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Sociology, Applied (Socy)

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

JAMES E. TRELA, Chair
WILLIAM G. ROTHSTEIN, Graduate Program Director

Professors
BASS, SCOTT, A., Ph.D., University of Michigan; Aging and social policy, gerontology
BREHM, HENRY P., Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Medical sociology, sociology of healthcare organization and delivery, health planning
ECKERT, J. KEVIN, Ph.D., Northwestern University; Cultural anthropology, anthropology of aging, long-term care, research design/qualitative methodologies, senior’s housing and aging services
HEWITT, CHRISTOPHER J., Ph.D., Brown University; Political sociology, sociological theory, social stratification, violence and terrorism
MORGAN, LESLIE A., Ph.D., University of Southern California; Aging, women’s roles, family, labor-force participation, social change
PINCUS, FRED L., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles; Race and ethnic relations, diversity studies, sociology of education, higher education policy
ROTHSTEIN, WILLIAM G., Ph.D., Cornell University; Sociology of occupations, medical sociology, formal organizations, medical history
RUBINSTEIN, ROBERT L., Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College; Cultural and medical anthropology, anthropology of aging, gerontology, gender, qualitative research methods
STUART, MARY E., Sci.D., The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health; Issues in health, healthcare organization and delivery, decision support for health policy and management

Associate Professors
ADLER, MARINA A., Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park; Social science methodology and statistics; cross-national gender, work and family issues; social inequality (race, class, gender) and social policy
COHEN, JERE M., Ph.D., University of Chicago; Sociological theory, sociology of religion, sociology of education, small groups, sociology of adolescence, status attainment
KLEINBERG, BENJAMIN S., Emeritus, Ph.D., New School for Social Research; Political sociology, urban sociology, policy process, community organization
LOTTES, ILSA L., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania; Sexual and reproductive health and rights, inequality, research methods, sexuality, cross-national work on women’s status and reproductive health
TRELA, JAMES E., Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Sociology of aging, socio-political behavior, social problems

Assistant Professors
CHAPIN, BAMBI, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego; Psychodynamics and child development in socio-cultural context, social and emotional relationships, mental health and illness, dissociation and trauma, trance and spirit possession, South Asia
CHARD, SARAH, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Medical anthropology, urban anthropology, social networks and social support, anthropology of women
MESSINGER, SETH, PhD., Columbia University; Medical anthropology, anthropology of cities, anthropology of North America, psychiatry, trauma, social organization of medical work
SCHUMACHER, JOHN, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Medical sociology, physician-patient relations, social gerontology, bioethics, research methods
SECKIN, GUL, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Medical sociology, health communication, political sociology, ethnic conflict

Degree Offered

Master of Arts in Applied Sociology

M.A. Program Description

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts in Applied Sociology that prepares students for careers in program development and evaluation; policy analysis; and research in the fields of health, aging, and diversity and gender. Students learn quantitative and qualitative research methods and develop expertise in the areas of specialization listed above.

Department areas of expertise include medical sociology, sociology of aging, disability and long-term care, gender and diversity studies, international field research, and research methodology.

The Baltimore-Washington area contains many federal and state government agencies and nonprofit organizations with health and/or aging as their focus. These organizations have provided employment for many of our graduates.

The program is open to full-time and part-time students with any undergraduate majors. All courses are offered in the evening, and students may enter the program in either the fall or spring semesters. Admission deadlines are shortly before the beginning of the semester when the student wishes to enter.

Accelerated B.A./M.A. Program

The UMBC Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers an accelerated combined B.A./M.A. degree program for undergraduate UMBC students in all majors. Undergraduate students in other colleges and universities may also be admitted. Students can take up to nine credits of graduate courses during their senior year at UMBC that count both for the B.A. and M.A. degrees. For example, a student who has completed nine credits of graduate courses as an undergraduate needs to complete only 21 credits as a graduate student for the M.A. degree, which can be done by a full-time student in two semesters plus a summer or winter course.

Students can enter the accelerated combined B.A./M.A. program in either the fall or spring semester and enter the M.A. program in the semester after they complete their undergraduate degrees. Admission requirements include a GPA of 3.0 or higher. GRE scores are not required. The graduate school application fee of $50 is waived for students who apply for the accelerated B.A./M.A. program.

M.A. Program Admission Requirements

Students may be admitted to the M.A. program with any undergraduate major, but an undergraduate course in statistics is strongly recommended. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required but can be waived for students with appropriate work experience. Students with lower GPAs can be admitted as special advanced students; if they perform well in their courses, they can be admitted to the graduate program and receive up to six credits for courses taken as special advanced students.

Students may enter the M.A. program in the fall or spring semesters as part-time or full-time students. They can be admitted until shortly before the beginning of the semester when they wish to enter.

Financial Assistance

Research, teaching and other assistantships are available for a number of full-time students. Assistantships require 20 hours of work per week and provide tuition remission for up to 10 credits per semester, health insurance and a stipend. Partial assistantships are also available.

Degree Requirements

The M.A. in Applied Sociology consists of 30 credits. All students must complete the statistics and methods requirement (I), plus either the thesis option (IIa) or the analytical paper option (IIb).

I. Statistics and Methods Requirement (nine credits)

1. SOCY 600: Research Methodology
2. SOCY 604: Statistical Analysis
3. One other methods or statistics course from an approved listing, including: SOCY 605, SOCY 608, SOCY 610, SOCY 619, PSYC 711, ECON 611.

IIa. Thesis Option (21 credits)

1. 15 credits of elective courses
2. 6 credits of SOCY 799: Master’s Thesis Research
3. Preparation and defense of a master’s thesis under a committee of three faculty members

IIb. Analytical Paper Option (21 credits)

1. 21 credits of elective courses
2. Preparation of an analytic paper under a committee of two faculty members. Students may write the analytical paper in a course in place of a term paper or may take three credits of SOCY 711: Analytical Paper Research instead of one elective course to write an analytical paper.

Post Baccalaureate Certificate in the Nonprofit Sector

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in the nonprofit sector jointly with the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations. It consists of courses on the internal structure and external relations of nonprofit organizations, methods of research for program evaluation and analyses of selected areas of health or aging. It is designed for professionals working in health, aging and related social services and for graduate students who wish to prepare themselves for employment in the nonprofit sector.

The certificate consists of four three-credit courses (12 credits). Courses are offered throughout the year, and students may begin the certificate program at any time. SOCY 681, SOCY 682, SOCY 683 and SOCY 684 are offered at the Baltimore office of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations one full day each week for a number of weeks depending on the course content. All other courses are offered at UMBC in the evening during regular academic semesters.

Students must take one course in each of the following four content areas:

• Nonprofit Institutions in American Society: SOCY 681
• Research Methods for Nonprofit Institutions: SOCY 682, SOCY 600, SOCY 604 or SOCY 619
• Nonprofit Sectors in American Society: SOCY 614. SOCY 620, SOCY 630, SOCY 631, SOCY 632, SOCY 651, SOCY 652, SOCY 655 or SOCY 658
• Internal Structures and External Relations of Nonprofit Organizations: SOCY 683 or SOCY 684

Information on applications to post-baccalaureate certificate programs is found in the Application chapter of this catalog.

Dual Degree Program in Applied Sociology and Gerontology
The dual degree program enables students to combine the M.A. in Applied Sociology with the Ph.D. in Gerontology offered by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Students are admitted to both programs separately. Interested students should communicate with the graduate program directors of both programs.

UMBC International Field Research Program in Culture, Policy and Practice
The international field research course (SOCY 663) enables students to develop an international perspective on important policy issues and to gain experience using social science field research techniques. For graduate students, the program provides a structured opportunity for independent study in health, long-term care, disability and rehabilitation, social policy and other areas of individual interest in a foreign country.

COURSE LISTINGS

SOCY 600
Research Methodology [3]
A course designed to advance graduate students’ knowledge of the modes of inquiry in the social sciences and to familiarize them with research methods and techniques. Prerequisites: Evidence of undergraduate-level understanding of research methods and consent of instructor.

SOCY 604
Statistical Analysis [3]
An introduction to the concepts and methods of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Bi-variate and multi-variate statistical techniques will be discussed. Note: Also listed as PUBL 604. Prerequisites: SOCY/PUBL 600 or their equivalents and consent of instructor.

SOCY 605
Advanced Research and Evaluation Techniques [3]
Components in research design and strategy, problems in and approaches to the application of research and statistics to program evaluation, policy decision-making based on research data. Note: Also listed as PUBL 605. Prerequisites: SOCY/PUBL 600 and SOCY/PUBL 604 or their equivalents and consent of instructor.

SOCY 606
Social Inequality and Social Policy [3]
This course examines poverty and inequality in modern society. The focus is on describing the extent of poverty and inequality, examining theories that attempt to explain these phenomena and discussing the policies that have been employed to mitigate them. In addition to class inequality, the course will consider racial and gender inequality. Note: Also listed as LLC 606.

SOCY 608
Advanced Statistical Methods [3]
Focus on concepts and methods used in multi-variate statistical analysis and on the computer techniques and packages used in this process.

SOCY 609
Sociological Theory [3]
Classical and contemporary sociological theorists are studied and compared, as are different schools of theory. Also, the course surveys and critiques different types of theory and metatheory.

SOCY 610
Sample Surveys in Social Science [3]
An introduction to the techniques of survey research (sample design, questionnaire construction and analysis of survey data) as applied in the social sciences. Students will participate in a survey research project. Prerequisite: A course in social statistics.

SOCY 611
Constructing Race, Class and Gender [3]
This course provides an interdisciplinary examination of the complex array and interplay of structural and cultural limitations on individual and group mobility in contemporary American society. Using a range of approaches, the course defines and clarifies the limitations of these dominant social categories by problematizing and interrogating four important social categories: race, class, gender and schooling. Note: Also listed as EDU 611 and LLC 611.

SOCY 614
The Evaluation of Educational Policy [3]
This course applies research findings from the sociology of education to some key issues of educational policy, focusing on primary and secondary education. Both issues of educational quality and equality are considered, including school quality, choice proposals, school desegregation, compensatory education, tracking, mainstreaming and bilingual education. The course includes an introduction to the nature of educational policy, an overview of the policy-making process at the local level and a critical assessment of policy research with special attention given to problems of measurement and study design.

SOCY 615
Higher Education and Social Inequality [3]
A sociological analysis of the impact of higher education on social inequality in the United States. Topics will include a discussion of problems of attaining a representative student body, missions of different types of institutions, the development of programs for different types of students and the effects of affirmative-action programs.

SOCY 616
Cyberspace Culture and Society [3]
The information superhighway, communications revolution and cyberspace are used to describe the contemporary revolution in human communications. This course will explore the cultural and societal implications of computer-mediated communications by addressing such topics and questions as the representations of self and self-identity in cyberspace, interactions in cyberspace, information technology and institutional change, community formation in cyberspace, democracy and collective action in cyberspace, and order and deviance in cyberspace. Throughout the course, contemporary technological advances will be compared to and contrasted with the cultural and societal effects of previous technologies, such as the printing press, wireless telephone and television. Note: Also listed as LLC 616.

SOCY 618
SAS for Social Scientists [3]
This course introduces students to the basic principles of SAS, a widely used statistical software package. Students will learn data entry, data correction and validation, data analysis, combining data sets, rearranging data and macros. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

SOCY 619
Qualitative Methods in Social Research [3]
This course will focus on the styles of research, analysis and epistemologies associated with qualitative research in the applied social and policy sciences. As an increasingly important mode of inquiry, qualitative, multi-method approaches are particularly relevant to the study of social interaction and behavior in natural settings. Qualitative approaches involve collecting and analyzing empirical information from multiple sources, such as first-person accounts, life histories, visual/printed records, semi-structured and open-ended interviews, informal and formal observations, and biographical and autobiographical materials. Students in the course will learn how to design, collect and analyze qualitative information by conducting a small, semester-long study. Sections of the research project will be prepared, presented and evaluated throughout the course.

SOCY 620
Social Epidemiology [3]
Basic concepts and methods of epidemiological investigation with special emphasis on the social environment and its influence on health.

SOCY 629
Aging in Cultural Context [3]
Drawing upon readings about contemporary peoples from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the United States, this course examines the process of aging and what it is like to be old in a worldwide context. Using case studies, life histories, readings and films, an analysis will be made of the way culture affects the aging process and is linked to variation in religion, family organization, social networks and beliefs about the life cycle. Global research on aging is used to discuss specific issues such as ethnicity, long-term care, community roles of the aged, urban development and homelessness.

SOCY 630
Sociology of Aging [3]
Changing work, family and other sociological roles of the elderly; the subculture of the aged; economic, health, medical care and other social problems of the elderly.

SOCY 631
Family and Aging in Society [3]
An analysis of human development and aging as they relate to the institution of the family. Using a family life-cycle perspective, the course examines demographic trends, historical change in the family, stages of family life, changing family roles and inter-generational relations. Particular attention is paid to the mutual effects of changing family structure and social policy in shaping the status of the aged in society.

SOCY 632
Work and Retirement [3]
An examination of the issues and research related to work among older people and the termination of work at retirement. Specific topics to be addressed include the work career and aging, skill obsolescence, efficiency of older workers, age discrimination in employment, the retirement decision, differences in retirement by sex, consequences of retirement for health and economic status, pension policy and implications for the future.

SOCY 633
Gender, Work and Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective [3]
This course examines the intersection of work and family as affected by gender stratification in various countries. The topics covered include the separation and inter-dependence of work and family, gender wage differences, occupational gender segregation, division of household labor and childcare, dual-earner families and the impact of national policies (childcare, parental leave, affirmative action) on women and men.

SOCY 634
Gender and the Life Course [3]
This course examines the complex interactions of two critical social constructs: gender and the life course. Material will examine how these constructs have developed over time, how they vary across cultures and historical periods, and how they interact to construct very different lives for males and females in society. Specific foci of the course include demographic and biological underpinnings of gender and the life course, age stratification systems and times of family and other life events by gender.

SOCY 645
Health and Illness in the 21st Century [3]
This course will examine issues that characterize modern medical practice and medical care including health care costs; public and private health care providers and insurers; treatment of important chronic and infectious diseases; public health issues related to chronic diseases; medical ethics; socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic differences in health and medical care; and medical research. Readings will be asigned from the current medical literature. Prerequisites: graduate standing.

SOCY 651
Sociology of Health and Illness Behavior [3]
Analysis of health needs and demands of the population. Examination of health and illness behavior and utilization patterns, taking into account socio-demographic variations and trends. Topics include mortality and morbidity, health attitudes and behavior, social psychology of illness and patient-professional relationships.

SOCY 652
Healthcare Organization and Delivery [3]
Current issues are reviewed in healthcare organization, delivery and financing in the United States and the various policies and approaches that impact the changing healthcare delivery system. Particular emphasis is placed on the implications of technological developments and the increasingly competitive environment for alternative aspects of healthcare.

SOCY 654
Comparative Health Systems [3]
A comparative analysis of different types of health systems in the United States and selected other nations, examining differences in financing, cost, use, staffing, services provided and relations with other social institutions.

SOCY 655
Disability and Rehabilitation [3]
Conceptualization and measurement of disability, determinants and consequences of disabling chronic conditions, services for the disabled and program planning and evaluation in disability and rehabilitation. The development of Social Security policy and rehabilitation will be discussed in terms of interdisciplinary approaches.

SOCY 657
Social History of American Medicine [3]
The history of American healthcare, hospitals and ambulatory care facilities, the role of government, public health programs and social issues such as smoking and abortion.

SOCY 658
Sociology of Mental Health and Illness [3]
The course examines the social history of mental illness, the concepts and treatments employed, the professional’s role, the role of social class in mental illness, social factors in psycho-pathology, stress, social support and coping processes, along with sociological critiques of mental health practices. More currently, the course examines deinstitutionalization and the community mental health movement, the relationship between mental illness and the criminal justice system and the mental patients’ rights movement.

SOCY 663
Introduction to International Field Research [3]
The purpose of this course is to help prepare students for the increasingly sophisticated requirements of a global society; to develop an international perspective on important issues in culture, policy and practice; and to gain experience using social science field research methods. The international experience is designed to enable students to conduct field research exercises on issues that will be of importance to the United States and Europe by studying the inter-relationships of health and social policy, science and technology, and culture and lifestyle in an international context. Students learn social science research methods, vocabulary and concepts from the disciplines of sociology, anthropology and health services research. This course includes lectures, structured exercises, field trips, site visits and discussions in the United States and Switzerland.

SOCY 672
Issues in Aging Policy [3]
This course addresses salient issues in aging policy and provides students with a context for understanding the public policy process. The course will explore theoretical models of public policy and apply them to aging policy, examine major public policy controversies facing the aging society, study the role of organizations in the policy process, provide tools for analyzing social policies in aging and expose students to key literature in aging and social policy. Note: Also listed as PUBL 672.

SOCY 681
The Social and Institutional Roles of Nonprofit Organizations in American Society [3]
This course describes the history, organization and functions of nonprofit organizations in American society. Topics include the functions of the nonprofit, government and for-profit sectors; the history of the social roles of volunteerism and nonprofit organizations; the impact of nonprofit organizations on American society and the changing roles of the three sectors in the 21st century. Prerequisite: Admission to certificate program.

SOCY 682
Performance Assessment and Program Evaluation [3]
This course examines research methods appropriate for developing new programs and evaluating existing programs on an ongoing and post-program basis. Methods of measuring programmatic needs and designing programs suitable for evaluation will be examined. A variety of quantitative and qualitative techniques and the situations appropriate for their use will be described. Prerequisite: Admission to certificate program.

SOCY 683
The Organizational Structure of Nonprofit Organizations [3]
This course describes the internal structure and the modes of administration of nonprofit organizations and the interactions among the functional areas of the organization. Prerequisite: Admission to certificate program.

SOCY 684
Nonprofit Organizations and Other Social Institutions [3]
This course examines the relationships between nonprofit organizations and other social institutions, including federal, state and local governments and for-profit organizations and private foundations. The course will analyze the expanding functions of nonprofit organizations in collaboration and competition with these other social institutions. Prerequisite: Admission to certificate program.

SOCY 698
Advanced Selected Topics in Sociology [3]
The specific topics will be announced in advance of the semester the course is offered.

SOCY 699
Selected Topics [3]
Topics selected on the basis of the background interests of faculty and students.

SOCY 701
Directed Independent Study [1-3]
Independent reading for master’s students under supervision of faculty member. Note: Intended for students who desire to study independently an aspect of medical sociology and/or aging/gerontology not covered by regular course work. May be repeated for credit.

SOCY 711
Analytical Paper Research [1-3]
Students will write their analytical papers with the guidance of their first and second faculty readers. Prerequisites: Master’s students in their second or later semesters.

SOCY 758
Advanced Seminar in Medical Sociology [1-3]
The fundamental principles of design, problem formulation and advanced research methods as used in research in medical sociology and as applied to the field of socio-medical and health services research. Presentation and critical review of current medical sociological research, including critical discussion of student and faculty research in medical sociology.

SOCY 778
Advanced Seminar in the Sociology of Aging [1-3]
The fundamental principles of design, problem formulation and advanced research methods in the sociological study of aging and the aged. Special emphasis is placed on the critical review of current sociological research and analysis of age-related research problems and issues.

SOCY 798
Internship Placement [1-3]
Placement in an agency dealing with program development, management and/or administration issues under the supervision of an agency preceptor. Students should use the placement to prepare an analytical paper on agency functions as related to program issues under the direction of a faculty member.

SOCY 799
Master’s Thesis Research [1-3]
Master’s thesis research project under the direction of a graduate faculty member.

SOCY 801
Directed Independent Study [1-3]
Independent reading for doctoral students, under supervision of a faculty member (in PUBL-SOCY track of doctoral program). Note: Intended for advanced students who desire to study independently an aspect of medical sociology and/or aging/gerontology not covered by regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit.