Sociology

Foundations and Research

Culture and Social Structure

Socialization and Social Control

Social Inequities and Change

Explain the origins of sociology, the sociological perspective, and how sociology relates to the other social sciences.

Explain the research methodologies used in sociology.

Explain the major theoretical perspectives in sociology.

Explain the development and importance of culture.

Evaluate how cultures evolve over time.

Analyze social structure and interaction within society.

Explain the process of socialization.

Analyze deviance in society.

Analyze the impact of social control on deviance in society.

Analyze the function of social institutions as agents of social control across differing societies and times.

Analyze forms of social inequality.

Analyze social change processes in a society.

Explain sociology, sociological perspective, and the sociological imagination.

Describe the origins of sociology as a social science and the significance of its historical framework.

Explain the relationship of sociology to the other social sciences.

Identify careers where sociological knowledge is applicable.

Identify the major research methods used in sociology.

Explain how various methods are used to conduct research in sociology.

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the methods of sociological research.

Explain the importance and influence of ethics in guiding research and data collection in sociology.

Explain and apply the theoretical perspectives of Structural Functionalism, Symbolic Interaction, and Conflict Theory.

Compare and evaluate the theoretical perspectives of Structural Functionalism, Symbolic Interaction, and Conflict Theory.

Describe how culture is a social construction.

Identify the basic elements of culture.

Explain the importance of culture as an organizing tool in society.

Describe the components of culture to include language, symbols, norms, and values; also include material and non-material culture.

Explain cultural change and diversity include ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, folk culture, pop culture, counterculture, subculture, and culture shock.

Analyze the impact of globalization on U.S. and other world cultures.

Explain the components of social structure, include: status, role and social institutions.

Describe and compare various types of societies.

Categorize groups within a society by comparing primary and secondary groups, in and out groups, reference groups, and social networks.

Analyze the components, varieties, and functions of group dynamics, include: such factors as group size, leadership and authority, and such processes as bystander effect and groupthink.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of formal organizations and bureaucracies.

Identify and describe the roles and responsibilities of an individual in society.

Analyze the individual development theories of Cooley and Mead.

Identify and compare the stages of socialization, include: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and death/dying.

Evaluate the agents of socialization including family, peers, education, media, and religion.

Analyze gender, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic status as contributing factors to individual socialization.

Explain the socially constructed nature of deviance.

Explain the relationship of social control and power in society.

Analyze the causes of deviant behavior.

Explain the impact of deviance on society.

Explain theories of social control, include: control and labeling theories.

Explain conformity in relationship to deviance and social control.

Describe adaptation, cooperation, accommodation, and competition in the context of social control.

Analyze the function of social institutions in society, include: family, education, religion, economy, government/politics, health care, and media.

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various social institutions.

Evaluate other possible social institutions such as sports.

Analyze the functions and inequalities of the criminal justice system in relationship to a society's construct of crime and punishment.

Explain the role of total institutions.

Analyze the re-socialization process.

Explain how unequal distribution of power and resources affects the life chances of individuals in that society.

Analyze the sources and effects of stratification on the basis of social class, race and ethnicity, gender, age, and emotional, mental, and physical disabilities.

Analyze the sources of global stratification and inequality.

Evaluate the impact of global stratification and inequality on global relations.

Describe the various forms of collective behavior as factors of social change.

Explain the impact of globalization on social change.

Evaluate the impact of technology on social change.

Analyze the impact of demographic changes and changes in settlement patterns on a society.