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Study of the structure of human response to death, dying, and bereavement in their socio-cultural, interpersonal, and personal context. Formation of children's perception of death, functions of the funeral, euthanasia, and suicide are among the topics to be discussed.
The course will acquaint students with dynamic forces operating in the field of population and development. Includes an introduction to basic theories and techniques of population analysis, with coverage of global economic forces: fertility, morality, and migration. The causes and consequences of overpopulation are discussed with special attention to resource depletion and food shortages.
Examines various forms of family violence, including dating violence, spouse abuse, and child abuse; reviews social theory and empirical research and explores social policy, appropriate responses, and possible solutions.
Implications of sociological knowledge for the administration of Human Services programs. Theoretical and practical aspects of administration with the social service systems.
Applies sociological theories of identity to the experiences of women being released from prison. Taught at the women's prison in Shakopee, Minnesota and integrates MSU students with students drawn from the educational program within the women's prison in Shakopee.
Analysis of the development, structure, and functioning of social processes in large-scale, formal organizations.
Survey of major sociological perspectives on social movements, including theoretical approaches and empirical research on the causes, processes, and outcomes of social movements.
Overview of the role of the United States in an increasingly globalized society with a focus on economic and political inequality, the class structure, the labor process, race and gender relations, the global dimensions of capitalism, and modern crisis tendencies.
A critical consideration of myths concerning crime, perspectives on crime and their assumptions, current criminology theory, and construction of alternative explanations related to crime.
Study of minority racial and cultural groups in US society. An examination of how the lives of the members of these groups are affected by racism, prejudice, and discrimination.
An overview of sociological theory that surveys the classical tradition and emphasizes contemporary theories including functionalism, conflict theory, rational choice theory, and symbolic interactionism, as well as recent trends in theoretical developments.
Examines the sociological relationship between people and the environment including: ways various societies view the environment, social changes from ecological degradation, and solutions to environmental problems. Topics may include a sociological analysis of climate change, agriculture, and resource extraction.
A survey of sociological theory and research on the ecology, demography, and social organization of the urban community. Presents a sociological interpretation of the development of urban society and how the process of urbanization affects the basic societal institutions and individual behavior.
An overview of the causes, processes and consequences of social stratification in society. Includes an overview of classical statements about stratification and focuses on social inequalities rooted in social class structures, the organization of political power, and social hierarchies based on race and gender differences in society.
This course will address theoretical and practical aspects of the planning and evaluation process within social service systems. Evidence-based methods of developing programs and measuring their effectiveness in the human services will be addressed.
Techniques of survey research, interview, and questionnaire construction, field administration, and sampling methodology.
Examination of ethnographic methodologies in sociology with emphasis on analytic, performance, and autoethnography. Exploration of ethics in ethnography, visual sociology, and first-hand experience in both crafting and presenting ethnographic works.
Participant observation, focused interviews, and qualitative analysis; students actively participate in a field research project.
Analysis of social forces and processes involved in changing norms, values, and structures in traditional and modern societies. Examines both planned and unplanned change.
An examination of theory development and research findings about family systems with a special emphasis on societal influences (social, economic, political) on the changing family.
Analysis of the structures, functions, and origins of religion, its relationship to other social institutions, and its role in modern secular society. Examines processes of individual religiosity and explores current religious movements and trends.
Topics vary as announced in class schedule. May be retaken for credit if topic varies.
Workshop topics vary as announced in class schedule. May be retaken for credit.
Applying sociology to create a career and make the world a better place. Explores how to investigate and implement solutions to problems of social process and social organization in workplace or other settings including community agencies, government, business, and other social institutions.
Proseminar is an introduction to the sociology graduate programs at MSU Mankato and broader issues related to graduate education. Students will learn about program requirements; differences between capstone options (thesis or alternate plan paper) how they are structured and time-lines for completion; department plagiarism policy and how to avoid plagiarism; become familiar with library resources; become familiar with the policies and procedures of the IRB; meet department graduate faculty and become familiar with their areas of expertise, scholarship, and graduate courses they teach. Proseminar is an important course that prepares students for a timely completion of their graduate degree.