The following list shows the module-level topics for the course. To see all of the course pages, visit the Table of Contents.

• Module 1: Foundations of Sociology
  • What Is Sociology?
  • The History of Sociology
  • Why Study Sociology?
  • Defining the Sociological Imagination
  • Applying the Sociological Imagination
  • Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives
  • Structural-Functional Theory
  • Conflict Theory
  • Feminist Theory
  • Symbolic Interactionist Theory
  • Introduction to Sociological Research
  • The Scientific Method
  • Surveys
  • Experiments
  • Field Research
  • Secondary Data Analysis
  • Summary of Research Methods
  • Ethics
• Module 2: Culture and Society
  • Culture and Society
  • What Is Culture?
  • Ethnocentrism and Xenocentricism
  • Values and Beliefs
  • Social Norms
  • Symbols and Language
  • Pop Culture and Subculture
  • Cultural Change
  • Types of Societies
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Culture
  • Functionalism and Society
  • Conflict Theory and Society
  • Conflict Theory and Alienation
  • Symbolic Interactionism and Society
  • Social Constructions of Reality
  • Roles and the Presentation of Self
  • Dramaturgy
• Module 3: Socialization and Interaction
  • Theories of Self-Development
  • Moral Development
  • Why Socialization Matters
  • Social Group Agents
  • Institutional Agents
  • Socialization Across the Life Course
  • Resocialization
  • Types of Groups
  • Group Size and Structure
  • Leadership Styles
  • Conformity
  • Types of Formal Organizations
  • The McDonaldization of Society
• Module 4: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control
  • Deviance and Control
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance
  • Conflict Theory and Deviance
  • Symbolic Interactionism and Deviance
  • The Criminal Justice System
  • Criminal Activity
• Module 5: Social Stratification and Inequality
  • Defining Social Stratification
  • Systems of Social Stratification
  • Standard of Living
• Module 6: Race and Ethnicity
  • Introduction to Race and Ethnicity
  • Racial, Ethnic, and Minority Groups
  • Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
  • Theoretical Perspectives of Race and Ethnicity
  • Intergroup Relationships
  • Native Americans
  • African Americans
  • Asian Americans
  • Hispanic Americans
  • Arab Americans
  • White Ethnic Americans
• Module 7: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
  • Sex and Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Gender Identity
  • Gender and Socialization
  • Gender Inequality
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Gender
  • The Women’s Movement
  • Sex and Sexuality
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Sex
• Module 8: Marriage and Family
  • Defining Family
  • Marriage and Courtship Patterns
  • Lines of Descent and Family Stages
  • Variations in Family Life
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family
  • Divorce and Remarriage
  • Violence and Abuse
• Module 9: Religion and Education
  • The History of Religion
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Religion
  • Types of Religion
  • Hinduism
  • Buddhism
  • Confucianism
  • Taoism
  • Judaism
  • Islam
  • Christianity
  • Religion and Social Change
  • Secularization
  • Education Around the World
  • Universal Access to Education
  • Functionalist Theory on Education
  • Conflict Theory on Education
  • Feminist Theory on Education
  • Symbolic Interactionist Theory on Education
  • Hot Topics in Education
  • Charter Schools and Homeschooling
  • Contemporary Issues in Education
• Module 10: Health, Aging, and the Elderly
  • Why It Matters: Health, Aging, and the Elderly
  • The Cultural Significance of Health
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Health and Medicine
  • Global Health
  • Health in the United States
  • Mental Health and Disabilities
  • Healthcare in the United States
  • Healthcare Outside of the United States
  • Aging in Society
  • The Graying of the United States
  • Aging Around the World
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Aging
  • Growing Old
  • Social and Psychological Changes of Aging
  • Death and Dying
  • Poverty
  • Ageism and Abuse
  • Putting It Together: Health, Aging, and the Elderly
• Module 11: Government and Politics
  • Why It Matters: Government and Politics
  • Defining Power
  • Types of Authority
  • Forms of Government
  • Politics in the United States
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Government
• Module 12: Work and the Economy
  • Why It Matters: Work and the Economy
  • Introduction to Work and the Economy
  • Types of Economic Systems
  • Capitalism and Socialism
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Economics
  • Globalization
  • Recent Economic Conditions in the United States
  • Work in the United States
  • Poverty in the United States
• Module 13: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
  • Why It Matters: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
  • Demography and Population Growth
  • Demographic Theories
  • Urbanization on the Rise
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Urbanization
  • Environmental Sociology
  • Environmental Racism
  • Putting It Together: Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
• Module 14: Social Movements, Media, and Technology
  • Why It Matters: Social Movements, Media, and Technology
  • Collective Behavior
  • Levels of Social Movements
  • Types and Stages of Social Movements
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Social Movements
  • Occupy Wall Street
  • Social Change and Modernization
  • Introduction to Media and Technology
  • Modern Technology
  • Media and Technology
  • Media Globalization
  • Technological Globalization
  • Functionalism on Media and Technology
  • Conflict Perspective on Media and Technology
  • Symbolic Interactionism on Media and Technology
  • Class Structure in the United States
  • Social Mobility
  • Introduction to Global Inequality
  • Global Stratification and Inequality
  • Global Stratification
  • Global Classification
  • Types of Global Poverty
  • Poverty Around the World
  • The Impact of Poverty
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Social Stratification
  • Theoretical Perspectives on Global Stratification