Contact Info:

Course Description and Objectives (see  Outline and Schedule  for more detailed topics):

Whether you get "the news" from the television networks, newspapers, magazines, the internet, or even The Daily Show, you are bombarded with images of a seemingly endless array of social problems. One semester is much too short to even begin to cover all these problems, let alone come up with solutions! This course will, however, help you develop analytical skills needed to think critically about social problems and their potential solutions. You will learn to distinguish among various "common sense," ideological, and analytical approaches, particularly those used by "the media" and by sociologists. After successfully completing this course, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological terminology, theories, and methods used to understand social problems. You will develop your skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making in the process of learning and applying the course material. You will be able to use a sociological imagination to understand your own place and responsibilities in society at this moment in history.

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Explain how social problems are created and defined from a sociological perspective.
2. Describe sociologically significant aspects of selected social problems.
3. Distinguish among the various approaches to analyzing social problems.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of selected social problems in an international context.
5. Analyze the ways in which the political, social, and economic context of social problems assists or inhibits their solution.
6. Demonstrate an ability to think critically about social problems.

Requirements and Grading >