See explanation at bottom of page

SOCIOLOGY (SOC)

101. Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology. 3 hrs. Designed to give a general overview of the perspectives, concepts, and methodology of sociology. (CC 2113)

214. The Family. 3 hrs. An analysis of the structure and functions of the family as an institution and the factors making for family change

240. Social Problems. 3 hrs. A study of representative contemporary problems, with emphasis on causes which arise from cultural patterns and social change. (CC 2123, 2133)

301. Wealth, Status and Power. 3 hrs. An introduction to the study of social stratification in society, focusing on theoretical explanations for the unequal distribution of wealth, status and power in the United States

302. Social Interaction. 3 hrs. A sociological analysis of human interaction. Topics include childhood socialization, nonverbal communication and the relationship of presentational styles and social contexts

310. Urban Sociology. 3 hrs. An analysis of the nature of urban society and the factors shaping it, including the influence of urban ecology and ecological processes

311. Rural Sociology. 3 hrs. A study of the structure, institutions and social processes of rural society, and of the effect of urbanization on rural society

315. Sociology of Religion. 3 hrs. A study of religion as a social institution, its internal development, relationships to other institutions and its cultural and social significance in modern societies

333. Field Work Practicum. 3 hrs. Arr. Designed to provide the student with practical field experiences in a career-oriented area

340. Deviant Behavior. 3 hrs. Examination of how conceptions of deviance originate and persist through the process of social interaction, with emphasis on societal reactions to deviance and the adaptation of deviants to society

341. Criminology. 3 hrs. A study of causes, treatment and prevention of crime; deals with criminology, penology and criminal legislation

343. American Immigration. 3 hrs. This course will focus on the historical and current impact of foreign immigration to the U.S.; it will also explore the immigrant perspective and highlight specific groups.

350. Race and Ethnicity. 3 hrs. An examination of the central topics in the sociology of race and ethnicity with a focus on historical patterns, social change and current issues

355. Collective Behavior and Social Movements. 3 hrs. A study of the ways in which collective behavior and social movements relate to socio-cultural change

360. Globalization. 3 hrs. An introduction to globalization as it relates to various dimensions in the modern world including politics, economics, social and cultural diversity, human rights, and the environment.

401. Senior Seminar in Sociology. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: SOC 101, SOC 462, SOC 482. Topical seminar in which students read, discuss and write about a theme tied to central areas of sociology; Capstone course; offered in spring

405. Nonprofits and Social Change. 3 hrs. This course will focus on the role of nonprofit organizations in meeting the needs of American society

410. Sociology of Sport. 3 hrs. The examination of sport as a social institution and cultural phenomenon; topics include sport and the media, sports violence, labor relations in sport and sport in educational settings

414. Issues in the Family. 3 hrs. The objective of this course is to study in depth a specific issue affecting the institution of the family through the examination of social policy initiatives and research.

415. Sociology of Gender. 3 hrs. A study of the relationship between gender and broader cultural patterns in various societies

421. Special Sociological Topics. 3 hrs. Variable content; may be repeated three times in separate topical offerings

423. Sociology of Health. 3 hrs. An analysis of the field of health and health care delivery from a sociological perspective

424. Sociology of Aging. 3 hrs. A survey of demographic, social and cultural aspects of aging, with particular emphasis on American society and the problems encountered by older persons

425. Food, Culture, and Society. 3 hrs. This course will focus on all the ways food is more than a means of human sustenance, such as the role of food in the expression of identity and the way we live.

426. Sociology of Education. 3 hrs. A comprehensive study of the educational institution, and its relationship to the community and society

427. Sociology and Film. 3 hrs. This course explores the world of film from a sociological perspective, including how to interpret representations (i.e. race, class, and gender) in film, and their influence.

430. Political Sociology. 3 hrs. A study of politics as a social institution, its relationship with other institutions and its place in a changing society

444. Juvenile Delinquency. 3 hrs. A study of the causes and nature of juvenile delinquency, the development of the juvenile court, probation and other rehabilitative programs

450. Social Psychology. 3 hrs. A study of how the thoughts and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the actual or implied presence of others

460. Quantitative Methods. 3 hrs. A survey of quantitative research techniques, focusing on descriptive and inferential statistics and computer applications

461. Population. 3 hrs. An introduction to demography, analyzing significant changes in population composition

462. Methods of Social Research. 3 hrs. A study of the production and interpretation of social research, with an emphasis on the relationship of theory and method, offered in fall.

464. Qualitative Research Methods. 3 hrs. An introduction to qualitative research methods in sociology through hands-on involvement in research. May be repeated up to nine hours

471. Social Institutions. 3 hrs. A study of selected American social institutions, focusing on class and power structures, the rise of post-industrial society, religious and moral divisions, and democratic individualism

475. Social Inequality. 3 hrs. An examination of research and theory in social differentiation, class, status, power, and mobility; analysis of inequality and the effects of socioeconomic status on behavior and social organization

482. Sociological Theory. 3 hrs. A study of classical and contemporary social theory, focusing on selected theorists (e.g., Weber, Durkheim, Marx, Merton, and Goffman) and selected topics, including anomie and alienation, the rise of capitalism, theories of crime and concepts of self, offered in fall.

489. Caribbean Studies. 3 hrs. Variable content. Lecture series and study in the Caribbean under the auspices of International Programs

492. Special Problems. 1-3 hrs. To be used to pursue specialized interests for which courses are not offered. Must be approved by the department chair (Students undertaking a Seniors Honor Project will enroll in SOC 492H.)

499. British Studies. 3-6 hrs. Variable content. Lecture series and research offered abroad under the auspices of International Programs

EXPLANATION

The semester credit hours are listed after the title of each course.
Example:

100. Introduction to the Arts. 3 hrs. A team-taught investigation of the music, visual and theatrical arts designed for students who are not otherwise academically involved with these arts (CC 1233)

Southern Miss courses for which there are acceptable junior/community college courses are marked as (CC ____). It should be noted that there is a variance in course sequence between the junior/community colleges and Southern Miss. In addition, courses with the same junior/community college numbers vary from college to college. An adviser should be consulted before course scheduling.

The plus (+) sign in front of a course indicates that a special fee is charged for that course. (All labs are subject to a usage fee.)