UG Course Descriptions

The epidemic of high technology crime in America will be examined in regard to the criminal’s methods and motives and the social, economic, legal and technological factors that have facilitated the prevalence of these crimes in the U.S. Specific investigative and prosecution hurdles experienced by the criminal justice system will be explored and the solutions offered will be addressed and analyzed.

An overview of sentencing, punishment, and treatment of convicted offenders. Analysis of the history of the correctional system, the prison social system and the theory and contemporary practices and trending issues in the area of corrections.

Adolescence is explained from a biopsychosocial perspective. This theoretical framework serves as a foundation for applying various intervention strategies to facilitate growth. Social institutions that influence American adolescents are examined as are factors of ethnicity, mental health and cultural diversity.

This course is taught in seminar style and will focus on the current Pathways to Careers in Social Work, Juvenile Justice, and Adult & Family Services by introducing the entitlements, mandates, and programs that county & state Human Service agencies provide. Philosophies of care that guide each system will be introduced. Students will learn the importance of being Trauma Informed, Family & Youth Driven as well as an effective Cultural Broker. The use of Evidenced Based Models and Practices commonly used in the child / adolescent and transition aged youth serving systems will also be introduced. This course utilizes lecture, discussion, group exercise, audio/visual, role play, internet resources, and oral presentations along with reading assignments.

This course will examine criminals who obtain money through illegal activities; including intimidation, corruption, extortion and violence. The different types of organized crime, its history and progression both in America and abroad as well as a look inside Philadelphia organized crime and some of its more well-known members will be discussed. Also explored are the structure and activities of organized criminal enterprises, the different models that have been employed to describe organized crime groups, and the theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon. The history and strategies police use to combat organized crime will also be discussed.

In this course, we will study the phenomenon of serial crime and, in particular, the serial killer. We will define serial and related homicides, review the history of serial killing, and discuss theories as to why individuals become serial killers. We will identify the traits and categories of serial killers and the methods by which they carry out their crimes. Finally, we will look at case studies of notorious serial killers and identify and discuss what factors may have been responsible for their becoming serial killers.

Medical Sociology brings sociological perspectives, theories, and methods to the study of health and medical practice. Major areas of investigation include the social facets of health and disease, the social behavior of health care personnel and people who utilize health care, the social functions of health organizations and institutions, the social patterns of health services, and the relationship of health care delivery systems to other systems. This course also provides an overview of social work practice in a variety of medical settings including inpatient, outpatient, clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home care. Students will gain information on the history of medical social work, the diverse settings in which medical social work is conducted, the responsibilities of medical social workers, the issues currently facing medical social workers, and the factors that impact social work practice in a multidisciplinary health care teams.

Sociology of Health and Illness will examine health, illness, and the health care system from a sociological perspective. More specifically, the course will study how social forces promote health and illness, why some social groups suffer more illness than others do, and how the understanding of social forces can assist in addressing the issues. It will also examine how illness affects an individual, his/her relationships, or his/her ideas about what causes illness. The course will then view health care providers, the health care system, and health care settings from a sociological perspective.

The scientific study of victimization, including the relationships between the victims and the offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system-that is the police, the courts, and corrections officials-and the connection between victims and other societal groups and institutions, such as the media, business, and social movements. Topics include child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, elder abuse, cybercrime, hate crime and current topics including human trafficking, home invasion, gang violence, terrorism and wrongful convictions.

This course explores the relationships between social structures, inequalities, and cultural values within society. Students will examine how social stratification, based on factors such as class, race, and gender shapes individuals’ opportunities and experiences. The course will also focus on the role of social values, norms, and beliefs in influencing behavior, guiding societal expectations, and maintaining or challenging social hierarchies. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which social inequalities and shared values interact to shape contemporary societies.