DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY
Degree of Bachelor of Arts in
Sociology Requirements
The
course of study for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sociology takes four years.
The minimum requirements for the degree are 124 semester hours. A candidate for
the degree must complete his general education requirements as prescribed by the
University of Liberia. He is required to earn 36 semester hours in his major,
18 semester hours in his minor, and 6 semester hours in his elective courses.
In addition, he must earn 6 semester hours in English during his last two years
at the University. Students wishing to major in Sociology should inform, the Chairman
of the Department of Sociology/Anthropology at the end of their freshman year.
The Department also offers courses in Anthropology and Demography, which do not
lead to a degree.
Course
Description - Sociology
201
Sociology - Introduction to Sociology
Basic
survey of Sociological concepts, including social action, interaction, behavior
patterns, sanctions, roles, norms, groups, status and social processes, cultural
institutions, communities and social structure.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
202
Sociology -Sociology of Institutions
Pre-requisite: Sociology 201
Analysis
and applications of the concepts of Institutionalization, social Institution,
social conformity, social deviation and social control.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
301
Sociology - Sociology of Marriage and the Family
An
analysis of the origin, structure and function of the family In various cultures;
the Inter-relationship of the family to other Institutions of society and the
changing structure of the family.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
302
Sociology - Social Change
Theories
of social, cultural and Institutional change; Implications of change for social
behavior for personality development and for rural and urban industrial activities;
emphasis on such change in Africa.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
303
Sociology - Sociology of Criminal Behavior
The
development, function and control of criminal behavior; emphasis is on social
and cultural factors Involved In the occurrence, diagnosis and treatment of criminal
behavior; major theories of criminal behavior, and their relevance to Africa.
This course will also cover studies In mental Illness and juvenile delinquency.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
304 Sociology - Rural Sociology
The
structure and function of rural societies; Institutional mechanisms of rural societies,
role behavior and rural personality growth; emphasis will be on African, particularly
LI be rt an rural societies, including their social, religions, economic and legal
functions and functioning.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
305
Sociology - Urban and Industrial Sociology
An
analysis of the urban process moling city growth up to the present; the pre-conditions
for urban growth and the inter-relationships between urban and Industrial societies,
major processes of Industrialization and their implications for Africa and particularly
for Liberia. .
Credit:
3 credits/semester
307
Sociology - Community Development
Detailed
analysis of community structure and function; strains in the community leading
to change; the role of the change agent in the development target system, traditional
mechanisms of community including thrift and cooperative society/societies; chiefs
and charismatic leaders; the family and other institutions of the developing community.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
308
Sociology - Collective Behavior
Pre-requisite: Sociology 201
Analysis
of spontaneous group formations, including crowds, mass behavior, panic behavior,
public and social movements; their implications for the individual and for social
action; theories of collective behavior.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
401
Sociology - Social Statistics
Pre-requisite: Sociology 201
This
cowers elements of scientific logic procedures, basic statistical techniques in
social science, including central tendencies; normal curves, probability and Statistical
inference, chi square test, correlation and regression analysis, general parametric
and non-parametric tests.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
402
Sociology - Sociological Theory
Pre-requisite: Sociology 401
Major
theories of society, including contributions by Comte. Spencer, Durkheim. Karl
Marx. Weber. Parsons, Sorokin, Radcliffe-Brown, Malinowski and others; the implications
of sociological theory to African development.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
403
Sociology - Social Research
Pre-requisite: Sociology 401 and 402
Various
qualitative and quantitative methods of social research including documentary
source, observation, indexing, interviews, same ling and some basic statistical
techniques of analysis and procedures for reporting.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
404
Sociology - Practical Research (Thesis)
The
application of research techniques to particular social problems and social situations.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
407
Sociology -Sociology of Development
Pre-requisite: Sociology 401
The
course introduces students to major theories of development and their implications
for development in Africa in general and Liberia in
particular.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
Course
Description - Anthropology
201
Anthropology - Introduction to Anthropology
An
introductory analysis of the various branches of the science of anthropology -
archaeology, classical and "New" physical anthropology, cultural and
social Anthropology. Particular attention is given to the concepts of biological
evolution, racial classification, culture, cultural change, social structure and
acculturation. Assumptions and values in Western and non-Western cultures are
highlighted, while the student is also introduced to field work methods.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
301
Anthropology - Social Anthropology
Pre-requisite: Anth. 201
A
comparative study of societies and their institutions. Topics include kinship,
marriage, political and social organization, education and social controls (eg.
custom, law, morals) in non-literate societies.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
302
Anthropology -World Ethnology
Comparative
survey of the principal ethnic groups and their cultures; discussion of ethnological
problems.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
303
Anthropology -Cultures of Liberia
Discussion
of the various cultures of Liberia, including language-families, kinship and marriage,
traditional religious and educational systems; power and authority; and the Poro,
Sande and other educational institutions.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
304
Anthropology - Language and Culture
This
course introduces students to the terminology and other basic concepts used in
Socio-Linguistics, and seeks to deepen their understanding of the cultural correlates
of Language in Society. Topics include definition of terms, the social basis of
language, problems of bilingua-lism/multilingualism, biculturalism, language and
Nationalism, the National Language Question and Language used in Liberia.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
307
Anthropology - Cultural History
A
survey of the prehistoric functions and cultural developments of the primary civilizations
of the Near East, Asia, Europe and Africa as revealed by Archaeology; theories
of cultural evolution and diffusion based on archaeological discovery. A study
of the series of inventions or "cultural peaks" through which man has
passed in re-making his environment from age to age.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
308
Anthropology - Economic Anthropology
A
comparative analysis of how people in societies without written language, a commonly
accepted monetary symbol and machine technology, make a living. Emphasis is placed
on the economic activities - how they are organized and the values that justify
or sanction the technology and social organization, and motivate the members of
the society to perform their economic roles. Special consideration is given to
the interplay between economic and non-economic variables in the processes of
production, distribution and consumption. Case studies are drawn from Liberia
and Africa.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
401
Anthropology -Cultures and Religions
Pre-requisites: Anth. 201 and 301
Consideration
of the World Religions and "traditional" religions with a view to determining
their relationship to culture. Examination of concepts of Deity and divinities;
the Ancestors in traditional African religions; ritual; the relationship between
magic, witchcraft and religion; the role of religious practitioners: rites such
as voodoo cargo cults and secret societies. The emergence of African Independent
churches is analyzed and various theories are critically evaluated, while attention
is also given to Islam and cultures in West Africa.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
402
Anthropology - Theory and History of Anthropology
Discussion
of the major theories and theoretical schools of Anthropology and their opponents.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
403
Anthropology - Acculturation
The
dynamics of Anthropology and Social Change due to contact and Westernization upon
aboriginal cultures.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
404
Anthropology - Ethnology and Ethnolography of Africa
A
general survey of cultural systems of the African continent. Special emphasis
is placed on sub-Saharan Africa, with an indepth analysis of representative societies.
Models are utilized as an aid to better understanding of differing cultural groupings,
while the emerging "elites" and value/legal systems from the traditional
situation are examined.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
407
Anthropology -Anthropology of Development
This
course is concerned with the nature of the process and problems of socio-cultural
change which most countries in the developing world are experiencing today as
a result of the growth of cities, economic improvement, and education and the
contribution which anthropological concepts and theory can make.
Credit:
3 credits/semester
