Program Requirements
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Courses (6 credits)
A minimum of three years of study is required.
Ph.D. candidates must take examinations in two subfields of sociology. These fields will be chosen from the Department's areas of specialization.
Examinations must be completed and the student's candidacy for the degree established by August 31 of the Ph.D. 3 year. Ph.D. candidates are required to submit a thesis on an approved topic. The topic must be approved by a dissertation proposal committee convened by the student's dissertation supervisor. The thesis should be completed within five years after the initial residency period of two to three years. Further details on the requirements and regulations for the thesis and the fields in which the Department is prepared to direct research may be obtained from the Sociology website at: and at .
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SOCI 625D1 Professional Development Seminar in Sociology
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Professional development of incoming graduate students in sociology.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Fall)
Course will be offered every other week, during the Fall and Winter terms, for a duration of one hour.
Restrictions: Open to incoming graduate students in the Department of Sociology.
Students must register at the same time for SOCI 625 D1 and SOCI 625D2.
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SOCI 625D2 Professional Development Seminar in Sociology
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Professional development of incoming graduate students in sociology.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Winter)
Course will be offered every other week, during the Fall and Winter terms, for a duration of one hour.
Restrictions: Open to incoming graduate students in the Department of Sociology.
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SOCI 700 Ph.D. Area Examination 1
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The examination assesses the student's breadth of knowledge in one substantive area. This is the first of two required comprehensive examinations for the Ph.D. Program.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Only open to Ph.D. students in the Sociology Department
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SOCI 701 Ph.D. Area Examination 2
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The examination assesses the student's breadth of knowledge in one substantive area. This is the second of two required comprehensive examinations for the Ph.D. Program.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Only open to Ph.D. students in the Sociology Department
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SOCI 702 Ph.D. Proposal Approval
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Presentation and acceptance of the Ph.D. Proposal Defense by the student to the Department Proposal Committee.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Only open to Ph.D. students in the Sociology Department
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SOCI 703 Bibliographic Methods 3
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Further development of research-related skills and the production of a research bibliography under the supervision of a faculty member.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Restricted to Sociology Ph.D. students.
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SOCI 704 Bibliographic Methods 4
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Further development of research-related skills and the production of a research bibliography under the supervision of a faculty member.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Restricted to Sociology Ph.D. students.
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WMST 601 Feminist Theories and Methods (3 credits)
Overview
Women's Studies : Examination of feminist theories and research methods from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Sharp, Hasana (Fall)
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WMST 602 Feminist Research Symposium (3 credits)
Overview
Women's Studies : Discussion and development of participants' research in gender and women's studies.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Bunch, Mary (Winter)
Prerequisite: WMST 601.
Restriction: Must be enrolled in the Option in Gender and Women's Studies.
Research proposal is subject to Department approval and to approval by the participating faculty members in the Gender and Women's Studies program.
Complementary Courses (18-30 credits)
6 credits from one of the following streams:
Qualitative Stream
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SOCI 601 Qualitative Research Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Qualitative data interpretation and analysis. Coding, identifying themes and memo-writing. Students conclude their qualitative research project, writing up findings in the form of a publishable-quality paper.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Fall)
Seminar will be offered once a week, during the Fall term, for a duration of two hours (1x2).
Prerequisite: SOCI 600
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
AND
3 credits from the following:
- SOCI 620 Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
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SOCI 621 Fixed and Random Effects (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fixed and random effect regression. Emphasis on longitudinal panel data and hierarchical data.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
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SOCI 622 Event History Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Applied introduction to event history analysis, a set of statistical methods used to analyze changes from one state to another (i.e. transitions) and the effects of independent variables on the timing and likelihood of these transitions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 623 Latent Variable Models (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Latent variable models attempt to explain complex relations between manifest/observed variables by simple relations between these variables and an underlying unobservable or 鈥渓atent鈥� structure. Topics include both cross-sectional (Latent Class, factor analysis) and longitudinal (Latent Transition/Hidden Markov, Latent Class Growth Analysis, Growth Mixture Models) versions.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Das, Aniruddha (Fall)
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
OR
Quantitative Stream
6 credits from the following:
- SOCI 620 Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
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SOCI 621 Fixed and Random Effects (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fixed and random effect regression. Emphasis on longitudinal panel data and hierarchical data.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
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SOCI 622 Event History Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Applied introduction to event history analysis, a set of statistical methods used to analyze changes from one state to another (i.e. transitions) and the effects of independent variables on the timing and likelihood of these transitions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 623 Latent Variable Models (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Latent variable models attempt to explain complex relations between manifest/observed variables by simple relations between these variables and an underlying unobservable or 鈥渓atent鈥� structure. Topics include both cross-sectional (Latent Class, factor analysis) and longitudinal (Latent Transition/Hidden Markov, Latent Class Growth Analysis, Growth Mixture Models) versions.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Das, Aniruddha (Fall)
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
If an exemption is obtained for one or both of the qualitative or quantitative stream courses above, another one must then be substituted in its place.
12 credits from the following 500-, 600-, or 700-level courses chosen from among the elective courses listed in the Sociology Department course offerings.
Three of these four courses must be taken within the Department, one of the four must be on gender/women's issues.
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SOCI 506 Quantitative Methods 3 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Advanced statistical analyses focusing on advanced methods such as event history analysis and analysis of contingency tables.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 504 or equivalent or permission of instructor.
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SOCI 507 Social Change (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : An examination of the major sociological theories of long term macro social change. Topics include why industrialization began in Europe instead of Asia, the divergence among societies in systems of class, gender, ethnic and racial inequality, and whether industrial society has entered a new post-industrial or post-modern phase.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Lange, Matthew (Fall)
Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken SOCI 672. Undergraduates by permission of instructor only.
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SOCI 508 Medical Sociology and Social Psychiatry (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The social construction of mental illness and disease, the personal and professional definition and recognition of illness, the distribution and determinants of illness, disease, sickness in the population, and the politics of medical research.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 510 Seminar in Social Stratification (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Recent theoretical and empirical developments in social stratification and inequality. The study of social class, with attention to the anomalous findings on heterogeneity in labour markets and the labour process, status attainment processes, and the socio-political and industrial attitudes of the working class. Students will prepare quantitative analysis of Canadian survey material as well as critical qualitative reviews.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 512 Ethnicity & Public Policy (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Major themes in the theoretical literature on ethnicity. Public policies with direct and indirect implications for inter-ethnic relations will be studied. Policies affecting areas such as language, education, immigration, employment and promotion, multiculturalism and welfare. Examples drawn from several multi-ethnic societies. Political, constitutional, and economic problems associated with these policy initiatives.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Weinfeld, Morton (Fall)
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SOCI 513 Social Aspects HIV/AIDS in Africa (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Examination of the social causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Gender inequality, sexual behaviours, marriage systems, migration, and poverty are shaping the pandemic as well as how the pandemic is altering social, demographic and economic conditions across Africa.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 514 Criminology (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : A survey of the major schools of thought that have developed to explain criminal behaviour from the emergence of modern criminology in the 18th and 19th centuries to current debates.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Carmichael, Jason (Fall)
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.
Note: Grad students and U3 students only.
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SOCI 515 Medicine and Society (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The sociology of health and illness. Reading in areas of interest, such as: the sociology of illness, health services occupations, organizational settings of health care, the politics of change in national health service systems, and contemporary ethical issues in medical care and research.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Cambrosio, Alberto (Fall)
Prerequisite: Undergraduate students require permission of instructor
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SOCI 516 Sociological Theory & Research (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Selected topics of current faculty interest in sociological theory and research.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Soehl, Thomas (Fall)
Prerequisites: SOCI 330 or Permission of Instructor.
Note: Topics will vary from year to year.
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SOCI 519 Gender and Globalization (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Focus on the diverse forces of globalization that impact the lives of men and women. Critical analysis of key theories and concepts implicated in the intersection of globalization processes with gender dynamisms.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 270 or permission of instructor.
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SOCI 520 Migration and Immigrant Groups (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Review of the major demographic, economic and sociological theories of internal and international migration. The main emphasis will be on empirical research on migration and immigrant groups.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Vang, Zoua (Fall)
Prerequisite: 15 credits in the Social Sciences
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SOCI 525 Health Care Systems in Comparative Perspective (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Comparative perspective to illustrate processes involved in the development and evolution of health care systems around the world. Countries examined will represent different welfare state regimes, health care system typologies, levels of development and wealth.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Quesnel Vall茅e, Am茅lie (Fall)
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SOCI 529 Political Sociology 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Key theories and empirical areas of political sociology. Major works relevant to each theme will be read and analyzed. Topics include: political socialization, the social psychology of political behaviour, class and politics, political organizations, elite studies. A research paper in one of the areas covered will be required.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Hall, John Anthony (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 330
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SOCI 530 Sex and Gender (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This seminar critically reviews theoretical perspectives and research on sex and gender in various domains of social life. It gives special emphasis to work which considers the meaning of gender and how it differs across time and place.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Open to Honours Sociology students and to Sociology Majors with the permission of the instructor
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SOCI 535 Sociology of the Family (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This seminar reviews literature on major research areas in family. The course examines families in the past, the study of family using a life course approach, and considers selective areas which may have had significant influences on contemporary family such as work and family, family violence, and cultural variation in families.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Le Bourdais, C茅line (Winter)
Undergraduate students require permission of instructor
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SOCI 538 Selected Topics in Sociology of Biomedical Knowledge (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The seminar will examine recent work in the sociology of biomedical knowledge. It will focus on the technological shaping of biomedical knowledge, i.e., on the impact of new technologies and equipments on the development of biomedical knowledge.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 545 Sociology of Population (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The classic literature of sociology of population. Drawing reciprocal linkages between social and population processes: Historical, family and labour force demography, demographic and fertility transitions, mortality, ethnic and race relations, gender, macro-structural interaction theory, and the relation of population and the environment.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Clark, Shelley (Fall)
Prerequisite: SOCI 234 or equivalent
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SOCI 550 Developing Societies (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Comparison of alternative explanations of underdevelopment: the impact of social stratification, relations of domination and subordination between countries, state interference with the market. Alternative strategies of change: revolution, structural adjustment, community development and cooperatives. Students will write and present a research paper, and participate extensively in class discussion.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Roychowdhury, Poulami (Winter)
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SOCI 555 Comparative Historical Sociology (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The analysis of patterns of state and nation-building in historical and comparative perspectives with particular attention being given to methodology.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Restriction: Undergraduate students require permission of instructor
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SOCI 560 Labour and Globalization (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The relationship between labour and globalization, focusing on globalization of production, working conditions, national labour responses, and the emergence of transnational campaigns for labour rights and new forms of private regulation.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 307 or Permission of Instructor
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SOCI 565 Social Change in Panama (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Analysis of social change in Panama, particularly during the 20th century: demography, social and economic structures, rural and urban activities and landscapes, indigenous peoples, the effects of the Canal and the Free Trade Zone. Focus throughout on the interaction of human society and the environment.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 571 Deviance and Social Control (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This seminar focuses on how social groups enforce rules (and maintain social order) through coercion and socialization. It reviews current research and critiques key theoretical approaches to social control. Included are discussions of regulating institutions such as prisons and mental asylums, and the roles of gossip, manners and etiquettes.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
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SOCI 588 Biosociology/Biodemography (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This course will explore linkages between social and biological systems, their influence on health and well-being over the life course, and on health disparities. Topics include classical sociological approaches to biosocial processes, sociobiology (reductionist, but population-based), and newer demographic studies on gen-environment, epigenetic, and stress-metabolic/allostatic processes.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Das, Aniruddha (Winter)
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SOCI 590 Social Conflict and Violence (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This course examines recent theory and research on the comparative study of social conflict and political violence. Topics covered include the causes and consequences of international wars, state repression, civil violence, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Shor, Eran (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 210
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SOCI 601 Qualitative Research Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Qualitative data interpretation and analysis. Coding, identifying themes and memo-writing. Students conclude their qualitative research project, writing up findings in the form of a publishable-quality paper.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Fall)
Seminar will be offered once a week, during the Fall term, for a duration of two hours (1x2).
Prerequisite: SOCI 600
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
- SOCI 620 Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
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SOCI 621 Fixed and Random Effects (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fixed and random effect regression. Emphasis on longitudinal panel data and hierarchical data.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
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SOCI 622 Event History Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Applied introduction to event history analysis, a set of statistical methods used to analyze changes from one state to another (i.e. transitions) and the effects of independent variables on the timing and likelihood of these transitions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 623 Latent Variable Models (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Latent variable models attempt to explain complex relations between manifest/observed variables by simple relations between these variables and an underlying unobservable or 鈥渓atent鈥� structure. Topics include both cross-sectional (Latent Class, factor analysis) and longitudinal (Latent Transition/Hidden Markov, Latent Class Growth Analysis, Growth Mixture Models) versions.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Das, Aniruddha (Fall)
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 624 Social Networks (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Social networks from various standpoints, including classical theory, formal models, methods for empirical analysis, and substantive applications.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 652 or Permission of Instructor
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SOCI 631D1 Informing Social Policy with Canadian Data (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Tools needed to work with complex Canadian surveys in order to address social issues. Theoretical sessions given by experts from the academic community and statistical agencies are combined with laboratory workshops where students apply advanced statistical methods to survey data and complete their own research projects.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisites: Advanced undergraduate course in statistics (SOCI 461 or equivalent); passive bilinguism (French and English); and permission of the instructor
Passive bilingualism (English and French) required, as training will be given in both languages. Maximum enrollment: 12. With permission of the instructor. The course is offered over 2 semesters, and meets 6 hours every 2 weeks.
Students must register for both SOCI 631D1 and SOCI 631D2.
No credit will be given for this course unless both SOCI 631D1 and SOCI 631D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
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SOCI 631D2 Informing Social Policy with Canadian Data (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Tools needed to work with complex Canadian surveys in order to address social issues. Theoretical sessions given by experts from the academic community and statistical agencies are combined with laboratory workshops where students apply advanced statistical methods to survey data and complete their own research projects.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 631D1
No credit will be given for this course unless both SOCI 631D1 and SOCI 631D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
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SOCI 720 Reading in Social Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Supervised readings in social theory supervised by a member of staff. Topics will be chosen to suit individual interests.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: Shor, Eran (Winter)
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SOCI 730 Reading and Research (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Supervised readings and research supervised by a memeber of staff. Topics will be chosen to suit individual interests.
Terms: Fall 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
0-12 credits from the following:
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SOCI 504 Quantitative Methods 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Analysis of quantitative information, especially in large, survey-type, data sets. Use of computer programs such as SPSS and SAS. Topics include: cross tabulations with an emphasis on multi-dimensional tables, multiple correlation and regression, and, the relationship between individual and aggregate level statistical analyses. Special reference to demographic techniques.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Soehl, Thomas (Winter)
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SOCI 580 Social Research Design and Practice (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Asking researchable sociological questions and evaluation of different research designs used to answer such questions. Development of cogent research proposals, including data collection procedures. Principles, dynamics, strengths and practical limitations of research designs. Examples from recent publications.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Shor, Eran (Fall)
Restriction: Open to U3 and graduate students
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SOCI 600 Qualitative Research Methods 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Overview of qualitative research design and modes of data collection, particularly observation, interviewing and focus groups. Students are required to design and undertake their own qualitative research project. Introduction to computerized tools for qualitative data management, transcription and analysis.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Roychowdhury, Poulami (Winter)
Restrictions: Permission of instructor. Not open to students who have taken SOCI 540.
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SOCI 652 Current Sociological Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Examination of works in some major areas of Sociology with a focus on: antecedent thought and research in the area; the internal structure and consistency of these works; the validity of the major claims made; and the implications for future theoretical development and research.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Van den Berg, Axel (Fall)
Prerequisite: SOCI 330
If you are admitted at the Ph.D. 1 level and an exemption is obtained for one or more of the four courses above, another one must then be substituted in its place.