Welcome to Sociology 502
Welcome to SA502 - Graduate Sociological Theory
This is a 16‑week graduate‑level theory course introducing the theoretical foundations of sociology. We will cover a wide range of material, focusing on major theorists, key concepts, and central ideas that shape sociological thought.
This course website serves as your primary support resource. It provides an overview of weekly requirements and allows you to get a head start on the semester’s readings. Full assignments and detailed instructions will be available once the semester begins. In addition to Sociology M.A. candidates, this class includes students from the Command College and the SOC/CJ M.A. program. It’s designed for learners who may not have an extensive background in social theory. So don’t worry, just jump right in and engage with the material.
Assignments are designed to encourage critical thinking, deepen your understanding of theoretical perspectives, and offer insights you can apply to your professional development. Whenever possible, I’ve included optional readings and resources for those who wish to explore topics further.
Course Foundations
We begin with a basic examination of theories and their components. Every theory is built upon paradigms, concepts, ideas, and methodological beliefs. Understanding these foundations is essential for developing strong theoretical reasoning.
The materials on this website highlight key points from each theory we’ll study throughout the semester. I’m transitioning my courses to a more interactive web format, which provides greater storage capacity and a clearer view of course requirements. This website provides support for our course Canvas website. It does not replace
The Sociological Imagination
The goal of this class is to give you a general background in theory, show you specific theories apply to real life situations and finally to help you develop what C. Wright Mills called the Sociological Imagination. He said “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” When ever possible I will tie the course information to real life case studies of situations.
The video above is a great illustration of the idea of "level of analysis". It shows how different things look when you change your perspective. The key to understanding theories is to remember that it is all about perspective.
The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. This is its task and its promise. — C. Wright Mills
How Can I Help You?
I used AI to help develop this website. Things like ChatGPT are very useful for organizing info into categories and creating timelines. So the charts and illustrations were all created with ChatGPT. Please see the page on AI usage. There I explain how AI programs can be used in the class.
I may kill you in the future, but right now...
We will meet live via zoom on Wednesday nights
5:30 to 7:30
Message from Dr. Squires
I encourage you to talk to me at anytime during the semester. I am here to help you and I would like to have as much interaction with you as possible during the course of this class. Some of the topics covered in class will be controversial however it is my commitment to you that this class will be a safe environment for learning including the expression of new ideas and comments. The only prerequisite for the class is an "Open Mind" and the agreement to show respect for others during discussions.
Hello everyone. I am looking forward to working with you this term. This class includes Sociology Masters students, Sociology/Criminal Justice Masters students, and Command College Masters students. You will get a lot from class even if you have not had any previous exposure to Sociological theories. So don't worry, you will be able to pick up the information. I have been teaching many years and I work hard to develop courses that foster deep learning and retention of information. You have a diverse set of small projects. (I promise you will actually like doing them.)
In terms of training, I am a Rural Sociologist and my areas of concentration are theory, social psychology, race relations and community development. I am also Visual Sociologist and this means that I have an interest in how people use and communicate through images or different types of media. I have scoured the super highway for some of the most informative videos on Sociological theories. I guarantee that the videos selected will help you retain or understand the course information.
How to Navigate the Website
This website provides an overview of your SA502 graduate theory course syllabus. The website contains general information on the readings, lectures, videos, assignments and discussion questions required weekly. I have tried to make this website as easy as possible to navigate. The main course content is organized by week and is modeled in the Canvas Course modules. All the readings, videos and lectures are posted and clickable. This website supports but does not replace your canvas class page. You will still have to post your assignments and discussions to the course canvas page. This website allows you to look at the entire weeks requirements at one time. This saves you some clicking time. I also add notes and misc. information to each topic's page, which would be very difficult to do in canvas.
Yes, before the official class you can explore the course readings. The online textbooks are also posted here. Having the information gives you an opportunity to examine the readings at a more leasirely pace.
Privacy: Remember this is a private course site and no information can be shared or posted without permission. Lectures are not posted here. those will be availible once the semester starts.
Thumbnails: This website contains thumbnail information on what is expected weekly. whenever possible I put links to the full instructions here on the website (In blue) All assignments and discussions have full descriptions posted to canvas in COURSE MODULES. Please read the full assignment and discussion question descriptions in Canvas.
Canvas: All assignments must still be submitted to canvas. All answers to discussion questions must be posted to the canvas discussion board. I will communicate with the class via Canvas ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Discussion Questions: The course discussion questions consist of a general question for you to answer and you have to respond to one other students post. You can ask questions of other students, suggest things for them to consider, or recommend readings or videos. Your responses to each other can be informal. Your discussion grade will be based on your answers to the general question.
Please open and read the Welcome, About, AI Usage, and Class Readings pages before you open the weekly pages.
Website Page Descriptions
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Welcome = This is home portal and registration page/sign in page. This is a private website so you will have to use a password.
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AI and technology Usage = This page contains information on technology and AI usage in the class.
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Course Readings = This pages contains direct links to your course textbook, as well as support reading materials and resources for the course
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Topic #1 = Introduction to Sociology Theory
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Topic #2 = Science, Theory and Social Construction
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Topic #3 = Feminist Theory
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Topic #4 = Functional Theory and Role Theory
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Topic #5 = Weber & Simmel
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Topic #6 = Conflict Theory
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Topic #7 = Varieties of Neo Marxism
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Topic #8 = Pheneomology & Ethnomethodology
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Topic #9 =Symbolic Interaction Theory
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Topic #10 = Rational Choice Theory & Exchange theory
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Topic #11 = McDonalization & Structuration
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Topic #12 = Class wrap up. This page also gives you some general information on the comprehensive exam
Academic Calendar - Fall 2026
Fall Semester 2026
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August 10-11: Fall Faculty and Staff Institute
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August 13-15: Advisement and registration for all students. All tuition and fees due and payable at the time of registration.
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August 16: Final day to pay tuition/fees for Fall 2026 1st 8-week and 16-week courses in full, or to set up a satisfactory payment plan to avoid risk of classes being deactivated.
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August 16-21: Late registration fee assessed.
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August 17: First day of classes.
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August 17-21: Drop-Add Week for students already registered for current semester (16wk) or 1st eight-week classes; registration for 2nd 8-week classes continues.
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August 21: Last day to add classes for 1st 8-week and 16-week sessions. Final business day to drop a 1st 8-week or 16-week class without financial/academic obligations.
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September 1: Parking permits required on all vehicles parked in the LU parking lots.
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September 3: Fall Convocation.
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September 7: Labor Day (University closed for holiday).
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September 8: “X” and “I” grades due in the Office of the Registrar.
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September 16: Last day for candidates to file for degrees for fall semester graduation.
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September 21: Last day to drop classes or withdraw from the University for the 1st 8-week session.
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September 29: Last day to file for comprehensive examinations and/or portfolios for Master’s and specialist degree candidates.
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October 9: Midterm grades posted by 12 noon.
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October 10: 1st 8-week classes end.
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October 12: First day of Fall 2nd 8-week classes. Final grades posted for the 1st 8-week session by 12 noon.
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October 13: Last day to register for the 2nd 8-week session. All tuition and fees due and payable for 2nd 8-week session.
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October 16: Final day to drop 2nd 8-week class without financial/academic obligations.
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October 19-23: Assessment Week: Major Field Exams, General Education Test, and student surveys.
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October 22: Comprehensive examinations for Master’s degree candidates (1:00 PM to 5:00 PM CST).
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October 28: Advanced registration for Spring 2026 semester begins. All tuition and fees due and payable at the time of registration.
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November 11: Veteran’s Day (University closed for holiday).
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November 20: Last day to withdraw from a course for the 2nd 8-week and/or 16-week sessions.
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November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break (no classes).
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November 26-27: Thanksgiving (University closed).
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November 30: Classes resume.
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December 4: Fall 2026 classwork ends.
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December 7-11: Fall 2026 Final Examinations.
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December 14: Final grades posted by 12 noon.
The Board of Curators approves the academic calendar, which was last revised on February 25, 2025.
IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION
This is a reminder about the nature of social change. “Social change refers to the transformation of cultural values, social institutions, behaviors, and norms over time.” The world is shifting rapidly. From pandemics to wars, at this point in history, we cannot reliably predict how events will unfold. If anything significant occurs, please stay updated through Campus News, and I will post any relevant information in the course announcements.
Please check your biases at the door!
Avoid Logical Fallacies
It’s important to remember that this is an academic course, not a social media forum. Please keep all discussions and written work scholarly, analytical, and as free from personal bias or unsupported opinion as possible. When responding to discussion questions or writing papers, approach the material from a theoretical perspective rather than a religious or political one.
I encourage you to step outside your personal beliefs and focus on understanding the perspectives of the theorists we study. This approach will help you engage critically with their ideas and develop a deeper appreciation for sociological analysis. This class is not about your beliefs, it is about the beliefs of the Sociolocal theorists discussed. The class is also not about how you see reality but how the theorists see reality.
Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that make an argument weak, misleading, or invalid. Good Sociology requires analytical, evidence‑based reasoning, not personal bias or unsupported opinion. Logical fallacies can distort, theoretical analysis, the interpretation of data and the evaluation of social issues.
For guidance on maintaining logical consistency, visit the embedded website below for more information on avoiding logical fallacies. You can access it directly from this page.
Download the presentation and then click play. You have to advance the slides manually. The videos in this presentation should also automatically play. Sorry for the typos in this presentation The computer is autocorrecting like a crazy person, but I decided to use this as a teachable moment. Spellchecking and proofreading everything before submitting is very important.
Arggh!
