Through an examination of the family in sociological, historical and crosscultural perspective, students will gain insight into both the diversity of family forms and the ways in which the family is tied into the larger structure of society . This course examines indepth a major issue, problem, or theme in the area of sociology. It includes a specialized research paper or project, involves discussion and oral and written reports, and may include guest speakers and field trips. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, research literature related to the field of the internship, and prepare a substantive report on their internship experience and the studies involved. This course is limited to juniors and seniors and requires the approval of a supervising faculty member and the department chair.
Honors courses provide the opportunity for exceptional achievement.
Instructors use methods and introduce concepts that will challenge the highly motivated student. Often interdisciplinary in approach and sometimes team taught, honors courses typically offer students occasions to extend their learning beyond the classroom. This advanced course examines the determinants and consequences of population processes and structures. Students explore the relevance of population to several social policy issues, including poverty, social security, health care, and the environment. The course uses illustrations from the United States and a variety of developed and developing countries .