May be applied to Area 3.6 and fulfills state teacher certification requirements. An examination of the processes of class formation and the resulting systems of social stratification in industrial societies. Primary emphasis will be on the class system in the United States and the relationship between social class position and lifestyles. An interdisciplinary approach to basic social science research methods. The course introduces students to the several research methodologies used within the social sciences.
Students participate in all stages of a research project.
An examination of major European and American social theories of the late 19th and 20th centuries, with the goal of students developing not only an appreciation for the ideas of specific great thinkers but also developing skills in thinking theoretically. Theories are tools to be used to enhance our understandings of our own communities and our own lives. Therefore the course emphasizes application of theoretical ideas and development of theoretical skills. Intensive study of a selected topic.