The Medical Sociology minor is based on the growing recognition that health cannot be understood simply as a biological phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon, which means considering how social, cultural, political and economic factors influence individual and group health outcomes. Medical Sociology challengesstudents to go beyond the biomedical model and take into account that social relations, such as class, gender, race, and other social categories shape health related behaviors and outcomes. Students pursuing this minor are also challenged to explore the intricate relationship between social structure and health, including how the organization of various social institutions may differentially influence individual and group health outcomes. This understanding is critical for the creation of an equitable healthcare system. Students pursuing the Medical Sociology minor should be well placed to pursue an interrogation of the social determinants of health and the broader structural factors that shape organizational structures used by health care providers; knowledge that is pertinent for the improvement of health care delivery and the development of community outreach programs.
Required Courses (15 credits)
SSC 255 Statistics for the Social SciencesStatistics for the Social Sciences introduces students to the use of social science data for identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns of human behavior and interactions. Students will be introduced to the techniques social scientists use to summarize data used in census and other publicly available social science data, for example the General Social Survey (GSS). Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, numerically and graphically describing distributions, the normal curve, relationships between continuous and categorical variables, statistical inference, hypothesis testing and bivariate linear and multiple linear regression. The objective of the course is for students to understand how statistics can be used to answer social science questions. Students, drawing from publicly available social science data, will learn how to formulate social science research questions and hypotheses, choose the appropriate statistical analyses, conduct the analyses using statistical software and interpret their findings. The course will also challenge students to explore the appropriateness of data for shaping social policies, as well as how data can be used to reinforce structures of inequality.
3 credits
Pre-requisite: MATH 109SOCY 320 Sociology of Health and Illness (Medical Sociology)The course presents an in-depth conceptual and topical introduction of medical sociology, based on the premise that we cannot understand health by focusing only on the biomedical factors, rather we must also consider the social, cultural, political and economic forces that are instrumental in shaping health outcomes. The course applies the sociological perspective to understand the experience and social distribution of health and illness as well as the organization of health care and health care delivery systems and associated patient outcomes.
3 credits
Prerequisite: SOCY 100SOCY 321 Inequality and SocietyExamines classical and contemporary theories of social stratification. Are we all created equal? Can we become equal? Particular emphasis is on the American class structure, its impact on social institutions, and the importance of gender and race as factors contributing to inequality in society. Formerly SOC 378 Inequality and Society.
3 credits
Prerequisites: SOCY 100SSC 350 Interdisciplinary Research MethodsThis course introduces students to research methods used in a variety of social science and interdisciplinary studies. It is designed for undergraduate students in sociology, political science, international affairs, and other disciplines. Topics of emphasis include crafting research questions, hypothesis formation, quantitative and qualitative research techniques, data collection, and initial/basic data analysis. As part of the course, students will complete a number of mini-projects to practice these skills. (Formerly SSC 250.)SOCY 431 Advanced Research Methods for Social ScientistsIntroduces students to research methods in the social sciences, with strong emphasis on quantitative data analysis. With hands-on, computer-based introduction to data analysis, the course covers such topics as the application of the scientific method to the study of human behavior, the relationship between logic, observation, and data analysis in the research enterprise, ethical issues in social science research, research design, conceptualization, measurement, modes of observation, and the logic of sampling.
3 credits
Prerequisite: MATH 110
TWO Additional Courses in Sociology (6 credits)
SOCY 105 Social ProblemsExamines the political and economic organization of society and its impact on social problems. The goal of this course is to enable students to understand the social nature of social problems. Students focus on how social problems result from cultural and social arrangements. Critical scrutiny of polity and economy provides clues for the bias of society. Explains how political and economic processes affect what is currently being done about social problems and thus why so many social policies fail. Formerly SOC 200 Social Crisis and Social Policy.
3 credits
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
FLC Area VSOCY 131 Global Social IssuesSurveys the global problems of hunger, overpopulation, energy, pollution, war, and extremism (slavery, apartheid, relocation, genocide), and how they are built into society. Formerly SOC 254 Global Social Issues.
3 credits
FLC Area V
General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and InquirySOCY 202 Sociology of ReligionSociology of Religion is a course that analyzes the institution of religion scientifically, using theory, research methods and demographics to compare and contrast religious structures. We shall examine religious belief systems,organizational cultures, and religious roles across a variety of local, national and international religious groups. Particular attention will be paid to issues of polity and gender. Cross-listed with RST 202.
3 credits
Prerequisites: SOCY 100SOCY 231 International MigrationSurveys key issues in international migration. Provides basic information about issues such as the intersection and implications of international migration and race/ethnicity within the destination, the brain drain, the socioeconomic adaptation of immigrants, transnationalism, the economic and cultural impacts of international migration, and the trafficking and exploitation of women and children, among others. Formerly SOC 259 International Migration.
Prerequisite: SOCY 100.SOCY 261 Family and SocietyIntroduces students to the role of the family in the social structure. Examines the family in historical perspective, the institution of marriage, socialization, the importance of gender, and current issues in the modern family. Formerly SOC 261 Family and Society.SOCY 323 Race and Racism in SocietyTraces the history of race relations, prejudice, and racism within the United States. Special emphasis will be given to the relationship of racism and the changing economic, political, demographic, and educational structure of society. Examines the roots of prejudice, its expression, and its impact on individual, families, communities, and societal institutions. Addresses the critical role of social science theory and research in increasing understanding of race relations and racism, and suggests intervention strategies for improved relations. Formerly SOC 350 Race and Racism.
3 credits
FLC Area V
Prerequisite: SOCY 100.SOCY 327 Sociology of Mental IllnessThis course surveys sociological approaches to the study of mental illness. After reviewing theoretical foundations of the sociology of mental illness, the course covers two basic topics: social epidemiology of mental disorders and distress (the distribution of disorders and distress in the population and their correlation with social variables, i.e., gender, social class and race) and hospitalization for mental disorders. This course will emphasize equally the empirical and the theoretical aspects of the sociology of mental disorder and distress.SOCY 333 Women and the Developing WorldExamines insights that the feminist perspective brings to the issues of development, challenging the assumption that "integrating women into development" will solve problems caused by plans and policies that neglect women. This course is meant to be a guide to recent thinking and literature about women and development, and to the feminist critique of these. The course focuses on multinationals, rural development, and food production, including appropriate technology and income generation, health, migration, education, and communication. Formerly SOC 310 Women and Third World Development.
3 credits
Prerequisite: SOCY 100.SOCY 353 Sociology of Health Care and ReligionProvides an overview of the relationship of religion and spirituality to health care in the US and internationally. The course moves from a macro-analysis of the relationship of religion and spirituality to health care systems, social movements, and institutions to a micro-look at the role religious and spiritual practices play in the lives of some patients, family members, and health care personnel.
3 credits
Prerequisites: SOCY 100SOCY 381 Understanding AIDS: Interdisciplinary SeminarProvides students with a multi-dimensional approach to understanding AIDS. The course examines AIDS as a social construct utilizing Writing Across the Curriculum and cooperative learning techniques to build an interdisciplinary knowledge of AIDS. Formerly INT 340 and SOC 340 Understanding AIDS: Interdisciplinary Seminar.
3 credits
Gen Ed V: Capstone Seminar
Dr. E. Wairimu Mwangi, Assistant Professor of Sociology (program chair);
Dr. Hans Momplaisir, Assistant Professor of Sociology;
Sr. Mary Johnson, SND, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies;
