Social & Behavioral Sciences Courses

We examine the social and political currents which first gave rise to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how these helped it to come to power in 1949. We look at how the CCP consolidated its power and began its attempt to make China, strong, prosperous and socialist. This includes tracing the evolution of CCP ideology, the development and ultimate failure of Maoism (e.g. the Great Leap Forward and Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution). We examine how the CCP initiated a process of reform under Deng Xiaoping, a process which continues to have profound effects on the development of Chinese society and politics. Subsequent social change has created major problems for the CCP. We discuss the ability of the Party to respond to the challenges of political reform, such as whether and/or how to become more democratic, as well as the problems facing continued CCP rule.

An introduction to theory, research, and practice in the field of career development. Career development is a major aspect of human development. Students will use the theories and research discussed in class to craft their own career development plans.

An introduction to public policy in the United States. Public policy is studied as choices made by political leaders, and governed by who does and who does not have power. Policy topics vary.

(Formerly PSY 324) The application of themethods, facts, and principles of the science of psychology to people at work. Topics include: employee selection, training, performance appraisal, leadership,motivation, job satisfaction, working conditions, workplace safety, violence in the workplace, health issues at work, stress, engineering psychology and consumer psychology.

(Also LAC 224) American foreign policy today. American relations with major allies, the Communist countries and the Third World. Current problems in American foreign policy such as detente, national security, disarmament, the global allocation of resources.

Modern American political thought. Conservatism and liberalism in the American context. The ideologies of the left and the right in contemporary American politics as well as an analysis of their respective constituencies. The role of ideology in American political life.

(Also SOC 230) Human behavior as the interaction of individual and social processes. Recent research on topics such as interpersonal attraction, perception, and small group behavior; analysis of events and environments of current interest.

(Also PSY 230) Human behavior as the interaction of individual and social processes. Recent research on topics such as interpersonal attraction, perception, and small group behavior; analysis of events and environments of current interest.

An introductory survey of the following topics covering a diverse range of species: Sensory/perceptual abilities, communication, learning, mating behavior, parental behavior, kin selection, organization of animal societies, and interactions between species. Laboratory exercises and class demonstrations will be included.

(Also WMS 234) This course examines inequalities in power, privilege, and opportunities, which characterize the structure of most societies. It explores the role of ideology in legitimizing and sustaining unequal treatment due to differences in class, race, ethnicity, and gender. Topics include legal systems and the relation between educational attainment and social mobility.

This course studies cities as physical settings which shape and are shaped by social life, and also the social experiences that such settings produce. The course focuses on cities in history, theories of urbanization, the impact of race, ethnicity, class, and gender on cities, and worldwide urbanization.

This course emphasizes the social reactions perspective, analyzes how people are differentially labeled, the experience of stigma, attempts at neutralization, and explores different social control strategies across time and place.

(Also AFS/LAC/WMS 241) This course examines race, ethnicity, racism, prejudice, discrimination, majority-minority relations, and other intergroup relations from a sociological perspective, paying close attention to the experiences of the major racial/ethnic groups in the United States –American Indians, European Americans, African/Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans.

Analysis of science as a political system competing for resources in the American political arena. The impact of science and technology upon policy making. Science as a political resource in problem solving as well as a political competitor and problem creator.

This course examines the classical and modern theories of crime, analysis of different crimes and criminals and the various responses to them by victims, their families, the media, and society as a whole.

This course examines the classical and modern theories of crime, analysis of different crimes and criminals and the various responses to them by victims, their families, the media, and society as a whole.

Introduction to State and local Government. Topics include the role of states and localities in American Federalism, the rejuvenation of State and Local Authority, budgetary allocation within the political process and the politics of State, local and Federal relations.

Introduction to statistical methods as applied to the behavioral sciences. Emphasis on the basic assumptions underlying statistical concepts, selection of appropriate analyses, and the role of statistics in the analysis and interpretation of quantitative data. Topics include frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and variability, probability and sampling, correlation and regression, and hypothesis testing. Psychology majors can substitute SOC 215 for PSY 245.

(Also WMS 249) From the perspective of the family as the most basic social institution in human society and as a focus of social change, this course discusses the major trends in the past forty years that have called attention to the diversity of American family life. Themes include the family life cycle, couple interaction, subcultural variations, and work-family interaction.

(Also WMS 251) Globalization may be conceptualized as the constellation of transformations and crises with local and global consequences. Global crises are social, economic and political. Driven by networks of power, capital and technology, global processes are changing the structure and meaning of the nation-state, institutions, communities, family, culture and the self worldwide. 

(Also LAC 305) Latinos, or Hispanic Americans, constitute the largest minority in the United States today. Yet, in a society that continues to focus on the Black-White racial divide, Latinos are often ignored. This course explores the experiences of Latinos from a sociological perspective. Topics include immigration trends, the meaning of race in the construction of Hispanic ethnicity, the socioeconomic characteristics of the major Latino groups and issues of citizenship, politics, gender, and religion.

An analysis of violent conflict within the international political system. General theories of conflict, problems of strategy; the consequences of war; the process of conflict resolution.

An introduction to psychological issues in mental health including understanding of the DSM-IV. Issues of diversity in diagnosis, treatment, and research will be addressed.

An in depth analysis of that transitional period known as adolescence. The course will focus on research methodology and current literature in areas such as pubertal changes, cognitive development, academic achievement, identity achievement, sexuality and intimacy. Issues will be viewed through the contexts of development–peers, families, employment, school, and culture.

Approaches to the study of personality including psychoanalytic, developmental, behavioristic and other theories. Emphasis on research design and assessment techniques in the field.