Course Information
NEW Course in Inequality and Social Justice!
Dr. Celia Winkler and Dr. Daisy Rooks will be offering a service learning course on Hunger and Homelessness. If you're interested in this class, click here for the application.
Interactive UM course schedules (Updated Nightly)
The State of Montana Legislature passed a law that states that all undergraduate courses in the Montana University System (MUS) must go through a common course numbering process. The courses listed below are the old titles and course descriptions. When the new catalog is updated, this list will get updated. Click here for a conversion list. The new numbers and titles are listed first, followed by the old numbers and titles.
Complete Course List
U 110S Principles of Sociology 3 cr. Overview of the principles and concepts used in the study of human social interaction, groups, communities and societies. Required of all majors.
U 130S Sociology of Alternative Religions 3 cr. Same as RS 130S. Unconventional religious groups in American society. Topics include recruitment, conversion, commitment, defection, leadership, belief systems, organizational structure and change.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 201 Social Science Methods 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. Methods of research in the social sciences including naturalistic observation, interviewing, measurement, experiments, surveys, content analysis and basic data analysis. Required of all majors.
U 202 Social Statistics 3 cr. Prereq., Math 117 or consent of instructor. Application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to sociological data. Required of all majors. Open to Sociology majors only.
U 212H SE Asian Culture & Civilization 3 cr. Same as AS and LS 212S. Introduction to the cultures, societies, and contemporary social problems of Southeast Asia.
U 220S Race, Gender & Class 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. Analysis of the dynamics of American racial and ethnic relations. Focus on power relationships, intergroup conflict and adaptations to minority-group status.
U 225 Community and Environment 3 cr. Same as EVST 225. Exploration of the various ways that communities address their environmental concerns. Introduction to relevant social science concepts.
U 230S Criminology 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. A critical examination of crime in society: how crime is defined, the extent and distribution of crime, theoretical explanations of criminal behavior, and crime control efforts.
U 235 Criminal Justice System 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S and either Soc 230S or 330S. A systematic survey of crime and the administration of justice in the United States, including the organizational structures, processes, and dynamics of law enforcement, criminal adjudication, and corrections.
U 270 Introduction to Rural and Environmental Change 3 cr. Introduction to the study of relationships and interactions between people in rural societies and the environment.
U 275S Gender and Society 3 cr. Same as WS 275S. Exploration of the social construction of gender, especially in western, post-industrial societies such as the U.S. How gender ideologies affect the social definition and position of men and women in work, family, sexual relationships, sexual divisions of labor, and social movements.
U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
UG 300 Sociology of the Family 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. Historical, cross-cultural and analytical study of family. Emphasis on ideology, social structures, and agency affecting family composition and roles.
UG 306 Sociology of Work 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S Structure and function of occupations and professions. Problems of organization and relationships in work groups, with emphasis on the study of actual work situations.
UG 308 Sociology of Education 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The structure and operation of the educational system in the United States, with special attention to the organization and effectiveness of schools.
UG 310 Extraordinary Group Behavior 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The study of emergent social behavior including rumors, crowds, crazes, riots, panics, terrorism, revolutions and social movements.
UG 320 Complex Organizations 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The structure and operation of complex organizations and bureaucracies such as schools, government agencies, small businesses and multi-national corporations.
UG 322 Sociology of Poverty 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. An examination of the roots, prevalence and social characteristics of the poor. Analysis of policies intended to end poverty.
U 325 Social Stratification 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The origins, institutionalization and change of class, status, prestige, power and other forms of social inequality. Special attention to the effects of stratification on individuals.
UG 330 Juvenile Delinquency 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The study of juvenile delinquency as a social phenomenon, including the emergence of "juvenile delinquency" as a social and legal concept, the nature of delinquency, and theoretical explanations of delinquent behavior. .
UG 332 Sociology of Law Enforcement 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 235 and either 230S or 330S. An examination of policing in society, with emphasis on the cultural context in which it occurs, its structural characteristics, and social psychological processes.
UG 333 Criminal Adjudication 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 235 and either 230S or 330S. An examination of adjudicatory processes applied to the criminally accused. Includes pretrial, trial and sentencing practices and procedures. Special attention to the sociological dimensions of criminal adjudication: its cultural underpinnings, structural characteristics and interactional dynamics.
UG 334 Sociology of Corrections 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 235 and either 230S or 330S. An examination of the purposes, structures, and processes of jails, prisons, and community corrections, including probation and parole. Emphasis on historical development and current trends and issues in corrections.
UG 335 Juvenile Justice System 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, and 230S or 330S. An analysis of the juvenile justice system in the United States, including the historical development of policies and practices. The role of various social agencies in defining, preventing, and responding to delinquency.
UG 340 The Community 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The study of families, peer groups, neighborhoods, voluntary associations, power structures, social classes and large scale organizations as they come together in local communities.
U 342 Urban/Metropolitan Sociology 3cr. Prereq., SOC 110S. Classical social theories of urban growth. Contemporary urbanization in local, regional, national and global contexts. Internal urban/metropolitan social organization in terms of race, ethnicity, social class and gender.
U 346 Rural Sociology 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S; 201 recommended. Demographic economic and sociocultural change in rural communities with an emphasis on the global economy, political structure, urbanization, and economic and social infrastructure. Special attention is given to the rural west and Montana.
U 350S Social Psychology 3 cr. The study of the behavior of individuals in social contexts ranging from small groups to societies. Topics include attitude change, conformity, aggression, helping behavior, self-concept formation, and group cohesion and decision-making.
U 355 Population Problems 3 cr. Offered Spring. Prereq., Soc 110S. An introduction to contemporary world population problems including population growth, trafficking, fertility, mortality, population policy, and the relationship between population and environment. Emphasizes gender issues in international context.
UG 370S Social Change and Global Development 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. Introduction to the sociology of international development with special geographic focus on Asian societies in the Pacific Rim. Films, readings, lectures, and student projects explore the meaning of development and the impact of new forces such as expansion of export agriculture, food aid and foreign assistance, changing gender and class relations, environmental problems and debt crisis on rural systems and rural people.
U 386 Preceptorship in Sociology 2-3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S and consent of instructor. Assisting a faculty member by tutoring, conducting review sessions, helping students with research projects, and carrying out other class-related responsibilities. Open to juniors and seniors with instructor’s consent. Proposals must be approved by department chair.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 398 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-10) Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services Office.
UG 423 Addiction Studies 3 cr. Same as SW 423 & Psyc 423 Examination of chemical dependency and behavioral compulsion, including alcohol and other drugs, gambling, eating disorders and sexual additions. Ecosystems perspective on etiology, treatment, prevention, family dynamics, community response, and societal contributors.
UG 424 Community Forestry & Conservation 3 cr. Same as For 424. A review of agroforestry, community forestry and opportunities and constraints to the use of trees in rural development and protected areas management.
UG 435 Sociology of Law 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S and either 230S or 330S recommended. Offered alternate years. The study of the law and society, including the origin, institutionalization, and impact of law and legal systems.
UG 438w Seminar in Crime and Deviance 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 235 and either 230S or 330S. Consent of Instructor. Offered alternate years. Advanced studies in criminology/deviance theory and research. Emphasis on public policies related to crime. This course satisfies the upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
UG 441w Capstone in Inequality and Social Justice 3 cr. Prereq., SOC 110S, 220S, one other inequality and social justice elective, and consent of instr. Research and writing on Inequality and Social Justice. Students bring together readings from other inequality content courses and/or independent readings, research methods training, and data and/or internship experience to write a final research paper on a topic of their choice within the ISJ area. Meets upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
UG 444 Issues in Inequality 3 cr. Prereq., SOC 110S and 220S. Offered alternate years. Analysis of selected topics in inequality and social justice. Possible topics include Native Americans, disabilities, age, sexual orientation and gender.
UG 455 Classical Social Theory 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S. The course focuses on the historical development of the field of sociology from 1850 up to World War I. The classical writings of Comte, Tonnies, Weber, Durkheim, Marx, LePlay and Simmel will be emphasized. Required of all majors.
UG 460w Capstone in Rural and Environmental Change 3 cr. Prereq., SOC 110S, 270 and at least 2 other rural and environmental change electives and consent of instr. Offered spring. Advanced study of theoretical and substantive issues related to rural, environmental, community, and development sociology; includes a substantial student research project. Meets upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
UG470 Society and Environment 3 cr. Prereq, Soc 110S. Introduction to the field of environmental sociology and influential sociological perspectives on global environmental change. Case examples from agrarian and industrialized regions around the world.
UG 485 Political Sociology 3 cr. Prereq., Jr or Sr standing. Analysis of political theory and behavior; social bases of power and policy determination; institutional interrelationships; intellectuals and ideologies; political trends and change; political participation and membership.
UG 488w Writing for Sociology 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq, SOC 110S, 9 additional credits in sociology and satisfactory performance on the Upper-Division Writing Proficiency Assessment. Consent of instructor. Advanced study of variable topics or issues in sociology, with emphasis on writing for the discipline. This course satisfies the upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
U 490 Internship Variable cr. (R-12) Prereq., Soc 110S, 201 & 202; 2.75 GPA; Jr. standing; consent of instructor. Supervised placement in an agency or business which involves work experience related to sociology, criminology, Inequality and Social Justice and/or rural and environmental change.
U 493 Omnibus Variable cr. (R-12) Prereq., Soc 110S and consent of instr. Independent work under the University omnibus option. See index.
UG 494 Seminar 2-3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S & at least Junior. standing. Selected sociological topics.
UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Prereq., Soc 110S. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
UG 496 Independent Study 1-3 cr. (R-9) Prereq., Soc 110S and consent of instr. Individual work with a faculty supervisor in an area of special interest. Proposals mut be approved by department chair.
G 520 Contemporary Theory 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 455. The major sociological theories developed since World War I, including an examination of the critical issues under debate.
G 530 Criminological Theory 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 235 and either 230S or 330S. Advanced study of the major theories of crime and criminality; includes the themes and theoretical perspectives of criminology together with relevant research findings.
G 538 Seminar in Crime and Deviance 3 cr. Advanced study of a specific criminological topic or issue with public policy. Possible topics include women and crime, cross-cultural criminal justice, sentencing, the social location of crime, drugs and crime, causal analysis of crime and criminality.
G 545 Seminar in Inequality and Social Justice 3 cr. Offered spring. Advanced survey of variable topics in inequality and social justice. This will be a small group setting that maximizes opportunities for graduate student research, discussion and writing.
G 561 Qualitative Methods 3 cr. Offered Spring. Prereq., Soc 110S & 201. Introduction to the basic methods used to conduct qualitative studies including ethnography, focus group, interview, and observation. Includes hands-on fieldwork projects, data coding and analysis, and research ethics. Draws on examples and literature from Sociology.
G 562 Quantitative Methods 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 201 and 202. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students will be introduced to the basic methods used to conduct quantitative sociological research and program evaluation; including proposal development, survey design, sampling techniques, data analysis and dissemination of findings.
G 563 Social Data Analysis 3 cr. Prereq., Soc 110S, 201, and 202. A hands-on introduction to preparing sociological reports and documents, performing research and statistical tasks common to the field. Presumes no previous knowledge of microcomputers.
G 571 Seminar: Rural & Environmental Change 3 cr. Utilizing a critical perspective, students examine rural and environmental transitions and their implications for policies and debates on managing growth, development and natural resources in rural areas.
G 590 Internship Variable cr. (R-6) Prereq., consent of instructor. Supervised placement for graduate students in an agency or business which involves work experience related to sociology, criminology and/or rural and environmental change.
G 594 Graduate Seminar 3 cr. (R-9) Selected sociological topics.
G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-12) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-6). Prereq., consent of instructor. Work with a faculty supervisor in an area of special interest.
G 597 Graduate Research 2-3 cr. (R-9) Directed research. Student must develop a specific research or evaluation proposal which is approved by the instructor prior to registration. Those students electing the professional paper option may apply three credits of 597 toward graduation.
G 598 Cooperative Education Internship Variable cr. (R-6) Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services Office.
G 599 Thesis/Professional Paper Variable cr. (R-6) Students electing the thesis option may apply six credits of 599 toward graduation.