Sociology is the study of social groups, structures, processes, institutions, and events. This course will explore key features of contemporary Western society and culture from a sociological perspective. We will consider what aspects of our lives and the social world are changing and why. The course will focus on understanding and applying the sociological perspective, which stresses the importance of the impact of social forces external to the individual in shaping people’s lives and experiences. Topics studied will include socialization, social interaction, culture, groups, social structure, deviance, social inequality, social class, race, gender, institutions (political, economic, educational, family, and religious), collective behavior and social change. Students will be asked to learn the basic concepts, theories, and perspectives of sociology, to see how these operate in terms of social processes, structures, and events, and to apply this knowledge to better understand the social world.

Psychology is the study of mental processes and human behavior. Through this course students will acquire the most fundamental, important and useful of all kinds of knowledge – knowledge about yourself and other human beings. Intro to Psychology will introduce students to social psychology, the biology of the brain, the psychology of human development, psychological disorders, how to conduct a psychological study, and more. Regardless of what your future life and career choices are, your psychological knowledge will help you be a more effective and fulfilled human being –on the job, with your loved ones, in social situations, or in the quiet satisfaction of just being yourself.