Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Mission Statement
The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice prepares students to apply knowledge of social behavior and criminal justice, and critical analysis of social problems, to promote the equitable application of the law for all people and become ethical Christian leaders in public and private organizations that intend to make communities safer. The department provides an academically rigorous focus within a liberal arts education, developing sociology and criminal justice professionals who embody Christian social justice perspectives.
About the Department
Sociology and criminal justice go hand in hand in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of social behavior and crime and societal responses to it. The department fosters an environment of inquiry, innovation, and lifelong learning in which students learn to recognize, critically examine, and solve social problems related to crime and criminal behavior. By examining the policies and systems designed to control criminality, students learn the sociopolitical context of crime and explore the historical and contemporary theories of violent and antisocial behavior. In addition to learning academic theories and analyzing sociological and criminal justice practices, students develop practical skills such as writing for sociology and criminal justice audiences, locating relevant laws and regulations, and understanding courtroom procedures.
The department provides foundational courses for understanding contemporary sociological and criminological theory and criminal justice practice, with scholarly appraisal of social behaviors, law enforcement, ethnic and class divisions, the courts, and corrections. The department also offers elective courses that encourage the reflection, critical thinking, and ethical decision making essential to becoming responsible practitioners and leaders in the sociology and criminal justice fields.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the sociology and criminal justice programs are prepared to enter a broad range of career paths and/or graduate study in the sociology and criminal justice fields, including social science research, criminology/criminal justice, forensic psychology, education, social work, forensic science, and law.
CJ 110, Introduction to Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course will provide an overview of the field of criminology/criminal justice as an academic discipline. The academic discipline of criminal justice involves the scientific study of theoretical perspectives on crime and justice. In this course students will consider the respective roles of law, rehabilitation, public health, morality, and justice in the study of why crime occurs, how society responds to crime, and the scientific methods criminologists use to measure the extent of crime. The people who commit crime, the crimes they commit, and society's response to those actions cannot be fully understood outside the context of the larger criminal justice system, how it operates, the differential treatment of certain racial/ethnic groups, and the systems necessity in society. These issues are discussed throughout this course. Meets the APU Core: Social Science general education requirement.
CJ 200, Criminal Justice, Civic Engagement, and Social Responsibility, 3 Units
This course provides an experiential introduction to the criminal justice system. Ethics, justice, and poor relations between criminal justice professionals and community members are issues every 21st-century criminal justice professional must be prepared to address. In this course, students explore types of civic engagement in a democracy as it relates to the criminal justice system, and organize community forums to address issues in policing, the courts, and the reintegration of offenders into the community.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 220, Police and Society, 3 Units
This course provides an introduction to the history of policing and examination of major trends in contemporary law enforcement. By comparing community policing, problem-oriented policing, evidence-based policing and many others, students will identify the legal framework of policing and administration of police work. This course also includes an in-depth examination of police behavior, police discretion, and societal attitudes towards law enforcement.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 240, Introduction to Corrections: Jails and Prisons, 3 Units
Prisons are total institutions that exert control over inmates' daily lives. This course provides an in-depth introduction to the historical evolution and current state of incarceration and detention in the United States. By focusing on the theories and ideologies informing punitive practices, the goals of deterrence, rehabilitation, and incapacitation will be explored. Students will take a critical look at life in prison by exploring how incarceration affects the inmate and the potential consequences for society. Special emphasis is given to current controversies in jail and prison policy, such as overcrowding and violence.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 250, Juvenile Justice, 3 Units
This course is designed to familiarize students with the juvenile justice system. This course will educate students on: types of delinquency, causes of delinquency (why a minor would engage in delinquent behavior), gang culture, social problems contributing to delinquency, law enforcement agencies that address delinquency, court proceedings and courts orders. Interventions that can be utilized with children who engage in delinquency and prevention programs that reduce the risk factors contributing to delinquency will also be discussed.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 251, Criminal Law, 3 Units
A study of the principles and doctrines embodied in the criminal law. Topics such as substantive crimes, justification, complicity and liability, causation, and inchoate crimes will be explored and emphasized.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 255, The Criminalization of Youth, 3 Units
This course explores the criminalization of youth and its effects in today's society. The criminalization of youth refers to the myriad ways in which youth in the U.S. are ignored, mistreated, or otherwise excluded and incarcerated by society long before they are sentenced to time behind bars. The study of the criminalization of youth seeks to investigate U.S. systems and structures that treat young people like criminals, police their bodies, and hold young people accountable for larger systemic and institutional failures. The course begins with an investigation of the overpolicing of young people, especially young people of color, in communities and schools. Then, by examining these issues, students search for possible alternatives to the criminalization of youth.
Prerequisite: CJ 250
CJ 280, American Court System, 3 Units
This course provides an analysis of the structure, process, and personnel involved in the American Court system. By examining both state and federal courts, students will be exposed to the relationship between the judiciary and other criminal justice functions. Special emphasis is given to current court reform programs and the role of technology in the court room.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 310, Criminological Theories, 3 Units
Students in this course identify different perspectives on crime causation and critically assess why people commit crimes. Course material includes the ideas, worldviews, and theories common to criminal justice professions regarding criminal motivation, what is considered a criminal act, how those acts should be handled, and the role of professionals in the criminal justice system.
CJ 340, Victimology, 3 Units
This course provides advanced study and critical appraisal of the theories and recent research on victims of crime. This analysis focuses on the physical, emotional, and financial harm people suffer because of criminal activities, and the role of the victim in the criminal justice system. By exploring the relationships between the offender, the victim, and the criminal justice system, students gain a greater understanding of the frequently forgotten victims of crime. Course material also covers the programs and policies that have resulted from society's increasing concern about the rights of victims.
CJ 350, Race, Ethnicity and Crime, 3 Units
Race, and companion factors such as race, ethnicity, social economic class (SES), gender and age are critical factors in the administration of criminal justice in the US. This course critically examines race, ethnicity and SES within the U.S. criminal justice system. The course will provide an overview of the history and background of the experiences of different racial and ethnic groups with different facets of the criminal justice system (policing, juvenile justice, sentencing, courts, etc.). This course will also introduce students to theories about the treatment of the poor compared to the non-poor in criminal offending; and will examine theoretical issues of race and justice. Empirical understandings of the intersectional relationship between race, class and gender and the criminal justice system will also be discussed.
Prerequisite: CJ 310
CJ 351, Criminal Procedure, 3 Units
This course offers a study of specific criminal procedural concepts, such as the right to counsel, exclusionary rule, search warrants, permissible warrantless searches, stop and frisk, entrapment, wiretapping, confessions, lineups, jury selection, voir dire, negotiated pleas, and postconviction relief.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 355, Gender and Crime, 3 Units
Students in this course explore the intersection between gender (with special focus on women) and crime, addressing such topics as gender differences in offending, theoretical explanations for female offending, the social construction of offending, women as victims of crime and violence, the sexualization and criminalization of women's bodies, women's experiences with prison and the criminal justice system, and women working in criminal justice fields.
Prerequisite: CJ 110 and junior or senior standing.
CJ 361, Research Methods and Design, 3 Units
This course offers an in-depth exploration of research methods and design principles in the field of criminal justice. Students learn to critically evaluate and conduct research by examining key methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Topics include research ethics, data collection techniques, survey design, sampling strategies, and statistical analysis. Through hands-on projects and case studies, students gain experience in designing research studies, formulating hypotheses, analyzing data, and presenting findings effectively. Emphasis is on applying research to address real-world issues in criminal justice, such as crime prevention, policy evaluation, and justice system reform. By the end of this course, students are equipped to develop evidence-based solutions and contribute to informed decision-making in criminal justice and policy.
Prerequisite: C or better in WRIT 110; MATH 115 or MATH 130; and CJ 110
CJ 362, Criminal Justice Research Design, 3 Units
The course focuses on the nature, purpose, and value of doing and communicating research in the field of criminal justice. Material builds on students' understanding of research methods (as learned in WRIT 262) and focuses on teaching students basic concepts and tools for designing a research project, collecting and analyzing data, and writing for an academic and professional audience. Students develop and conduct a methodologically sound empirical research project and craft a well-written scholarly research paper that communicates their research and findings.
Prerequisite: WRIT 262 and a minimum of 90 units.
CJ 375, The Politics of Crime and Punishment, 3 Units
What types of political decisions lead to some communities being more policed than others? What is the relationship between descriptive representation in state and local government institutions and criminal justice outcomes? How does contact with the criminal justice system affect individuals' future political participation? Students in this course explore the relationship between politics and crime and punishment, reviewing literature focused on political behavior and political institutions to better understand the phenomena we hear about in the news, from sentencing algorithms and felony (dis)enfranchisement to stop-and-frisk and police use of force. Students examine why debates in this area are so often focused on urban environments, and what it is about cities that makes us associate them with crime. This course does not-nor could in one semester-provide a comprehensive review of any of the literature it covers, but it does provide students with the necessary foundation to engage in current debates and identifies where to look for more information.
CJ 395, Sex Crimes, 3 Units
This course focuses on sex crimes, sex offenders, the criminal justice system response, and policy, and begins with an overview of the types of sex crimes that occur, and their prevalence. Criminological theories and theories specific to sex offending are identified. Three broad types of sex crimes are assessed: (1) rape, (2) child sexual abuse, and (3) child pornography. An emphasis is placed on typologies, which emphasize the heterogeneity that exists among sex offenders. Attention is also given to specialized groups of sex offenders: (1) juvenile sex offenders, (2) female sex offenders, and (3) those who sexually abuse in the context of an institution (school, church, daycare, etc.). Recent trends in investigation strategies, assessment tools, treatment approaches, and legal responses are reviewed and discussed. Students have the opportunity to explore problems with current trends and discuss related issues. Emphasis is placed on critical research disputing commonly held myths regarding this population of offenders.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 450, Forensic Psychology for Criminal Justice Professionals, 3 Units
This course provides an in-depth introduction to the science of psychology applied to the criminal justice system. Students explore the psychological principles related to eyewitness testimony, lineups, police interrogations, jury decision making, competence, insanity, and future dangerousness. Special emphasis is given to current research findings in forensic psychology.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 460, Criminal Justice Internship, 3 Units
The purpose of the internship program is to provide advanced student majors with practical experience working in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Classroom time focuses on processing your learning in the field, addressing any questions, challenges or concerns regarding the experience, and facilitating thinking about professional and graduate work in related fields. As such, classroom time is spent in a small group facilitated discussion format. Students in this course will apply their learning experience practically within a criminal justice professional setting. Class assignments will assist students in looking at different professional experiences from the lens of multiple criminal justice professionals (e.g. law enforcement officers, prosecutors/defense attorneys, probation officers, etc.). Additionally, this allows students to make contact with professionals who might later serve as references or points of contact, and it also allows students to gain actual experience which can be included on a resume or job application.
Prerequisite: Criminal Justice Majors Junior or Senior status.
CJ 494, Senior Capstone in Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course gives students experience working in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Classroom time focuses on processing students' field learning; addressing questions, challenges, or concerns regarding their experiences; and facilitating thinking about professional and graduate work in related fields. Class assignments help students view professional experiences through the lenses of multiple criminal justice professionals (e.g., law enforcement officers, prosecutors/defense attorneys, probation officers, etc.). Students also network with criminal justice professionals; and participate in seminar-style lectures about how to succeed in criminal justice organizations and beyond.
Prerequisite: CJ 310, CJ 340, CJ 350, and a minimum of 90 units.
CJ 495, Special Topics in Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course addresses topics of current interest in criminal justice not covered by the core and elective courses. Topics vary from semester to semester and may reflect new issues in the criminal justice system, theories, or faculty research interests in the field. This course may be taken more than once as topics change.
Prerequisite: CJ 110
CJ 496, Senior Capstone in Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course provides students an opportunity to combine their learning experience from multiple courses in criminal justice into a research project that demonstrates their learning. This course will focus on writing instruction for students entering criminal justice professions. Students will expound on a contemporary issue in criminal justice and present their findings to professionals in the criminal justice field.
Prerequisite: WRIT 262 and a minimum of 90 units
PRCJ 110, Intro to Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course provides an overview of the field of criminology/criminal justice as an academic discipline involving the scientific study of theoretical perspectives on crime and justice. Students consider the respective roles of law, rehabilitation, public health, morality, and justice in the study of why crime occurs, how society responds to crime, and the scientific methods criminologists use to measure the extent of crime. The people who commit crime, the crimes they commit, and society's response to those actions cannot be fully understood outside the context of the larger criminal justice system, how it operates, the differential treatment of certain racial/ethnic groups, and the system's necessity in society, and these issues are discussed throughout this course. Meets the APU Core: Social Science general education requirement.
PRCJ 200, Criminal Justice, Civic Engagement, and Social Responsibility, 3 Units
This course provides an experiential introduction to the criminal justice system. Ethics, justice, and poor relations between criminal justice professionals and community members are issues every 21st-century criminal justice professional must be prepared to address. In this course, students explore types of civic engagement in a democracy as it relates to the criminal justice system, and organize community forums to address issues in policing, the courts, and the reintegration of offenders into the community.
Prerequisite: PRCJ 110
PRCJ 220, Police and Society, 3 Units
This course introduces students to the history of policing and examines major trends in contemporary law enforcement. By comparing community policing, problem-oriented policing, evidence-based policing, and other types, students identify the legal framework of policing and administration of police work. This course also includes an in-depth examination of police behavior, police discretion, and societal attitudes toward law enforcement.
PRCJ 240, Introduction to Corrections: Jails and Prisons, 3 Units
Prisons are total institutions that exert control over inmates' daily lives, and this course provides an in-depth introduction to the historical evolution and current state of incarceration and detention in the United States. By focusing on the theories and ideologies informing punitive practices, the goals of deterrence, rehabilitation, and incapacitation are explored. Students take a critical look at life in prison, exploring how incarceration affects inmates and the potential consequences for society. Special emphasis is given to current controversies in jail and prison policy, such as overcrowding and violence.
PRCJ 250, Juvenile Justice, 3 Units
This course familiarizes students with the juvenile justice system, including types of delinquency, causes of delinquency (why a minor would engage in delinquent behavior), gang culture, social problems contributing to delinquency, law enforcement agencies that address delinquency, court proceedings, and court orders. Course material also addresses interventions that can be utilized with children who engage in delinquency, and prevention programs that reduce the risk factors contributing to delinquency.
PRCJ 251, Criminal Law, 3 Units
This course introduces students to the concepts of criminal law, including history and development, constitutional limitations on crimes and punishment, principles of criminal liability, criminal defenses, inchoate crimes, and elements of crimes against persons, property, and habitation.
PRCJ 255, The Criminalization of Youth, 3 Units
This course explores the criminalization of youth and its effects in today's society. The criminalization of youth refers to the myriad ways in which youth in the U.S. are ignored, mistreated, or otherwise excluded and incarcerated by society long before they are sentenced to time behind bars. The study of the criminalization of youth seeks to investigate U.S. systems and structures that treat young people like criminals, police their bodies, and hold young people accountable for larger systemic and institutional failures. The course begins with an investigation of the overpolicing of young people, especially young people of color, in communities and schools. Then, by examining these issues, students search for possible alternatives to the criminalization of youth.
Prerequisite: PRCJ 250
PRCJ 280, The American Court System, 3 Units
Students in this course analyze the structure, process, and personnel involved in the American court system. By examining state and federal courts, students discover the relationship between the judiciary and other criminal justice functions. Special emphasis is given to current court reform programs and the role of technology in the courtroom.
PRCJ 310, Criminological Theories, 3 Units
Students in this course identify different perspectives on crime causation and critically assess why people commit crimes. Course material includes the ideas, worldviews, and theories common to criminal justice professions regarding criminal motivation, what is considered a criminal act, how those acts should be handled, and the role of professionals in the criminal justice system.
PRCJ 340, Victimology, 3 Units
This course provides advanced study and critical appraisal of the theories and recent research on victims of crime. This analysis focuses on the physical, emotional, and financial harm people suffer because of criminal activities, and the role of the victim in the criminal justice system. By exploring the relationships between the offender, the victim, and the criminal justice system, students gain a greater understanding of the frequently forgotten victims of crime. Course material also covers the programs and policies that have resulted from society's increasing concern about the rights of victims.
PRCJ 350, Race, Ethnicity, and Crime, 3 Units
Race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, gender, and age are critical factors in the administration of criminal justice in the United States. Students in this course critically examine race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class within the U.S. criminal justice system as they explore the experiences of different racial and ethnic groups with different facets of the criminal justice system (e.g., policing, juvenile justice, sentencing, courts, etc.). Course material also introduces theories about the treatment of the poor compared to that of the nonpoor in criminal offending, and students examine theoretical issues of race and justice. Empirical understandings of the relationship between race, class, and gender and the criminal justice system are also discussed.
PRCJ 351, Criminal Procedure, 3 Units
Students in this course study specific criminal procedural concepts, such as the right to counsel, exclusionary rule, search warrants, permissible warrantless searches, stop and frisk, entrapment, wiretapping, confessions, lineups, jury selection, voir dire, negotiated pleas, and postconviction relief.
Prerequisite: PRCJ 110 or instructor consent.
PRCJ 355, Gender and Crime, 3 Units
Students in this course explore the intersection between gender (with special focus on women) and crime. Topics include gender differences in offending, theoretical explanations for female offending, the social construction of offending, women as victims of crime and violence, the sexualization and criminalization of women's bodies, women's experiences with prison and the criminal justice system, and women working in criminal justice fields.
PRCJ 361, Research Methods and Design, 3 Units
This course offers an in-depth exploration of research methods and design principles in the field of criminal justice. Students learn to critically evaluate and conduct research by examining key methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Topics include research ethics, data collection techniques, survey design, sampling strategies, and statistical analysis. Through hands-on projects and case studies, students gain experience in designing research studies, formulating hypotheses, analyzing data, and presenting findings effectively. Emphasis is on applying research to address real-world issues in criminal justice, such as crime prevention, policy evaluation, and justice system reform. By the end of this course, students are equipped to develop evidence-based solutions and contribute to informed decision-making in criminal justice and policy.
Prerequisite: C or better in PRWR 113; PRMA 130; and PRCJ 110
PRCJ 362, Criminal Justice Research Design, 3 Units
The course focuses on the nature, purpose, and value of doing and communicating research in the field of criminal justice. Material builds on students' understanding of research methods (as learned in PRWR 262) and focuses on teaching students basic concepts and tools for designing a research project, collecting and analyzing data, and writing for an academic and professional audience. Students develop and conduct a methodologically sound empirical research project and craft a well-written scholarly research paper that communicates their research and findings.
Prerequisite: PRWR 262
PRCJ 395, Sex Crimes, 3 Units
This course focuses on sex crimes, sex offenders, the criminal justice system response, and policy, and begins with an overview of the types of sex crimes that occur and their prevalence. Criminological theories and theories specific to sex offending are identified. Three broad types of sex crimes are assessed: (1) rape, (2) child sexual abuse, and (3) child pornography. An emphasis is placed on typologies, which emphasize the heterogeneity that exists among sex offenders. Attention is also given to specialized groups of sex offenders: (1) juvenile sex offenders, (2) female sex offenders, and (3) those who sexually abuse in the context of an institution (school, church, daycare, etc.). Recent trends in investigation strategies, assessment tools, treatment approaches, and legal responses are reviewed and discussed. Students have the opportunity to explore problems with current trends and discuss related issues. Emphasis is placed on critical research disputing commonly held myths regarding this population of offenders.
PRCJ 450, Forensic Psychology for Criminal Justice Professionals, 3 Units
This course provides an in-depth introduction to the science of psychology applied to the criminal justice system. Students explore the psychological principles related to eyewitness testimony, lineups, police interrogations, jury decision making, competence, insanity, and future dangerousness. Special emphasis is given to current research findings in forensic psychology.
PRCJ 460, Criminal Justice Internship, 3 Units
The internship program allows students to apply their learning and gain work experience within a professional criminal justice setting. Assignments help students view professional experiences through the lenses of multiple criminal justice professionals (e.g., law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, etc.), and allow students to network with professionals and gain experience for inclusion on resumes and job applications. Classroom time is spent in small groups with facilitated discussions, and focuses on processing learning in the field; addressing questions, challenges, or concerns regarding the experience; and encouraging thinking about professional and graduate work in related fields.
PRCJ 494, Senior Capstone in Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course gives students experience working in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Classroom time focuses on processing students' field learning; addressing questions, challenges, or concerns regarding their experience; and facilitating thinking about professional and graduate work in related fields. Class assignments help students view professional experiences through the lenses of multiple criminal justice professionals; (e.g., law enforcement officers, prosecutors/defense attorneys, probation officers, etc.). Students also network with criminal justice professionals and participate in seminar-style lectures about how to succeed in criminal justice organizations and beyond.
Prerequisite: PRWR 262
PRCJ 495, Special Topics in Criminal Justice, 3 Units
This course addresses topics of current interest in criminal justice not covered by core and elective courses. Topics vary by semester and may reflect new issues in the criminal justice system, theories, or faculty research interests in the field. This course may be taken more than once, as topics change.
SOC 120, Introduction to Sociology, 3 Units
This course focuses on the origins and development of sociology as a response to pressing social problems. It emphasizes mastery of sociological terminology. The key learning outcome will be the acquisition of a Sociological Perspective and the ability to analyze social life in a sociological manner. Meets the APU Core: Social Science general education requirement.
SOC 225, Contemporary Social Problems, 3 Units
The complex social problems faced by people in a changing technological society are studied. Institutions, attempts to find solutions, and exploration of alternatives are emphasized.
SOC 230, Comparative Family Systems, 3 Units
This course compares traditional family patterns with the new options available to men and women, both as individuals and partners. It focuses on the changing roles of men and women inside and outside of marriage, the challenge of the two-career family, and the search for the family's place as an integral part of society.
SOC 235, Race and Ethnicity, 3 Units
The sociological understanding of race and ethnicity is necessarily complex as it relates to experiences, structures, institutions, policies, and history. This course examines how race relates to, and overlaps with, other human experiences, structures, institutions, policies, and social history, and takes a theoretical and discursive approach to race and ethnicity, which helps students develop multiple analytical frameworks for thinking about race and ethnicity, as well as an anti-racist approach. On the one hand, the sociological study of race and ethnicity is a critical examination of how humans have used categories as a way to maintain, justify, and sustain systems of oppression; on the other hand, the sociological perspective yields hope in developing an anti-racist mindset that resists and actively works against all forms of domination. Meets the APU Core: Intercultural Competence general education requirement.
SOC 298, Basic Sociological Theory, 3 Units
The function of theory and the contributions to modern sociological thought by the principal sociologists of the 19th and 20th centuries are considered. The application of theory to contemporary social concerns is investigated.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
SOC 358, Human Diversity, 3 Units
Students examine diversity in a pluralistic society, with a focus on groups that have been assigned subordinate positions because of race, religion, country of origin, disability, age, language, or gender. The nature of prejudice and issues related to discrimination and oppression are explored. Meets the APU Core: Intercultural Competence general education requirement.
SOC 359, Immigrant L.A., 3 Units
This course focuses on the social dimensions of immigration into Southern California. "Likeness" and "otherness" are examined in relation to race/ethnicity, transnationality, global inequality, and citizenship. Macrosocial and economic forces, along with governmental policies are analyzed and critiqued. In-depth stories of immigrants and various site visits contribute to students' experiential learning on the subject.
SOC 360, Sociology of Religion, 3 Units
This course offers an objective analysis of the interrelations between religious phenomena and social institutions, structures, and behavior. There is special emphasis on the distinction between church and sect, religious and social stratification, secularization, science and religion, and religious movements.
SOC 361, Education and Society, 3 Units
This course introduces the Sociology of Education, examining the relationship between schooling and the larger society. Taking a comparative and historical perspective on education as a social institution, the course examines major issues in the field, concentrating on the role of education in cultural transmission, socialization, and performance- as well as the use of education in legitimating social inequality and transmitting morals and values. The course also explores the structure of educational systems as institutional bureaucracies and organizations. Students apply their learning in a scholarly sociological analysis of a current educational policy or practice.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
SOC 404, Community, 3 Units
Students examine the various ways people organize themselves into communities and develop means of governance. This course explores the impact of the community on people, the ways power is used and misused, social conflict, social change, and the need for social involvement. A wide variety of communities are examined: rural, urban, village, metropolis, Utopian communities, communes, planned cities, and new towns. Cultural and national differences in the development of communities are assessed.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
SOC 405, The Sociology of Gender, 3 Units
This course in an investigation of gender and sex roles, primarily in American culture and society. The course explores the ways in which society shapes notions of what it means to be a "woman" and a "man" by examining the theories and research on how people define themselves and interact with others in a variety of contexts (e.g., family, personal relationships, work, health, religion, etc.). It also examines the sociological implications of cultural definitions of femininity and masculinity as seen through various racial, historical, economic, and sexualized perspectives
Prerequisite: SOC 120 or SOC 358, and Junior or Senior Standing.
SOC 410, Field Internships, 4 Units
This course offers students the opportunity to gain supervised work experience through internships with professional organizations working to address contemporary social problems. Students are introduced to and placed in internship organizations that have been approved by the course professor, with placements varying from international to local organizations. Various approaches to researching social problems and developing research projects involving solutions to those problems are introduced and explored. Students conduct their own fieldwork in coordination with the course professor and internship supervisor.
Prerequisite: SOC 120 and junior standing.
SOC 425, Social Movements, 3 Units
Students undertake several analytical tasks in this course such as understanding how and why social movements emerge, what strategies are used to maintain the movement, how collective identity develops, and what makes a social movement successful. Students look to contemporary social movements to respond to these queries.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
SOC 455, Crime and Delinquency, 3 Units
This course explores the dimensions and nature of both traditional crime and criminality and the newly recognized forms of crime which exist within contemporary society. The criminal's relationship to the courts, police, and other penal agencies is the focus of attention.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
SOC 464, Social Stratification, 3 Units
Theories and research in social stratification are the focus of this course. Topics covered include role, status, structure of differential rankings in society, criteria for ranking, functions and dysfunction, correlates of class positions, social change, and social mobility.
SOC 468, Contemporary Social Theory, 3 Units
This course looks at major theoretical orientations in contemporary sociological thought, explores the ways these ideas have changed in relation to the structural transformations, and examines connections between the underlying assumptions of key theorists and their conclusions about the nature of social life.
SOC 471, Qualitative Social Research Methods, 3 Units
This course in basic social scientific research focuses on qualitative methods. Students gain experience with participant observation, intensive interviewing, and other field methods. Qualitative research design, data collection, data analysis, and research report writing are covered. As a Writing 3 course, students are assigned structured assignments with multiple drafts that will lead to a final piece of professional writing in the field of sociology. Writing is assessed throughout the course by the instructor and through peer review. The final product is presented as one would present it at a professional conference.
Prerequisite: SOC 298
SOC 472, Quantitative Social Research Methods, 3 Units
This basic course in social scientific research focuses on quantitative methods, with students gaining experience in survey research, content analysis, and other statistical methods. Course material also covers quantitative research design, data collection, data analysis, and research report writing.
Prerequisite: MATH 130 (C- or better).
SOC 495, Special Topics, 3 Units
This course addresses topics of current interest in sociology not covered by the core and elective sociology courses. Possible topics include the sociology of sports, media, or fashion, and specific areas within such larger topics as gender, race, class, and religion. Course may be repeated for credit, as the topic varies.
SOC 496, Senior Seminar: Faith and Social Issues, 3 Units
Students investigate the impact of modernity on family life, work, religion, politics, and the arts, and consider questions such as: How can people create and preserve a morally coherent life in a society that is pluralistic, secular, and privatized? What difference does Christian faith make in the way people understand the world, and in determining how people ought to live?
Prerequisite: Junior Standing
SOC 497, Readings, 1-4 Units
This course consists of a program of study concentrating on assigned readings, discussions, and writing arranged between and designed by a student of upper-division standing and a full-time professor. An independent study fee is assessed for each enrollment in this class. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: SOC 120
PRSO 358, Human Diversity, 3 Units
Students examine diversity in a pluralistic society, with a focus on groups that have been assigned subordinate positions because of race, religion, country of origin, disability, age, language, or gender. The nature of prejudice and issues related to discrimination and oppression are explored.
POLI 250, Introduction to Criminal Law, 3 Units
This course introduces students to the concepts of criminal law, including history and development, constitutional limitations on crimes and punishment, principles of criminal liability, criminal defenses, inchoate crimes, and elements of crimes against persons, property, and habitation.
POLI 350, Constitutional Law: Fundamental Freedoms, 3 Units
This course analyzes U.S. Supreme Court decisions related to constitutional civil rights and liberties found in the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment, including freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly; the right to bear arms; due process and equal protection; and political rights related to representation, voting, and naturalization.
Prerequisite: POLI 150 or instructor consent
POLI 351, Constitutional Law: Criminal Justice, 3 Units
The course analyzes U.S. Supreme Court decisions related to the constitutional protections offered to criminal defendants found in the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment, including the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, the privilege against self-incrimination, the right to counsel, the right to a jury trial, the protection against excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment, and other due process guarantees.
Prerequisite: POLI 150 or instructor consent
POLI 380, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, 3 Units
This course considers the sources, history, and motivations behind terrorism, the tools and tactics employed by terrorists, and terrorist organizations' political objectives, with emphasis on recent and current terrorism. Students also consider the phenomenon of state terrorism, the theory and practice of counterterrorism, and the variety of Christian responses to terrorism.
SOCW 410, Family Violence, 3 Units
Family violence is an in-depth study from a system's perspective of violence that occurs in families. This course provides an overview of child abuse, spousal abuse, abuse between intimate partners, and elder abuse. The course explores the theory and research as to the causes of abuse, including individual and family factors, elder abuse, gender issues, community and societal influences, and cultural factors. This course explores the policy and programs developed to deal with these crises. Finally, methods of assessment and intervention are investigated as applicable to both professional and personal situations.
Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing or instructor consent
Faculty
Chair
Candice Williams, PhD
Assistant Professor
Aris Rodriguez, JD
Adjunct Faculty
Louis Tuthill, PhD
David Vest, MA
Tonneka Caddell, PsyD
Charlotte Bradstreet, PhD
Deanne Castorena, JD
Miriam Foxx, MS
Jessica Jerving, JD
Susanna Kazarian, MA
Robert Landeros, MA
Curtis Thompson, MA
Aida Torres, MA
Regena Weatherford, PhD
Danny Young, MA