Teaching Sociology Minor

A teaching minor is an academic minor which may contain different course requirements designed to meet state standards. Those interested in teaching in K-12 schools must complete a teaching major in a content area plus the teacher preparation program through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Additional teaching areas can be added through completion of either a teaching major or a teaching minor in that content area.

The term ‘minor’ for this teaching option refers to courses that need to be completed. To sign up for this option, you need to contact the Curriculum and Instruction Department. Do not fill out a minor form for graduation or the minor section of the major change form. Approvals for this option must come from the Curriculum and Instruction Department.  

Minor - Sociology (Minor); Track: Teaching Sociology

College Humanities & Sciences

Catalog Year: 2014-2015

Degree Specific Credits: 24

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: To earn a minor in sociology the student must complete a minimum of 21 credits in sociology with at least 9 of these credits at the upper-division level.


Lower Division Core Courses

Rule: All courses are required

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description SOCI 101S - Introduction to Sociology
Offered every term. Overview of the principles and concepts used in the study of human social interaction, groups, communities and societies. Required of all majors.
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 3 Total Credits Required

Upper Division Core Courses

Rule: All courses are required

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description SOCI 318 - Sociological Research Methods
Offered every term. Prereq., SOCI 101S, Sociology majors only, or consent of instr. Methods of research in the social sciences including naturalistic observation, interviewing, measurement, experiments, surveys, content analysis, and basic data analysis. Required of all majors.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 455 - Classical Sociological Theory
Offered autumn and spring.  Prereq., SOCI 101S, or consent of instr. Focus on the historical development of the field of sociology from 1850 to World War I.  The classical writings of Marx, Durkheim, and Weber emphasized.  Required of all sociology majors.
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 6 Total Credits Required

Minor Content Courses

Rule: Choose 2 of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description SOCI 211S - Introduction to Criminology
Offered autumn. Prereq., or coreq., SOCI 101S. A critical examination of crime in society: how crime is defined, the extent and distribution of crime, theoretical explanations of criminal behavior, and crime control efforts.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 220S - Race, Gender & Class
Offered autumn. Same as WGS 220S. Analysis of the intersecting structure and dynamics of race, gender and class. Focus on power relationships, intergroup conflict and minority-group status.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 270 - Intro Development Sociology
Offered autumn.  Introduction to sociological perspectives on international development, globalization, and sustainability.  Rural and environmental issues emphasized.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 275S - Gender and Society
Offered spring. Same as WGS 275S. Exploration of the social construction of gender, especially in western, post-industrial societies such as the U.S. How gender ideologies affect the social definition and position of men and women in work, family, sexual relationships, sexual divisions of labor, and social movements.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 306 - Sociology of Work
Offered intermittently.  An introduction to contemporary sociological debates on work including overwork, working poor, housework, globalization, mechanization, routinization, surveillance, and unions. Special focus on gender and class impacts on working life.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 308 - Soc of Education
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S. The structure and operation of the educational system in the United States, with special attention to the organization and effectiveness of schools.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 325 - Social Stratification
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S or SOCI 220S or SOCI 275S. The origins, institutionalization and change of class, status, prestige, power and other forms of social inequality. Special attention to the effects of stratification on individuals.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 332 - Sociology of the Family
Offered autumn. Prereq., SOCI 101S. Same as WGS 300. Historical, cross-cultural, and analytical study of the family. Emphasis on ideology, social structures, and agency affecting family composition and roles.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 345 - Sociology of Organizations
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S. Historical and analytical study of organizations as social systems, with an emphasis on applying theoretical models to analyzing organizational behavior and change.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 346 - Rural Sociology
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S recommended. Demographic, economic and sociocultural change in rural communities with an emphasis on global economy, political structure, urbanization, and economic and social infrastructure. Special attention given to the rural west and Montana.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 350 - The Community
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S. The study of families, peer groups, neighborhoods, voluntary associations, power structures, social classes and large scale organizations as they come together in local communities.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 355 - Population and Society
Offered spring. Prereq., SOCI 101S. An introduction to contemporary world population problems including population growth, trafficking, fertility, mortality, population policy, and the relationship between population and environment. Emphasizes gender issues in international context.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 382 - Soc Psych and Social Structure
Offered autumn. Prereq., SOCI 101S. The study of the behavior of individuals in social contexts ranging from small groups to societies. Topics include attitude change, conformity, aggression, helping behavior, self-concept formation, and group cohesion and decision-making.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 470 - Environmental Sociology
Offered autumn. Introduction to environmental sociology and the social dimensions of environmental change.  Case studies of major environmental problems as applications of environmental sociological perspectives.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 485 - Political Sociology
Offered spring odd-numbered years. Prereq., junior or senior standing. Analysis of political theory and behavior; social bases of power and policy determination; institutional interrelationships; intellectuals and ideologies; political trends and change; political participation and membership.
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 6 Total Credits Required

General Sociology Electives

Rule: Choose 2 of the following courses

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description ENST 225 - Community & Enviornment
Offered autumn.  Same as SOCI 225.  Exploration of the ways that communities address their environmental concerns.  Introduction of relevant social science concepts.
3 Credits
Show Description NRSM 424 - Community Forestry & Conservtn
Offered spring. Co-convened with NRSM 524. In-depth examination of the history, theory and management issues faced in community-driven forestry and conservation in the United States and abroad.  Cannot get credit for both NRSM 424 and NRSM 524.
3 Credits
Show Description PSYX 441 - Addiction Studies
Offered intermittently. Same as SOCI 433 and SW 423. Examination of chemical dependency and behavioral compulsion, including alcohol and other drugs, gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions. Ecosystems perspective on etiology, treatment, prevention, family dynamics, community response, and societal contributors.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 130S - Soc of Alternative Religions
Offered spring. Unconventional religious groups in American society. Topics include recruitment, conversion, commitment, defection, leadership, belief systems, organizational structure and change.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 211S - Introduction to Criminology
Offered autumn. Prereq., or coreq., SOCI 101S. A critical examination of crime in society: how crime is defined, the extent and distribution of crime, theoretical explanations of criminal behavior, and crime control efforts.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 221 - Criminal Justice System
Offered spring.  A systematic survey of crime and the administration of justice in the United States, including the organizational structures, processes, and dynamics of law enforcement, criminal adjudication, and corrections.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 312 - Criminal Adjudication
Offered spring odd-numbered years. Prereq., SOCI 101S, 221 and either 211S or 330. An examination of adjudicatory processes applied to the criminally accused. Includes pretrial, trial, and sentencing practices and procedures. Special attention to the sociological dimensions of criminal adjudication: its cultural underpinnings, structural characteristics and interactional dynamics.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 314 - Extraordinary Group Behavior
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S. The study of emergent social behavior including rumors, crowds, crazes, riots, panics, terrorism, revolutions and social movements.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 335 - Juvenile Justice System
Offered autumn. Prereq., SOCI 101S and 211S or 330. An analysis of the juvenile justice system in the United States, including the historical development of policies and practices. The role of various social agencies in defining, preventing, and responding to delinquency.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 362 - Sociology of Law Enforcement
Offered autumn even-numbered years. Prereq., SOCI 101S, 221 and either 211S or 330. An examination of policing in society, with emphasis on the cultural context in which it occurs, its structural characteristics, and social psychological processes.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 371 - Gender and Global Development
Offered every other year.  Prereq. SOCI 101S.  Same as WGS 360.  Intermediate level perspectives on colonization, international development, and globalization, with an emphasis on gender issues and impacts.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 386 - Preceptorship in Sociology
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., SOCI 101S and consent of instr. Assisting a faculty member by tutoring, conducting review sessions, helping students with research projects, and carrying out other class-related responsibilities. Open to juniors and seniors with instructor's consent. Proposals must be approved by department chair.
2 To 3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 423 - Sociology of Corrections
Offered spring. Prereq., SOCI 101S, 221 and either 211S or 330. An examination of the purposes, structures, and processes of jails, prisons, and community corrections, including probation and parole. Emphasis on historical development and current trends and issues in corrections.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 435 - Law and Society
Offered spring even-numbered years. Prereq., SOCI 101S. The study of the law and society, including the origin, institutionalization, and impact of law and legal systems.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 438 - Seminar in Crime & Deviance
Offered every term. Consent of instructor. Advanced studies in criminology theory, research, and practice. This course will meet the upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 441 - Capstone: Inequal and Soc Just
Offered spring. SOCI 101S and two inequality and social justice courses and consent of instr. Research and writing on Inequity and Social Justice. Students bring together readings from other inequality content courses and/or independent readings, research methods training, and data and/or internship experience to write a final research paper on a topic of their choice within the ISJ area. Meets upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 442 - ISJ Service Learning
Prereq, consent of instr.  Supervised fieldwork and research in settings relevant to Inequality and Social Justice, building participatory research and critical thinking skills; relationships with people in groups marginalized by systems of inequality; citizenship awareness.
3 To 4 Credits
Show Description SOCI 443 - Sociology of Poverty
Offered autumn. Prereq. SOCI 101S, or consent of instr. An examination of the roots, prevalence, and social characteristics of poverty. Analysis of policies intended to end poverty.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 444 - Issues in Inequality
Offered intermittently. Consent of instr. Analysis of selected topics in inequality and social justice. Possible topics include Native Americans, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, and gender.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 460 - Capstone: Rural and Env Change
Offered spring. Prereq., SOCI 101S and consent of instr.  Advanced study of issues in rural, environmental, and development sociology with an emphasis on theoretical perspectives and applications. Meets upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 488 - Writing for Sociology
Offered autumn and spring. Consent of instr.  Advanced study of variable topics or issues in sociology, with emphasis on writing for the discipline. This course satisfies the upper-division writing expectation for sociology majors only.
3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 492 - Independent Study
(R-9) Offered every term. Prereq., SOCI 101S and consent of instr. Individual work with a faculty supervisor in an area of special interest. Proposals must be approved by department chair.
1 To 3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 494 - Seminar/Workshop
Offered intermittently. Prereq., SOCI 101S and at least junior standing. Selected sociological topics.
2 To 3 Credits
Show Description SOCI 498 - Internship
(R-6) Offered every term. Prereq., SOCI 101S, 318 and 202; 2.75 GPA; junior standing and consent of instr. Supervised placement in an agency or business which involves work experience related to criminology, sociology, rural and environmental change and/or inequality and social justice.
1 To 6 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 6 Total Credits Required

Teaching Licensure Requirements

Note: Individuals completing a teaching minor must also complete a teaching major in another content area. Students must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program and complete all of the professional education licensure requirements. See the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education and Human Sciences for more information. A minor GPA of 2.75 is required to be eligible for student teaching.

Note: Individuals completing a teaching minor must also complete a teaching major in another content area. Students must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program and complete all of the professional education licensure requirements. See the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education and Human Sciences for more information. A minor GPA of 2.75 is required to be eligible for student teaching.


Teaching Methods Course

Rule: Complete the following course.

Note: The EDU 497 course number is used for multiple courses. Students should register for EDU 497 Methods: 5-12 Social Studies.

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description EDU 497 - Teaching and Assessing
(R-15) Offered autumn and/or spring. Prereq. admission to the Teacher Education Program. This course number is used for multiple elementary and secondary methods courses. Check the class schedule or with your advisor regarding appropriate sections. 5-8 Mathematics: 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., EDU 222; M 135 and 136. Special note: Refer to Program Description. This class must be taken concurrently with Level 3 Block courses and is restricted to students who have completed coursework in Levels 1 & 2. Methods of teaching, assessing, and evaluating mathematics in the 5-8 middle grades including number and operations, rational numbers, ratio and proportion, measurement, algebra, expressions and equations, geometry, probability, statistics, and functions. K-8 Social Studies: 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., HSTA 255, GPHY 121 or 141. Special note: Refer to Program Description. This class must be taken concurrently with Level 3 Block courses and is restricted to students who have completed coursework in Levels 1 & 2. Emphasis on developing teaching and assessing social studies teaching/learning opportunities that incorporate literature, primary sources and other developmentally appropriate activities. Overarching themes address diversity, integration across the curriculum and understanding state and national curriculum standards. K-8 Science: 3 cr. Offered every fall and spring. Pre-req., SCI 225, SCI 226;SCI 350, M135, M136, HHP 223, HHP 339, ARTZ 302A, DANC 346, THTR 339, MUSE 397, EDU 222, EDU 331, EDU 345, EDU 395, EDU 370, EDU 397, EDU 407 and all general education/content/specialty courses. Coreq., EDU 450/451, 497, 497, 497, 497, 340. Emphasis on developing, teaching, and assessing science teaching/learning opportunities that are inquiry-based, developmentally appropriate, integrated across the curriculum, and aligned with state and national curriculum standards. 4-8 Reading: 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq. EDU 397, EDU 395, Coreq., 497 block, EDU 340, EDU 451. Preparation for teaching reading in a 4-8 setting so that all students are successful. Emphasis on reading to learn. Focus on using assessment to guide instruction, learning from trade books, textbooks, and electronic texts, activating prior knowledge, studying texts, and developing student enthusiasm for reading. 5-12 Science: 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., EDU 221 (C&I 303), a science teaching major or minor. Methods and materials to teach science in grades 5-12. Techniques of evaluation. 5-12 Social Studies: 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., EDU 221 (C&I 303). Foundations and purpose of the middle and secondary social studies curriculum. Elements of lesson design, including instructional methods, materials and assessment. 5-12 Mathematics: 4 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., EDU 202 and 221 (C&I 200 and 303), and at least two-thirds of the teaching major or minor in mathematics. Methods for teaching mathematics in grades 5-12 focusing on presentation of mathematics concepts and procedures through models, problem solving, and technology. Development of instructional strategies and classroom organizational models, discourse in the classroom, and multiple means for assessing student progress. 5-12 Business Subjects: 4 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., EDU 221 (C&I 303), business teaching experience. Methods of unit and lesson planning methods of instruction and presentation including learning theory computer applications student assessment micro teaching test design and evaluation of business courses and students.
0 To 4 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 3 Total Credits Required