Major Requirements
The major in sociology consists of 9 courses (36 credits). Students will select one of three concentrations: (1) general sociology, (2) crime and justice, and (3) health, medicine, and the body.
In addition to the credits earned within a specific concentration, all sociology majors are exposed to the foundations of the discipline; the study of sociology beyond their concentration; and a focus within a selected concentration.
Regardless of concentration, all sociology majors are required to take four core courses:
Sociology Core Requirements (4 courses, 16 credits)
- Introductory (100-level) Sociology
- Research Methods
- A Theory course
- One Senior Seminar
Due to the sequencing and prerequisites of some required courses, students should plan to take their introductory-level course during their first year at Suffolk.
All sociology majors must take 20 additional credits to complete the major. Requirements for each concentration are listed in the "concentrations" section of this catalog.
Students must complete at least 20 credits in the major in residence at Suffolk.
Students who successfully fulfill the requirements for programs in crime and justice, or health, medicine and the body may apply for certificates of completion. Students should consult with their advisors on proper procedures for certificate awards.
Minor Requirements
A minor in sociology requires 20 credits of coursework (5 courses).
Two core courses (8 credits)
Choose:
- SOC-113 Introduction to Sociology OR SOC-116 Social Problems (students must earn a grade of "C" or better in either of these classes in order to enroll in a research methods or sociological theory class)
- SOC-214 Research Methods OR SOC-315 Sociological Theory OR SOC-333 Sociological Theory: Sociology of Crime.
Three electives (12 credits)
Students must also complete three electives in sociology. Electives may be chosen from any combination of sociology offerings but students interested in concentrating their minor coursework in a specific program area may wish to select all of their electives from that area.
Students must complete at least 8 credits in the minor in residence at Suffolk.
Students who successfully fulfill the requirements for programs in Crime and Justice, or Health, Medicine and the Body may apply for certificates of completion. Students should consult with their advisors on proper procedures for certificate awards.
Concentrations
General Sociology Concentration
In addition to the 16 credits in the required core, students in general sociology are required to take five additional sociology electives (20 credits); at least one of these must be at the 200 level; at least two must be at the 300 level. Students are strongly encouraged, in consultation with their advisors, to select courses that provide a broad and balanced knowledge of the discipline of sociology.
Core Requirements for General Sociology (16 Credits)
-
SOC-113 Introduction to Sociology
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An introduction to the sociological understanding of human interaction, group process and social structures. Students are introduced to basic concepts, theories and methods of sociological investigation. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of C or better.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
SOC-116 Social Problems
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of traditional and contemporary problems associated with major social institutions such as the family, economics, government and education. Social forces related to ethnicity, social class, health and welfare, and urbanization are also included. Alternative remedial measures based on behavioral science theories are discussed. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of C or better.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
SOC-214 Research Methods in Sociology
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116 with C or better & one other SOC course. Cannot be taken concurrently with SOC 310,315,or 333.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
How sociologists decide what to study, how they select a research design, sample and collect data, analyze results, interpret findings, and write up reports. Students are introduced to the techniques most frequently used by sociologists and undertake their own small research project. Required for all Sociology majors.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
-
SOC-315 Sociological Theory
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116 with a grade of C or better and one other SOC course; CANNOT be taken concurrently with SOC 214; Majors/Minors only.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination and comparison of the origin, development and structure of the major theoretical approaches in contemporary sociology. Contributions of different branches of sociology to theory are explored with special attention to the relevance of sociological explanations for society and the social process. Students must have taken and passed SOC 113 or SOC course from the sociology department. Normally only.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-333 Sociology of Crime
Prerequisites:
Take SOC-113 or SOC-116 with a minimum grade of C; Take one additional SOC course. Cannot be taken concurrently with SOC-214;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
The question Why is there crime? lies at the heart of this course. This class will address what we mean by crime, who gets to define what crime is, how crime can be explained and how it can be reduced. Making sense of crime is essential if we are to respond effectively to victims and offenders. This course offers an in-depth examination of the many different theories of crime. These include biological, psychological, and sociological theories of victimization and offending. The course will study these theories in the context of many different kinds of criminal offending. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of where these theories came from; what their strengths and weaknesses are; whether they are supported by research findings; and what implications these theories have for stopping crime.
-
SOC-433 Seminar in Crime & Justice
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116(with a grade of C or better).Take SOC-214, SOC-234, and SOC-333; Seniors Only; Required for all Crime and Justice Concentration Majors.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course explores contemporary topics in crime and justice, interrelating empirical and theoretical analyses. Topical areas vary by semester and by instructor. Students engage in a substantial research project to demonstrate mastery. Required for all students in the Crime and Justice Concentration.
-
SOC-443 Seminar in Health, Medicine, & the Body
Prerequisites:
Senior standing required for all Health and Human Services majors
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An overview of the historical development and current concerns in the health and human services. Students select an area of interest and develop individualized study plans. The purpose of this course is to summarize and refine accumulated knowledge in this area. Students will demonstrate knowledge by engaging in a significant research project.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-453 Seminar in Sociology
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or SOC 116 with a minimum grade of a C; SOC 214; SOC 310, SOC 315, or SOC 333; Seniors only.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course will explore topics in sociology, requiring students to synthesize their learning in sociology to analyze research and develop their own study plans. The purpose of this course is to summarize and refine accumulated knowledge in sociology. Students will demonstrate knowledge by engaging in a significant research project.
Term:
Occasional
Sociology elective requirement (5 courses, 20 credits)
In addition to earning a minimum passing grade of “C” in an introductory (100-level) sociology course, sociology major and minor students must take and pass one other sociology course before taking Research Methods in Sociology (SOC 214) or a sociological theory course (SOC 315, SOC 333).
Crime and Justice Concentration
The concentration in crime and justice gives students the knowledge and skills to enter, and be effective in, the various fields of adult and juvenile justice, youth development, community justice, criminal justice, victim advocacy, and human services.
-
SOC-113 Introduction to Sociology
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An introduction to the sociological understanding of human interaction, group process and social structures. Students are introduced to basic concepts, theories and methods of sociological investigation. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of C or better.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
SOC-116 Social Problems
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of traditional and contemporary problems associated with major social institutions such as the family, economics, government and education. Social forces related to ethnicity, social class, health and welfare, and urbanization are also included. Alternative remedial measures based on behavioral science theories are discussed. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of C or better.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
SOC-214 Research Methods in Sociology
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116 with C or better & one other SOC course. Cannot be taken concurrently with SOC 310,315,or 333.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
How sociologists decide what to study, how they select a research design, sample and collect data, analyze results, interpret findings, and write up reports. Students are introduced to the techniques most frequently used by sociologists and undertake their own small research project. Required for all Sociology majors.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
-
SOC-333 Sociology of Crime
Prerequisites:
Take SOC-113 or SOC-116 with a minimum grade of C; Take one additional SOC course. Cannot be taken concurrently with SOC-214;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
The question Why is there crime? lies at the heart of this course. This class will address what we mean by crime, who gets to define what crime is, how crime can be explained and how it can be reduced. Making sense of crime is essential if we are to respond effectively to victims and offenders. This course offers an in-depth examination of the many different theories of crime. These include biological, psychological, and sociological theories of victimization and offending. The course will study these theories in the context of many different kinds of criminal offending. By the end of the course, students will have a deep understanding of where these theories came from; what their strengths and weaknesses are; whether they are supported by research findings; and what implications these theories have for stopping crime.
-
SOC-433 Seminar in Crime & Justice
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116(with a grade of C or better).Take SOC-214, SOC-234, and SOC-333; Seniors Only; Required for all Crime and Justice Concentration Majors.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course explores contemporary topics in crime and justice, interrelating empirical and theoretical analyses. Topical areas vary by semester and by instructor. Students engage in a substantial research project to demonstrate mastery. Required for all students in the Crime and Justice Concentration.
In addition to earning a minimum passing grade of “C” in an introductory (100-level) sociology course, sociology major and minor students must take and pass one other sociology course before taking Research Methods in Sociology (SOC 214) or a sociological theory course (SOC 315, SOC 333).
Concentration Requirements (3 courses, 12 credits)
SOC 234 Crime and Justice in American Society and two courses (8 credits) from the following Crime and Justice electives; at least one of these must be at the 300 level:
-
SOC-210 Juvenile Justice and the Law
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Considers the problems surrounding the legal definition and handling of juveniles who confront the law as offenders, clients and victims. Attention is devoted to the study of the special legal categories and procedures established for juveniles, the problems facing professionals providing juvenile services and the most significant directions of legal and social change affecting youth in our society. Normally offered every year. Fulfills the Sociology Departments Social Policy requirement.
-
SOC-211 Corrections and Punishment
Prerequisites:
Take SOC-234 or SOC-333;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
A sociological exploration of coercive and incapacitative responses to crime. Attention is given to the origins and patterning of segregative controls, the correctional claims of prison systems, alternatives to incarceration and relationships between types of crime, and criminals and varieties of punitive response.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-218 Crime and Law in Indian Country
Credits:
4.00
Description:
What happens if you commit a crime on an Indian reservation? Who will prosecute you and how will they punish you? This course will explore the roots of tribal legal systems and criminal law, both the Native and American influences. You will gain an understanding of tribal government, legal systems, criminal law, and the role of tradition in contemporary tribal law. The course will also examine the conflict between Native and Non-Native perspectives on several cases: sovereignty, rights to cultural practices, women, freedom of religion, and land.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
SOC-230 Bad Girls
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This class explores the images of the traditional bad girl in films. The course examines the idea of moving beyond merely the delinquent, many images in film suggest that girls and women who break with the socially condoned role of femininity are somehow bad. Girls and women who have power or challenge authority are often portrayed in films as deviant and therefore bad. Girls and women who are frigid are just as bad as their sexually promiscuous silver-screen opposites. This course further focuses on the impact of these images on real life social roles for girls and women as well as the symbiotic relationship between fact and fiction.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
SOC-231 Victims of Crime
Credits:
4.00
Description:
In recent years, public attention to victims of crime has grown enormously. The reasons for this are complex. They include the effects of political organizing by crime victims; increased media attention to crime (often driven by crime stories as entertainment and advertising vehicles); the exploitation of crime victims by the politicians; and long-standing community frustrations with the criminal justice system. This course will examine the rise of public attention to crime, the response of the criminal justice system to victims, and the problems and possibilities regarding new responses to victims of crime. New developments in restorative justice will be presented as an emerging alternative to problems victims have reported with the criminal justice system.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-232 Street Gangs
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course provides an overview of youth gangs and their sociological underpinnings, which are rooted in poverty and racism. Topical areas are discussed in relation to these key factors. Study topics include the history of gangs, theories about gang formation and individual membership, gangs and criminal behavior, socio-cultural importance of gangs, and strategies to control gang behavior. The course will utilize current gang issues in the US generally and in Massachusetts in particular as a basis to better understand the nuances of youth gangs.
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
SOC-236 Deviance and Social Control
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Who and what is deviant? How shall the society respond? The course examines a range of deviance theories and associated social policies. A number of case studies will be used to evaluate these theories, such as body piercing, witchcraft, gay and lesbian sexuality, corporate crime, disability, prostitution, violence against women, racism, anti-Semitism, and gangs.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
SOC-238 Cops & Robbers: Crime on Film
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of images of crime and justice portrayed in the American cinema. Special attention is paid to the social and historical forces that have shaped popular representations of good and evil during the modern era.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-239 Men and Violence
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An exploration of the nature of masculinity and its connection to interpersonal and collective violence in American society. The course focuses on the emotional, spiritual, social and cultural roots of the crisis of boyhood and masculinity as a context for and consequence of violence.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
SOC-275 Women and Crime
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course examines the complex relationships between women and crime today. This focus will include women as criminal offenders; women as victims of crime; and women as both offenders and victims. Course materials draw from recent feminist scholarship on these issues in the social sciences. Topics include the causes of womens crime women, drugs, and crime; child abuse and trauma; prostitution and sex trafficking; race, gender and victimization; and feminist social movements against violence. Crimes of violence against women are a central focus in the course.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
SOC-285 Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course is designed to give students an overview of Terrorism and its impact on American society. It will examine various aspects of terrorism for a local, national and international perspective. It will examine the consequences of terrorism focusing on social responses and public policy issues.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-334 Sociology of Policing
Prerequisites:
SOC 333 or SOC 234
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An investigation of the emergence, organization, and structure of police systems. The course focuses on the conditions surrounding the relationship between the police and policed in different historical, cultural, political, and economic contexts.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-336 Probation and Parole
Prerequisites:
SOC-234 or SOC-333;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Correctional theories are reviewed along with the historical development of probation and parole. Current research and analytical perspectives reflecting on administrative problems, innovative policies and the internal philosophical inconsistencies of these systems are examined.
-
SOC-338 White Collar Crime
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of the relationship between crime, business activity, and technology with special attention to the crimes of the powerful and the changing relationship between economic development and criminal activity.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-339 Sociology of Violence
Credits:
4.00
Description:
A description of violence in the United States. This course emphasizes the historical development and utilization of violence from a sociological perspective. Social, political, and personal violence will be examined and an attempt will be made to develop some theoretical orientations that may be used to both explain and prevent violence.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-390 The Prison Experience, Literature and Film
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of prison writings, films, and the actual experience of prison life from literary and sociological perspectives. Students will have an opportunity to examine their own perspectives of the prison as a symbol and shadow in American Society and compare these impressions with the actual experience of inmates, correctional officers and others who have lived in the prison nation.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-340 Licit/Lethal: Americas Drug Problem
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Most Americans think of prohibited substances such as marijuana, cocaine or heroin when they hear the word drug. This course will provide an in-depth examination of legal drug use in American society. A broad conceptual framework will be presented that illustrates how history, politics, society and economics all have played a key role in defining certain substances as permissible in America. Fulfills the Sociology Department Social Policy and Globalization requirements.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
-
SOC-341 International Drug Control Policy
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Relying on a simplistic demand or supply explanation of why Americans use/abuse drugs obscures the reality of Americas drug problem, is ineffective as a guide to public policy and has unforeseen, often negative consequences. Drug use is a complex and multi-faceted issue. There are no easy answers. To comprehend the complexity of Americas drug problem one needs an understanding of the geography, history, religion, law, economics and international politics of the Middle and Far East, Eastern Europe, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. This class will provide this basic understanding without losing sight that the problem we seek to remedy is our own.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
-
SOC-347 Immigration Law and Policy
Prerequisites:
Prerequisite: SOC 113 or SOC 116 OR Instructors consent
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course examines U.S. Immigration legislation and policies, focusing on how and why various immigration laws and policies have been established and implemented throughout history. We will address the intersection between immigration policy and race, ethnicity, nationality and socioeconomic status, as well as explore the effects that immigration laws have had on various immigrant groups and society in general.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A
Sociology elective requirement (2 courses, 8 credits)
Students must select two courses in sociology from outside the crime and justice concentration.
Because of the close relationship between crime and justice and related social science disciplines, students should consult with their advisors regarding selection of electives in such areas as forensic science, psychology, psychological services, education, women’s and gender studies, history, and economics.
Health, Medicine, and the Body Concentration
The health care sector is the fastest growing job sector today in many parts of the United States. The health, medicine, and the body concentration prepares students for employment in this rapidly growing sector by providing students with:
- Understanding of the ways in which cultural patterns influence bodies and health
- A comprehensive overview of the social, economic, and political forces that shape the American health care system
- Understanding of the global inequalities that give rise to disparities in health status
- Understanding of the health experiences of women, children, the elderly and other populations
Many health, medicine, and the body concentrators seek jobs in the health care sector upon graduation. These jobs may be in hospitals, government agencies, insurance companies, and community organizations. Others will choose to continue their education at the graduate level. The health, medicine, and the body concentration is good preparation for graduate study in education, public health, social work, hospital, or public administration, as well as joint RN/MS programs that fast-track college graduates into the nursing profession.
Core requirements (4 courses, 16 credits)
-
SOC-214 Research Methods in Sociology
Prerequisites:
SOC 113 or 116 with C or better & one other SOC course. Cannot be taken concurrently with SOC 310,315,or 333.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
How sociologists decide what to study, how they select a research design, sample and collect data, analyze results, interpret findings, and write up reports. Students are introduced to the techniques most frequently used by sociologists and undertake their own small research project. Required for all Sociology majors.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
In addition to earning a minimum passing grade of “C” in an introductory (100-level) sociology course, sociology major and minor students must take and pass one other sociology course before taking Research Methods in Sociology (SOC 214) or a sociological theory course (SOC 315, SOC 333).
Concentration requirements (3 courses, 12 credits)
-
SOC-253 Sociology of Health and Illness
Credits:
4.00
Description:
This course provides students with an introduction to how social norms, structures, and practices shape experiences of illness and health. Among the topics that will be covered are: health and the environment, the reasons some groups of people are less healthy than others, living with chronic illness and disabilities, and public debates surrounding issues such as performance enhancing drugs and sports, Attention Deficit Disorder and the HPV vaccine. Required for all students in the health, Medicine and the Body Concentration.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-354 Death and Dying
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of changing definitions of life and death, social factors affecting causes and rates of death, care of the dying and their families, institutionalization, the funeral industry, suicide, crisis intervention, and the impact of technology on the dying process.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-357 Global Health and Healing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of how different cultures understand health and illness. Healing approaches from Asia, Africa and the Americas will be explored.
Term:
Occasional
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt B
and one course (4 credits) from the following Health, Medicine and the Body electives:
-
SOC-256 Sociology of Aging
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Consideration of the physiological, psychological and social factors associated with the aging process. Contemporary American values toward the elderly are compared and contrasted with historical and cross-cultural studies. Current opportunities and techniques enabling the elderly to enrich and expand their societal roles are explored.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-276 Sex and Society
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of human sexuality as experience and institution. Sexuality is considered in relationship to power, love, religion, family, race, gender, sexual orientation, violence and courtship.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-340 Licit/Lethal: Americas Drug Problem
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Most Americans think of prohibited substances such as marijuana, cocaine or heroin when they hear the word drug. This course will provide an in-depth examination of legal drug use in American society. A broad conceptual framework will be presented that illustrates how history, politics, society and economics all have played a key role in defining certain substances as permissible in America. Fulfills the Sociology Department Social Policy and Globalization requirements.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
-
SOC-341 International Drug Control Policy
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Relying on a simplistic demand or supply explanation of why Americans use/abuse drugs obscures the reality of Americas drug problem, is ineffective as a guide to public policy and has unforeseen, often negative consequences. Drug use is a complex and multi-faceted issue. There are no easy answers. To comprehend the complexity of Americas drug problem one needs an understanding of the geography, history, religion, law, economics and international politics of the Middle and Far East, Eastern Europe, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. This class will provide this basic understanding without losing sight that the problem we seek to remedy is our own.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
-
SOC-354 Death and Dying
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An examination of changing definitions of life and death, social factors affecting causes and rates of death, care of the dying and their families, institutionalization, the funeral industry, suicide, crisis intervention, and the impact of technology on the dying process.
Term:
Occasional
-
SOC-355 Women and Health
Credits:
4.00
Description:
An exploration of topics that relate particularly to women as providers and consumers in the health care system. The course will consider historical and current information on issues of reproduction, technology, health and illness.
Term:
Occasional
Elective Requirements (2 courses, 8 credits)
2 additional sociology electives from outside the health, medicine and the body concentration (8 credits)
Because of the close relationship between health, medicine, and the body and related disciplines, students should consult with their advisors regarding selection of electives in such areas as psychology, psychological services, education, women’s and gender studies, and economics.
Honors
CAS honor students who are majoring in sociology are required to take an honors course and must complete an honors project/paper in that course. The department will offer at least one honors course per year.
Societies
Alpha Kappa Delta
Alpha Kappa Delta is the National Honor Society for sociology majors who have demonstrated excellence in sociology. Its purpose is to promote in each of the various chapters an interest in sociology, research in social problems and activities leading to human welfare. The Suffolk Chapter has been designated Iota of Massachusetts. To be eligible for membership, candidates must have a “B” (3.3) average overall as well as a “B” (3.3) average in sociology courses taken at the host institution. Students must have taken at least 4 courses in sociology at Suffolk.
Alpha Phi Sigma
An affiliate organization of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Honor Society for students majoring in fields related to criminal justice sciences. To qualify for membership students must have (1) a cumulative grade point average of 3.2, (2) a 3.2 average in criminal justice courses, (3) completed at least three full-time semesters or the equivalent, and (4) successfully complete at least four courses in the crime and justice field at Suffolk. The Suffolk University Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma is Gamma Psi.
