Introduction to the theory and practice of social work, focusing on the social welfare system; Federal, state, and municipal programs; principles of social psychology as applied to the counseling process; family systems theory.

The study of modern society with emphasis placed on the concepts of culture, socialization, and social perception; the sociology of knowledge and norms; groups and stratification; culture, continuity and change; human ecology. Research methods and reporting techniques are also analyzed.

An examination of the use of addictive substances from a cross-cultural perspective. Factors such as age, socio-economic status, gender, and patterns of use will be addressed for each of the following sub-cultures: African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans. An additional focus is on adapting treatment interventions to each ethnic group.

Prerequisite: GSO 121. Co-requisites: GPS 320

Impact of the home, school, and community on the growth and development of youth in urban areas and their problems, including academic underachievement, unemployment, delinquency and youth crime, teenage pregnancy, and mental health problems.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

Students learn about the treatment of the elderly in contemporary societies, with special emphasis given to the status of the elderly in America. The extent and effects of "ageism" (bias based on age) are also studied.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

Survey of the American Jewish community, including demographic characteristics; social, religious, political and economic institutions, with emphasis placed on the contributions and problems of the American Jewish community in New York City.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

Survey of the Asian-American community, including social, religious, political, and economic institutions, with emphasis on the contributions and problems of the Asian-American community in New York City.

Prerequisite: GSO 121 or departmental approval.

Survey of the African-American community, including demographic characteristics; social, religious, political and economic institutions, with emphasis placed on the contributions and problems of the African-American community in New York City.

Prerequisite: GSO 121 or departmental approval.

Survey of the Hispanic American community, including demographic characteristics; social, religious, political and economic institutions, with emphasis placed on the contributions and problems of the Hispanic American community in New York City.

Prerequisite: GSO 121 or departmental approval.

The forces leading to urbanization, suburbanization and metropolitanization. Social dislocation within metropolitan areas; community planning, urban renewal, and rehabilitation with special focus placed on the work of the New York City community planning boards.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

An interdisciplinary analysis of the sociological, psychological, aspects of race and ethnicity. Theories of prejudice are discussed as well as male/female relations in light of contemporary social science theories of social structure, the learning process and individual development. 3 credits

Prerequisite: GSO 121

An examination of the dynamics of learning across cultures; culture shock; biases and cultural relativism. The course provides students with an intellectual basis for developing the interpersonal and other skills necessary to relate to persons of varying backgrounds. Among other tools, it identifies cultural patterns in the verbal and non-verbal behaviors of the populations in different parts of the world.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

A study of Africa and contemporary challenges to traditional lifestyles as reflected in the writings of leading African scholars and artists.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

The family as an institution of socialization, social control, and reproduction is studied, as well as family organization and disorganization, and comparative family systems.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

An overview of the sociology of medicine, with a focus on the relationships between social conditions, as the context, and health and disease in human populations, as outcomes. Utilizing sociological methods of analysis, the course investigates the history, function and structure of health care institutions, the roles of patients and health care practitioners, as well as social processes and social behaviors that influence the incidence of sickness and health.

Prerequisite: GSON 121

The sociological definition and approach to the study of criminality and delinquency, and the nature, types, and extent of crime. The causes of crime and methods of determining criminality, the social function of criminal law, the police, the courts, the prison community, punishment, rehabilitation, and crime prevention programs.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

An introduction to the public agencies which constitute the criminal justice system; how this criminal justice system is responsible for the implementation of public policy concerning crime; the history and the current state of the individual criminal justice agencies and institutions. Major United States Supreme Court cases that influence and control the criminal justice system; how police, the courts and corrections interact with one another.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

The concepts of social deviance, pathology, social disorganization, value conflict, and labeling. Sociological theories of deviant behavior in relation to alcoholism, drug abuse, criminality and delinquency, suicide, sexual deviance and mental illness. A critical assessment of social causation, labeling stigmatization, and the scientific methods of determining deviance. The structure and organization of treatment for deviants, and institutions dealing with social deviance.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

This course explores the nature and dynamics of family violence from a power and control perspective. It covers the issues of obsessive love, the Stockholm Syndrome, the battered child syndrome, throw-away children, homeless mentally ill, and juvenile gangs as family replacements. It also examines contributing factors: addiction, poor frustration tolerance, lack of boundaries, poor self-esteem, media and pornography, public social policy, and the criminal justice system. A variety of interventions are explored: parent skill training, batterers. programs, sex offender programs, anger management, gang re-direction programs, and services for the mentally ill.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

See department for course description. May be repeated for credit.

Prerequisite: GSO 121

Approval of the department and the Dean of Faculties.

The study of selected topics, applying more advanced theoretical consideration and research methods. May be repeated for credit.

Prerequisite: Approval of the department.