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Sociology Undergraduate Courses

The Purdue Department of Sociology offer an expanse of undergraduate sociology courses ranging in topics of culture, gender, law, stratification and inequalities, religion, health, work, family, just to name a few. The department offers classes in multiple formats to meet all learning styles to include large lecture hall or the intimacy of a smaller, discussion-based seminar where classroom discourse are enhanced.

To achieve the goals of the Undergraduate Program, the Department of Sociology offers a series of sociology courses listed in the following manner:


SOC 100 – Introduction to Sociology

A survey course designed to introduce the student to the scene of human society. Fundamental concepts, description, and analysis of society, culture, the socialization process, social institutions, and social change. Students of junior or senior standing should take SOC 31200, unless they are sociology or law and society majors.

SOC 220 – Social Problems

Contemporary problems at the community, society, and international levels, focusing on patterns of social organization and social change in American society, with concentration on such topics as technological militarism and war, poverty, racism, political protest, and cybernation.

SOC 274 – Social Gerontology

An examination of the basic points of view and a review of the accumulated body of knowledge specific to gerontology. Consideration of the problems of population change, housing, social adjustment, retirement, mobility, family living arrangements, and finances of older people in the United States. Comparison with other countries.

SOC 310 – Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Examines racial and ethnic pluralism in America: ways groups have entered our society; their social and cultural characteristics; and their relationships with other groups. Groups include the English, Germans, Irish, Jews, Chinese, Japanese, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans.

SOC 324 – Criminology

Nature and cause of crime; methods of dealing with adult and juvenile offenders, consideration of present programs for the social treatment of crime in the light of needed changes.

SOC 326 – Social Conflict and Criminal Justice

This course examines the dynamics of social conflict, with a special focus on legal institutions and criminological processes. Students will learn to think more analytically about the causes of social conflict, its dynamics, and strategies for resolution.

SOC 327 – Crime, Deviance and Mass Media

Various forms of mass media are used to explore the sociology of crime and deviance. Topics may include white collar crime, juvenile delinquency, street crime, sexuality and sexual orientation, hate crimes, deviance and community. Assignments include quizzes and short papers.

SOC 328 – Criminal Justice

Introduction to institutionalized responses of society to the problem of crime. Analysis of the administration of justice in each of the major components of the criminal justice system and laws regulating their operations. Some consideration given to comparative criminal justice.

SOC 334 – Urban Sociology

Development of the city and its functions; types of social behavior in cities; influences of city life on personality; city planning

SOC 338 – Global and Social Movements

Explores dynamics of social movements in the world; emphasizes movements in non-western world. Examines emergences of movements, mobilization, tactical actions and consequences, and formal and informal organizations within movements to understand how international, national and local structures affect people.

SOC 339 – Sociology of Global Development

Analysis of the causes and consequences of global development. Topics include: globalization; colonialism and decolonization; food insecurity and dependency; industrialization; poverty and inequality; migration; debt and trade; women’s empowerment; environmentalism; global health; rights and social change; and sustainable development.  

SOC 340 – General Social Psychology

Social influences on the individual and processes of social interaction. Individual attitudes and behavior as related to socialization, social norms, social roles, communication and propaganda, and other social influences. Among the interaction processes considered are interpersonal attraction, influence, leadership, cooperation, and conflict. Not open to students with credit in PSY 24000.

SOC 344 – Environmental Sociology

This course introduces students to the interplay between human societies and environmental problems. The most challenging environmental problems we face are rooted in human activities. Why do some environmental problems come to be viewed as problems and others do not? How did environmental problems come to be viewed differently by different social groups? How do
we motivate the necessary social support to address these problems? Answers to these kinds of questions and others are what we will consider in this class.

SOC 350 – Sociology of the Family

Designed to provide an understanding of contemporary courtship, marriage, and family interaction as cultural, social, and social-psychological phenomena. Consideration of the major sources of marital strain and conflict within a heterogeneous, rapidly changing society.

SOC 352 – Drugs, Culture, and Society

(ANTH 35200) The course provides an overview of the social and cultural underpinnings of drug use across societies. Students engage with various topics, including addiction, global markets, drug epidemics, public policy, and cross-cultural differences in drug use.

SOC 356 – Hate and Violence

Examines the causes of and solutions to hatred and violence. Concepts such as anti-Semitism, discrimination, hate crimes, prejudice, racism, bullying, homosexual prejudice, terrorism and other topics will be addressed. This course uses experiential activities, videos, guest speakers and classroom discussion.

SOC 367 – Religion in America

Examines the social dimensions of religion in American life; religion in American culture; social profiles of America's religious groups, trends in individual religious commitment; and religion's impact on American life.

SOC 368 – The Social Significance of Religion

Examines religion's relationship with family, work, politics, gender, war and peace, race and ethnicity, health, crime and deviance, education, law, and poverty. Content differs each time course is taught.

SOC 374 – Medical Sociology

Provides an overview of the sociological determinants and consequences of health, the patient experience, health care providers, and the organization of the health care system.

SOC 382 – Introduction to Statistics in Sociology

Introduction to the basic techniques of statistical analysis applicable to sociological data. Elementary descriptive statistics and statistical inference. Introduction to multivariate analysis.

SOC 383 – Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology

Introduction to the methods of data collection and analysis and to the use of the scientific method of social research. Formulation of hypotheses and research designs for their testing. Elementary principles for the conduct of experiments, observation and interviewing, documentation, content analysis, and surveys. Relationship between social research and social theory.

SOC 390 – Individual Research in Sociology

Individual research or reading in an area of sociology under the guidance of a sociology faculty member. Permission of instructor required. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.

SOC 391 – Selected Topics in Sociology

Various topics in sociology that may change from semester to semester are presented by sociology faculty members. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.

SOC 402 – Sociological Theory

An advanced critical treatment of the theories, concepts, and methods of sociology. A basic course required of undergraduate majors in sociology.

SOC 411 – Social Stratification

Examination of systems of class and caste, with special attention to the United States; status, occupation, income, and other elements in stratification.

SOC 419 – Sociology of Law

Provides an overview of American legal thought and legal processes. Major topics include definitions of law; anthropological studies of law; and development of law; jurisprudence; police behavior; lawyers and courts; deterrent and labeling effects of legal sanctions.

SOC 421 – Juvenile Delinquency

A study of social and psychological factors influencing individual delinquent behavior patterns. Emphasis on preventive and rehabilitation programs and the role of community agencies such as social service agencies, juvenile courts, and youth authorities. Visits to selected organizations and institutions.

SOC 423 – Field Practicum in Criminal Justice

Field experience in criminal justice system. Students serve as "interns" in a criminal justice agency one day (or its equivalent) per week, under the supervision of agency personnel. Application of theory and empirical research findings to field problems. Permission of instructor required.

SOC 426 – Social Deviance and Crime

Sociological and social psychological study of social control and social deviance. Emphasis on theoretical frameworks and empirical research. Consideration also given to specific areas such as substance abuse, suicide, violence, and deviant collective behavior.

SOC 429 – Sociology of Protests

This course focuses on the sociological study of protest. Topics include protest emergence, individual reasons for participation in protest, and outcomes. Course readings cover protest in the United States as well as other cultural contexts.

SOC 450 – Gender Roles in Modern Society

A critical examination of the complementary roles of men and women, with particular attention to problems of role adjustment in the contemporary United States. The neofeminist movement and counter movements. Role conflicts and adjustments in such areas as family, education, employment, and the political arena.

Digital Criminology Specific Courses


CNIT 15501 - Introduction To Software Development Concepts

This course introduces fundamental software development concepts common to most programming languages. Topics include problem solving and algorithm development, debugging, programming standards, variables, data types, operators, decisions, repetitive structures, modularity, arrays, user interface construction, software testing and debugging. A broad range of examples will be used throughout the course to show how each programming concept applies to real life problems.

CNIT 17600 - Information Technology Architectures

A conceptual and technological survey of information technology architectures inclusive of operating systems, network operating systems, distributed systems architectures, and distributed application architectures. Interoperability between these architectural components is explored. Current technology and trends in each architectural element are reviewed. PC literacy required.

CNIT 18000 - Introduction To Systems Development

This course introduces information systems development. Topics include types of information systems, system development, database management systems, and problem solving. Students will read/create UML, ERD, and data flow diagrams to model information system objects, data, processes, and logic. Labs emphasize modeling and SQL/QBE querying to prepare students for later systems, programming, and database classes. Given user requirements students will design, construct, and test a personal computer information system. PC literacy required.

CNIT 24200 - System Administration

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to system administration. Topics include authentication and authorization, directory services, system management and system security. Emphasis is placed on enterprise level systems.

CNIT 27000 - Cybersecurity Fundamentals

This course introduces cybersecurity fundamentals and concepts. Security models that provide a basis for overarching security solutions are introduced to provide a basis for discussion. Risks and vulnerabilities are examined along with technical controls that can be used to mitigate them. The role of security policy and the incident management framework are examined. Emphasis is placed on building a strong foundation for further study in the field.

CNIT 34400 - Network Engineering Fundamentals

This course presents the foundations and intermediate levels of understanding required to effectively design, implement, and manage today’s networked environments. Details of basic models; network addressing and operations; network protocol interactions; and enterprise-class hardware applications of both wired and wireless networks are provided. Students will gain experience with enterprise-class hardware through laboratory projects and assignments.

CNIT 42000 - Basic Cyber Forensics

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of cyber forensics and cyber-crime scene analysis. The various laws and regulations dealing with computer forensic analysis are discussed. Students are introduced to the emerging international standards for cyber forensic analysis, as well as a formal methodology for conducting computer forensic investigations.

CNIT 42200 - Cyber Criminology

This course examines both the traditional and contemporary forms of cybercrime, including hacking, insider threat, Internet child pornography, cyberbullying, hacktivism, and cyberterrorism. Students will learn how computers can be either the target (e.g., hacking) or the tool (e.g., child pornography) for committing cybercrimes. In addition, this course will apply a variety of sociological, psychological, and criminological theories to help explain, “Why do some people engage in cybercrimes when others do not?” Theories discussed include: social learning theory, space transition theory, routine activity theory, social cognitive theory, techniques of neutralization, and personality characteristics.