Course Descriptions

This course is a sociological examination of significant rule-making and rule-breaking that surveys explorations/explanations of non-conformity relevant to juvenile delinquency, crime, health and environmental welfare, mental illness, sexual violence, substance abuse and certain other non-normative lifestyles

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 7. Families will be examined from the sociological perspective and will be compared across time and cultures. Family relationships, family structure and the effects of race, class, gender, age, social institutions and social policy will be explored in this course. Integral to this course are comprehensive discussions on topics such as dating, cohabitation, marriage/partnering, employment, domestic violence, parenting, divorce, remarriage/re-partnering and elder care. This course provides understanding of the family, family roles and the impact on the individual. Understanding public and private, platonic and intimate relationships can assist in the development of tolerance toward others.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 2 and 5. This course will provide a thorough overview of the field of criminology: the study of the theories which attempt to define and explain crime, criminal behavior and society's reactions to crime, including a focus on juvenile delinquency, the judicatory process and penology.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 7. This course examines the ambiguities and conflicts embedded within the broad and inclusive concept of diversity and endeavors to combine subjective interpretations of diversity with sociological perspectives to better prepare students to participate in, and appreciate, an increasingly diverse culture.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 7. This course is a sociological study of the forces which have transformed the rural setting and impacted future trends in rural America. The course will also focus on the diverse cultural heritage contributing to the rich cultural mosaic found in rural scenarios.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 7. This course examines the social and cultural dimensions of the production, preparation and consumption of food. The course will include discussion of a wide variety of topics including food citizenry, sustainable food production, agroecology, hunger, food sovereignty, food choice and options, policy and legislation, social justice, and the interplay between food and gender, social class, race and ethnicity.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 5. The central theme of this course is to understand the institutions and processes critical to farm success. Students will utilize sociological perspectives to study the many aspects of a local food system.

This course meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 8.This course is intended to be a history of epidemics and their effects on western societies. It is a general education course for students interested in the history of epidemic diseases and concern for our preparedness as a society to meet new threats. The course begins with a brief history of medicine and the various interpretations of disease. It then focuses on plague pandemics and concludes with current epidemics and newly emerging and reemerging diseases. Epidemics and pandemics of focus include: Plague, Smallpox, Yellow Fever, Typhus, Cholera, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Polio, HIV/AIDS and hemorrhagic fevers.

Meets MnTC Goals 2 and 5. This course introduces methods and concepts used in the research process in the social sciences and related fields. Topics covered include the application of the scientific method to social and behavioral research, definitions and measurements of variables, research design, experiential methods and survey techniques. The use of literature reviews and the importance of critically evaluating research will be emphasized. Common descriptive and inferential statistics used in social science disciplines will also be introduced. This course is identical to POLS 2950 and PSYC 2950 and is cross-listed with both of those courses. Students may choose to enroll in the course with the prefix most appropriate to their transfer and career goals.

In this course, students will learn introductory-level skills that will prepare them to create visual content relevant for today's most widespread social media platforms. Various visual methods and media will be taught, such as static graphic design layout, still photography and videography. Throughout this course, students will be instructed to create visual content that will focus on technical proficiency, core design principles, brand consistency, user experience and user engagement strategies.

This course will instruct students on the basics of social media management, primarily from a business and marketing perspective. An emphasis will be placed on industry-established planning, management and measurement processes. Students will learn the tools necessary to manage a company's social program at any point, from setting up a program from scratch to performing ongoing maintenance and assessment that will ensure continued success.

In this course, students will apply their accumulated knowledge and skills to produce integrated social media campaigns. Campaign projects will involve activities that are designed to imitate industry practices and processes, allowing students to experiment with the tools they'll use on the job. Students will independently complete research and planning, produce original content and analyze the results of their campaign following its completion.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 8. This course is the first semester of Beginning Spanish. Students will develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills through a focus on historical, political, cultural and artistic expressions of the Spanish-speaking world. This course provides basic instruction in the correct form and use of the Spanish language. Study concentrates on oral and written comprehension of simple Spanish, verbal expression of personal themes, pronunciation and grammar.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 8. This course provides continued basic instruction in the correct form and use of the Spanish language. Study concentrates on oral and written comprehension of simple Spanish, verbal expression of personal and extended themes, pronunciation and grammar. Students will develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills through a focus on historical, political, cultural and artistic expressions of the Spanish-speaking world.

This course provides basic instruction in the correct form and use of the Spanish language. Study concentrates on oral and written comprehension of simple Spanish, verbal expression of personal themes, pronunciation and grammar.