SOC 1WIntroductory Sociology

3 credits · Sociology · Penn State

Introduces sociological perspectives useful for understanding why societies are the way they are and how they change. Covers a selection of the many dimensions of social life such as sexuality, family, religion, education, work, deviance, politics, culture, race and ethnicity, gender, and age. Students will learn how sociologists use theories and concepts in their research on key dimensions of social life including inequality, identity, norms, and institutions. Provides opportunities to apply sociological perspectives to explain people's experiences in a variety of social contexts. Promotes a critical and practical understanding of human behavior by exploring how social environments shape us and how we can change them. This course meets a general education requirement (GS) in the social and behavioral sciences as well as for Writing Across the Curriculum.