Course Directory

:: Course Offerings

The course offerings at Clarion University of PA go through an extensive review process by the Committee on Courses and Programs of Study (CCPS). This course offerings list is a comprehensive list of courses that could be offered; it does not mean they are currently being offered.

For a complete list of courses offered on the current or upcoming schedules, see the Registrar's page Schedule of Classes.

To start a new search enter the course number of the subject or title you are searching in the box below.

Course Id (currently sorted in Ascending order)	Course Title	Course Description
COOP 304	Co-Op Sociology
COOP 404	Intrn Sociology
ED 526	Sociology Of Ed	This course is an analysis of the public school as an institution in modern societies and its operation in complex social structures. The course draws upon the science of sociology and other social fields to explain the operation of the school as one, of the social systems which operate to influence the development of people in becoming efficient and cooperative members of society.
SOC 211	Prin Of Sociology	Introduces the nature and characteristics of human societies, the structure and processes of social life, the impact of social forces on personal and group behavior, and the interdependence of society and the individual. Each semester.
SOC 216	Women And Culture	Introduces the study of the lives of women in cross-cultural perspective. Explores gender issues including sexual division of labor, inequality, changing position of women in families, and the role of women in development. Alternate years.
SOC 236	Criminology	Examines historical and contemporary attempts to explain the origins of criminal behavior and society's reaction to it from a variety of perspectives. Provides students with an understanding of how these theories have influenced the present criminal, justice systems. Annually
SOC 253	Intro To Gerontology	Provide a general introduction to social gerontology. Emphasizes the typical aspects of aging. Reviews current hypotheses and findings concerning aging processes. No prerequisite. Annually.
SOC 310	Classical Sociol Theory	Acquaints students with the thoughts of sociologists who have made major contributions to the founding of the discipline and whose work continues to be relevant today. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor. Fall, annually.
SOC 311	Social Stratification	Examines class, social status, and power inequalities at the community, national, and world level. Considers a history of inequality, theories of structured inequality, class information, poverty, class, gender, and racial inequalities, modality, and legitimacy. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.
SOC 312	Micro-Sociology	Explores the relationship between the individual and the social environment emphasizing group influences on individual attitudes and behavior. Examines major social psychological theories focusing primarily on symbolic interactionism, ethnoemthodology, dramaturgy, and the sociology of emotions. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.
SOC 315	Social Welfare	Examines the nature of social welfare policies and programs in the U.S. An overview of the history and administration of major social welfare programs is presented. Examines programs for the poor, the mentally ill, the disabled, children and families at-risk, the unemployed, and the aged in our society. No prerequisite. Spring, annually.
SOC 316	Ending Poverty	Introduces the field of development anthropology, including its applied aspects. Explores the history of development theory; models of cultural change; contemporary issues of poverty and globalization; models of program design. Provides students with a practical background in project design, assessment, and management. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Alternate years\|
SOC 318	Sociology Of Death And Dying	Provides an exploration of the sociological issues related to death, dying and bereavement. Topics examined include: societal definitions and attitudes, societal rituals and responses, and theoretical perspectives on death, dying and bereavement. Societal concerns regarding end-of-life decisions will be addressed. No prerequisite. Fall, annually.
SOC 320	Contemp Sociological Thy	Acquaints students with the thought of sociologists who have made major contributions to theoretical sociology since the 1930s. Covers the life, historical context, and major works of theorists such as Parsons, Merton, Dehrendorf, Coser, Collins, Homans, Blau, Turner, Goffman, and others. No prerequisite. On demand.
SOC 321	Sociology Of Work	A study of occupational and organizational work settings, social meanings, types, and social functions of work. Analyzes unemployment and its social causes and consequences. Examines selected work place reforms and proposed structural changes of work. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or ANTH 211. Once annually.
SOC 324	Images Of Working-Class Life	Examines the experience of working-class people from a number of perspectives: non-fiction, fiction, poetry, song, drama, film. Focuses on themes of class, identity, cultural influences, and economic and political power as they explicitly relate to the issue of work. Offered Spring odd years. Prerequisite: For ENG credit successful completion of or exemption from general education writing requirement; for SOC credit SOC 211. Spring, odd years.
SOC 325	Middle Eastern Am & Society	This course will examine the many histories, experiences, and cultures that shape and define Americans of Middle Eastern origin. It explores the diversity and commonality of experiences among different Middle Eastern immigrant groups and their descendents. The focus will be on the experiences of immigrants from the predominantly Muslim Middle East in American society with a modest attention to the historical trajectory of their immigration and settlement. The course will investigate the socia,"l consequences of the events of September 11, 2001 as these have transformed the position of Middle Eastern Americans as an ethnic group. Themes and specific issues outlined in the course will include: immigration to the U.S., assimilation, demogra\|
SOC 340	Sociology Conflict Res	Analyzes social conflict and introduces the dynamics of conflict resolution. Emphasizes examining theories and methods of active nonviolent conflict resolution in small group and large organizational settings. Includes violence, types of noncooperation, negotiation, adjudication, and mediation. Uses cross-cultural data extensively. Prerequisite: SOC 211. Once, annually.
SOC 345	LGBTQ Communities	This course investigates the origins and social consequences of gender and sexual identity and provides a critical examination of the historical context and contemporary social institutions that inform gender and sexual identity in the United States.," The course will outline the development, maintenance and positions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities in society. The course focuses on the learning, maintaining, and changing of sexual gender identities in various institutional settings, especially the family, education, religion, politics, work and social movements. Prerequitsite: SOC 211.\|
SOC 351	Contemp Soc Probs	Examines the formation and indicators of problems that affect the functioning of society as a whole. Analyzes solutions to selected social problems. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor. Once annually.
SOC 352	The Family	Deals with development of the family and the home in its historical, economic, and legal aspects. Considers the various factors influencing the organization, disorganization, and reorganization of the family, as well as the modern trends in the basic institution. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor.
SOC 353	Aging In Amer Society	Human aging takes place within a social and cultural context. Social and social-psychological perspectives will be used to gain a better understanding of the process, problems and prospects of aging in American society. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or SOC 253 or permission of instructor.
SOC 354	Special Topics	Offered occasionally.
SOC 356	Sociology And Film	Uses the sociological perspective to analyze film content. Examine how film reflects society and particular ideologies and how society and ideas about social issues are influenced by film. Topics include family, race relations, substance use, the elderly, sexuality, and social stratification. Prerequisite: Soc 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.
SOC 361	Soc Of Dev Behav	A sociological perspective on social deviance; overview of theoretical approaches; research examples of various forms of deviant behavior, attributes and beliefs. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor.
SOC 362	Race & Ethnic Relations	Background of racial and ethnic identity. Examines contemporary aspects of inter-ethnic and inter-racial group relations. Considers proposals for alleviating and resolving problems and their implications. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the in,structor. Once annually.
SOC 395	Social Change	Analyzes social change processes through study of major theories of social change and recent investigations in the general area of social change. Examines major social forces and movements shaping contemporary patterns of social change, e.g., industrialization, rationalization, urbanization. Examines the impact of inventions, discoveries, revolutions, reform movements, and attempts to direct the course of change through various types of planning and development programs. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor.
SOC 400	Independent Study	Concentrated exploration and study of a problem or area of sociology not covered by existing courses and in accord with the student's interest and needs and under the direction of department faculty member. Prior to enrolling, students are required to submit a written proposal outlining their plan of study for the instructor with whom they will be working. Enrollment limited to juniors and seniors with consent of the instructor. Maximum number of credits in SOC 400 is limited to nine.
SOC 410	The Sociology Of Sport	The perspective of this course is that sport is a socially constructed concept. Students will engage in the analysis of sport as a contemporary social institution. Class participants, following the sociological tradition, will try to detect, measure, and explain the reciprocal impact of sport with other institutions such as the family, education, and the economy. For example, sport as presently constituted has numerous economic aspects; it is a form of work for many persons. Examination of sport will be based on the structural functionalist, social conflict and symbolic interactionist paradigms of sociology. Prerequisite: either Soc 211 or permission of instructor. Every third semester.\|
SOC 450	Research Methods	Fundamentals of the research process and methods including, research design, interview and questionnaire construction, sampling methodology, basic descriptive and inferential statistics, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Prerequisites: SOC 211; 3 hours of statistics or permission of the instructor.
SOC 451	Qualitative Research Methods	Qualitative research seeks to integrate the lived experience with principles from the scientific method. This course is designed to provide an overview of qualitative research methods and techniques used for conducting sociological research such as c,"ase studies, unobtrusive methods, participant observation, choices of observer status role, recording data, uses of technical equipmrnt, key informants, interviewing techniques, and ethical considerations in employing such methods and procedures. The course examines the use of these methods and techniques in both academic and applied research. Prerequisite: SOC 211, SW 211 or SW 212.\|
SOC 452	Sex,Gender & Social	Investigates the social consequences of the cultural universal that all societies categorize their members according to sex. Focuses on the learning, maintaining, and changing of gender roles in various institutional settings, especially the family,education, religion, politics, and work. Prerequisite: SOC 211.
SOC 499	Supervised Field Placemt	With the approval and under the supervision of a member of the sociology faculty, students are placed in field-work settings, e.g., child welfare agencies, offices of aging, divisions of the criminal justice system, community development agencies, etc., where they will observe and work with persons responsible for carrying out a range of specific human services. Requires a 10-hour commitment each week. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor, junior standing, and six hours in sociology.
SW 211	Prin Of Social Work	Overview of social work as a profession with an introduction to social work with individuals, groups, families, and communities. Students examine a basic set of concepts, principles, and elements of practice. Fall, annually.
SW 212	Social Work With Groups	A study of the practice of group work, group dynamics and the use of various types of groups in social work settings. Spring, annually.
SW 225	Soc Work Child & Youth	The study of social work approaches to prevention, intervention, and treatment of problems facing families and children. Examines concepts, policies, and practice issues in the field of child and family welfare. Spring, annually.
SW 310	Crisis Intervention	This course is designed to prepare students in the helping professions with the skills to handle short term crisis situations within a generalist social work framework. The focus of the course is on crisis, emergency, disaster management and prevention. At the completion of this course students will understand the nature of crisis and its impact on the lives of diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities. Prerequisites are Soc 211, SW 211 or SW 212.
SW 315	Social Welfare	Examines the nature of social welfare policies and programs in the U.S. An overview of the history and administration of major social welfare programs is presented. Examines programs for the poor, the mentally ill, the disabled, children and families at-risk, the unemployed, and the aged in our society. No prerequisite. Spring, annually.
SW 320	Human Sexuality and Soc Work	This course lays the foundation for understanding human sex and sexuality for beginning level social work practitioners who will need this information in their work with clients i.e. in sexual counseling, in policy and service discussions about sex education, and in public health issues related to sexual behavior with an emphasis on deiversity and inclusiveness. Prerequisites include Soc 211, SW 211 or SW 212.
SW 340	Health Care Policies & Systems	This course explores the role of social work in health care policies and systems. It examines the conceptual framework of health, mental health, and access to health care in society. Students will examine the health status of disadvantaged and at-risk populations and consider implications for policy, practice, and economic justice in society. Prerequisites are SOC 211, SW 211 or SW 212.
SW 350	Geron Soc Wrk Pract	Concepts, policies, and practice issues in social work with older adults. Examines methods of intervention, social service delivery systems, and the special needs of diverse older populations. Fall, annually.
SW 354	Special Topics	Examines areas of study in Social Work. Professor selects format most suitable to the study. Topics, announced in advance, focus on the needs and interests of social workers. Course offered on demand. Prerequisites: SW 211, or SW 212 or SOC 211 or permission of instructor.
SW 451	Qualitative Research Methods	Qualitative research seeks to integrate the lived experience with principles from the scientific method. This course is designed to provide an overview of qualitative research methods and techniques used for conducting sociological research such as c,"ase studies, unobtrusive methods, participant observation, choices of observer status role, recording data, uses of technical equipmrnt, key informants, interviewing techniques, and ethical considerations in employing such methods and procedures. The course examines the use of these methods and techniques in both academic and applied research. Prerequisite: SOC 211, SW 211 or SW 212.\|
SW 499	Supervised Field Placement	With the approval and under the supervision of a member of the sociology faculty, students are placed in field-work settings, e.g., child welfare agencies, offices of aging, divisions of the criminal justice system, community development agencies, etc., where they will observe and work with persons responsible for carrying out a range of specific human services. Requires a 10-hour commitment each week. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor, junior standing, and six hours in sociology.

Course Id (currently sorted in Ascending order)

Course Title

Course Description

COOP 304

Co-Op Sociology

COOP 404

Intrn Sociology

ED 526

Sociology Of Ed

This course is an analysis of the public school as an institution in modern societies and its operation in complex social structures. The course draws upon the science of sociology and other social fields to explain the operation of the school as one, of the social systems which operate to influence the development of people in becoming efficient and cooperative members of society.

SOC 211

Prin Of Sociology

Introduces the nature and characteristics of human societies, the structure and processes of social life, the impact of social forces on personal and group behavior, and the interdependence of society and the individual. Each semester.

SOC 216

Women And Culture

Introduces the study of the lives of women in cross-cultural perspective. Explores gender issues including sexual division of labor, inequality, changing position of women in families, and the role of women in development. Alternate years.

SOC 236

Criminology

Examines historical and contemporary attempts to explain the origins of criminal behavior and society's reaction to it from a variety of perspectives. Provides students with an understanding of how these theories have influenced the present criminal, justice systems. Annually

SOC 253

Intro To Gerontology

Provide a general introduction to social gerontology. Emphasizes the typical aspects of aging. Reviews current hypotheses and findings concerning aging processes. No prerequisite. Annually.

SOC 310

Classical Sociol Theory

Acquaints students with the thoughts of sociologists who have made major contributions to the founding of the discipline and whose work continues to be relevant today. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor. Fall, annually.

SOC 311

Social Stratification

Examines class, social status, and power inequalities at the community, national, and world level. Considers a history of inequality, theories of structured inequality, class information, poverty, class, gender, and racial inequalities, modality, and legitimacy. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.

SOC 312

Micro-Sociology

Explores the relationship between the individual and the social environment emphasizing group influences on individual attitudes and behavior. Examines major social psychological theories focusing primarily on symbolic interactionism, ethnoemthodology, dramaturgy, and the sociology of emotions. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.

SOC 315

Social Welfare

Examines the nature of social welfare policies and programs in the U.S. An overview of the history and administration of major social welfare programs is presented. Examines programs for the poor, the mentally ill, the disabled, children and families at-risk, the unemployed, and the aged in our society. No prerequisite. Spring, annually.

SOC 316

Ending Poverty

Introduces the field of development anthropology, including its applied aspects. Explores the history of development theory; models of cultural change; contemporary issues of poverty and globalization; models of program design. Provides students with a practical background in project design, assessment, and management. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Alternate years|

SOC 318

Sociology Of Death And Dying

Provides an exploration of the sociological issues related to death, dying and bereavement. Topics examined include: societal definitions and attitudes, societal rituals and responses, and theoretical perspectives on death, dying and bereavement. Societal concerns regarding end-of-life decisions will be addressed. No prerequisite. Fall, annually.

SOC 320

Contemp Sociological Thy

Acquaints students with the thought of sociologists who have made major contributions to theoretical sociology since the 1930s. Covers the life, historical context, and major works of theorists such as Parsons, Merton, Dehrendorf, Coser, Collins, Homans, Blau, Turner, Goffman, and others. No prerequisite. On demand.

SOC 321

Sociology Of Work

A study of occupational and organizational work settings, social meanings, types, and social functions of work. Analyzes unemployment and its social causes and consequences. Examines selected work place reforms and proposed structural changes of work. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or ANTH 211. Once annually.

SOC 324

Images Of Working-Class Life

Examines the experience of working-class people from a number of perspectives: non-fiction, fiction, poetry, song, drama, film. Focuses on themes of class, identity, cultural influences, and economic and political power as they explicitly relate to the issue of work. Offered Spring odd years. Prerequisite: For ENG credit successful completion of or exemption from general education writing requirement; for SOC credit SOC 211. Spring, odd years.

SOC 325

Middle Eastern Am & Society

This course will examine the many histories, experiences, and cultures that shape and define Americans of Middle Eastern origin. It explores the diversity and commonality of experiences among different Middle Eastern immigrant groups and their descendents. The focus will be on the experiences of immigrants from the predominantly Muslim Middle East in American society with a modest attention to the historical trajectory of their immigration and settlement. The course will investigate the socia,"l consequences of the events of September 11, 2001 as these have transformed the position of Middle Eastern Americans as an ethnic group. Themes and specific issues outlined in the course will include: immigration to the U.S., assimilation, demogra|

SOC 340

Sociology Conflict Res

Analyzes social conflict and introduces the dynamics of conflict resolution. Emphasizes examining theories and methods of active nonviolent conflict resolution in small group and large organizational settings. Includes violence, types of noncooperation, negotiation, adjudication, and mediation. Uses cross-cultural data extensively. Prerequisite: SOC 211. Once, annually.

SOC 345

LGBTQ Communities

This course investigates the origins and social consequences of gender and sexual identity and provides a critical examination of the historical context and contemporary social institutions that inform gender and sexual identity in the United States.," The course will outline the development, maintenance and positions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities in society. The course focuses on the learning, maintaining, and changing of sexual gender identities in various institutional settings, especially the family, education, religion, politics, work and social movements. Prerequitsite: SOC 211.|

SOC 351

Contemp Soc Probs

Examines the formation and indicators of problems that affect the functioning of society as a whole. Analyzes solutions to selected social problems. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor. Once annually.

SOC 352

The Family

Deals with development of the family and the home in its historical, economic, and legal aspects. Considers the various factors influencing the organization, disorganization, and reorganization of the family, as well as the modern trends in the basic institution. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor.

SOC 353

Aging In Amer Society

Human aging takes place within a social and cultural context. Social and social-psychological perspectives will be used to gain a better understanding of the process, problems and prospects of aging in American society. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or SOC 253 or permission of instructor.

SOC 354

Special Topics

Offered occasionally.

SOC 356

Sociology And Film

Uses the sociological perspective to analyze film content. Examine how film reflects society and particular ideologies and how society and ideas about social issues are influenced by film. Topics include family, race relations, substance use, the elderly, sexuality, and social stratification. Prerequisite: Soc 211 or permission of instructor. On demand.

SOC 361

Soc Of Dev Behav

A sociological perspective on social deviance; overview of theoretical approaches; research examples of various forms of deviant behavior, attributes and beliefs. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of instructor.

SOC 362

Race & Ethnic Relations

Background of racial and ethnic identity. Examines contemporary aspects of inter-ethnic and inter-racial group relations. Considers proposals for alleviating and resolving problems and their implications. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the in,structor. Once annually.

SOC 395

Social Change

Analyzes social change processes through study of major theories of social change and recent investigations in the general area of social change. Examines major social forces and movements shaping contemporary patterns of social change, e.g., industrialization, rationalization, urbanization. Examines the impact of inventions, discoveries, revolutions, reform movements, and attempts to direct the course of change through various types of planning and development programs. Prerequisite: SOC 211 or permission of the instructor.

SOC 400

Independent Study

Concentrated exploration and study of a problem or area of sociology not covered by existing courses and in accord with the student's interest and needs and under the direction of department faculty member. Prior to enrolling, students are required to submit a written proposal outlining their plan of study for the instructor with whom they will be working. Enrollment limited to juniors and seniors with consent of the instructor. Maximum number of credits in SOC 400 is limited to nine.

SOC 410

The Sociology Of Sport

The perspective of this course is that sport is a socially constructed concept. Students will engage in the analysis of sport as a contemporary social institution. Class participants, following the sociological tradition, will try to detect, measure, and explain the reciprocal impact of sport with other institutions such as the family, education, and the economy. For example, sport as presently constituted has numerous economic aspects; it is a form of work for many persons. Examination of sport will be based on the structural functionalist, social conflict and symbolic interactionist paradigms of sociology. Prerequisite: either Soc 211 or permission of instructor. Every third semester.|

SOC 450

Research Methods

Fundamentals of the research process and methods including, research design, interview and questionnaire construction, sampling methodology, basic descriptive and inferential statistics, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Prerequisites: SOC 211; 3 hours of statistics or permission of the instructor.

SOC 451

Qualitative Research Methods

Qualitative research seeks to integrate the lived experience with principles from the scientific method. This course is designed to provide an overview of qualitative research methods and techniques used for conducting sociological research such as c,"ase studies, unobtrusive methods, participant observation, choices of observer status role, recording data, uses of technical equipmrnt, key informants, interviewing techniques, and ethical considerations in employing such methods and procedures. The course examines the use of these methods and techniques in both academic and applied research. Prerequisite: SOC 211, SW 211 or SW 212.|

SOC 452

Sex,Gender & Social

Investigates the social consequences of the cultural universal that all societies categorize their members according to sex. Focuses on the learning, maintaining, and changing of gender roles in various institutional settings, especially the family,education, religion, politics, and work. Prerequisite: SOC 211.

SOC 499

Supervised Field Placemt

With the approval and under the supervision of a member of the sociology faculty, students are placed in field-work settings, e.g., child welfare agencies, offices of aging, divisions of the criminal justice system, community development agencies, etc., where they will observe and work with persons responsible for carrying out a range of specific human services. Requires a 10-hour commitment each week. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor, junior standing, and six hours in sociology.

SW 211

Prin Of Social Work

Overview of social work as a profession with an introduction to social work with individuals, groups, families, and communities. Students examine a basic set of concepts, principles, and elements of practice. Fall, annually.

SW 212

Social Work With Groups

A study of the practice of group work, group dynamics and the use of various types of groups in social work settings. Spring, annually.

SW 225

Soc Work Child & Youth

The study of social work approaches to prevention, intervention, and treatment of problems facing families and children. Examines concepts, policies, and practice issues in the field of child and family welfare. Spring, annually.

SW 310

Crisis Intervention

This course is designed to prepare students in the helping professions with the skills to handle short term crisis situations within a generalist social work framework. The focus of the course is on crisis, emergency, disaster management and prevention. At the completion of this course students will understand the nature of crisis and its impact on the lives of diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities. Prerequisites are Soc 211, SW 211 or SW 212.

SW 315

Social Welfare

SW 320

Human Sexuality and Soc Work

This course lays the foundation for understanding human sex and sexuality for beginning level social work practitioners who will need this information in their work with clients i.e. in sexual counseling, in policy and service discussions about sex education, and in public health issues related to sexual behavior with an emphasis on deiversity and inclusiveness. Prerequisites include Soc 211, SW 211 or SW 212.

SW 340

Health Care Policies & Systems

This course explores the role of social work in health care policies and systems. It examines the conceptual framework of health, mental health, and access to health care in society. Students will examine the health status of disadvantaged and at-risk populations and consider implications for policy, practice, and economic justice in society. Prerequisites are SOC 211, SW 211 or SW 212.

SW 350

Geron Soc Wrk Pract

Concepts, policies, and practice issues in social work with older adults. Examines methods of intervention, social service delivery systems, and the special needs of diverse older populations. Fall, annually.

SW 354

Special Topics

Examines areas of study in Social Work. Professor selects format most suitable to the study. Topics, announced in advance, focus on the needs and interests of social workers. Course offered on demand. Prerequisites: SW 211, or SW 212 or SOC 211 or permission of instructor.

SW 451

Qualitative Research Methods

SW 499

Supervised Field Placement