This course is an introduction to sociological social psychology for both sociology majors and non-majors. In the first half of the course, students learn an overview of current social psychological theories and frameworks. They then apply theories to substantive topics to explain group behavior. For example, assignments ask students to use a social psychological theory of their choice to explain behavior reported in recent news articles. Others require students to solve a hypothetical social problem by applying theory. Students also learn the benefits and drawbacks of different methodological approaches to understanding group behavior, which serves as a foundation for subsequent research methods and sociological theory courses.

This upper-level course prepares sociology majors and minors for entering their professions of choice. The course initially focuses on training students to articulate what skills they developed as sociology majors/minors and explain how those skills map onto desirable competencies in the workplace. As students go through the semester, they develop a resume and cover letter, write and present an elevator pitch, create a LinkedIn presence, participate in a mock job interview, and meet with a professional in their field of choice. Readings focus on developing appropriate self-presentation, how to create and leverage network connections, and perfecting interviewing skills.

I have served as a teaching assistant for sociology courses with traditional, hybrid, and online formats, as well as education abroad courses. In this role, I have prepped and lead classes, graded assignments, and provided support to courses ranging in enrollment from 5-300 students. From my experience in those positions, I am prepared to teach research methods, quantitative analysis, social psychology, sociological theory, and introductory sociology courses.