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Oct 23, 2026
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SOC 2221 - Social Problems
Credits: 3
Catalog Description
This course presents an overview of contemporary social problems and addresses how sociological perspectives and social science research can contribute to a better understanding of the existence, continuation, and alleviation of social problems. Students will learn how social problems are defined, develop tools to effectively analyze current and past social problems, and learn how social institutions influence social problems. Specific topics may include social inequalities, social institutions, ethical responsibility, and critical examination of alternatives to resolve or alleviate social problems.
Prerequisite(s) (must have a grade of C or better): None
Prerequisite(s) (must have a grade of C or better) or Corequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None
Recommended Skills, Abilities, or Coursework: College-level reading and writing. SOC 1111 is recommended.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) Goal Area(s) fulfilled: Goal 02: Critical Thinking, Goal 09: Ethical and Civic Responsibility
Additional fee to student: No
Learner Outcomes
- Recognize and apply sociological theory and research methods in the analysis of social problems.
- Apply the sociological imagination by differentiating social problems from personal problems.
- Analyze the social/structural constraints related to the causes and resolutions of social problems.
- Objectively identify various interconnections between multiple social issues and problems.
- Recognize the implications for social problems and their resolutions for groups in society.
- Evaluate how social institutions contribute to the growth, persistence, and resolution of social problems.
- Analyze the extent to which individual choices and biases are related to social problems.
Major Areas of Course Content
- Distinction between a social problem/issue and a personal trouble
- The role of theory and methodology in the analysis of social problems
- Social inequalities as social problems
- Social institutions and their relationships to social problems
- Interconnectivity of social issues/problems in society
- How social problems impact different social groups in divergent ways
- Resolutions to social problems
Credit for Prior Learning Options
No credit for prior learning option is available for this course
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