UMass Boston

Course Overview

Description

This course is an advanced introduction to sociology majors. In this course we will engage with the neighborhoods, culture, and people of the Boston area through primary data collection such as conducting interviews or participant observation. Using our sociological imaginations, we will draw on sociological theories and concepts to analyze data we have gathered and locate our data in the larger context of local, national, and global social structures. We will learn to use the library to locate scholarly resources as well as participate in activities that seek to improve writing skills in order to successfully complete the written portion of our research projects. These writing activities will include developing a research question or puzzle, constructing a thesis statement or argument, using scholarly research to support your arguments, explaining your methods for data collection, and effectively deploying theory or concepts to answer 'why' questions about your data. Through this engagement with the Boston area, we explore the careers students may pursue with a BA or higher degree in sociology. To this end, we will learn effective paths for completing a BA in sociology and learn about research that sociologists at UMass Boston are currently engaged in. Therefore, this course is designed for and open to declared sociology majors. Non sociology majors must receive instructor approval to join this course. Finally, we will work towards career planning by tackling practical concerns such as cover letter and resume writing.

Prerequisites

SOCIOL 101 and Sociology majors only