University Graduate School 2002-2004 Online Bulletin: Sociology

Graduate Faculty

Distinguished Professors
Karl Schuessler (Emeritus), Sheldon Stryker (Emeritus)

Chancellor's Professors
J. Scott Long, Bernice Pescosolido

The Robert H. Shaffer Class of 1967 Endowed Professor
William Corsaro

Rudy Professors
Thomas Gieryn, David Heise (Emeritus), Pamela Walters

Professors
Robert Althauser, Phillips Cutright (Emeritus), Donna Eder, Maurice Garnier, Allen Grimshaw (Emeritus), Elton Jackson (Emeritus), Whitney Pope (Emeritus), Brian Powell, Martin Weinberg, Frank Westie (Emeritus), James Wood (Emeritus), David Zaret

Associate Professors
Clem Brooks, Laurel Cornell, Pamela Jackson, David James, Jane McLeod, Eliza Pavalko, Leah K. VanWey*

Assistant Professors
Arthur Alderson*, Elizabeth Armstrong*, Jason Jimerson*, Patricia McManus*, Leah K. VanWey*

Adjunct Professors
Kirsten Gronbjerg (SPEA), Jorge Chapa (Latino Studies)

Adjunct Associate Professor
Daniel Clark* (Medicine, Indianapolis)

Adjunct Assistant Professor
David Reingold* (SPEA)

Director of Graduate Studies
Professor Eliza Pavalko, Ballantine Hall 756, (812) 855-7629

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy

Special Departmental Requirements

See also general University Graduate School requirements.

Master of Arts Degree

Admission Requirements
Fifteen (15) credit hours in sociology with a 3.3 (B+) grade point average (may be waived for students with a strong undergraduate record in another field); satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test; three letters of recommendation.

Course Requirements
A total of 30 credit hours, including 6 credit hours of the Sociological Research Practicum (S566 and either S567 or S569), S554, and either S510 or S530. An introductory undergraduate statistics course, such as S371, is a prerequisite for S554.

Grades
Students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.3 (B+) in all course work. No grade below B- in sociology courses will be counted toward this degree.

Essay
The essay requirement is fulfilled by enrollment and participation in S566 and either S567 or S569 and preparation of an acceptable research paper.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Admission Requirements
Completion of the M.A. degree (or equivalent training) in sociology at a recognized institution with a grade point average of 3.3 (B+) or higher (students with a master's degree in a related field may be admitted, but may be required to remove deficiencies); three letters of recommendation; and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test.

Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, consisting of no fewer than 60 credit hours of course work (including the 30 credit hours counting toward the M.A.) and up to 30 credit hours of dissertation research (S869). The required courses are those specified for the M.A. (including both S510 and S530), S540, S558, S650, one advanced methodology course, three 600-level courses, one 700-level seminar, and two elective courses.

Grades
Students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.3 (B+) in all course work. No grade below B- in sociology courses will be counted toward this degree.

Outside Minor
Required (usually 9-15 credit hours); may be chosen from African studies, Afro-American studies, anthropology, Asian studies, business, cultural studies, economics, education, gender studies, geography, history, history and philosophy of science, human sexuality, Latin American and Caribbean studies, law, linguistics, mathematics, political science, population studies, psychology, religious studies, or West European studies. A field not listed may be chosen with approval of the director of graduate studies.

Qualifying Examinations
All doctoral students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in sociological methods either by achieving a GPA of 3.3 (B+) or above in the required statistics and methods course sequence (S554, S558, S650, one advanced methods course), or by passing a doctoral examination in methodology. In addition, students must pass a written qualifying exam in a research specialty of their choosing. This qualifying exam is to be completed by the start of the student's fourth year in the graduate program.

Dissertation Proposal
Students must pass an oral defense of their dissertation proposal.

Final Examination
Oral defense of the dissertation.

Ph.D. Minor in Sociology
Students from other departments or schools who wish to minor in sociology should consult with the director of graduate studies, who will ordinarily serve as the minor advisor. Students will be required to complete 12 credit hours of course work; these courses must be completed with a grade point average of at least 3.0 (B). No more than one course should be taken below the 500 level. These requirements may be modified in particular cases by the director of graduate studies.

400-Level
500-Level
600-Level
700-Level
Graduate

Courses

400-Level

Courses in the 400s listed here are open to graduate students with the prior approval of the director of graduate studies in sociology and the course instructor.

S409 Social Context of Schooling (3 cr.)

S410 Topics in Social Organization (3 cr.)

S413 Gender and Society (3 cr.)

S417 Conversation Analysis (3 cr.)

S419 Social Movements and Collective Action (3 cr.)

S420 Topics in Deviance (3 cr.)¹

S427 Social Conflict (3 cr.)

S433 Adult Socialization (3 cr.)

S435 Social Psychology of the Self (3 cr.)

S438 Childhood Socialization (3 cr.)

S441 Topics in Social Theory (3 cr.)

S450 Topics in Methods and Measurement (3 cr.)

500-Level

S500 Proseminar in Sociology (1 cr.) Introduction to current sociological research interests and concerns through the work of departmental members. May be repeated for credit. S/F grading.

S506 Teaching of Undergraduate Sociology (3 cr.) Required of all associate instructors. S/F grading.

S510 Introduction to Social Organization (3 cr.) R: one course in sociology. Concepts, perspectives, and theories relevant to the analysis of all social organizations or social systems. Emphasizes both dynamic processes and structural forms, including social roles and interaction, patterns of social ordering, effects of culture, and social systems analysis. Examines both classic and contemporary literature.

S530 Introduction to Social Psychology (3 cr.) R: one course in sociology. Examines the broad range of work in social psychology. Emphasis is placed on the relation between the classic and contemporary literature in the field.

S540 Sociological Theory (3 cr.) A rigorous examination of a representative set of theoretical products, with the objective of understanding the basic structure and meaning of each and simultaneously learning about the creation of theory.

S554 Statistical Techniques in Sociology I (3 cr.) P: S371 or consent of instructor. Statistical analysis of single and multiple equation models with continuous dependent variables. May include techniques such as bivariate and multivariate regression, recursive and nonrecursive structural equation models.

S558 Advanced Research Techniques (3 cr.) The logic of analysis, including development of research questions, relationships between theory and evidence, research design, sampling, data collection strategies, reliability and validity, measurement, analysis, and drawing conclusions. Also includes an overview of data collection techniques such as surveys, interviews, field methods, and the use of archival and secondary data.

S560 Topics in Sociology (3 cr.) Selected topics in social organization and social psychology, including but not limited to the sociologies of work, sex roles, education, mental illness, science, sociolinguistics, socialization, deviance, sexual patterns and variations, and small group processes.

S566-S567 Sociological Research Practicum I-II (1-3; 1-3 cr.) Participation in all aspects of a sociological research project, including conceptualization and design, data collection, analysis, and report writing. Both may be repeated for credit.

S569 M.A. Thesis (3 cr.)*

600-Level

S606 Sociological Issues in College Pedagogy (3 cr.) Introduction to topics such as learning theory, learning and teaching styles, and cognitive development. Focuses on assessment and practice of teaching, challenges to higher education, ethics, and professional responsibility.

S610 Urban Sociology (3 cr.) Historical and contemporary causes, trends, and patterns of urbanization throughout the world. Various approaches to studying the process of urbanization, including ecological, social organizational, and political perspectives. Current developments and problems in urban planning.

S612 Political Sociology (3 cr.) Possible topics include: experimental studies of power relationships, political socialization, political attitudes, political participation, voting behavior, decision-making processes, theories of social power, organizational power systems and structures, the state as a social institution, and political movements.

S613 Complex Organizations (3 cr.) Theory and research in formal organizations: industry, school, church, hospital, government, military, and university. Problems of bureaucracy and decision making in large-scale organizations. For students in the social sciences and professional schools interested in the comparative approach to problems of organization and their management.

S615 Problems in Demography and Ecology (3 cr.) Sociological aspects of theories relating human beings and ecological environment. Selected topics, ranging from fertility and population change to community planning and urbanism in underdeveloped areas as well as Western cultures.

S616 Sociology of Family Systems (3 cr.) Focus on the nature, structure, functions, and changes of family systems in modern and emerging societies, in comparative and historical perspective. Attention is given to relationships with other societal subsystems, and to interaction between role occupants within and between subsystems.

S617 Social Stratification (3 cr.) Nature of social stratification; comparison of caste, estate-class, and open-class systems; theories of stratification; characteristics of local and national stratification systems; comparative analysis of stratification systems in various parts of the world; social circulation, changes in stratification structure.

S618 Sociology of Religion and Ideology (3 cr.) The nature of beliefs and value systems and their institutional arrangements, with specific attention to the interrelationship of these systems to the larger social structure, in cross-cultural and historical perspective.

S620 Deviance and Social Control (3 cr.) Current theories of genesis, distribution, and control of deviant behavior. Theories about specific forms of deviant behavior, e.g., crime, suicide, and alcoholism, examined from standpoint of their implications for a comprehensive, general theory of deviant behavior.

S621 Theory and Research in Human Sexuality (3 cr.) A critical examination of sociological theory and research in the area of human sexuality. Historical and contemporary work will be considered.

S631 Intergroup Relations (3 cr.) Topics include nature of prejudice, theories of prejudice, psychology of attitudes related to intergroup relations, critique and evaluation of current research of majority-minority relations, and formulation of research designs.

S632 Socialization (3 cr.) The processes of development of the individual as a social being and societal member, focusing on childhood or socialization into adult roles.

S633 Social Interaction: Interpersonal Relations (3 cr.) Focuses on social interaction processes. Topics include interpersonal perception, verbal and nonverbal communication, the presentation of self, ecological determinants of interaction, the structure of interactions, social exchange, and stable interaction systems (relationships).

S640 Advanced Topics in Sociological Theory (3 cr.) Historical development of sociological theory in Europe and the United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with emphasis on contrasting schools of theoretical thought.

S647 Social Change (3 cr.) Contemporary theories of social change, analysis of modernization processes such as industrialization and urbanization, examination of current social movements, and models of future societies.

S649 Theory Construction (3 cr.) Analysis of the types and structures of formal theory in sociology. Examination of the specific practices of theory construction.

S650 Statistical Techniques in Sociology II (3 cr.) P: S554 or consent of instructor. Statistical analysis of models with noncontinuous dependent variables. May include techniques such as logit and probit analysis, log-linear models, censoring, and sample selection models.

S651 Topics in Quantitative Sociology (3 cr.) P: S554, S650. Statistical analysis in social research; selected topics.

S652 Topics in Qualitative Methods (3 cr.) Selected topics in qualitative data collection and analysis. Various topics which could be covered in a given semester include audiovisual recording in natural settings, comparative/cross-cultural methods, content analysis, ethnographic methods, historical sociology, and intensive interviews and case studies.

S655 Experimental Methods in Sociology (3 cr.) Analysis of laboratory experiments; problems in experimentation; practice in conducting experiments.

S656 Mathematical Applications in Sociology (3 cr.) P: S650. Mathematical description of social systems and processes; computer simulation; mathematics and sociological theory.

S657 Community Power, Politics, and Decision Making (3 cr.) Cross-disciplinary perspectives on community influence structures, governmental forms, and the local and national processes generating community public policies. Research strategies appropriate to the study of these issues.

S658 Selected Problems in Cross-Cultural Sociological Research (3 cr.) Problems of research in different cultural settings. Adaptation of standard sociological techniques, development of research designs, administration of research in situations of limited resources.

S659 Qualitative Methods in Sociology (3 cr.) P: S558 or permission of instructor. Methods of obtaining, evaluating, and analyzing qualitative data in social research. Methods covered include field research procedures, participant observation, interviewing, and audio-video recording of social behavior in natural settings.

S660 Advanced Topics (2-6 cr.) Topics announced when course is to be offered.

700-Level

All 700-level courses are research seminars. Topics vary each term.

S700 Topical Seminar (3-12 cr.)

S706 Sociological Research in Higher Education (3 cr.)

S710 Social Organization I (3-6 cr.)

S711 Social Organization II (1-6 cr.)

S720 Deviance and Control I (3-6 cr.)

S721 Deviance and Control II (3-6 cr.)

S730 Social Psychology I (3-6 cr.)

S731 Social Psychology II (3-6 cr.)

S740 Sociological Theory I (3-6 cr.)

S741 Sociological Theory II (3-6 cr.)

S750 Sociological Methods I (3-6 cr.)

S751 Sociological Methods II (3-6 cr.)

S864 Readings in Sociology (cr. arr.)* Individual assignments.

S866 Research in Sociology (cr. arr.)*

S869 Ph.D. Thesis (cr. arr.)*

G901 Advanced Graduate Research (6 cr.)

Graduate

G591 Methods of Population Analysis and Their Applications (3 cr.) A course in statistics. Techniques of measuring and analyzing population size and trends, fertility and mortality patterns, migration flows. Population estimates and projections. Major models of formal demography.

Indianapolis Program

School of Liberal Arts Indianapolis

Chairperson
Associate Professor David A. Ford

Professors
Robert Aponte, David Ford, Carol Gardner, William Gronfein, Ain Haas, David Moller, Timothy Owens, Robert White, Patricia Wittberg

Assistant Professors
Wan-Ning Bao, Jay Howard, Eric Wright

Adjunct Professors
Professor J. Herman Blake, Assistant Professor Elfriede Wedam

Lecturer
James Hunter

Academic Advising
Cavanaugh Hall 303, (317) 274-8981

Return to Indianapolis Program

Graduate Courses

S500 Proseminar in Sociology (1 cr.) P: graduate standing and/or consent of the instructor. Introduction to current sociological research interests and concerns through the work of departmental members.

R515 Sociology of Health and Illness (3 cr.) Surveys important areas of medical sociology, focusing on social factors influencing the distribution of disease, help-seeking, and health care. Topics covered include social epidemiology, the health-care professions, socialization of providers, and issues of cost and cost containment.

R525 Gender and Work (3 cr.) P: graduate standing and 6 credit hours of sociology, or consent of the instructor. This course explores the historical and contemporary trends in women's paid and unpaid work, and the causes and consequences of sex segregation in the labor force and in the home. An emphasis will be placed on understanding and critically analyzing contemporary theory and research on the subject.

S526 The Sociology of Human Sexuality (3 cr.) P: graduate standing and consent of the instructor. This is a one-semester graduate-level course in the sociology of human sexuality. This course will provide (a) a detailed examination of the development of sex research, (b) a sociological perspective on and critique of this corpus, and (c) an opportunity for students to develop research of their own.

R530 Families and Social Policy (3 cr.) P: R100, R220, graduate standing. This seminar will explore how the government and labor market affect family structure and the quality of family life. Students will study the implications of family research for social policy and learn to develop theoretical frameworks for evaluating social policies affecting families.

S530 Introduction to Social Psychology (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. Examines the broad range of work in social psychology. Emphasis is placed on the relation between the classic and contemporary literature in the field.

R551 Sociological Research Methods (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. This course surveys the major techniques for investigating current sociological problems. It emphasizes the relationship between theory and practice in understanding and conducting research. Although methods intended for rigorous hypothesis-testing through quantitative analysis will be of major concern, the course will also examine issues in field research essential to a full understanding of a research problem.

R556 Advanced Sociological Theory I: The Classical Tradition (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. This is the first part of a two-semester graduate course in contemporary sociological theory and theory construction. The first semester will involve the student in detailed study and analysis of sociologists belonging to the positivist tradition in sociology. Students will be expected to comprehend contemporary sociology in terms of its historical roots and to demonstrate their understanding of theory construction.

R557 Advanced Sociological Theory II: The Modern Tradition (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. Reading and exercises will involve the student in close analysis and criticism of sociologists belonging to the idealist tradition of sociology. In this second part of a two-semester course in theory and theory construction in sociology, students will be required to demonstrate their mastery of the theorists studied, as well as to demonstrate their own abilities in theory design and construction.

R559 Intermediate Sociological Statistics (3 cr.) P: R359 or equivalent. Basic techniques for summarizing distributions, measuring interrelationships, controlling extraneous influences, and testing hypotheses are reviewed, as students become familiar with the computer system. Complex analytical techniques commonly applied in professional literature are examined in detail, including analysis of variance, path diagrams, factor analysis, and log-linear models.

R585 Social Aspects of Mental Health and Mental Illness (3 cr.) This is a graduate-level course which focuses on the sociology of mental illness and mental health. Provides a thorough grounding in the research issues and traditions that have characterized scholarly inquiry into mental illness in the past. Students will become familiar with public policy as it has had an impact on the treatment of mental illness and on the mentally ill themselves.

R593 Applied Fieldwork for Sociologists (3 cr.) This course will provide students with both a theoretical and methodological background in the different types of qualitative analysis used in sociological fieldwork. Students will have the opportunity to study and to evaluate representative examples of qualitative studies and to complete by themselves a project done with qualitative methods.

S610 Urban Sociology (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. Historical and contemporary causes, trends, and patterns of urbanization throughout the world. Various approaches to studying the process of urbanization, including ecological, social organizational, and political perspectives. Current developments and problems in urban planning.

S612 Political Sociology (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. An analysis of the nature and operation of power in a political system. Topics may include classical theories of power, political behavior and campaigns, the role of mass media in sustaining power, the state as a social institution, and political movements.

S613 Complex Organizations (3 cr.) Theory and research in formal organizations: industry, school, church, hospital, government, military, and university. Problems of bureaucracy and decision-making in large-scale organizations. For students in the social sciences and professional schools interested in the comparative approach to problems of organization and their management.

S616 Sociology of Family Systems (3 cr.) P: graduate standing or consent of the instructor. Focus on the nature, structure, functions, and changes of family systems in modern and emerging societies, in comparative and historical perspective. Attention is given to relationships with other societal subsystems, and to interaction between role occupants within and between subsystems.