SOCI500 Social Theory in Action (3 semester hours)
This course integrates classical and contemporary sociological theory through application. Students will explore epistemology, examining theory as a framework for studying society. Students will focus on key sociological theories that apply to their research topic interests.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI501 Professionalism for Sociologists: Ethics, Collaboration, and Career Planning (3 semester hours)
This course explores key professional skills for sociologists. Students examine key ethical issues for social science researchers by learning the position of key sociological professional societies on current social issues. Students learn strategies for developing their professional networks. Students will learn how to manage projects, and create and document collaborative agreements with colleagues. Students will learn to create short and long term career plans. Students will build professional profiles through an online portfolio.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI510 Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sociology (3 semester hours)
This course provides an overview of sociology as a field of study, including the historical development of the discipline. Students are introduced to the three main theoretical perspectives of sociology as well as the terms and concepts related to human behavior in society. An emphasis is placed on the impact of social forces on individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, and societies. Students will discuss social problems, social justice, and social change, as well as how sociologists research social phenomena and how to explore potential career paths in sociology.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI530 Introduction to Design Thinking (3 semester hours)
Organizations and businesses face a changing social landscape in which their products and services are inextricably linked with the needs of the people who create and consume those products and services. Stakeholders looking to innovate and seize opportunity, or needing creative solutions to challenges, must thoughtfully integrate knowledge and tools from different disciplines to strike a balance between what is feasible from the organizational perspective and what is needed from the consumer perspective. For stakeholders facing multifaceted challenges, design thinking is an important process and tool that supports creative innovation and user-focused solutions. Students in this course will become familiar with design thinking as an approach and tool, learning how to apply it to their professional and personal goals.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI531 Applied Design Thinking (3 semester hours)
Design thinking is an approach that helps bridge organizational needs and consumer needs, with deep focus on consumer-driven data that informs innovation and practice. Students learn how to apply design thinking principles through work on case studies as well as application to an issue in their field of study or career. This course focuses on building mixed methods research skills like participant observation, focus groups, interviews, and surveys - to create and test data-informed solutions, and report findings to organizational stakeholders. (Prerequisite: SOCI530)
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI532 Applying Design Thinking to Discipline-specific challenges (3 semester hours)
This course focuses on an applied project related to the student’s major field of study or career path. Integrating knowledge and skills from the other courses in the design thinking graduate certificate will be critical in this course. Students will identify a multi-faceted problem or challenge that they want to address from a design thinking perspective, collect and evaluate stakeholder insights and data, and then design and assess multiple solutions. (Prerequisite: SOCI531)
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI603 Advanced Data Analysis for Social Science (3 semester hours)
This is an intermediate course focused on the use of statistical models used in qualitative and quantitative research design and analysis. Students will assess the validity and reliability of different types of statistical tests. Data will be interpreted using analysis of variance or covariance, multiple linear regression, logistic regression, and factor analysis. Students will develop advanced skills in SPSS to run statistical procedures and interpret output. Students will ask questions of data sets, write-up results in briefs, and develop the skills to critique analysis & findings in peer-reviewed literature. NOTE: Students are required to purchase and use the statistical software, SPSS, to successfully complete this course.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI610 Grant Writing and Fundraising for Social Scientists (3 semester hours)
In this course, students will develop grantsmanship skills specific to social scientists working in academic and public service career fields. Students will learn how to secure funding for competitive research projects. Students will learn to identify appropriate sources of grant funding, tailor their proposals to different funding audiences, write successful grant proposals, manage research budgets, and produce summary presentations and reports for funders. In addition to grant writing, students will explore other fundraising sources and skills for social scientists.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI620 Social Analysis of Education Systems (3 semester hours)
In this course the social aspects of education and the modern school system in the United States will be examined. The sociological perspective will be used as a lens to explore how life opportunities are shaped by experiences in school; how schools reproduce, reinforce, and challenge relationships of inequality in social, economic, and political structures. Students will explore the development of the modern schools system in the United States. Students will examine career opportunities for sociologists in education.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI621 Medical Sociology (3 semester hours)
In this course students will assess disparities in health, illness, and healthcare accessibility and quality through application of sociological theory. Students will identify how social processes shape experiences of health, illness, and reform in the healthcare system. Students will examine the role of sociologists in health related career fields such as healthcare administration, public health, and more.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI690 Independent Study: Sociology (3 semester hours)
This course is an opportunity for sociology students to pursue an independent research project or examine a specific area of sociology under the mentorship of a single professor. Students must complete 24 credits of study before taking this course. The course will typically involve a major research paper. Prior to registering, students should first contact the professor with whom they wish to mentor their independent study, coordinate an agreement on the grading requirements, and then notify their academic advisor with the name of their professor.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.
SOCI698 Sociology Capstone (3 semester hours)
This course provides students with an opportunity to synthesize and articulate knowledge gained during the master’s in sociology program. Students will complete a research project and paper and successfully submit this capstone project to the University’s Library. Students will receive substantial guidance and support from their instructor and classmates throughout the course. NOTE: This course may not be taken until all core courses are COMPLETED and the student has a 3.0 GPA.
View the course schedule to find out details about each course including prerequisites, course objectives, course materials, a snapshot of the syllabi, and session dates.