SUMMER 2026
Full Term and In-Person
SOC 215, URBAN SOCIOLOGY, Brandon Morande, 5 CREDITS (SSc), M/W 2:20-4:40 PM, SLN: 13233
Explore the social forces that shape our cities! Most humans now live in urban areas, as cities expand rapidly across the globe. This course unpacks the historic processes behind today’s most pressing issues—from segregation and gentrification to homelessness and displacement. Using Seattle as a living laboratory, students will learn to observe public space like a sociologist and reimagine possibilities for urban justice.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Brandon Morande at borande@uw.edu.
SOC 221, STATISTICS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE, Todd Nobles, 5 CREDITS (SSc), M/W 9:10-11:20 AM, SLN: 13234
This course is intended to support your development of statistical literacy—the ability to comprehend and evaluate the logic and results of statistical data analyses—so that you are well prepared to be critical consumers of statistical products wherever you encounter them.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Todd Nobles at tnobles@uw.edu.
SOC 316, SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY, Hugo Aguas, 5 CREDITS (SSc), T/TH 9:10-11:20 AM, SLN: 13242
In this course, we will examine the three theoretical perspectives that are central to Sociology and to the study of many of these questions: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Hugo Aguas at haguas@uw.edu.
A-Term/B-Term and In-Person
A-Term
SOC 344, COGNITIVE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Danny Nolan, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MTWTh 11:30 PM-1:40 PM, SLN: 13244
In this course, students will learn the conceptual foundations of cognitive social psychology, and explore contemporary research that addresses the relationship between society and how people process information and derive meaning from experience.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Danny Nolan at dnolan4@uw.edu.
SOC 372/LSJ 375 (Synchronous online), CRIME, POLITICS & JUSTICE, Ann Frost, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MTWTh 9:40 PM-11:50 PM, SLN: 13249
For more information, contact the course instructor, Ann Frost at acfrost@uw.edu.
SOC 459, THE NEW INEQUALITY, Aidan Andronicos, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MTWTh 12-2:10 PM, SLN: 13251
This course examines the ways in which “who gets what” is organized and contested in 21st century America and elsewhere around the world.
We will see not only how income, wealth, housing, health, and control over one’s time are unequally distributed, but how individuals or groups differ in access (to other people, to information, to educational opportunities, to health care) and in the protection of rights and liberties (e.g., personal safety in public space; the ability to travel).
For more information, contact the course instructor, Aidan Andronicos at aandro@uw.edu.
SOC 467, IMMIGRATION AND ETHNICITY, Chassidy Wen, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MTWTh 2:30-4:30 PM, SLN: 13252
SOC 467 is a seminar that provides students with the tools and knowledge to critically examine issues related to immigration and ethnicity in the United States. Discussions and course content draw on classic and contemporary perspectives on immigration, citizenship, integration and assimilation, and socioeconomic attainment.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Chassidey Wen at chasswen@uw.edu.
B-Term
SOC 250, MEDIA AND SOCIETY, Celine Liao, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MTWTh 12-2:10 PM, SLN: 13237
For more information, contact the course instructor, Celine Liao at cliao20@uw.edu.
Synchronous Online
SOC 110, SURVEY OF SOCIOLOGY, Hana Brown, 5 CREDITS (SSc), T/Th 10:50-1:00 PM, SLN: 13232
Sociology is the scientific study of social life. More specifically, sociology studies how our individual and collective lives are both shaped by and shape society. In this class, the primary goal is to develop your sociological imagination. We will begin with an overview of sociology: What is sociology? How do sociologists view society? How do sociologists research society?
Following this foundational knowledge, the remainder of the course will explore four areas of sociological inquiry:
- Inequalities.
- Immigration.
- Health and medicine.
- An area of your choosing
For more information, contact the course instructor, Hana Brown at hanab2@uw.edu.
SOC 222, SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT, Eddie Hock, 5 CREDITS (SSc), M/W 9:10-11:20 AM, SLN: 13235
Sport is a microcosm of our society. It both reflects and informs prevailing patterns of stratification, micro- and macro-level social processes, and broader social and political discourse. This class, offered online (synchronous), provides an opportunity to
develop a sociological lens on the world of sports.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Eddie Hock at ehock@uw.edu.
SOC 271, INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL, Sidnee Moyer, 5 CREDITS (SSc), T/Th 9:10-11:20 AM, SLN: 13240
We will explore definitions of deviance, engage with theoretical frameworks such as anomie, and explore why individuals/groups engage in deviant behavior, to special topics.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Sidnee Moyer at sidneem@uw.edu.
SOC 300, FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL INQUIRY, Aryaa Rajouria, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MW 12-2:10 PM, SLN: 13241
This course is designed to familiarize students with the logic of social science and the methods used to study people, groups, institutions, and societies.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Aryaa Rajouria at rajouria@uw.edu.
SOC 352, THE FAMILY, Jenna Castillo, 5 CREDITS (SSc), MW 2:20-4:30 PM, SLN: 13245
This course is designed to provide a broad overview of the issues and debates concerning the study of families in the U.S. The focus is on the family as a social institution, including historical changes and societal variation in family patterns, changes over the life cycle, and alternative family forms.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Jenna Castillo at jcastil@uw.edu.
Asynchronous Online
SOC 225, DATA AND SOCIETY, Zach Brown, 5 CREDITS (SSc), SLN: 13236
Discusses data science as a new occupation that uses data to understand or influence people’s behavior. Students will use a sociological lens to explore how our increasingly digital lifestyle changes institutions and social relations.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Zach Brown at brownzpt@uw.edu.
SOC 360, INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL STRATIFICATION, Ryan DeCarsky, 5 CREDITS, SLN: 13246
This course provides you with the tools to analyze and understand processes of stratification fundamental to human organization. We’ll pay particular attention to the institutions underlying inequality in modern America, focusing on recent trends in the economy and polity.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Ryan DeCarsky at decarsky@uw.edu.
SOC 362, RACE RELATIONS, Maxine Wright, 5 CREDITS (SSc), SLN: 13251
How did our social understandings of race and racism evolve over time? How does sociology explain the persistence of racial inequality? How do we work collectively to move towards racial justice? These questions and more will be explored in this course.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Maxine Wright at mkw1208@uw.edu.
SOC 371, CRIMINOLOGY, Ramin Jabbarli, 5 CREDITS (SSc), SLN: 13248
This course is designed to introduce you to the fundamental definitions, theories, and topics in criminology and the sociology of crime. As an introductory course, this class will cover the wide range of criminological perspectives and key topics of interest in the field.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Rammin Jabbarli at raminj@uw.edu.
SPRING 2026
SOC 201 A, SOCIAL CONTEXTS OF PUBLIC POLICY, Patrick Greiner, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 12:30 AM-12:20 PM, SLN: 19516
How to public policies impact communities?
Learn about the sociological underpinnings and aims of public policy, and investigate policy mechanisms and approaches for addressing social problems in various areas of social life.
This course explores urban development and housing, gender inequality, racial inequality, incarceration, environmental protection, energy use, and artificial intelligence.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Patrick Greiner at ptgrein@uw.edu.
SOC 201 B, SOCIOLOGY OF POLICING, Theresa Rocha Beardall, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 8:30 AM-10:20 AM, SLN: 19519
Law and Order?
Policing sits at the center of America’s fights over public safety, civil liberties, and unequal protection. Gain tools for analyzing policing debates with sociological evidence and research, including how to assess reforms, interpret evidence, and communicate clear conclusions.
This course explores how policing is organized and government, the factors that shape discretion and authority, defunding and abolishing debates, accountability, oversight tools, and reforms.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Theresa Rocha Beardall at tyrb@uw.edu.
SOC 201 C, SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION, Sasha Johfre, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 2:30 PM-4:20 PM, SLN: 19520
Are you willing to question everything you know?
We often treat our world—from gender categories to beauty standards to environmental habits—as "just the way things are." But what if these weren't natural facts, but designs constructed through repeated social action? Through lectures, a field trip, and a collaborative final project, learn to identify the hidden architecture of society.
This course explores TikTok trends (clean beauty), corporate marketing, why the “nature vs. nurture” debate is a false dichotomy, and who has the power to define what is real and who benefits.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Sasha Johfre at sjohfre@uw.edu.
SOC 222 A, SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT, Kyle Crowder, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/Th 2:30 PM-4:20 PM, SLN: 19530
Lets play ball.
Develop a sociological lens to the world of sports. Learn how sports reflect and reinforce patterns of stratification by class, gender, race, and ethnicity. Investigate the ways that broader social, economic, and political debates shape the operation of sports and their role in our daily lives.
This course explores the importance of sports in human development, sports and violence, arguments about transgender athletes, and free and the impact of commercialized gambling.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Kyle Crowder at kylecrow@uw.edu.
WINTER 2026
SOC 201 A, DATA VISUALIZATION, Audrey Dorelien, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/TH 10:30 AM-12:20 PM, SLN: 20201
When should you use a table vs a graph? What should you consider when choosing colors for race and gender? What type of graph is most effective or the point I want to make and why?
This course is designed to teach you how to organize and present data in the most effective way. Being able to summarize and create compelling – and honest – data visualization is almost as indispensable as good writing; an effective figure or table can make an argument for itself, and visualizing the right information is central to making decisions.
The lectures discuss some of the theories and elements of graphs and tables design, but an important part of the classes will be practical: learning how to manage and organize data, and actually create tables and graphs in MS Excel and Tableau.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Audrey Dorelien at dorelien@uw.edu.
SOC 201 B, THE HOUSING CRISIS, Andrew Messamore, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/TH 2:30 PM-4:20 PM, SLN: 20204
How did the housing crisis get this bad? What can we do about it?
The United States is experiencing a housing crisis. Homeownership is unobtainable, rents are high, racial inequity in housing is profound, homelessness is enduring, and extreme housing insecurity like eviction is pervasive. How did we get here, what are the important dimensions, and what can we do about it?
In this course, we will explore the key foundations, important dimensions, and debated solutions to the American housing crisis. We will consider the historical basis of contemporary dynamics, compare Seattle’s housing crisis to trends for other populations and communities, and draw upon work across sociology, history, and public policy. The goal of this course is to provide a conceptual background and problem-solving perspective for students interested in a more just and efficient housing system.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Andrew Messamore at afmess@uw.edu.
SOC 301 A, TIES THAT KILL: INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS, Audrey Dorelien, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/TH 1:30 PM-3:20 PM, SLN: 20237
This course examines how social interactions (e.g. sex networks, contacts, kinship) influence the spread of infectious diseases, while also examining how factors like sex/gender, race, socioeconomic status, and culture shape individuals’ disease exposure, healthcare-seeking behavior, treatment adherence, and mortality rates.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Have a good understanding of how human to human infectious disease spread
Understand how human behavior such as contact rates can influence infectious disease dynamics
Understand why during Jim Crow South Black White Gaps in waterborne disease dropped but the disparity in tuberculosis death increased
Be able to critique and evaluate interventions targeting directly transmitted human diseases for their ability to mitigate disease transmission and reduce disparities in health outcomes
For more information, contact the course instructor, Audrey Dorelien dorelien@uw.edu.
SOC 301 B, LGBTQ IDENTITIES AND COMMUNITIES, Rosalind Kichler, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/TH 2:30 PM-4:20 PM, SLN: 20240
How do social institutions shape LGBTQ identities? What is the relationship between sexual identity and gender identity? How have LGBTQ communities shaped this relationship? How do LGBTQ identities and com-munities challenge, resist, or even support the gendered heterosexual social order?
In this course, we will explore the ways lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) identities are socially constructed by institutions like the law, family, science, religion, and culture, and how LGBTQ communities resist, reshape, and capitulate to these constructions. We will examine both contemporary LGBTQ experiences and their origins in and transformations during the 19th and 20th Centuries. Of course, sexuality is not our only important identity; other identities like race, class, and gender shape LGBTQ identities and communities in complex ways. To understand these complexities, this course prioritizes intersectional analyses of sexuality whenever possible.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Rosalind Kichler at rkichler@uw.edu.
SOC 376 A, DRUGS, LAW, AND SOCIETY, Katherine Beckett, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/F 10:30 AM-12:20 PM, SLN: 20253
What are drugs, and why do people use them? Why are some people and social groups more vulnerable to addiction than others? Why are some (potentially quite harmful) substances illegal, while other (also potentially quite harmful) drugs are not? How and why does this matter?
The ingestion of consciousness-altering substances has occurred in virtually all known human societies. Sometimes the use of drugs is quite harmful; sometimes it is not. While some countries treat it primarily as a public health issue, drug use has been mainly defined as a criminal matter in the contemporary United States, although this is contested. In this course, we will explore why people use drugs, how and why they are sometimes harmful (and sometimes not), and how societies use law to attempt to regulate the use of drugs. This class emphasize critical and analytic thinking and in-class discussion.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Katherine Beckett at kbeckett@uw.edu.
AUTUMN 2025
SOC 201, RACIAL CAPITALISM, Sarah Quinn, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 2:30 AM-4:20 PM, SLN: 23188
How does power work? Why are race and class such important determinants of how people live, and who gets what, around the world?
This course uses theories of racial capitalism to investigate power and inequality in modern life. We will begin with an introduction to sociological theories of race and sociological theories of capitalism. Next, we will turn to theories of racial capitalism, which explain how racism and capitalism together structure the modern world. As part of this, we will investigate how markets create racial difference, and how race and racism shape markets in turn. This class emphasizes critical thinking and group discussion. For a final project, students will work in groups to produce a short video essay that explains and applies a concept from the class.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Sarah Quinn at slquinn@uw.edu.
SOC 401 B, TRANS STUDIES, Rosalind Kichler, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 2:30 AM-4:20 PM, SLN: 21443
While gender variance has always existed, transgender (trans) is a relatively new identity. In fact, some scholars argue transgender was not recognized as a unique identity until the early 1990s. Shortly after, academics interested in understanding the history and experiences of trans people coalesced to form Trans Studies.
This course will consider the factors below:
The lived experiences of trans people across a variety of trans identities
The history of trans identities, including the ways these identities are differently interpreted based on historical context
The way race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, and other intersections shape trans identity
The history of Trans Studies as an academic field
The way transness expands and challenges popular and scholarly understanding of gender and sexuality
For more information, contact the course instructor, Rosalind Kichler at rkichler@uw.edu
SOC 401 C, Ai and Data Science Policy, Zack Almquist, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 1:30 AM-3:20 PM, SLN: 21444
How will AI affect the data science and social research? What skills are required to understand research findings and their broader implications?
This course will explore the role of AI, data science policy, and making public decisions. Students can expect to develop skills for the communication of research findings and their implications in writing and data visualization. Through discussion style learning, students will research and policy surround AI. In the second half, this class will incorporate practical skills by working on projects and and in class lab exercises as a class.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Zack Almquist at zalmquis@uw.edu.
SUMMER 2025
SOC 110, SURVEY OF SOCIOLOGY, Maxine Wright, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/Th 10:50 AM-1:00 PM, SLN: 13320
For more information, contact the course instructor, Maxine Wright at mkw1208@uw.edu
SOC 201 A, HEALTH DISPARITIES, Carmen Choong, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 1:10 PM-3:20 PM, SLN: 13321
For more information, contact the course instructor, Carmen Choong at cchoong@uw.edu
SOC 247, CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, Ramin Jabbarli, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/Th1:10 PM-3:20 PM, SLN: 13328
How do ordinary people organize to challenge injustice and shape society? When do movements succeed? And why do some fail?
This course is designed to be accessible for students from all majors and backgrounds. It will explore social movements as powerful forces for change. It will examine why some protests succeed while others fade. This course will explore topics like civil rights, climate justice, and global uprisings through accessible theory, global case studies, and interactive discussions. Students will learn to analyze the causes, strategies, and impacts of collective action.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Ramin Jabbarli at raminj@uw.edu.
SOC 301 A, SOCIOLOGY OF MORALITY, Mark Igra, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 10:50 AM-1:00 PM, SLN: 13333
Morality has been a central topic of sociology since the beginning of the discipline, and in this course we’ll learn why it's so important.
We will learn why scientists believe a tendency toward morality is a fundamental aspect of being human, and necessary for survival in groups. We’ll learn what constitutes morality and why morality both unites and divides us. You'll learn how social scientists measure moral beliefs, and why what people say they believe isn't necessarily what they do. We’ll learn how moral beliefs and feelings get inside of people, and seem so important to who we are. We'll cover how morality differs across time and place, and how categorizing and classifying people, animals and actions is central to moral systems. We’ll learn how moral ideas have been instrumental in both maintaining the status quo and fighting it.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Mark Igra at igra@uw.edu.
SOC 301 B, ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY, Aidan Andronicos, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) T/TH 12:00-2:10 PM, SLN: 13334
This course aims to explore the relationship between human society and the natural environment. The course material is interdisciplinary and will draw from scholarship from sociologists and beyond. This includes work from political scientists, environmental scientists, economists, and activists. More specifically, this course will focus on the intersection of social and environmental problems. Topics will include but are not limited to environmental inequality, climate change, and social-ecological systems.
For more information, contact the course instructor, Aidan Andronicos at aandro@uw.edu
SOC 331, POPULATION & SOCIETY, Aryaa Rajouria, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) MTWTh 12:40 PM-2:40 PM, SLN: 14151
For more information, contact the course instructor, Aryaa Rajouria at rajouria@uw.edu
SOC 364, WOMEN IN SOCIAL STRUCTURE, Brian Serafini, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) M/W 9:40 AM-11:50 AM, SLN: 13341
Are we witnessing the "last chapter" of gender inequality in the U.S.? Alternatively, other scholars argue that the persistent pay gap, unequal caregiving burdens, and the ongoing prevalence of gender-based harassment are deeply embedded in our social and economic institutions.
Through theory and empirical research, this course will explore:
- How gender and sex are socially constructed
- How race, ethnicity, and nationality shape gender inequalities
- How inequality persists - even in times of change
For more information, contact the course instructor, Brian Serafini at valgaav@uw.edu
SOC 401 A, FANDOM AND CULTS, Danny Nolan, 5 CREDITS, (SSc) 10:20 AM-12:20 PM, SLN: 13346
For more information, contact the course instructor, Danny Nolan at dnolan4@uw.edu