Sociology
7 courses · Porterville College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Summer 2026 · Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
SOCI P101 The Social World
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Total lecture 54 hours
- Formerly
- SOCI P101
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 110
This course introduces students to Sociology: the study of people, groups, and institutions that shape people’s lives. Through a mix of theory, research, and real-world examples, students explore key sociological concepts like culture, inequality, power, collective action, and social change. With content reflecting diverse histories and lived experiences, students make connections between their lives and the social forces that influence individual opportunities and choices. Students in this course will develop a critical lens that allows them to better understand and transform themselves and society. Approved for pass/no pass grading option.
SOCI P102 Social Problems
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Total lecture 54 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 115
This course offers a critical analysis of the conditions of society that lead to negative human consequences for a significant number of people. Sociological theories, research methods and critical thinking will be employed to evaluate current challenges facing local, U.S. and global communities. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between evidence and social analysis. Issues addressed include social inequality, deviance, healthcare, education, politics, media, environmental crises, war and terrorism, and cross-cultural analysis. Approved for pass/no pass grading option.
SOCI P130 Family and Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Total lecture 54 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 130
This course offers a sociological analysis of the family, including historical and recent changes, present nature and the socio-cultural and economic forces shaping these changes. Issues addressed include the family as a social institution, the social construction of gender, partnership and marriage, sexuality, work, parenting, violence, and aging. Interdisciplinary approaches to studying the family reveal cultural variations in families both over time and across groups and societies and their place in the human community. Course is approved for pass/no pass grading option.
SOCI P140 Gender and Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Total lecture 54 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 140
This course offers a sociological analysis of gender in contemporary society, including a brief survey of the feminist movement and the stories of some of its earliest leaders. Issues addressed include gender as a social institution, the social construction of gender, gender and sexuality, social inequality, and the effects of gendered thinking in contemporary mainstream culture on the structure of social institutions and on public perception of social issues and political systems. By studying gender, the course reveals cultural distinctions among men's and women's perspectives and the political consequences of those differences for women's and men's experiences related to health, families, religion, education, politics and work, among others. Approved for pass/no pass grading option.
SOCI P150 Race & Ethnicity
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- Total lecture 54 hours
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 150
This course offers a critical analysis of race and ethnic relations and examines intersectionality between race and ethnicity and other axes of inequality such as social class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, religion, ability and age among others in the U.S. Sociological and interdisciplinary approaches, theories, and research will be employed to explore and evaluate the cultural, political and economic practices and institutions that support or challenge racism, racial and ethnic inequalities as well as historical and contemporary patterns of interaction among various racial and ethnic groups. Topics addressed include issues of social justice and liberation as expressed by Native Americans, African Americans, Latinx Americans, Asian Americans among other communities of color as well as economic status, health status, political conditions and the social psychological impact of social inequality and colonialism.
SOCI P160 Crime and Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- SOCI 160
This course offers a sociological analysis of crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. By exploring the concepts of social control and related topics such as social norms, deviance, and social inequality as well the history and social construction of crime and criminality, the course examines the definition of crime and its violations and the laws and methods used to control criminal behavior. The course also explores the measurement of crime and basic theoretical explanations of criminal behavior. Approved for pass/no pass grading option.
SOCI P170 Community and Social Psychology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours
- Advisory
- Eligible for English one level below transfer.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PSY 170
As an introduction to social psychology, this course considers individual human behavior in relation to community and other social environments from sociological and psychological perspectives. The concepts of the individual and collective psyche will be examined in the context of the influence of the situation, of other individuals and the social group. Emphasized topics include power, culture, aggression, prejudice and stereotypes, interpersonal attraction, attitudes and attitude change, conformity, group phenomena, gender, cultural norms, perception and cognition, as well as application of group and community intervention processes. Approved for pass/no pass grading option.