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Lasell University
Lasell University

2020 - 2021 Academic Catalog

Sociology Minor

The Sociology minor consists of six courses.
Course Code Course Title Credits
Core Courses
SOC101 Sociological Imagination (KP) 3
Choose 1 from the following:
SOC221 Contemporary Social Problems 3
SOC223 Social Movements 3
SOC335 Social Policy 3

Choose four additional Sociology courses, at least two of which must be 200-level or higher*: 12 credits

*Courses closely related to Sociology may also count, pending permission bt the Associate Dean for the School of Humanities, Education, Justice & Social Sciences. Students planning to attend graduate school in Sociology are strongly urged to take the following two courses: SOC 310 Sociological Perspectives and SOC 331 Research Methods in the Social Sciences.

Credit Requirements for minor: 18 credits.

SOC101 - Sociological Imagination (KP)

In this course we explore our awareness of the relationship between our experience and broader society. How are our lives shaped by our social positions in society – our social class, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and more? How do the members of different groups view each other and interact with each other? Why do inequalities exist and how do these affect us? How does culture shape our behavior, and why do religions, schools, families, and other institutions remain stable but also change over time?

SOC221 - Contemporary Social Problems

This course examines conditions and issues that result in tension and disorder. Examples are drawn primarily from American society include: labeling and social control of deviants, oppression of minorities, poverty, violence, ageism, and ecological concerns. Prerequisite: SOC 101.

SOC223 - Social Movements

You are breathing clean air right now thanks to the environmental movement. Maybe you can vote thanks to the Civil Rights or women’s suffrage movement. And don’t forget the labor movement, the folks who brought you the weekend! What inequities and crises in today's society will social movements address next? In this course, students will study contemporary social problems and the solutions that can be found by people gathering together into movements for change. This course will bring US and global movements to life through videos, photos, stories, interactive exercises, writing and discussion. By the end of the course, students will understand the strategic choices that contribute to movement success or failure in solving social problems.

SOC335 - Social Policy

This course examines historical and contemporary factors influencing the making of social policy and introduces the student to processes used to identify and solve social problems. Special attention is given to the relationships of values to social policy and the impact of social policy decisions on the provision of social and human services. Approaches to the analysis of social policy are examined. Prerequisite: Any 200 Level Sociology course or permission by the associate dean.