SOC 205 - Marriage and the Family

Number of Credits: 3
Explore U.S. courtship, marriage, and family institutions through a sociological lens. Examine topics such as love, sex, marital adjustment, parenting, gender roles, lifestyles, and family variations by culture, social class, and race/ethnicity. (Fall & Spring Only) Three hours lecture each week. Three Credits. Three billable hours.

Pre-requisite(s): ENGL 101.

Course Topics:
Love, sex, marital adjustment, parenting, LGBTQ+ relationships, gender and diversity, gender roles, singlehood and cohabitation, violence and abuse, money, work, and stress in relationships, divorce, remarriage, and stepfamilies, and family variations by culture, social class, and race/ethnicity.
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze, using sociological concepts, the historical and contemporary roles and functions of family structures cross-culturally, and why they are important for societies and individuals. (PG 1,2,4)

2. Explore the differences between the concepts of sex and gender and how children learn gender roles. (PG 1)

3. Analyze how age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and social class influence family patterns and kinship roles in the U.S. and in other cultures. (PG 1,2,3)

4. Examine current family issues such as domestic violence, family instability, the changing nature of marriage, and the impact of social, cultural, economic, and political changes on the family. (PG 1,2,4)