Sociology

This course provides an introduction to the development of sociological thought and the theories and methods used to study social structure and interaction. Students will learn how people’s location in society and its institutions shape their experiences and life chances, and how individuals and groups can influence the process. It will relate the contributions of sociology to the field of social behavior through the study of the basic social units of society. The course emphasizes the influence of culture on human behavior, social relationships, and the cause and effect of social changes.

Today’s health care providers must not only be competent in the skills required by their role in health care delivery role; they must also understand and function adaptively in the complex system(s) within which they work. A large proportion of health-related decisions are made not by the patient and/or care provider, but by legislators, insurers, institutions, and others who lack the information available from those delivering direct and indirect health care. Care providers need a background in public policy and the U.S. health care system in order to understand how it has evolved, how it affects health care delivery, and how to influence its future course.