Sociology

Sociologists study all social relationships among people - everything from how two individuals make sense of a conversation to how cultures spread across the globe. Learning sociology opens our eyes to how our social setting influences us and how we can influence our social setting. The sociological imagination enables us to transform individuals’ personal troubles into social issues by spotting and interpreting trends.

At Lasell, the focus is on applied sociology, which means that there is an emphasis on thinking critically about social problems, oppression and social injustices, and on developing skills that can be applied to bring about positive social change. Students investigate the relationship between individuals and society with a particular focus on inequalities related to race or ethnicity, social class, gender, disability, sexuality and other socially constructed identities.

Because sociology courses explore various social institutions, such as family, education, social movements, and the economy, a sociology major is good preparation for careers in many different fields. Skills emphasized in the major prepare students for careers in social services, politics and policy development, education, community organizing, social research, advocacy, public relations, and nonprofit administration and program development. The undergraduate sociology major also prepares the capable student for graduate programs in social work, management, public health, law and criminal justice and, of course, sociology.

Through application of Lasell's Connected Learning philosophy, sociology majors have ongoing opportunities to connect concepts discussed in the classroom with practical application gained by working directly in the field through service learning or social justice activism. In their first year, all students take an introductory course in human service theory and participate in at least one service-learning or social justice project. During their first one-semester internship, students work for a community organization, which may be an advocacy nonprofit, legislative office or grassroots organizing effort, or it may be an agency, that provides services or a therapeutic environment for its clients. A concurrent seminar provides the academic groundwork for this internship, and a required course in basic counseling skills gives students an introduction to valuable interviewing and intervention techniques. Finally, as the culminating capstone experience in their senior year, students engage in a two-semester, intensive internship placement, also accompanied by concurrent seminars each semester. Through their internship experiences and their academic course work, students develop and practice professional skills and master the writing styles needed for careers in public affairs or social services or for graduate school.

By planning early in consultation with an academic advisor, students may be able to reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree in Sociology to 3 or 3½ years.

Academic Standards for Sociology Majors

Students must earn a grade of C or above in each of the following courses:
PSYC101 Psychological Perspectives
SOC101 Sociological Imagination
HS101 Human Services: Systems & Skills
HS210 Case Management and Counseling
SOC331 Research methods in the Social Sciences OR
PSYC331 Experimental Design in Psychology
Students must receive a grade of C-minus or above in any required Psychology, Sociology, or Human Services course (course with one of these three prefixes) or any course that serves as a substitute or alternative for such a requirement).
The foundation seminar and internship courses (HS215 and HS217) are taken as a unit, and failure to receive at least a C in either of these courses will require the student to repeat both.
The senior level internship courses (HS415 and HS417) and seminar courses (HS425 and 427) form yearlong courses. Failure to receive a minimum grade of C in any one of these courses will result in the student having to repeat the entire sequence, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

The following goals and associated learning outcomes delineate what we strive for students to achieve when they complete the major program of study in Sociology.

Goal 1: Knowledge in the Discipline
Upon completion of the major program of study in Sociology, students will be able to:

describe key concepts and theories within the field of Sociology
use sociological theories to explain human behavior on individual, small group, and societal levels
demonstrate knowledge of professional codes of ethics

Goal 2: Service learning and social justice
Upon completion of the major program of study in Sociology, students will be able to:

engage in action to address the issues of justice by raising awareness or advocating for change
reflect on the results of service
recognize and describe social injustice
analyze issues that cause social and economic disparities

Goal 3: Scientific reasoning
Upon completion of the major program of study in Sociology, students will be able to:

demonstrate facility with different research methodologies
demonstrate ability to apply quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis
develop a substantiated argument

Goal 4: Communication within the discipline
Upon completion of the major program of study in Sociology, students will be able to:

demonstrate proficiency in professional sociological writing
write a senior thesis
deliver a professional presentation

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
Core Courses
ANTH101	Principles of Anthropology	3
HS101	Human Services: Systems & Skills	3
HS210	Case Management & Counseling	3
HS215	Foundation Internship	3
HS217	Foundations of Ethical Fieldwork	3
HS415	Advanced Internship I	3
HS417	Field Intervention Strategies	3
HS425	Advanced Internship II	3
HS427	Systems & Organizational Change	3
MATH208	Statistics	3
PSYC101	Psychological Perspectives (KP)	3
SOC101	Sociological Imagination (KP)	3
SOC214	Family Diversity	3
SOC221	Contemporary Social Problems	3
SOC310	Sociological Perspectives	3
SOC331	Research Methods in the Social Sciences	4
Choose 1 from the following:
ECON101	Principles of Econ-Micro	3
ECON103	Economics of Social Issues	3
Choose 1 from the following:
PSYC218	Dynamics of Small Groups	3
PSYC220	Social Psychology	3
Choose 1 from the following:
POLS320	Policy Making & the Political Process	3
SOC335	Social Policy	3
Choose 1 from the following:
CJ323	Justice, Class, Race & Gender	3
PSYC209X	Psyc of the Black American Experience	3
PSYC316	Psychology of Diversity	3
SOC301	Race & Ethnicity	3
Choose 1 from the following:
PSYC111	Generations in America	3
PSYC221	Child Development	3
PSYC223	Adolescent Psychology	3

Additional Courses
Foreign Language: 0-12 credits*
*The Foreign Language Proficiency requirement is detailed in the Academic Information section.

Major Requirements: 64-76 credits

Core Curriculum Requirements: 24-30 credits

Unrestricted Electives: 14-32 credits

Minimum credits required for graduation: 120

Courses listed below fulfill Knowledge Perspective requirements:
Individuals & Society
SOC 101: Sociological Imagination

MATH 208 fulfills the quantitative literacy requirement of the Core Curriculum for Sociology.

BUSS205 - Legal Environment of Business

This course provides a working knowledge of everyday law as it applies to business and personal needs. The focus is primarily on contract law and property law.

BUSS235 - Ethics in Business

This course introduces students to ethical analysis in its application to management. A presupposition of the course is that ethical considerations are an integral part of effective management practices. Prerequisite: BUSS 101, HEM 101 FASH 101, or SMGT 102

BUSS330 - Managing Change

This course examines the unique problems associated with managing organizations during mergers, reorganizations, and other times of change. Strategies to cope with change, as well as induce it, are examined. Prerequisite: BUSS 224.

COM308 - Conflict Resolution & Negotiations

This course helps students to understand the theoretical assumptions, elements, and processes of interpersonal conflict and negotiation, to increase their ability to objectively analyze conflict situations, and to creatively and productively manage conflict. Alternative Dispute Resolution approaches to litigation for resolving conflicts such as mediation, arbitration, and negotiation are examined. Prerequisites: COM 101, LS 101 or BUSS 101; Junior or Senior standing.

PSYC202 - Psychology of Personality

This course introduces students to a variety of the most important theories of personality: i.e., Freud, Jung, Adler, Rogers, and others. Case studies are examined with the intent of making theories more practical and useful. Prerequisite: Any 200 level psychology course.

PSYC218 - Dynamics of Small Groups

This class examines the basic theory and application necessary to understand and facilitate small groups. Topics may include group types, formation, roles and stages; group process; cultural awareness; group interventions and ethics within the field of psychology and human service; therapeutic value of groups; and the family, classroom, and peers as small groups. Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOC 101.

PSYC220 - Social Psychology

This is an introduction to the study of social interactions from a psychological perspective. Research reviewed focuses on topics such as: social perception, group interaction, attitude formation, attitudinal change, aggression, conflict, and pro-social behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 101.

SOC101 - Sociological Imagination (KP)

This course is designed to help students develop their ability to think critically about the world around them using the framework of sociology. Students explore the relationship between individual and society – how personal experience is shaped by social forces, but also how society is created and changed through individual interaction. The focus is on the interrelationships of groups, social organization, and social institutions such as education, religion, family, and the economic and political order.

SOC102 - Introduction to Women's Studies (KP)

This course is designed to help students develop a critical framework for examining feminist thought and gender-related behaviors. Utilizing sociology, anthropology, history, and literature the course examines the roles and stereotypes society ascribes to women and how those roles impact the development of a feminist perspective in a contemporary world.

SOC206 - Food and Culture

In the Sociology of Food and Culture, we study "food ways"; that is, how food and eating reflects and impacts social life. The course examines the beliefs, rituals, norms, and subcultures associated with food choice. Further, we look at food in the larger contexts of politics, the economy, and cultural survival. Prerequisite: SOC 101 or PSYC 101

SOC207X - Wealth & Poverty

Wealth & Poverty

SOC208 - Special Topics in Sociology

This course examines different topics from a sociological perspective with the goal of allowing faculty and students to explore issues that meet special interests. Courses could be offered at the 200, 300, or 400 levels, depending on the required and announced prerequisites.

SOC212 - Wellness & Society

This course explores the social dimension of health and illness. Both health and illness vary across times and cultures – and this is related to how we define “normal”. Our wellbeing is also closely related to our position in society – socio-economic status, race, gender, class, ethnicity, and physical ability impact life chances, lifestyles, access to care, and attitudes towards health and illness. This course therefore covers the social distribution of illness; health disparities; global comparisons in the health of populations; the social construction of illness; the structure of health care systems and institutions; and various historical and contemporary health care debates.

SOC214 - Family Diversity

This course explores the meaning of "family" in a historical and cross-cultural context - it looks at the way families and households are constructed, and at how these institutions are impacted by social forces including demographic, ideological, and economic changes in societies. Family diversity is discussed in the context of social constructions such as race, class, and gender. Current themes in family sociology that are covered include, amongst others, sexuality, marriage, parenting, violence, divorce and remarriage, and family policy. Prerequisite: SOC 101.

SOC221 - Contemporary Social Problems

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

SOC223X - 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 other changes will social movements bring to your life? This course will bring US and global social movements to life through videos, photos, stories, interactive exercises, writing and discussing By the end of the course you will understand the strategic choices people in movements make and why movements succeed or fail. If you dream of making a difference, this course will tell you how. But even if you never expect to join a social movement, learning how movements work will make you a more savvy citizen.

SOC301 - Race & Ethnicity

This course examines the changing nature of race and ethnic relations with primary emphasis on the United States. Topics include: the origins and consequences of racial/ethnic discriminations; immigration policies; movements for integration and separatism; the role of class, religion, and gender on issues of race/ethnicity; the impact of widely differing cultural heritages on our national life: and specific present day problems and trends. Prerequisite: Any 200 level Social Science course.

SOC307X - Action & Social Justice

Mass incarceration, police brutality, climate change, sexual assault, excessive student debt: small groups waging brief social action campaigns have won victories on these problems and many others social justice issues. In this hands-on course, students will pick an injustice, develop achievable goals, design and carry out a group campaign to promote social justice. Students will learn many skills needed for future community engagement, including meeting facilitation, group decision-making, strategizing, persuasive communication, social media advocacy, graphic design, lobbying, coalition-building and event planning.

SOC308 - Special Topics in Sociology

SOC310 - Sociological Perspectives

This course introduces classical and contemporary perspectives in sociology. Theories are examined as explanatory tools in the understanding of social structure and social change, and as reflections of the societal conditions from which they emerged. Theories are evaluated in terms of their applicability to contemporary issues in society. Prerequisites: Any 200 level Sociology course and Junior or Senior standing.

SOC331 - Research Methods in the Social Sciences

This laboratory course introduces students to the basic methods used in sociological research. Topics include scientific method, measurement, sampling, experiments, survey research, and qualitative approaches such as content analysis and field studies, and ethical issues in conducting research. As part of the lab, students learn to use SPSS to perform statistical analysis and to access and draw upon large data sets. Students learn to use professional online search procedures and write reports in accepted professional formats. Prerequisites: MATH 208 and either PSYC 101 or SOC 101 or permission of the Dept Chair.

SOC333 - Sociology Research Assistantship

This course is designed to enable 1-3 students to assist a faculty member who is engaged in research. The faculty member mentors the student(s) through the research process. The process may involve some or all of the following components: Literature review of previous research on the topic, development of the research proposal and project design, development of any materials needed for the research, completion of IRB application, follow-through with the IRB recommendations and approval process, implementation of the research, analysis of the data, and presentation of the work through writing, conference presentation, or Lasell presentation. Prerequisite: SOC 331 or PSYC 331 and permission of Department Chair. Students may enroll in the course for up to two semesters.

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 department chair.

SOC406 - Selected Topics in the Lives of Women

This capstone course examines topics important to the study of women’s issues. Representative topics that might be covered include violence against women, women in public life, social policy related to women, women and work, and reproductive issues. Prerequisite: one of the following: SOC 102, PSYC 303, or HIST 203.