Department of Sociology

Bachelor of Arts

Judith Barker, Associate Professor and Chair

Students pursuing a degree in sociology in the School of Humanities and Sciences explore the complex dynamics that exist between individuals and the social forces that shape them.

How do societies change? What makes social order possible? What are the sources of conflict in society? How is power exercised and how is ideology used to control people? How do people organize to create change? How do racial and ethnic prejudices develop and become entrenched in society? How do we define human sexuality and sexual norms? How has the family unit evolved over time?

These are the kinds of questions students grapple with in courses in the sociology major at Ithaca College. In the process, they come to a deeper understanding of their own values and societal roles, and begin to see how they can effect changes in individual behaviors and in society at large.

Faculty in the sociology department work closely with students to help them develop skills in writing and analysis, computers, and research methods. Students develop their own interests through internships in real-world settings and through close collaboration with faculty in independent study projects.

In addition, the department offers a social work program -- an applied program leading to a minor in social work. Prerequisite courses in the minor include psychology, sociology, economics, and public policy and welfare. Practice-oriented courses, such as SOCI 36100 Social Welfare and Social Work, have a fieldwork component to provide practical experience.

Sociology majors receive broad training in the discipline and in a concentration in one of six major subfields, described below.
Sociology, B.A.
Concentrations: Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies, Clinical Sociology, Gender Studies, Race and Ethnic Relations, Sociology of Family and Relationships, Social Institutions and Organizations
Sociology Minor
Social Work Minor

Requirements for the Major in Sociology -- B.A.

General requirements: The requirements for the sociology major are 21 prescribed credits in general and fundamental studies and statistics; 21 elective credits, including one "focused studies" sequence or concentration; and 78 credits in open electives. Majors must take no fewer than 9 credits at level 4 in sociology. At least 3 credits of level 4 must be a departmental course numbered SOCI 40100 to SOCI 46900 (excluding SOCI 46300); no more than 3 credits may come from coursework related to being a teaching assistant in SOCI 48000, SOCI 48100, or SOCI 48200; and no more than 3 internship credits from SOCI 49000 to SOCI 49800 may be applied toward the level-4 requirement. For graduation, 120 credits are required as follows:

Credits in the major

Required courses

SOCI 10100	Introduction to Sociology	3
SOCI 31100	Sociological Theory	3
SOCI 35300	Research Methods I	3
SOCI 35400	Research Methods II	3

Courses in foundations of sociological inquiry (choose two)

SOCI 20400	Sociology of Signs, Symbols, and Collective Beliefs
SOCI 20600	Urban Sociology
SOCI 20700	Race and Ethnicity
SOCI 20800	Social Change
SOCI 21300	Sexual Oppression
SOCI 29300	Introduction to Social Institutions and Organizations
SOCI 31300	Social Inequality
SOCI 31800	Political Sociology	6
	Total, required courses	18
	Sociology electives	21
	Total, credits in the major	39

Credits outside sociology

MATH 15500	Basic Statistical Reasoning or equivalent statistics course	3
	Total, credits outside sociology	3

Students must also complete one of the concentrations listed below. The concentration may include courses from either the 18 credits of required sociology courses or the 21 credits of sociology electives.

Total, requirements	42
Open electives	78
Total, B.A. in sociology	120

Foundations of Sociological Inquiry

The cluster of courses listed above provides background in broad institutional structures and societal processes. It also introduces students to the more specialized areas of study embraced by the concentrations.

Focused Studies (Concentrations)

Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies

Students consider theories and data on crime, juvenile delinquency, deviance, the law, policing, and forms of punishment. In examining these phenomena, they become familiar with the ways in which individuals and institutions are shaped by historical, political, and economic forces, and they learn much about our social order and their lives within it. Students who graduate with this concentration often go on to study and practice law, enter programs for a master's degree in criminal justice planning, work in law enforcement at the local, state, or federal level, work with at-risk youth, or become counselors and therapists.

SOCI 20300	Juvenile Delinquency	3
SOCI 30200	Sociology of Crime	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 21400	Definitions of Normality
SOCI 21500	Introduction to Contemporary Mental Health Issues	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 30700	Social Policy
SOCI 32200	Forms of Punishment
SOCI 32300	Family Violence
SOCI 32400	Sociology of Violence
SOCI 33200	Selected Topics in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41500	Seminar: The Police
SOCI 41800	Seminar: Sociology of Law
SOCI 43200	Selected Topics in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies
SOCI 44200	Tutorial in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies
SOCI 47200	Independent Studies in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies
SOCI 46300	Field Research
SOCI 49200	Internship in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Studies	3

Clinical Sociology

Courses in this concentration help students examine the relation between "personal problems" and the larger societal structure. Students learn about theories behind counseling, intervention strategies, effective listening skills, and helping relationships. The clinical sociology concentration and the minor in social work prepare students for entry-level positions in human services or for immediate placement in graduate schools of social work. Many students who graduate in this field become professionals in educational or mental health settings.

Select one of the following:

SOCI 21400	Definitions of Normality
SOCI 21500	Introduction to Contemporary Mental Health Issues	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 30800	Counseling Theory and Dynamics
SOCI 30900	Group Counseling	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 30700	Social Policy (Students who minor in social work may not use SOCI 30700 or SOCI 36100 to fulfill the requirements for a concentration in clinical sociology.)
SOCI 32300	Family Violence
SOCI 36100	Social Welfare and Social Work
SOCI 37000	Counseling the Older Adult	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41400	Seminar: Mental Health Interventions
SOCI 41600	Seminar: Treatment and Prevention of Family Violence
SOCI 43000	Selected Topics in Clinical Sociology
SOCI 48800	Counseling the Older Adult: Research	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 44000	Tutorial in Clinical Sociology
SOCI 46300	Field Research
SOCI 47000	Independent Studies in Clinical Sociology
SOCI 49000	Internship in Clinical Sociology	3

Gender Studies

Students pursuing this concentration look at how male and female humans come to be defined as men and women, and examine the socially constructed relationships between them. Courses focus on the history and current aspects of gender inequality as manifested in sexuality and interpersonal relationships, health care, work, and the family. Gender is explored with an emphasis on race, class, and sexual orientation. This in-depth analysis of an issue of growing concern throughout our society leads to opportunities for graduate study or career paths in business or human services.

SOCI 34300

Sociology of Gender

3

Select two of the following:

SOCI 21000	Women's Lives
SOCI 21300	Sexual Oppression
SOCI 22800	Men's Lives	6

Select one of the following:

SOCI 31600	Women and Health
SOCI 32300	Family Violence
SOCI 32500	Race, Class, and Gender
SOCI 32700	Work and the Family	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41900	Seminar: Women in the Third World
SOCI 42500	Seminar: Sociological Feminist Theory
SOCI 42700	Seminar: Class, Gender, and Work
SOCI 43100	Selected Topics in Gender Studies	3

Race and Ethnic Relations

In this concentration, students engage in the formal analysis of policies, laws, and social movements related to race and ethnic issues. They investigate racial and cultural diversity in the United States and in other societies, including patterns of racial and ethnic stratification. Many students focusing on this area become involved in activities aimed at overcoming inequalities in our society. The study of race and ethnic relations forms a strong foundation for many careers and graduate programs in our global society.

SOCI 20700

Race and Ethnicity

3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 22600	Sociology of Hispanic Americans
SOCI 23300	Selected Topics in Race and Ethnic Relations	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 30300	Global Race and Ethnic Relations
SOCI 34100	Minorities in the United Kingdom
SOCI 31200	Culture and Society: An International Field Experience	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 31000	Civil Rights and Social Movements
SOCI 31300	Social Inequality
SOCI 32500	Race, Class, and Gender
SOCI 37600	Poverty	3

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41900	Seminar: Women in the Third World
SOCI 42100	Seminar: Race, Racism, and the Law
SOCI 43300	Selected Topics in Race and Ethnic Relations
SOCI 44300	Tutorial in Race and Ethnic Relations	3

Sociology of Family and Relationships

This concentration provides students with a critical look at the nature of the family and relationships in historical, cross-cultural, and sociological contexts. Students investigate specific economic, political, psychological, and demographic factors that both affect and are affected by changing family and relationship arrangements. By focusing on these particular issues, students prepare themselves for graduate study and work with families, either in the field of domestic violence or as counselors in other human service areas.

SOCI 29200	The Changing Family	3
SOCI 32300	Family Violence	3

Select two of the following:

SOCI 21800	Individual and Society
SOCI 22000	Sociology of Aging
SOCI 30600	Space of Intimacy
SOCI 32700	Work and the Family
SOCI 33400	Selected Topics in Sociology of Family and Relationships
SOCI 37000	Counseling the Older Adult	6

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41600	Seminar: Treatment and Prevention of Family Violence
SOCI 42200	Seminar: Family Forms
SOCI 48800	Counseling the Older Adult: Research
SOCI 44400	Tutorial in Sociology of Families and Relationships
SOCI 47400	Independent Study in Sociology of Family and Relationships	3

Social Institutions and Organizations

This concentration is designed for students interested in health care systems, education, the workplace, or religious institutions. Students investigate how power and ideology affect those who act in institutions and organizations, either as authority figures or as clients. They also explore the nature of bureaucracy and how it affects us all in a bureaucratized society. Sociology majors who concentrate in this area are prepared to pursue additional training and careers in a wide range of fields, including health education or administration, health advocacy, teaching, labor relations, and business.

SOCI 29300

Introduction to Social Institutions and Organizations

3

Select three of the following (at least one course must be at level 2, and one at level 3):

SOCI 21200	Sociology of Work
SOCI 21900	Sociology of Religious Institutions
SOCI 22000	Sociology of Aging
SOCI 29200	The Changing Family
SOCI 30100	Technology and Society
SOCI 31400	Sociology of Health and Medicine
SOCI 31600	Women and Health
SOCI 31800	Political Sociology
SOCI 32200	Forms of Punishment
SOCI 32700	Work and the Family
SOCI 35100	Sociology of Education	9

Select one of the following:

SOCI 41200	Seminar: The National Health System
SOCI 41500	Seminar: The Police
SOCI 42700	Seminar: Class, Gender, and Work
SOCI 42800	Simulating Social Processes
SOCI 43500	Selected Topics in Social Institutions and Organizations
SOCI 44500	Tutorial in Social Institutions and Organizations
SOCI 47500	Independent Studies in Social Institutions and Organizations
SOCI 49500	Internship in Social Institutions and Organizations	3

Requirements for the Minor in Sociology

SOCI 10100	Introduction to Sociology or
SOCI 10200	Contemporary Social Issues	3
	Foundations of sociological inquiry	6
	Level-3 sociology courses	6
	Level-4 sociology courses	6
	Total, minor in sociology	21

Social Work Program

The social work program is an applied program leading to an 18-credit minor in social work. The sequence includes prerequisite courses in psychology, sociology, and economics, as well as more advanced background courses in public policy and the economic aspects of public welfare. The first practice-oriented course is SOCI 36100 Social Welfare and Social Work, which has a fieldwork component. This is followed by SOCI 34600 Methods of Social Work and a 3-credit supervised fieldwork course. Additional electives round out the concentration. The minor provides academic and practical experience as preparation for employment or for graduate studies. Details are available from the coordinator of the social work program.

Requirements for the minor in social work

Prerequisites

SOCI 10100	Introduction to Sociology	3
PSYC 10400	Introduction to Developmental Psychology or
PSYC 20400	Principles of Developmental Psychology	3
ECON 12200	Principles of Microeconomics (may be taken concurrently with ECON 26200 Economics of Welfare Policies)	3

Requirements

SOCI 30700	Social Policy	3
ECON 26200	Economics of Welfare Policies	3
SOCI 36100	Social Welfare and Social Work	3
SOCI 34600	Methods of Social Work Practice	3
SOCI 34700	Supervised Fieldwork (taken concurrently with SOCI 34600)	3
	Social work elective	3
	Total, minor in social work	27

Individualized Study Opportunities

Field research experiences are provided in many departmental courses and can be pursued as independent study or internship projects. Field placements are available in a variety of local settings, including the Ithaca Youth Bureau, Southside Community Center, Tompkins County Social Services, Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca, lawyers' offices, Offender Aid and Restoration, and local juvenile lock-up institutions.

Independent study experience is arranged between the professor and student. Some more recent examples of this option include projects on eco-justice in Ithaca, ethnic conflict in the Virgin Islands, community control and development, women and alcohol, economic opportunity centers, intimacy and children, student life, solar-age construction and alternative communities, and organizational analysis of local banks and insurance companies.

Internships

Internships are designed to provide students with a supervised and structured experience. Often these can be arranged by students and specific agencies in communities around the country. The sociology department believes that internships provide an opportunity to obtain work experience and to analyze the social and political context of the specific agency. An example is an internship with the Ithaca drug treatment court.