CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: Sophomore standing or ( SOC 181 , SOC/C&E SOC 140 , 210 , or 211 ) Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Critically analyze the foundational works of classical sociologists including but not limited to Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx, demonstrating an understanding of their core theoretical contributions. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Compare and contrast classical sociological theories in terms of their assumptions about society, modernity, social order, and change. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Apply classical theoretical frameworks to contemporary social phenomena, demonstrating the enduring relevance and limitations of these theories. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Evaluate the historical and intellectual contexts in which classical sociological theories emerged, including their relationships to Enlightenment thought, industrialization, and capitalism. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Synthesize key concepts (e.g., social facts, class struggle, rationalization) across different theorists to construct coherent theoretical arguments. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Engage in scholarly debate by articulating well-supported positions on theoretical disputes and their implications for sociological research. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Critically analyze the foundational works of classical sociologists including but not limited to Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx, demonstrating an understanding of their core theoretical contributions. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Compare and contrast classical sociological theories in terms of their assumptions about society, modernity, social order, and change. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Apply classical theoretical frameworks to contemporary social phenomena, demonstrating the enduring relevance and limitations of these theories. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Evaluate the historical and intellectual contexts in which classical sociological theories emerged, including their relationships to Enlightenment thought, industrialization, and capitalism. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Synthesize key concepts (e.g., social facts, class struggle, rationalization) across different theorists to construct coherent theoretical arguments. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Engage in scholarly debate by articulating well-supported positions on theoretical disputes and their implications for sociological research. Audience: Undergraduate