Courses

Undergraduate students looking for a sociology course have a wealth of options that can satisfy multiple catalog requirements, including diversity credits and writing-enhanced curriculums. Whether you appreciate the anonymity of a large lecture hall or the intimacy of a smaller, discussion-based seminar, the department offers classes in multiple formats to meet your learning style.

Course descriptions in our ClassInfo database provide more in-depth information about courses, expectations, and workload to give you a realistic understanding of what you will experience in the course. 

For a complete list of all our classes and course descriptions, visit the University Catalog. Use the Two Stop tool to view all the courses offered during a specific semester (select term and year from the drop-down box).  

Information on the Capstone

The Capstone is a course that most Sociology students take in their second-to-last or last semester here at the University.  The course is 3 credits and all major course work must be completed with a C- or better - students may have one remaining elective course outstanding when they register for 4966W. You may review the pre-reqs for Soc 4966W on the Class Catalog or with Sociology Advising. These prerequisites also apply to Soc 4094W and 4994W (more info on them in a bit). Soc 4977V Honors Proseminar, Fall terms only, has slightly different prerequisites. Please see our webpage on the Capstone for more information.

Information on Directed Study/Research

As a large, land-grant research institution, there will be opportunities for you to participate in research as an undergraduate.  Some research may be paid, or may be for elective or even Capstone credit.  Students do not have to participate in research to graduate, but if you are interested in graduate school - especially an academic graduate program like a PhD in Sociology - having research experience will certainly help your application.  More information, including how to find research opportunities, is on this page. 

Course Number Course Title
SOC 1001 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 1101 Law, Crime, & Punishment
SOC 3003 Social Problems
SOC 3005 Social Science Fiction
SOC 3090 Topics in Sociology
SOC 3093 Directed Study
SOC 3094 Directed Research
SOC 3101 Sociological Perspectives on the Criminal Justice System
SOC 3101H Honors: Sociological Perspectives on the Criminal Justice System
SOC 3102 Criminal Behavior and Social Control
SOC 3201 Inequality: Introduction to Stratification
SOC 3211W Race and Racism in the U.S.
SOC 3221 Sociology of Gender
SOC 3241 Sociology of Women's Health: Experiences from Around the World
SOC 3243W On Drugs: Pleasures, Panics & Punishments
SOC 3246 Diseases, Disasters, & Other Killers
SOC 3251W Sociological Perspectives on Race, Class, and Gender
SOC 3301W Politics and Society
SOC 3309 Atheists & Others: Religious Outsiders in the United States
SOC 3322W Social Movements, Protests, and Change
SOC 3411W Organizations and Society
SOC 3412 Social Networking: Theories and Methods
SOC 3412H Honors: Social Networking: Theories and Methods
SOC 3417W Global Institutions of Power: World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization
SOC 3421W Sociology of Work: Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, No Jobs?
SOC 3446 Comparing Healthcare Systems
SOC 3451W Cities & Social Change
SOC 3452 Education and Society
SOC 3501 Sociology of Families
SOC 3503 Asian American Identities, Families & Communities
SOC 3503H Honors: Asian American Identities, Families & Communities
SOC 3505 Migrations: People in Motion
SOC 3511 World Population Problems
SOC 3511H Honors: World Population Problems
SOC 3613W Stuffed and Starved: The Politics of Eating
SOC 3681 Gender and the Family in the Islamic World
SOC 3701 Social Theory
SOC 3721 Principles of Social Psychology
SOC 3741 Media & the Sociological Imagination (new Fall 2026)
SOC 3801 Sociological Research Methods
SOC 3811 Social Statistics
SOC 4090 Topics in Sociology
SOC 4093 Directed Study
SOC 4094W Capstone Experience: Directed Research (4 credits)
SOC 4101V Honors: Sociology of Law
SOC 4101W Sociology of Law
SOC 4102 Criminology
SOC 4102H Honors: Criminology
SOC 4104 Crime and Human Rights
SOC 4104H Honors: Crime and Human Rights
SOC 4105 Sociology of Punishment 
SOC 4106 Crime on TV
SOC 4108 Current Issues in Crime Control
SOC 4111 Sociology of Deviance
SOC 4113 Sociology of Violence: Bedrooms, Backyards, and Bars
SOC 4125 Policing America
SOC 4133 Sociology of Gender, Sex, and Crime
SOC 4135 Sociology of White-Collar Crime
SOC 4135H Honors: Sociology of White-Collar Crime
SOC 4141 Youth Crime & Punishment
SOC 4141H Honors: Youth Crime & Punishment
SOC 4147 Sociology of Mental Health & Illness
SOC 4161 Criminal Law in American Society
SOC 4162 Criminal Procedure in American Society
SOC 4171 Sociology of International Law: Human Rights & Trafficking
SOC 4190 Topics in Sociology With Law, Criminology, and Deviance Emphasis
SOC 4243W Brewing Society: Alcohol & Social Life
SOC 4246 Sociology of Health and Illness
SOC 4305 Environment & Society: An Enduring Conflict
SOC 4309 Religion in American Public Life: Culture, Politics, & Communities
SOC 4309H Honors: Religion in American Public Life - Culture, Politics, & Communities
SOC 4311 Power, Justice & the Environment
SOC 4321 Globalize This! Understanding Globalization through Sociology
SOC 4451 Sport, Culture & Society
SOC 4461 Sociology of Ethnic and Racial Conflict
SOC 4511 Sociology of Children & Youth
SOC 4521 Love, Sex, & Marriage
SOC 4521H Honors: Love, Sex, & Marriage
SOC 4551 Sociology of Sexualities
SOC 4551H Honors: Sociology of Sexualities
SOC 4966W Capstone Experience: Seminar
SOC 4977V Senior Honors Proseminar I
SOC 4994W Capstone Experience: Directed Research (1 credit, to be paired with additional Soc elective)