This course introduces students to the key principles, methods, concepts, and perspectives regarding the study of sociology. Students will develop a scientific approach to these topics and think sociologically about current events and policy challenges. Topics discussed in this course include structure and agency, major sociological theories, socialization and deviance, as well as a survey of the sub-disciplines of sociology.

This course will introduce students to the key principles, methods, concepts, and perspectives regarding social problems for the United States. Students will develop a sociological and scientific approach to these topics, and will be encouraged to consider, reflect, and challenge widely held views that they hold regarding a variety of social problems. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to describe the interconnectedness of societal social problems and discuss the historical context of local, national, and global social problems.

This class introduces students to contemporary criminal justice institutions and issues in the United States with a particular focus on empowering students to be engaged citizens, locally, nationally, and globally. The factual knowledge and critical thinking skills honed in this course will serve future criminal justice majors as well as students going on to other majors and jobs in all disciplines and fields. We cover the core institutions of criminal justice as well as introducing fields of study such as sociology, criminology, political science, and public policy.

The study of juvenile delinquency draws on the disciplines of criminology, sociology, and childhood development to better understand the social factors and/or structures that contribute to criminality. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, empirical studies, and policy analysis, students will delve into the complexities of the juvenile justice system in the United States, social factors and/or structures that contribute to criminality in young people, and the social and life course implications of deviant behavior.

The growing idea that the U.S. criminal justice system is one of police abuse, mass incarceration, racialized policies, and profiteering has been followed by calls to abolish ICE, defund the police, and close local jails. These policies, once thought radical, have become more mainstream in the last decade. This class builds on students’ understanding of the criminal justice system and past reforms to contextualize research, ideas, and policies surrounding abolition. Students will be asked to think imaginatively to consider what acts should be defined as crimes, alternatives to policing, and the purpose of incarceration.