2020-2021

Sociology (Minor)

Criminology Department

Maria Mouratidis, Psy.D., Chair
Amy Grau, Ph.D.

Degrees offered

Minor

Campuses

Main Campus

The Criminology Department of Study in the School of Arts, Sciences, and Business, offers a Minor in Sociology to Women’s College students. The scientific study of society, sociology examines the inner workings of different social institutions, the order of social interaction in groups, and the politics of social reality. Many sociologists address social problems such as crime, education, poverty, immigration, institutional discrimination and prejudice. The Sociology Program provides students with a perspective on the world described as the sociological imagination or, put simply, a way to see things socially resulting in awareness of the interconnections between and influences on each other. It gives students the opportunity to investigate society and better understand their respective roles in it.

Summary

Women's College

Offered as a Minor and as a foundation for the Criminology Major, the Sociology curriculum provides both a micro- and macro- perspective on society. Its courses expose students to peer-reviewed research based on surveys, field work, comparative/historical reviews and experimentation.

A Sociology Minor is an excellent way to round out the student’s experience at Notre Dame. Sociology courses that satisfy the General Education Requirement in social science: SOC-101. Sociology courses that fulfill the requirement for cross-cultural and gender studies: SOC-209. Sociology courses that fulfill the requirement for gender: SOC-215.

All courses credited toward the Minor must be completed with a C grade or higher.

Program of Study

The Minor in Sociology consists of seven courses as indicated below.

Technical Standards

A student must have abilities and skills in five areas for CRM 461: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) motor; 4) intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative; and 5) behavioral and social. Technological compensation can be made for some limitation in certain of these areas, but a student should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.

  1. Observation: The student must be able to accurately make observations at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation and is enhanced by the functional use of all the other senses.
  2. Communication: The student must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently and sensitively in both oral and written form and be able to perceive nonverbal communication.
  3. Motor: Student must be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, maintain equilibrium and have functional use of the senses of touch and vision. The student must possess sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination to perform profession-specific skills and tasks.
  4. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: The student must be able to problem-solve, calculate, reason, analyze, record and synthesize large amounts of information in a timely manner. The student must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships.
  5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the consistent, prompt completion of all responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships. Students must be able to tolerate physically, mentally and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. The student must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Students who may not meet the technical standards are encouraged to contact the NDMU Director of Accessibility and Health Promotion to discuss and identify what accommodations, if any, would need to be made in order that the student might be able to meet the standards.

Minor in Sociology

       Required courses:

       SOC-101 Introduction to Sociology (3)
       SOC-209 Race, Class and Gender (3)
       PSY-210 Research Methods I (4)
       SOC-350 Social Theory (3)

       Two electives chosen from:

       CRM-101 Introduction to Criminology (3)
       SOC-202 Sociology of the Family (3)
       SOC-215 Gender Roles or SOC-271 Honors: Sociology of Gender Roles (3)
       SOC-220 Self and Society (3)
       SOC-222 Social Problems or SOC-371 Honors: Social Problems (3)
       SOC-231 Medicine and Society (3)
       SOC-315 Sociology of Law (3)
       SOC-340 Sociology of Deviance (3)
       PSY-340 Quantitative Methods (4)

       One senior experience chosen from:

       SOC-411 Advanced Topics in Sociology (3)
       CRM-461 Criminology Practicum (4)
       SOC-463 Sociology Independent Study (3)

Note: Those who wish to Major in Criminology and Minor in Sociology must take three elective Sociology courses instead of two due to the overlapping requirements of SOC-101, SOC-209, and PSY-210. The electives cannot have a dual purpose of also fulfilling the electives used for the Criminology Major. A separate Senior Experience course also should be chosen to fulfill the requirement for a Minor in Sociology. For example, if SOC-411 serves to fulfill the senior elective for the Criminology Major, it cannot also be used to fulfill the elective for the Sociology Minor. Please contact the faculty advisor to tailor an appropriate course schedule.


Courses

CRM-101 Introduction to Criminology

Provides an examination of the nature, causes and social significance of crime. Emphasizes the major explanations of criminal behavior and typologies of crime and examines crime and crime prevention strategies as they relate to theory, policy and practice. Serves as a gateway course for students interested in the field of criminology. Fulfills general education requirement in social science. [3 credits]

CRM-461 Criminology Practicum I

Provides opportunities for field experience for qualified students under professional supervision to integrate theory, science, and practice. Allows for consultative meeting with practicum coordinator concerning career goals and aspirations, which then determine the nature of a placement most consistent with student abilities and interests. Requires students to meet academic and background requirements for chosen placement and to attend an academic seminar in addition to fieldwork. Prerequisites: at least junior criminology major status and conference with NDMU practicum coordinator; Technical Standards as evaluated by the department. Not open to liberal arts major or criminology minors. Students will not be permitted to repeat CRM-461 if they receive a failing grade (D or F), because of an ethical violation or are removed from their practicum site due to an ethical violation. Ethical violations may include plagiarism. The practicum requirement cannot be waived or completed through another institution. [4 credits]

PSY-210 Research Methods

Introduces the basic methods of research design and report writing in the behavioral sciences. Descriptive, correlational, and experimental research strategies will be discussed. Students design original research and select appropriate data analyses. Ethical issues in each type of research design will be explored. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: MAT-215 and PSY-101. Satisfies the technological competency requirement. [4 credits]

PSY-340 Quantitative Methods

Builds on the content of Research Methods (PSY-210) to provide hands-on research and data analysis experience using more advanced techniques. Explores multivariate research designs and analysis including multifactor analysis of variance, multiple regression, factor analysis and selected non-parametric techniques. Students design and conduct a research project, write an APA research report, create a poster presentation and use professional statistical analysis software. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: PSY-210. [4 credits]

SOC-101 Introductory Sociology

Uses the sociological imagination to help explain what sociology is and how it is relevant to everyday life. Examines culture, social structure, socialization, social institutions, social inequality and social change. Topics include gender roles, deviance and social control, class, race and ethnic inequality, family, and work. Serves as a foundation course for students interested in the field of sociology and criminology. Fulfills general education requirement in social science. [3 credits]

SOC-202 Sociology of the Family

Examines the historical development and transformation of the American family. Explores marriage and alternatives to traditional arrangements. Students will analyze issues relating to parenting, divorce, remarriage and grandparenting, paying special attention to class and race, as well as ethnicity, gender differences and sexual orientation. Fulfills general education requirement in social science. Prerequisite: SOC-101 or permission of instructor. [3 credits]

SOC-209 Race, Class, and Gender

Explores the intersecting systems of inequality, race, ethnicity, social class and gender. Examines the construction of identity categorizations and links them to our current experiences and conceptions of self. Covers the nature of privilege and its reproduction in social institutions such as the workplace, education, and the criminal justice system. Fulfills general education requirements in social science and cross-cultural studies. Prerequisite: SOC-101 or permission of instructor. [3 credits]

SOC-215 Gender Roles

Addresses the social construction of gender roles. Demonstrates patterns of inequality and power relations through historical and cross-cultural data. Explains concepts such as sexism, gender socialization, and gendered institutions. Examines the consequences of division of labor in marital relations, the family and the workplace. Fulfills general education requirement in social science and gender roles. Prerequisite: SOC-101 or permission. [3 credits]

SOC-222 Social Problems

Examines how social conditions come to be defined as social problems. Surveys the causes of, theoretical explanations for, and possible interventions to resolve social problems. Provides students with opportunities to analyze in-depth such social concerns as substance abuse, family violence, environmental issues, discrimination, crime and terrorism. Fulfills general education requirement in social science. Prerequisite: SOC-101 or permission. [3 credits]

SOC-271 Honors: Sociology of Gender Roles

An analysis of the social sources and psychological mechanisms that shape gender role differentiation. Special attention will be given to the political, ideological behavior and social construction of gender. Historical and cross-cultural data will be used to demonstrate patterns of inequality. The psychological and social impact of gender inequality will be examined. Prerequisite: Morrissy scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirements in social science and gender studies. [3 credits]

SOC-315 Sociology of Law

Studies criminal law from a sociological perspec-tive with an emphasis on the United States Constitution. Examines the impact of the social usages of law as an instrument of social policy, social control and social regulation. Prepares students to interact professionally with the legal system. Prerequisites: PSY-210, SOC-101 or CRM-101. [3 credits]

SOC-340 Deviance and Social Control

Examines how we come to define attitudes, behavior, and characteristics as "normal" or "deviant" in society. Explores the construction of categories of difference with an eye toward the idea that labeling people or ideas as deviant is often a way to maintain the status quo. Addresses "deviant" behavior as an agent of social change as well as a source of social stability. Applies various sociological paradigms to such topics as social movements, crime and delinquency, and mental illness. Prerequisite: PSY-210, SOC-101 or CRM-101. [3 credits]

SOC-350 Sociological Theory

Provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of the discipline. First exposes students to the works of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber-the "fathers" of sociology-and then provides current theoretical considerations. Analyzes various sociological perspectives in explaining social phenomena, such as structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interaction, and feminist sociology. Explores every day applications of sociological paradigms. Prerequisites: SOC-101. [3 credits]

SOC-371 Honors: Social Problems

Considers how social conditions come to be defined as social problems. Reviews causes and theoretical explanations for their origins and possible interventions to resolve social problems. Topics include substance abuse, family violence, environmental issues, discrimination, crime and terrorism. Prerequisite: Morrissy scholar or permission. [3 credits]

SOC-411 Advanced Topics

Provides a context for understanding the broad focus of the discipline of criminology. As an upper-level course in the criminology major, reviews key sociological and criminological writings from an advanced, informed perspective. The student uses these scholarly resources to develop a paper that synthesizes her particular knowledge of criminological theory, research and applications. Students also develop their abilities to analyze their personal experiences from a sociological perspective and explore options for continued study or employment related to their sociological training. Topics will vary, though recent topics have included: Corporate Crime, Violence Against Women, Social Inequality in the Criminal Justice System, and Policing. Prerequisites: PSY-210, CRM-203 or SOC-350, and junior/senior status. [3 credits]

SOC-463 Independent Research/Independent Study

Provides a student with an opportunity to pursue a scholarly project under the direction of a faculty member. Work may include directed readings, literature review, clinical study, or data collection and analysis. Prerequisites: PSY-210, PSY-340 or CRM-360 and acceptance for supervision by a department faculty member. [3 credits]