Courses - Fall 2023
SOCY105
Introduction to Contemporary Social Problems
An examination of contemporary social problems through sociological perspectives; ways in which social problems are part of the organization of society; a detailed study of selected social problems including social conflict and social inequality.
SOCY200
A comparative, historical, interdisciplinary study of human socieities that focuses on the main components of human societies, how they are organized, how they change, and how they come to shape our collective social existence.
SOCY201
Introductory Statistics for Sociology
Prerequisite: SOCY100; and (MATH107 or MATH111).
Restriction: Must not have completed STAT400, BMGT231, or ENEE324.
Elementary descriptive and inferential statistics. Construction and percentaging of bivariate contingency tables; frequency distributions and graphic presentations; measures of central tendency and dispersion; parametric and nonparametric measures of association and correlation; regression; probability; hypothesis testing; the normal, binomial and chi-square distributions; point and interval estimates.
SOCY202
Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology
The underlying logic, major strategies, specific techniques and skills of sociological research. Research design, measurement, data collection, sampling, field research experiments, surveys, index and scale construction, data analysis, interpretation and report writing.
SOCY203
Sociological Theory
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY100.
Development of the science of sociology; historical backgrounds; recent theories of society. Required of all sociology majors.
SOCY211
The Sociology Major: Mapping the Road to Academic Success
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be a student in the SOCY major (22080) or SOCY minor (#BS13).
Designed to assist students in making a successful transition to the major and will orient them to departmental, college, and university resources. Students will collaboratively explore avenues and best practices that build self-confidence and lead to academic achievement.
SOCY222
Cross-listed with: AAST222.
Credit only granted for: AAST222, HIST222, or SOCY222.
The history of immigration and the development of diverse populations in the United States are examined. Topics include related political controversies, the social experiences of immigrants, ethnicity, generations, migration, inter-group relations, race and diversity in American culture.
SOCY224
Exploration of the major debates and assumptions that construct individual perceptions of what race is and how race matters. Sociological and sub-cultural theories will give students a historical and present day frame with which to view race and ethnic relations in the twenty-first century.
SOCY225
Women's Jobs, Men's Jobs: How and Why Do They Differ?
An exploration of critical issues pertaining to gender differences in the workplace. Overview of theories explaining why some people do better than others in the world of work, and discussions of more specific questions relating to women's and men's job opportunities and experiences.
SOCY227
Credit only granted for: SOCY227 or SOCY327.
Formerly: SOCY327.
An introduction to the sociological study of deviant behavior, covering such topics as mental illness, sexual deviance, and the use of drugs.
SOCY230
Sociological Social Psychology
Theoretical perspectives and their applications. Socialization through the life course, the self-concept, attitudes, emotion, attribution, interpersonal relations, group processes, deviance, and social change.
SOCY242
Sociology of Homelessness
Examines the causes of and solutions for homelessness in society. How social scientists analyze social issues using ethnographic observation, surveys, official statistics, and other research methods. Discusses how policies have responded to the problem of homelessness, and how to evaluate their effectiveness.
SOCY243
The Family: Diversity, Inequality, and Social Change
Credit only granted for: SOCY243 or SOCY443.
Formerly: SOCY443.
An exploration of diversity and inequality in family life, focusing on empirical patterns and trends, political and cultural debates, and policy issues, including the major theories and research methods used in the sociological study of the family in a plural society.
SOCY265
War and Society, from the American Revolution to the Present
Credit only granted for: SOCY465 or SOCY265.
Formerly: SOCY465.
This course asks, why do nations make war the way they do? And how does the experience of waging war in this manner remake institutions, social and political relationships and even culture? To answer these questions, the course adopts a comparative and historical perspective, highlighting the ways nations organize and mobilize for armed conflict as well as how they define 'the enemy' against whom they direct armed force, and the ways these together shape the social consequences of warfare. Among the range of social consequences, we will focus on three: the experience of combat itself; the impact of war on class, race and gender relations; and the emergence of cultural values around armed conflict and the place of warfare and soldiers in society. The course concludes with almost a month devoted to making sense of the War in Ukraine and considering where to go from here.
SOCY277
Intersectionality and Illness: How do Overarching Social Inequalities Affect Health Outcomes?
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Credit only granted for: SOCY277 or SOCY302.
Formerly: SOCY302.
Students will examine the social determinants of disease: the relationship between socioeconomic status and health care access, as well as investigate the links between social status and disease chronicity. Students will further explore how health disparities, health resource distribution, and susceptibility disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities with chronic diseases.
SOCY335
Sociology of Health and Illness
An exploration of the social model to studying health and illness: how meanings and experiences of health and illness are socially produced. How experiences are shaped by the interaction of external social environments (culture, community) and the internal environment (human body), and by socio-demographic variables (race, class, gender, etc.). Disparities in health and healthcare delivery, medicalization of society, determinants of health, social construction of illness, and the social organization of health care.
SOCY380
Honors Independent Reading in Sociology
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Permission of BSOS-Sociology department.
This course permits sociology honor students to undertake a program or reading on a particular problem in sociology or a subfield therein. The reading will be done under the supervision of a member of the sociology faculty. Required of sociology honor students.
SOCY381
Honors Independent Research in Sociology
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY380.
This course permits sociology students to define a particular problem in sociology or a subfield therein and to develop a research plan for use as a thesis topic. The work will be done under the supervision of a member of the sociology faculty.
SOCY383
Honors Thesis Research
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY381.
Student research under the direction of a member of the sociology faculty, culminating in the presentation and defense of a thesis reporting the research.
SOCY386
Experiential Learning
Credits:
3 - 6
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F
Restriction: Permission of BSOS-Sociology department; and junior standing or higher.
To register, students must have departmental permission form signed by instructor and by Coordinator of Sociology Undergraduate Program.
SOCY391
Surveillance and the Erosion of Privacy
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Our world is under increasing amounts of surveillance, from states, corporations, and other individuals. These activities may affect our sense of privacy since surveilling others is done as a means to gather knowledge. This class examines surveillance and privacy together in order to answer the following questions: Are acts of surveillance in contemporary society eroding our sense of privacy? Are certain populations more or less privileged in terms of having privacy rights? How can we protect privacy rights in an age of surveillance?
SOCY399
Independent Study in Sociology
Credits:
1 - 6
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
No more than 6 hours of 399 is allowed for credit.
SOCY410
Social Demography
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: 6 credits in SOCY courses; or permission of BSOS-Sociology department.
Types of demographic analysis; demographic data; population characteristics; migration; mortality; fertility; population theories; world population growth; population policy.
SOCY424
Sociology of Race Relations
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: 6 credits in SOCY courses; or permission of UGST-Undergraduate Studies.
Cross-listed with: AAST424.
Credit only granted for: AAST424 or SOCY424.
Analysis of race-related issues, with a primary focus on American society. The historical emergence, development, and institutionalization of racism; the impact of racism on its victims; and racially based conflict.
SOCY432
Social Movements
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: 6 credits in SOCY courses; or permission of BSOS-Sociology department.
Movements that seek change in the social and political structure of society. Origins, tactics, organization, recruitment, and success. Case studies come from such movements as labor, civil rights, student, feminist, environmental, neighborhood, and gay rights.
SOCY456
Smart Machines and Human Prospects
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY201 and SOCY202; or permission of the Sociology department.
Credit only granted for: SOCY416 or SOCY456.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere and never sleeps. It is transforming our social institutions in intended and unintended ways. While scientists debate the feasibility of engineering conscious machines with general intelligence, no one debates that the global race is on to create more potent computers. Through targeted research, discussion, and presentation of findings students will answer a specific question on how, where, and in what ways society is being changed by smart machines.
SOCY461
Sociology in Action: Research and Community Engagement in Prince George's County
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY202; or students who have taken courses with similar content may contact the department.
Sociology in Action is a research course that will use the science of sociology to inform real life issues and contribute to the development of social programs. In this course, students will gain hands-on experience in applying sociology by working with clients in Prince George's County on specific social problems and issues. Please assess your ability to commit to this course and fulfill all requirements. Given that students will be working with Prince George's County organizations, there will be some variation and unpredictability in the nature of the projects.
SOCY462
Digital Technology and Society
Prerequisite: Must have completed 6 credits in SOCY courses; or permission of BSOS-Sociology department.
Situates digital technology in our social environment and then examines how this relationship reflects, reinforces, or reorders social hierarchies. Students will learn the conceptual and methodological foundations for studying and evaluating how technologies such as health and social media apps, the personal computer, artificial intelligence, and weapons of war have evolved, diffused and impacted social life. Students will explore and then conduct independent research on the relationship between technology and social inequalities through the lens of health and medicine, the environment and climate change, jobs and the workplace, as well as government and criminal justice.
SOCY601
Statistics For Sociological Research I
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY201; or students who have taken courses with comparable content may contact the department.
Restriction: Permission of instructor.
Credit only granted for: SOCY601 and SURV601.
Introductory statistical concepts are covered including descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, expected values, hypothesis testing, tests of significance, measures of association, and if time permits, introduction to regression analysis. Statistical programming software may be used.
SOCY610
Logic of Social Inquiry
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Restricted to Sociology graduate students.
Credit only granted for: SOCY699D or SOCY610.
Formerly: SOCY699D.
An introductory course on the fundamental issues that arise in the design, execution, analysis, and writing stages of the research process. The course is designed to help first-year graduate students begin their transition from a consumer to a producer of social research.
SOCY616
Sociology Pro-Seminar
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
S-F
Restriction: Must be in Sociology (Doctoral) program.
Credit only granted for: SOCCY699P or SOCY616.
Formerly: SOCY699P.
The proseminar is the guide to Sociology as a profession, and how sociology is practiced here at the University of Maryland. The goal of the course is to help students gain insider knowledge about how to develop sociological knowledge and capabilities, and what it means to practice sociology as a graduate student and beyond. The course will discuss both practical aspects of professional life in general and specific topics of interest.
SOCY620
Development of European and American Sociological Theory
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Prerequisite: SOCY203 or SOCY403; or students who have taken courses with comparable content may contact the department; or permission of instructor.
Review of the history of sociological thought with major attention to the key figures (from Marx to C. Wright Mills).
SOCY646
Public Image Management and Policy Solutions
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs: Master of Professional Studies in Public Safety Leadership and Administration (MPLA); Criminology and Criminal Justice (Master's); Criminology and Criminal Justice (Doctoral); Sociology (Master's); Sociology (Doctoral); or permission from either the Sociology Department or Criminology & Criminal Justice Department.
Explores how to mitigate and solve image management problems that arise in organizations. Students will learn how to evaluate their organization, make recommendations for future development, and implement the practical aspects of the solution. Problems arise daily in organizations. Leaders need effective strategies to mitigate and solve these problems. While some problems are structural, daily problems often focus on social interactions among people. The course will focus on evaluating the source of problems, enhancing cultural competency among employees, restructuring and rebranding the organization, managing public image, and forming and implementing innovative policy solutions for long-term goals.
SOCY653
Family Demography
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Permission of instructor.
Demograpic perspective on family and household relationships; relationships among economic institutions, family structure, and the content of family life; research from contemporary U.S., historical and cross-cultural sources.
SOCY657
Constitutional Law and Public Safety
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs: Master of Professional Studies in Public Safety Leadership and Administration (MPLA); Criminology and Criminal Justice (Master's); Criminology and Criminal Justice (Doctoral); Sociology (Master's); Sociology (Doctoral); or permission from BSOS-Criminology & Criminal Justice department.
Introduces students to the constitutional issues inherent in the practice of policing. Particular emphasis is placed on issues pertaining to the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments.
SOCY699
Special Social Problems
Credits:
1 - 16
Grad Meth:
Reg
SOCY699C
Special Social Problems; Introduction to Computing for Sociologists
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
SOCY699L
Special Social Problems; Publishing Sociology
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
SOCY699M
Special Social Problems; Pro-Seminar for BA/MA Students
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restricted to students in the 5-Year BA/MA Sociology program.
SOCY709
Advanced Special Topics in Data Analysis
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
SOCY799
Master's Thesis Research
Credits:
1 - 6
Grad Meth:
S-F
SOCY898
Pre-Candidacy Research
Credits:
1 - 8
Grad Meth:
Reg
SOCY899
Doctoral Dissertation Research
Credits:
6
Grad Meth:
S-F
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