Sociology, B.A.
Program Description
The Sociology Program's mission is to provide majors with an understanding of the scientific study of human groups in modern societies and the social and cultural forces that affect them. The sociological perspective is central to grasping the social and cultural forces that remake our lives on a daily basis.
Why Take This Major?
Located in Philadelphia, La Salle's major in Sociology offers students numerous internships and experiential learning opportunities. The small classes and attentive faculty create a tight-knit and supportive community atmosphere where students will study the social forces that create hierarchies of inequality as they impact groups based on race/ethnicity social class, religion, sexual orientation, and gender. Lastly, we are committed to developing the skill sets that lead to careers and graduate training inspired by social justice.
Degree Earned
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Required for Graduation
- Courses
- Major: 12
- Credits
- Major: 36
- Total: 120
- GPA
- Major: 2.0
- Cumulative: 2.0
Student Learning Outcomes
- Awareness how systems of oppression (poverty, racism, sexism, classism) shape society.
- Provide the intellectual toolbox that allows students to understand the social hierarchies in here in the US and globally.
- Provide student with the training that they are both thoroughly literate in data analysis, research method and writing.
Progress Chart
Level One - Core Courses
12 courses and 2 modules required.
Major Requirements
Major requirements include 4 Level Two ILO requirements, fulfilled through the major.
Students in this major must complete 12 courses for this major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Level One - Core Courses | ||
| Universal Required Courses | ||
| Students must complete the following 4 courses. | ||
| ILO 8.1: Written Communication | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing I: Persuasion | 3 |
| ILO 5.1: Information Literacy | ||
| ENG 210 | College Writing II: Research | 3 |
| ILO 1.1: Understanding Diverse Perspectives | ||
| FYS 130 | First-Year Academic Seminar 1 | 3 |
| ILO 2.1: Reflective Thinking and Valuing | ||
| REL 100 | Religion Matters | 3 |
| Elective Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. | ||
| ILO 3.1a: Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 4 | |
| ILO 3.1b: Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| SOC 301 | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| ILO 6.1: Technological Competency | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 8.1a/12.1: Oral Communication/Collaborative Engagement | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Distinct Discipline Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. Each course must be from a different discipline. (A "discipline" is represented by the 3- or 4-letter prefix attached to each course.) | ||
| ILO 4.1: Critical Analysis and Reasoning | ||
| SOC 150 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| ILO 9.1: Creative and Artistic Expression | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 10.1: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 11.1: Cultural and Global Awareness and Sensitivity | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Universal Required Modules | ||
| Students must complete the following 2 non-credit modules. 2 | ||
| ILO 7.1a | ||
| Health Literacy Module | ||
| ILO 7.1b | ||
| Financial Literacy Module | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| Level Two | ||
| Students must complete 1 course/learning experience in each of the 4 commitments. | ||
| ILO 2.2: Broader Identity (Capstone Course/Experience) | ||
| SOC 310 | Sociological Theory (ILO 2.2) | 3 |
| Select one ILO from 3.2a, 3.2b, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2a, or 7.2b: Expanded Literacies | ||
| SOC 231 | Love, Interpersonal Relationships, And Family (ILO 4.2) | 3 |
| ILO 8.2b: Effective Expression (Writing-Intensive Course) | ||
| SOC 262 | Dynamics of Race and Ethnicity in Contemporary Societies (ILO 8.2b) | 3 |
| Select one ILO from 10.2, 11.2, or 12.2: Active Responsibility | ||
| SOC 480 | Research Methods (ILO 12.2) | 3 |
| All Other Required Courses | ||
| Sociology Core | ||
| SOC 150 | Principles of Sociology 3 | 3 |
| SOC 151 | Social Problems and Social Policy | 3 |
| SOC 231 | Love, Interpersonal Relationships, And Family | 3 |
| or SOC 260 | Men and Women in Contemporary Society | |
| SOC 262 | Dynamics of Race and Ethnicity in Contemporary Societies | 3 |
| SOC 301 | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Statistical Analysis and Data Base Design | 3 |
| SOC 310 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC/CRJ 480 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Select at least four of the following: | 12 | |
| Work and Occupations | ||
| Environment and Society | ||
| Sociology of Law | ||
| The City: Conflict and Change | ||
| Special Topics in Sociology | ||
| Complex Organizations in Contemporary Society | ||
| Social Inequality in Contemporary Society | ||
| Social Movements in Contemporary Society | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Crimes of The Powerful | ||
| Violence in Society | ||
| Gender, Crime, And Justice | ||
| Research Seminar | ||
| Sociological Internship and Practice 4 | ||
| Free Electives | ||
| In addition to the requirements listed above, students must take enough courses to the fulfill graduation credit requirements for their School and major. | ||
| Total Credits | 85 | |
- 1
NOTE. The following students use Level 2 Capstone Experience in Major instead of FYS 130 First-Year Academic Seminar: Honors, BUSCA, Core-to-Core, Transfer, and Non-Traditional/Evening.
- 2
The Modules are not required for Transfer Students, Core-to-Core Students, or BUSCA Students. BUSCA students are required to take modules if/when they pursue a bachelor’s degree.
- 3
SOC 150 Principles of Sociology is a prerequisite for all upper level SOC courses.
- 4
Students who meet the GPA requirements, have junior standing, and can be recommended by the chair should be strongly encouraged to take an internship.
Recommended Course Sequence
Sociology majors should take SOC 150 Principles of Sociology as a first class and then take lower level requirements.
| Third Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| SOC 301 | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| SOC 302 | Statistical Analysis and Data Base Design | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| SOC 480 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| SOC 481 | Research Seminar | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Dual Major Requirements
REQUIRED FOR DUAL SOCIOLOGY/CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| CRJ 161 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 261 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ/SOC 480 | Research Methods | 3 |
| CRJ 495 | Senior Seminar: Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice 1 | 3 |
| or SOC 481 | Research Seminar | |
| SOC 150 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 151 | Social Problems and Social Policy 2 | 3 |
| SOC 262 | Dynamics of Race and Ethnicity in Contemporary Societies | 3 |
| SOC 231 | Love, Interpersonal Relationships, And Family | 3 |
| or SOC 260 | Men and Women in Contemporary Society | |
| SOC 301 | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Statistical Analysis and Data Base Design | 3 |
| SOC 310 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Sociology | ||
| Select at least four of the following: | 12 | |
| Environment and Society | ||
| Sociology of Law (CRJ Elective) | ||
| Special Topics in Sociology | ||
| Complex Organizations in Contemporary Society | ||
| Social Inequality in Contemporary Society | ||
| Social Movements in Contemporary Society | ||
| Criminal Justice | ||
| Select at least four of the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Crimes of The Powerful | ||
| Violence in Society | ||
| Gender, Crime, And Justice | ||
| Social Problems & Policy 3 | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | ||
| Policing: Theory & Dynamics | ||
| Criminal Courts | ||
| Institutional and Community Corrections | ||
| Criminal Justice Research | ||
| Sociology of Law | ||
| Crimes of The Powerful | ||
| Legal Writing | ||
| Sociological Internship and Practice 4 | ||
or CRJ 481 | Criminal Justice Internship | |
or CRJ 482 | Criminal Justice Internship | |
| Total Credits | 57 | |
- 1
Counts as CRJ 483 Criminal Justice Research
- 2
Counts as CRJ 151 Social Problems and Social Policy
- 3
Counts as SOC 151 Social Problems and Social Policy
- 4
Students who meet the 2.75 GPA requirements, have junior standing, and can be recommended by faculty and the department chair are strongly encouraged to take a Sociology (SOC 340 Sociological Internship and Practice) or CRJ Internship (CRJ 481 Criminal Justice Internship-CRJ 482 Criminal Justice Internship)
Course Descriptions
Sociology
SOC 150 introduces students to the ways human groups cooperate and conflict with one another and the expected and unanticipated consequences of these relations in American society as well as in the worldwide community. The overarching goal of the course is to help students understand how individual human development is a group experience from infancy to old age, how the social world impacts their lives, and how they, in turn, affect the lives of others in this social world.
(Cross-listed with CRJ 151)
This course is an exploration of how social conflict and social organization affect human and societal well-being. Topics: mental health, personal safety, economic well-being, and intergroup relations in an industrial society and a developing nation.
This course examines the myths, trends, and the reasons behind these trends in the changing world of interpersonal relations. Topics include mate selection, marriage and its alternatives, parenting, parting by divorce or death, and trying again.
This course is an analysis of the social organization of work in modern societies, including the concept of career, the development of professionalization, the nature of work-satisfaction, and the impact of bureaucratization. Special attention is given to occupational subcultures such as law, medicine, public service, the military, and education.
This course is a study of world cities; their growth and influence on personality; urban violence and its control; neighborhood development and metropolitan planning; and the effects of national and international economic forces on cities in developing and industrial nations.
This course is an analysis of the human and social structural causes of modern environmental problems and a presentation of a systematic approach toward environmental protection reforms.
This course explores male and female gender roles in the contemporary United States and in the world. An examination of socialization in childhood and adulthood, sexual politics, and power structures and dynamics within the family and the workplace. Special attention to the effects of class and race on gender role formation.
This course is an analysis of the dynamics of race and ethnic relations and of the intersection of race, gender, and class in historical and contemporary contexts. An inquiry into the issues of pluralism and diversity in unity.
This course is an introduction to the discipline of Anthropology. Is this class, an emphasis will be placed on the holistic nature of the discipline and its cross-cultural approach. Students will focus on the topic of cannibalism as a tool to explore questions about human diversity, religious practices, cultural variation and social organization. At the core, this course is designed to encourage students to develop a sense of compassion through the practice of cultural relativism.
This course analyzes the law as a social process in historical and comparative perspectives, in particular historical legal traditions such as the British common law, the Napoleonic code, and some other legal systems.
These are courses designed to cover special or emerging interests in sociology. Topics have included: sociology of conflict, the Holocaust and its causes, computers and society, sociology of sports, and social gerontology. Special permission needed to be used to meet major requirements.
This course introduces students to statistical analysis for social sci- ences: Presentation and interpretation of data, descriptive statistics, theory of probability and basic sampling distribution, statistical inference including principles of estimation and tests of hypotheses, introduction to correlation and regression, and first principles in the construction and critique of quantitative arguments for research questions in the social and behavioral sciences and public policy.
In this course, students learn about the principles of data analysis using statistics, with emphasis on developing critical thinking skills and performing analyses on real data sets. After completing this course, students will be able to design and analyze basic statistical studies, to understand and criticize statistical methods in research projects and the media, and to appreciate the power and utility of statistical thinking. Examples and methods are drawn primarily from the behavioral, natural, and social sciences, and from public policy. The course will cover the following topics: database design, survey and experimental design, exploratory data analysis, and modeling.
This course is a study of the influence of society and culture, as mediated by the social group, on the social, cultural, and personal behavior of the individual.
A study of the founding, transformation, and disbanding of organizations, the pace of organizational evolution in modern societies as well as the sources of change and stability in contemporary organizations in the U.S. and in other societies, particularly organizational structures, processes, environments, culture, innovation, and effectiveness.
This course analyzes the structure of social stratification and the impact of globalization and economic restructuring on structured inequality in the United States and in the world, using the structural perspective and the world system theory.
This course provides an introduction to the sociology of health, healing and health care, and to social epidemiology. Examines the relationship between healthcare providers and their patients, with special attention to alternative health care providers and bioethics. Analyzes the health care systems in the United States and in some developed and developing countries.
This course is a study of the basics of contemporary sociological theory and its classical roots, with an emphasis on helping students apply theoretical thinking to everyday life events.
This course examines the dynamics of social change and of specific social movements, such as the environmental justice movement, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, the health movement, and others.
Cross-listed with CRJ/SWK 320 (formerly CRJ 220)
This course addresses a comparative and historical survey of juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice. Study of the nature, magnitude, and social location of youth crime; analysis of causal theories; and overview of programs aimed at delinquency prevention and control.
Gender and the Law examines how Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act led to decades of litigation “because of sex,” starting with the first key cases in the early 1970s and tracing many precedent setting cases through the present day. These cases will have three broad themes: sex stereotyping, sexual harassment/retaliation and motherhood/pregnancy. The cases center on the workplace and were ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. A sociological lens will be used to put these cases in context of U.S. culture.
This course first explores and critically assesses the main explanations proposed for the rise and perpetuation of mass incarceration in the United States, including an increasingly punitive and retributive shift, the war on drugs, white supremacy and racial control, and privatization/profit motives. The course then examines the main consequences of mass incarceration for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and broader society. Understanding the causes and consequences of mass incarceration, the course concludes with an evaluation of various alternatives and reforms to mass incarceration.
This elective course requires 15 hours per week (for three credits) of a supervised internship. Students may take an internship in place of a sociology elective, beginning the summer between sophomore and junior year. To receive 3 credits, the internship must be approved in advance by the internship director for the department. The department recommends that you take 4 regular classes and the internship will count as your 5th class that semester. Your grade is determined from a midterm question and answer, a final paper and your on-site supervisor's evaluation of your internship performance.
Restorative justice is a strategy that seeks to repair the harms done to those affected by a crime or conflict, including harmed parties (aka "victims"), responsible parties (aka "offenders"), and other community members. The course begins with a critical examination of how restorative theory and practice address the limitations of conventional justice system processing in the United States. The use of restorative justice in various contexts, including the criminal justice system as well as within correctional and educational settings, is also explored. Restorative justice's role in advancing racial, social, and gendered justice is evaluated, including an examination of how restorative models fit within other reform and abolitionist strategies.
(Cross-listed with CRJ 355)
This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of a variety of issues related to drug use, abuse, addiction, drug-related crime and drug control. The course begins with an examination of the effects of drugs on individuals and society, including prevalence rates, theories of addiction and the harms and benefits of use and abuse. The next unit assesses the relationship between criminal activity and drug use, abuse and criminalization. The final unit critically evaluates various drug control strategies, including supply reduction, demand reduction and possible alternatives.
These are courses designed to cover special or emerging interests in sociology. Topics have included: sociology of conflict, the Holocaust and its causes, computers and society, sociology of sports, and social gerontology. Special permission needed to be used to meet major requirements.
(Crosslisted with CRJ 385)
This course is an intensive analysis of contemporary theories of deviant behavior. Theories examined through seminar discussions of primary materials and critiqued by consideration of research findings. Social policy implications discussed and specific criminal justice programs considered in the light of these theories.
This course provides the student with an opportunity to do research with a faculty member. The student and the faculty member agree on the research project before the student registers for the course.
This course is a continuation of the 444 research course. It provides the student with an opportunity to continue to conduct research with a faculty member.
These are courses designed to cover special or emerging interests in sociology. Topics have included: sociology of conflict, the Holocaust and its causes, computers and society, sociology of sports, and social gerontology. Special permission needed to be used to meet major requirements.
This course is an introduction to the social research processes, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Construction of a research proposal.
The experience provides an opportunity to conduct original research in one area of social reality employing a research method of the student's choosing.
Program Contact Information
Brian Wyant, Ph.D.
Chair, Sociology and Criminal Justice
351 Hayman Hall
wyant@lasalle.edu
215-991-3554