Department of Sociology and Social Work

Department of Sociology and Social Work

Chair: James L. Williams, Professor Location: CFO 305

Phone: 940-898-2052 Fax: 940-898-2067

E-mail:jwilliams2@mail.twu.edu Website: www.twu.edu/as/socsw

Faculty: Professors M. Sadri, J.L. Williams, P. Yang; Associate Professors L. Marshall, A. Tilton, L. Zottarelli; Assistant Professor K. Painter.

Graduate Degrees Offered

M.A. in Sociology Ph.D. in Sociology

The doctoral degree is granted through the Federation of North Texas Area Universities.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology is offered through a cooperative program of the Federation of North Texas Area Universities that includes Texas Woman’s University, the University of North Texas, and Texas A&M-Commerce.

The Ph.D. in Sociology is granted by Texas Woman’s University and the University of North Texas. Students apply for acceptance into the program through one of the participating universities.

Together the two universities offer graduate training in various aspects of so- ciology along with opportunities in the area of sociological practice. All doctoral students are required to study core social theory and social research and must concentrate further in two specialty areas.

The objective of the Federation sociology program is to produce intellectu- ally well-rounded graduates capable of (1) analyzing human social groups and relationships between groups, (2) evaluating the influence of social factors on social situations, and (3) functioning effectively in either an academic milieu or in a sociological practice setting.

Graduate students enrolled at either TWU or UNT take courses at both uni- versities, thus benefiting from the combined faculties and facilities of each school.

Students graduating from the Federation program will be granted the Ph.D. from

the university through which they entered the program.

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Graduate Certificates Offered

Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Diversity.

Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Social Science Research Methods

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Diversity

The Department of Sociology and Social Work offers a graduate Certificate in Diversity that prepares students for today’s culturally diverse society. Courses required for the Diversity Certificate focus on the intersection of race/ethnicity, social class, and gender. The graduate certificate is open to students enrolled in any graduate degree program at Texas Woman’s University as well as to qualified individuals seeking only the Diversity Certificate.

Admission Requirements

Students already admitted to a graduate program at TWU should consult with the Chair or Graduate Advisor of their program to determine whether the course work taken for the Diversity Certificate will apply toward their degrees. Students seeking admission to a masters or doctoral program, in addition to certification, must meet the entrance requirements of their degree program.

Students entering TWU only for the Certificate in Diversity must meet the master’s-level entrance requirements of the Graduate School. For certificate-only students, the Department of Sociology and Social Work requires a Statement of Purpose (500-600 words) describing the reason the Diversity Certificate is sought and its importance in relation to career goals.

Course Requirements

The Diversity Certificate requires 18 graduate hours of course work to be completed with an average grade of B or better. Diversity is defined as inclusive of racial/ethnic diversity as well as age, religion, sexual orientation, and disabil- ity. Some courses will focus on diversity within the United States and others are global with a cross-cultural focus. The following three courses are required for the Diversity Certificate:

SOCI 5553 or 6503. Social Stratification

SOCI 5643. Race and Ethnic Groups in the United States SOCI/WS 5463. Women of Color or equivalent

With approval of the student’s Advisory Committee and the Chair of the

Department of Sociology and Social Work, the remaining 12 hours may be se-

lected from topics regularly offered under the Seminars on Social Organization

and Disorganization (SOCI 6503), Life Cycle (SOCI 6303), and the Metropolitan

Community (SOCI 6403), or from outside the Department.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Social Science Research Methods

The Department of Sociology and Social Work offers a Certificate in Social Sci- ence Research Methods. This certificate will prepare students to work in applied and institutional research settings. The courses required for the Social Science Research Methods Certificate focus on the understanding and application of social science research methods commonly used in the public and private sectors. The graduate certificate is open to students enrolled in any graduate program at Texas Woman’s University as well as to qualified individuals seeking only the Social Science Research Methods Certificate.

Admissions Requirements

Students already admitted to a graduate program at TWU should consult with the Chair or Graduate Advisor of their program to determine whether the coursework taken for the Social Science Research Methods Certificate will apply towards their degrees. Students seeking admission to a masters or doctoral program, in addition to the certification, must meet the entrance requirements of their degree program.

Students entering TWU only for the Social Science Research Methods Certificate must meet the master’s-level entrance requirements for the Graduate School. For certificate-only students, the Department of Sociology and Social Work requires that students have completed three hours of undergraduate statistics for the social sciences and provide a Statement of Purpose (500-600 words) describing the reason the Social Science Research Methods Certificate is sought and its importance in relation to career goals It is understood that the student’s major department will detail their specific expectations with regard to the statistical background of students who pursue this certificate.

Coursework Requirements

The Social Science Research Methods Certificate requires 18 hours of course- work to be completed with an average of B or better. The following three courses are required of the Social Science Research Methods Certificate:

SOCI 5363. Survey Research

SOCI 5773. Qualitative Research Methods SOCI 6203. Seminar in Research Methods

With approval of the student’s Advisory Committee, the Chair or Graduate Advisor of the respective department offering the course, the remaining 9 hours may be selected from the following list of courses:

ELDR 5203. Research in Education

FS 5693. Research Methods in Family Sciences

FS 5783. Issues in Early Childhood Research and Evaluation

FS 6693. Advanced Quantitative Research Methods in Family Sciences FS 6793. Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Family Sciences HCA 5223. Analysis and Management of Health in Populations

HCA 5463. Research Methods in Health Care Administration

146 Department of Sociology and Social Work LS 5753. Research Methods

LS 6733. Action Research in Information Issues

PSy 6863. Qualitative Research Methods and Program Evaluation READ 6483. Qualitative Research

READ 6493. Advanced Qualitative Research Design and Analysis SOCI 6203. Seminar on Research Methods

WS 5773. Qualitative Research Methods

Other courses may be selected as electives with approval of the student’s Ad- visory Committee, the Chair or Graduate Advisor of the Department of Sociology and Social Work, and the Chair or Graduate Advisor of the respective department offering the course.

1 May be repeated when topics vary.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the sociology masters program requires a bachelor’s degree in sociology or its equivalent, a GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 hours of un- dergraduate work and on all graduate work, along with a personal statement (2-3 pages) of interest and two letters of recommendation. Students without a bachelor’s degree in sociology will be considered if the admission committee believes that the student shows academic promise.

Admission to the doctoral program in sociology requires a bachelor’s degree in sociology or its equivalent, GRE, a GPA of 3.5 or higher on the last 60 hours of undergraduate courses and on all graduate courses, three letters of recommenda- tion, and a personal statement of interest (2-3 pages). Students without a bachelor’s degree in sociology will be considered if the admission committee believes that the student shows academic promise. International students must have a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The applicant who has a GPA of at least 3.0 but meets other conditions above may be considered for conditional admission. Additional coursework may be re- quired. The admission committee may request additional evidence of the applicant’s ability to do graduate work.

Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree can earn their M.A. degree during the course of study. They will be required to write a Master’s thesis, which, together with their course work, will be evaluated by the sociology faculty at the end of their Master’s stage. Based on the evaluation, the faculty could recommend that a student continue to pursue the Ph.D. degree or be awarded a terminal M.A. degree.

The thesis requirement is waived for students admitted with a Master’s degree.

Students applying for admission to doctoral study must meet the general

admission requirements of either the Graduate School at TWU (see admission sec-

tion of this catalog) or the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies at UNT. Students

additionally must apply to the sociology program (see departmental handbook or

guidelines for details). Applications of students who satisfy the Graduate School’s

admission standards are forwarded for review to the department admissions

committee. This committee is responsible for recommending acceptance into the

Federation doctoral program.

General Requirements for All Master’s Degrees

Total Hours Required: 30 hours, including 6 hours for thesis OR 36 hours Core: 9 hours, 3 hours each in sociological theory, social sciences research meth- ods, and social science statistics

Major/Emphasis: 9-27 hours Minor: Optional, 6 hours

Final Examination: Written and oral examination; may be repeated twice.

General Requirements for All Doctoral Degrees

Total Hours Required: 100 hours, including master’s degree and 12 hours for dissertation

Core: 16 hours, including six hours in sociological theory, nine hours in social science research methods/statistics, and proseminar (1 hour)

First Area: 18 semester hours with SOCI prefix

Second Area: 15 semester hours (with SOCI prefix or permission of the advisory committee)

Dissertation: 12 semester hours

Research Tools: Twelve hours of approved research tools. Up to three hours of methods/statistics may be applied from Core area.

Qualifying Examination: Written exams in three areas (Core, First Area, Second Area). May be repeated once.

Final Examination: Oral Defense of Dissertation.

Minors Offered to Students from Other Departments

Students may minor in sociology at both the master’s and the doctoral levels.

Courses designed to complement the student’s major field will be selected in con- sultation between the student and his/her advisory committee. Normally a minor in sociology requires 6 hours at the master’s level and 12 hours at the doctoral level.

Courses of Instruction in Sociology

SOCI 5343. Seminar in Sociological Theory. Analysis of classical and

contemporary sociological theories and schools of thought, their roots and inter-

relationships. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a

week. Credit: Three hours.

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SOCI 5353. Methods of Teaching Sociology. Discusses issues and prob- lems in college education and in teaching sociology. Gives students practice in organizing sociology courses, constructing syllabi, teaching units, test construction, and utilization of available resources in sociology. Three lecture hours per week.

Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5363. Survey Research. Overview of the research process with focus on survey research: problem selection, instrument design, measurement issues, data col- lection and analysis. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5373. Theories in Social Psychology. Major schools of thought about the nature of the person as affected by society, including structural, symbolic in- teractionist, phenomenological, and critical schools. May be repeated for credit.

Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5443. Race, Ethnicity, and Family. Social-cultural variations in fam- ily life within the framework of racial-ethnic identity. Examines the dynamics of family life in relation to such variables as group heritage, religion, social class, gender roles, and experiences with racism and/or ethnocentrism. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5463. Women of Color. Examines cultural and historical differences and similarities of women of color in the U.S. Examines interplay of race/ethnic- ity, gender, and social class; how women of color shape and are shaped by social forces. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5553. Social Stratification. Social ranking systems of human society as one form of social differentiation; relationship of theoretical approaches to areas of research and of theoretical concepts to specific research techniques. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5643. Race and Ethnic Groups in the United States. Emphasis on selected groups (African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans), their history, heritage, contributions to society, similarities, and differences. Ap- plication of theory and research to current intergroup relations. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5663. Family: Current Topics. Analysis of selected topics in the area of the family. Selected topics may include: comparative family studies, marital dis- solution and single parent families, family crises, family and violence, alternative family forms. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5773. Qualitative Research Methods. Qualitative research philosophies including phenomenological, critial and feminist perspectives. Research design, data collection, analysis, and writing. Strategies for studying women’s lives and developing culturally sensitive models. Responsible research and professional ethics including IRB process. Hands-on research. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5793. Community Resources and Practice. Examination of community resources, their distribution, availability and utilization in the urban community.

Interdependence of effective intervention and problem solving with social policy,

and distribution of resources. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5813. Community: Power and Change. The analysis of urban theory and research; history of the city; effects of urbanization on social, structural and cultural patterns; power and conflict at the community level; social planning for the metropolis; and future trends in urban, industrialized social systems. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5843. Feminist Theories. Thoroughly explores feminist critical inquiry, focusing on particular theoretical issues, historical writings, and/or disciplinary contexts within the diverse body of scholarship of feminist theory. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5903. Special Topics. Seminars on sociological theory, research meth- ods, or selected substantive areas. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5913. Individual Study. Individual study of topics in sociological theory, research, or in substantive areas selected in accordance with student’s interests and needs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5953. Cooperative Education. Cooperative work-study arrangement between the University and business, industry, or selected institutions. No more than three credit hours counted toward degree. Pass-fail grade only. Nine laboratory hours per week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5983. Thesis. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 5993. Thesis. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6013. The Development of American Sociology. Development of sociology in the United States in social and historical context from pre-sociological thought of the 1830s to World War II. Formative stages of the discipline, its founda- tions, its influences, its quest for scientific legitimacy, and some of its early theo- retical and empirical works. Particular attention given to neglected contributions of African American and female sociologists. Three lecture hours a week. Credit:

Three hours.

SOCI 6043. The Scholarly Career. The nature of scholarly careers; the professional service role in the context of teaching and research; academia as a subculture and subsociety; information resources relevant to understanding scholarly careers. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6103. Seminar on Sociological Theory. Includes a sequence of clas- sical, contemporary, and current theory courses; plus, a course on theory construc- tion. Emphasis is placed on research in primary sources and class discussion of the assigned materials, presupposes some familiarity with sociological theories.

May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit:

Three hours.

SOCI 6203. Seminar on Research Methods. Theory and application of quantita- tive and non-quantitative methods to sociological data. Suggested topics may include:

use of available data; qualitative and field techniques; data analysis; techniques of so-

ciological measurement. Prerequisites: A course in statistics and one in basic research

design or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three

lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

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SOCI 6303. Seminar on the Life Cycle. Analysis of selected topics in the area of the family and the life cycle. Suggested topics may include analysis of kinship systems and variation in family functions; sociology of childhood; sociol- ogy of youth; socialization and the development of the self; social gerontology.

Prerequisite: Six hours in the area of the family or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6321. Pro Seminar in Sociology. Prepares students for scholarly and professional work. Orients student to program and university requirements, mis- sion, and scope. Facilitates professional socialization of the student. Required of all doctoral students. To be taken within the first year of graduate work. Pass/fail.

One lecture hour a week. Credit: One hour.

SOCI 6403. Seminar on the Metropolitan Community. Analysis of selected topics in the area of metropolitan community. Suggested topics may include: urbanization, community resources, community power and change. Prerequisite: One course in urban sociology or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6503. Seminar on Social Organization and Disorganization. An analysis of selected topics in such areas as the development of social institutions, the bases of social differentiation and integration, and deviant behavior. Suggested topics may include: the sources of social change; societal integration and social control; comparative social structures; small group studies. Prerequisite: A minimum of 12 semester hours in sociology or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6911. Individual Study. Advanced individual study of topics in socio- logical theory, research or in substantive areas selected in accordance with student’s interests and needs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Credit: One hour.

SOCI 6913. Individual Study. Advanced individual study of topics in sociological theory, research or in substantive areas selected in accordance with student’s interests and needs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6953. Cooperative Education. Cooperative work-study arrangement between the University and business, industry, or selected institutions. No more than three credit hours may be counted toward degree. Pass-fail grade only. Nine laboratory hours per week. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6983. Dissertation. Credit: Three hours.

SOCI 6993. Dissertation. Credit: Three hours.