Social Science

SS102 Macroeconomics (3 credits)

This is an introductory course presenting principles and problems of macroeconomics. Major emphasis is given to money and banking, public finance, national income, accounting and analysis, and international economics.

SS103 Microeconomics (3 credits)

This introductory course presents principles and problems of microeconomics. Major emphasis is given to consumption, production, income distribution and economic growth and development.

SS107 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)

This survey course in the study of society introduces students to the perspectives, concepts, and methods used by sociologists to understand the human condition. Topics to be examined include the social process, culture, population, class and caste, mobility, minority groups, social institutions, the family, marriage, religion, economic order, political order, law, crime and punishment, and recreation, with emphasis on modern American society.

SS208 Social Problems (3 credits)

The sociological study of social problems is founded on the belief that something can be done to solve those problems if we study them systematically and then act on our understanding. Sociology – the scientific study of societies and social groups – provides a systematic framework for such study. Sociologists say social problems exist either when there is a significant difference between a society's ideas and its actual achievements, or when a significant number of people believe that a certain condition is in fact a problem. Shifts in values and ideas mean that social problems change over time. This course will use the rich tradition of the sociological perspective for in-depth exploration of selected social problems from four areas: troubled institutions, conformity and deviance, problems of inequality, and problems of a changing world. PR: SS107.

SS210 Sociology of Deviance (3 credits)

Why are some behaviors and people stigmatized and considered deviant while others are not? This course examines theories of social deviance that offer several answers to this question. Rather than focus on the differences among various forms of deviant behavior, we will consider the theoretical usefulness of identifying their similarities. PR: SS107.

SS215 Gender Roles in Society (3 credits)

This course is an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural examination of gender roles in society. The social, cultural, and historical development of modern gender roles will be traced using a broad range of works emphasizing theoretical perspectives and methods from anthropology, sociology, and psychology. Key questions to be considered center on the functions and impact of gender division on society today, as well as the implications of changing gender roles for the future. PR: SS107 or PS101.

SS217 Race and Ethnicity (3 credits)

This course examines race and ethnicity in American life and society. The course is divided into six units: theories, concepts and definitions of race and ethnicity, race relations, social movements, race and class, gender and race, fairness and inequality. Selected topics include immigrant and colonized minorities, the civil rights movement, urban poverty, working class life, and economic policy and justice. PR: SS107.

SS218 Sociology of Marriage & the Family (3 credits)

Contemporary family structures are changing and with these changes come choices and constraints upon the individual. This course will examine marriage and the family from a cross-cultural perspective. Gender roles, sexuality, becoming a couple, parenthood, and relational violence will be among the topics covered. PR: PS101 or SS107.

SS220 Women's Studies (3 credits)

The course will explore which approaches to research and analysis distinguish Women's Studies scholarship from other intellectual and academic projects and whether and how the social location of the researcher is implicated in the subject of the studies. The design of this course is to examine the perspectives of selected disciplines to locate and document the contribution feminist scholarship has made in transforming the disciplines. PR: EN105, 6 credits of HU or SS & sophomore status.

SS303 Global Economics (3 credits)

This course presents an overview of national economic policies that affect the global economy. Emphasis will be on balance of payments, foreign exchange markets, foreign direct investments, and their effect on limiting or stimulating economic development. Students will design scenarios for the implementation of different marketing systems. PR: SS102 or SS103 and junior status.

SS305 Global Issues (3 credits)

The focus of this course will be on major international issues confronting the world today. These include hunger and overpopulation, pollution, global warming, scarce resources, economic competition, immigration and refugees, racism, religious and ethnic conflict, international crime and terrorism, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. PR: HU103 and junior status.

SS309 American Politics (3 credits)

This course is an analysis of partisan politics and elections in the United States, emphasizing the roles of parties, candidates, professional staffs, interest groups, lobbyists, campaign fundraising, the electorate, and the media. The political aspects of legislative processes will also be examined. PR: LW103 or permission of instructor.

PR = prerequisite(s)