and the global environment. Shifting energy systems; sustainable industries; food production. Growth vs. development.
Affluence, waste, and recycling. [3] (INT)
SOC 3316. Business, Civil Society, and the Environment. Environmental sustainability and social responsibility; interactions among private sector, civil society, state, and consumers. Social movements and industry, politics of green consumption, and rise of third-party certification movements and private governance. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry industries. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3317. Energy Transitions and Society. Comparisons of contemporary societies’ transition to low-carbon energy systems. Emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Perspectives include both wealthy and poor countries. [3] (INT)
SOC 3318. Sociology of Green Jobs. Comparative, historical, and theoretical perspectives of the contemporary transformation of work and employment in green jobs. Emphasis on the U.S. economy. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3321. Population and Society. The mutual influence of demographic factors and social structure. Trends in fertility, mortality, population growth, distribution, migration, and composition. Population policy and national development. [3] (INT)
SOC 3322. Immigration in America. Theories of international migration, with an emphasis on migration as a social process. Economic and social impact, including assimilation, immigrant incorporation, and the second generation. The migrant experience, including transnational practices, and how immigration redefines race, ethnicity, and gender. Immigration history of the United States. Current U.S. immigration law and policy. Debate on open borders. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3601. Self, Society, and Social Change. Problems and prospects for individual participation in social change; volunteering, community service, and philanthropy; role of individuals and voluntary associations in social change. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3602. Change and Social Movements in the Sixties. Mid-1950s to mid-1970s. The rise and influence of social movements in the 1960s, including civil-rights, student, anti-Vietnam War, feminist, and countercultural. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3603. Women and Social Activism. History of women’s participation in social movements. Women’s citizenship, environmentalism, second- and third-wave feminism, hate movements, and global feminist activism. Theories of mobilization, collective identity, strategy, and movement outcomes. No credit for students who earned credit for 1111 section 17. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3604. American Social Movements. Key social movements in American society. Mobilization, strategy, and effects of movements such as civil rights, LGBT+, feminism, environmental, and labor movements. [3] (US)
SOC 3605. Law and Social Movements. Social activists and their relationship to the law and legal institutions. Activist litigation, movement legislative influence, protest policing, government surveillance of
activists, and rights consciousness. Civil rights, women’s, LGBT, environmental, and labor movements. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3611. Women and the Law. History of laws in the U.S. subordinating women. Efforts by feminists to achieve substantive and procedural equity. Employment, educational, reproductive, and criminal law, and women’s role in the legal profession. [3] (P)
SOC 3612. Class, Status, and Power. Analysis of the competition for jobs, advancement, and income. The influence of social background, education, politics, race, sex, changes in national economy, and other factors will be considered. Theoretical and empirical analysis focusing on the United States. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3613. Law and Society. Law, inequality, and racial, ethnic, gender, and economic groups in society. Operation of the legal system, including lawyers, courts, and police. Advantages and disadvantages in law. Law’s role in social change. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3614. Politics, State, and Society. The relationship between state and society; the nature and distribution of power in democratic society; the social conditions necessary for democracy; social movements and protest in political change; and the politics of public policy making. Attention to political actions, definitions of citizenship, and political ideology. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3615. Human Behavior in Organizations. Organizations are treated as resources in the production and distribution of goods and services. Case analyses from the economy are reviewed to diagnose “organizational pathologies” and to understand reciprocal impacts among organizational structures, leaders, and citizens. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3616. Women and Public Policy in America. A study of public policies as they affect women in contemporary American society. Issues considered include participation of women in the labor force; effects of employment patterns on the family; birth control, abortion, and health care policies; child care; participation of women in political processes; divorce, child support, and custody; affirmative action policies; present governmental remedies and proposed alternatives. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3621. Criminology. The nature, distribution, causes, and control of crime with emphases on contemporary American society and a broad range of types of crime. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3622. Delinquency and Juvenile Justice. The nature, distribution, causes and control of juvenile delinquency and the operation of the juvenile justice system in contemporary American society. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3623. Deviant Behavior and Social Control. The social causes of, and societal reactions to, several types of deviant behavior (e.g., juvenile delinquency, crime, sex deviance, mental illness). Examines the probable consequences of suggested solutions to reduce different types of deviant behavior. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3624. Prison Life. Prison life from the perspective of prisoners, officials, and the society in which they operate. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3701. Racial Domination, Racial Progress. Racial and ethnic relations in contemporary American society. Impact of race and ethnicity on education, economics, politics, family, and health.
Study of Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. Colorblind ideology. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3702. Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the United States. Status of blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and other minorities. Migration, identity and association, and strategies to improve group status and reduce intergroup tensions. Comparisons to other countries. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3703. Social Psychology of Prejudice. Prejudice and its amelioration. Problems of relations between blacks and whites in the United States. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3704. Race, Gender, and Sport. Manifestations of race and gender in sport. Emphasis on race and gender ideologies and the associated inequalities in sport in America. International comparisons for context. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3711. Women, Gender, and Globalization. Globalization and its impact on women and gender relations. Multinational corporations, economic development, and inequality; new forms of work; human rights; feminist movements for change. [3] (INT)
SOC 3722. Gender in Society. Theoretical approaches to gender relations with a focus on the contemporary U.S. Evolution of gender stereotypes, gender socialization over the life course, gender in social interactions, institutional sources of gender inequality, and intersections of gender with race, social class, and sexual identity. Topics include work, school, families, health, and intimate relationships. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3723. Gender, Sexuality, and the Body. The body is a physical marker of gender and sexuality. Biological reproduction is saturated with social meanings – shaping ideas about masculinity, femininity,
the gender division of labor, and heterosexuality. In this course, we will look at the body as reflexive project and as the site of historical and ideological significance. We address race, ethnicity, physical abilities, and class in explaining variations in cultural ideals. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3724. Gender Identities, Interactions, and Relationships. Gender identities form and influence interactions in friendships, intimate relations, families, education, and other institutions. Changes and continuities in gender roles within the United States and ways in which race, class, and sexual orientation intersect processes of gender relations. [3] (SBS)
SOC 3851. Independent Research and Writing. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. Students may enroll in more than one section of this course each semester. [1-6; maximum of 6 credits total for all semesters of 3851] (No AXLE credit)
SOC 3880. Internship Training. Under faculty supervision, students gain experience in any of a variety of settings, such as civic, corporate, cultural, government, health, media, political, research, and social welfare organizations. Background reading and research will be completed in Sociology 3881 concurrently with the completion of internship training, Sociology 3880. A minimum of 3 hours of 3881 must be completed with hours taken in 3880. A research paper and report must be submitted at the end of the semester during which the internship training is completed. A 2.90 grade point average, completion of 6 hours of prior work in sociology, and prior departmental approval of the student’s plans are required. Offered on a pass/fail basis only and must be taken concurrently with 3881. Hours of 3880 may not be included in the minimum hours counted toward the sociology major. Corequisite: 3881. [1-9] (No AXLE Credit)
SOC 3881. Internship Readings and Research. Under faculty supervision, students gain experience in any of a variety of settings, such as civic, corporate, cultural, government, health, media, political, research, and social welfare organizations. Background reading and research will be completed in Sociology 3881 concurrently with the completion of internship training, Sociology 3880. A minimum of 3 hours of 3881 must be completed with hours taken in 3880. A research paper and report must be submitted at the end of the semester during which the internship training is completed. A 2.90 grade point average, completion of 6 hours of prior work in sociology, and prior departmental approval of the student’s plans are required. Corequisite: 3880. [3-6] (No AXLE credit)
SOC 4961. Seminars in Selected Topics. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits if there is no duplication in topic. Students may enroll in more than one section of this course each semester. [3; maximum of 6 credits total for all semesters of 4961] (No AXLE credit)
SOC 4981. Honors Research. Research and writing supervised by department staff culminating in the Senior Honors Thesis. Work consists of both background reading and active research. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits if there is no duplication in topic, but students may earn only up to 6 credits per semester of enrollment. Open only to honors candidates. Prerequisite or corequisite: 3002. [3-6; maximum of 12 credits total for all semesters of 4981] (No AXLE credit)
Click here for a description of graduate courses.