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Year Course ID Course
2026-2027 SKLS 501

Graduate Writing Coaching

Provides individual academic writing consultation for students in any TWU graduate program. Focuses on developing personal and scholarly confidence through a developmental approach to writing and critical thinking.

Course Credits: 0
2026-2027 SOCI 101

Introduction to Sociology

Students are invited into using the discipline of sociology as a mode of inquiry. Through concepts like the sociological imagination, students experience the social world around them by interacting with the norms, values and beliefs of local and global cultures.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 SOCI 201

Introduction to Human Services

An examination of the basic philosophies and social influences which underlie the helping professions and a brief review of the history of professional human services workers. This course must be completed successfully before a student completes a field placement.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 210

Race & Ethnicity

This course introduces students to the concept of race and ethnicity and to the major theories that the discipline employs as a means of understanding race and ethnic relations.

Course Credits: 3
Cross-listed: ANTH 205
2026-2027 SOCI 211

Introduction to Gender Studies

An introduction to Gender Studies, an interdisciplinary field that asks critical questions about the meanings of sex and gender in society. Students will examine key issues, questions and debates in Gender Studies, both historical and contemporary, and will analyze the multiple ways that sex and gender have interacted with and continue to intersect with race, class, nationality and other social identities, including religious ones.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None
NB: GNDR 211.
2026-2027 SOCI 220

Language & Society

This course gives students the opportunity to examine and interpret how the socio-cultural context affects the way people speak in that setting. Topics in focus include regional and social dialects, multilingualism, language attitudes and their impact on national and personal identity, linguistic politeness, the maintenance, shift, loss, and spread of languages, and the impact of modern technology. Applications to gender and education are explored in depth.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): None.
Cross-listed: ANTH 220, LING 210
2026-2027 SOCI 221

Sociology of Family

This course is a sociological examination of families in society. The emphasis is on the structural and cultural aspects of family life. Topics include: theories and methods for understanding families; formation of intimate relationships; mate selection processes, marriage, and parenting; families over the life course; gender issues; and transitions in families.

Course Credits: 3
2026-2027 SOCI 234

Canadian Government & Politics in Comparative Perspective

Provides the student with an overview of the Canadian system of government in a comparative approach that includes study of British, American, and Canadian political and government institutions and practices. A comparative study of how basic concepts, principles, and institutions associated with different expressions of liberal-democratic governments highlight the diversity of political experience, reveal the interdependence of political systems and show the uniqueness of Canada's political system. Particular attention is given to the manner in which Parliament attempts to facilitate and develop public policy which reflects the diverse interests and aspirations of its citizens.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101
Cross-listed: POLS 234
2026-2027 SOCI 240

Individual & Society

This course aims to provide students with an introductory overview of the micro-level, interpretive tradition in sociology. Focusing on the everyday lived reality of human experience and interaction with social institutions, we will explore a variety of sociological topics like gender, health and illness, technology and social problems from a micro-perspective. This course will help students understand how humans engage in meaning-making activity in their day-to-day lives, and how this, in turn, contributes to the creation of broader sociological norms and institutions

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 252

Contemporary Social Issues

An examination of the complex nature of issues confronting individuals, groups, and society at large. An examination of the various situations which produce these issues, the social symptoms that result, and an evaluation of possible solutions to social problems.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 280

Intro to Criminal Justice & Law

Analyzes the nature, scope, and purpose of criminal law in Canada. This includes the Criminal Code of Canada, crime types, fundamental legal concepts, participants in the criminal justice system, criminal procedure and court processes, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the unique relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canadian law.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101.
2026-2027 SOCI 305

Youth & Emerging Adulthood

This course will offer a sociological examination of youth in society, including identity, subcultures, sexual behavior, music, consumerism, religion, schooling, work, social problems, and other issues affecting youth transitions to adulthood.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including the SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 309

Sociological Aspects of Aging

A study of human aging in its sociological, psychological, and physiological dimensions. An examination of changing social roles during the life cycle.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including the SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 315

Globalization

The study of culture, social institutions, and systems from a global perspective. Various sociological theories and concepts are examined.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Anthropology, Political Studies and/or Sociology
2026-2027 SOCI 318

Technology & Social Change

This course provides an analysis of the relationship between technological advances and social change. Ideas about which technologies are to be developed, deployed, or abandoned are socially constructed. The use of all technologies has both intended and unintended social consequences.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 320

Human Services Field Placement I

Students are provided with an opportunity for experiential learning through a supervised practical experience with a community or social agency related to the student's interest and/or future career plans. Readings, written assignments, and group meetings invite students to discover a new synthesis of knowledge through integrating theory and practical experience. Students develop cognitive complexity as they consider how to apply the knowledge gained in the social sciences, to acquire praxis skills, and to experience personal transformation while serving and empowering others.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 201
2026-2027 SOCI 325

Sociocultural Aspects of Sport & Leisure

An examination of the sociological and cultural dynamics of sport and how sport has become a socializing agent of society and culture. Topics include religion and sport, women in sport, minorities and sport, big business of sport, drugs and sport performance, and sport deviance

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 331

Sociology of Religion

An introduction to the theories and concepts utilized by sociologists to interpret religious behaviour and the organization of religion.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
Cross-listed: RELS 371
2026-2027 SOCI 335

Classical Theory

This course explores the ideas of social theorists central to the development of sociology, the role of social theory in the social sciences, and its application to social research.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
NB: Not offered every year. See department chair.
2026-2027 SOCI 336

Contemporary Theory

An examination of major theoretical perspectives in sociology, such as functionalism, symbolic interactionism, phenomenological sociology, ethnomethodology, neo-Marxism, critical theory, exchange theory, rational choice, postmodernity, and globalization.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 340

Religion & Culture in Canada

This course examines the role of religious beliefs and practices in Canadian culture from a sociological perspective. Emphasis is on understanding pluralism, multiculturalism, and contemporary religious expression in relation to other social institutions like family, economics, and politics. Attention is given to cross-cultural comparisons of religions in Canada.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 350

Urban Studies

This course examines the evolution of the city, from its earliest pre-industrial roots to cities of the New Economy, and provides a sociological analysis of selected urban social issues. The course explores the urban effect on society and the various efforts, past and present, to make cities more livable.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology or Anthropology
Cross-listed: ANTH 350
2026-2027 SOCI 355

Community Development

The goal of this course is to clarify thinking about the use of the term community, to explore the role of community in contemporary society, and to consider societal and cultural factors that either promote or undermine the building of community.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology or Anthropology
2026-2027 SOCI 356

Self & Identity

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the development and applicability of the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism to the study of self and identity. Students will encounter the work of several classical and contemporary theorists on the topic of self and identity including different perspectives on socialization, self-presentation and authenticity. This course will provide students with a greater understanding of how broader social institutions and narratives intertwine with and influence individual self-narratives, agency and expression.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 360

Research Methods in Social Sciences

An introduction to the concepts and processes of both qualitative and quantitative social research. Research processes include problem definition, data collection, and analysis. Students are expected to develop research skills through practical application.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101, 207, and third-year standing
NB: Not offered every year. See Department chair.
2026-2027 SOCI 365

Sociology of Education

An analysis of the role of the school in culture; societal trends affecting the institutions and practices of education; interpretive paradigms and related research studies; group dynamics in education; religious, social, and economic factors and issues in Canadian education.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 380

Criminology & Justice

An introduction to key concepts and issues in criminology and to operational practices of the Canadian criminal justice system. Topics include principal criminological theories, the social construction and elements of criminal behaviour, policing, crime prevention, offenders and victims of crime, the criminal justice system, sentencing, corrections, restorative justice and other alternative measures, and social issues that intersect with crime.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 390

Special Topics in Sociology

An examination of the ideas of a particular theorist, school of thought, or conflicting theories within the behavioural sciences; or an examination of particular sociological issues from a theoretical or empirical perspective.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 101 and 6 additional sem. hrs. in Sociology or instructor's consent
NB: Students may take this course again for credit whenever it deals with a different topic.
2026-2027 SOCI 391

Canadian Governmental Leadership

In the setting of the historical Booth Mansion in Ottawa, students are invited to explore the history of Canadian political leadership. Using the historical method, including research in primary sources, they will evaluate the leadership of Canadian Prime Ministers and examine how they addressed the needs and crises of the nation. By means of their enquiries into Canada's political leadership, students will develop their own theories of effective leadership.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Admission into Laurentian Leadership Centre
Cross-listed: HIST/POLS 391
2026-2027 SOCI 392

Ethics & Public Affairs

The philosophical basis for and nature of ethical decision-making. Recent and contemporary ethical issues facing leaders in the political, business, and communication fields. Students observe how today's leaders engage ethical dilemmas in the Ottawa setting of their discipline.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): Admission into Laurentian Leadership Centre
Cross-listed: POLS 392
2026-2027 SOCI 395

Indigenous Peoples in Canada

This course is an introduction to the culture, languages, history and enduring presence of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. It will explore a range of indigenous social and cultural formations. Attention will be given to the cultural, economic, political, and religious aspects of Indigenous societies, as well as the changes that have occurred since the arrival of the Europeans.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): ANTH 101 or SOCI 101
Cross-listed: ANTH 395
2026-2027 SOCI 400

Critical Issues in Human Services

This seminar explores critical issues which occur across the helping professions. Basic questions concerning human nature and the influence of society are examined. This course also serves as a capstone course that helps students culminate their acquired knowledge and prepare for the transition into a Human Services profession.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 201 and admission to the Human Services Program
2026-2027 SOCI 405

Globalization & Religion

This course is an analysis of the character of religion in relationship to globalization. Attention is paid to the nature of religion in global society, responses of religions to global change, religious/theological reflections on the various meanings of globalization, and the development of religion as a global culture.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101 or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SOCI 410

Advanced Studies: Race & Ethnicity

An analysis of race and ethnicity including contemporary theories about racism, ethnic identity, ethnic relations, nationalism and globalization.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101
2026-2027 SOCI 411

Human Services Field Placement II

Students are provided with an opportunity for experiential learning through a supervised practical experience with a community or social agency related to the student's interest and/or future career plans. Readings, written assignments, and group meetings invite students to discover a new synthesis of knowledge through integrating theory and practical experience. Students develop cognitive complexity as they consider how to apply the knowledge gained in the social sciences, to acquire praxis skills, and to experience personal transformation while serving and empowering others.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 320 and admission to the Human Services Program
NB: Pass/Fail course
2026-2027 SOCI 420

Human Services Field Placement III

Students are provided with an opportunity for experiential learning through a supervised practical experience with a community or social agency related to the student's interest and/or future career plans. Readings, written assignments, and group meetings invite students to discover a new synthesis of knowledge through integrating theory and practical experience. Students develop cognitive complexity as they consider how to apply the knowledge gained in the social sciences, to acquire praxis skills, and to experience personal transformation while serving and empowering others.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 411 and admission to the Human Services Program
NB: Pass/Fail course
2026-2027 SOCI 450

Seminar in Sociology

Students analyze and reflect upon major issues in sociology. This integrative seminar addresses a variety of methodological, theoretical, and practical questions.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 12 sem. hrs. of Sociology including SOCI 101 or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SOCS 305

Research Methods in the Social Sciences

This course provides a survey of empirical research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, used in social and political analysis with practical application of these methods to such issues as research design; the preparation of a literature review; the application of quantitative survey techniques and case study methods; interviewing techniques; and research ethics.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Social Sciences/Social Studies
2026-2027 SOCS 383

Social Data Analysis

Social scientists greatly benefit from the use of statistical analyses in their respective disciplines. Through a comprehensive investigation of data description; drawing statistical inference; testing the significance of differences and relationships and modeling predictive relationships students will develop a quantitative and computational inquiry. Discipline specific experiential learning modules will be employed where appropriate.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. of Social Sciences
Cross-listed: GENV 383
2026-2027 SOCS 385

Qualitative Research Methods

This course will introduce students to various traditions of qualitative social inquiry and their associated methodological features. Emphasis will be placed on the practical application of these traditions of inquiry as their associated methods of data collection and analysis are applied in a range of research settings.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): 6 sem. hrs. at the 300- or 400-level of Psychology, Sociology, and/or Anthropology
2026-2027 SPAN 101

Introduction to Spanish

This course is an introduction to the Spanish language and culture for students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish. The course covers basic grammar, listening, speaking, reading of simple texts and writing skills..

Course Credits: 3
NB: Students with more than two years of high school Spanish or native speaker ability cannot take SPAN 101 for credit. See instructor for entry levels.
2026-2027 SPAN 102

Introduction to Spanish

This course is an introduction to the Spanish language and culture for students with some knowledge of Spanish. This is a continuation of SPAN 101 course; grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills will be further developed.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 101 or instructor's consent
NB: See instructor for entry levels.
2026-2027 SPAN 201

Intermediate Spanish

This course provides an increased understanding of Hispanic culture and Spanish language through the review and expansion of grammar; including a strong emphasis on oral skills, writing, comprehension, and pronunciation.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 101, 102, or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 202

Intermediate Spanish

This course provides an increased understanding of Hispanic culture and Spanish language through the review and expansion of grammar; including a strong emphasis on oral skills, writing, comprehension, and pronunciation.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 101, 102, or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 301

Advanced Written & Oral Spanish

This course emphasizes the development of oral and written skills based on advanced grammar. It includes an examination of different topics of popular Hispanic culture.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 201, 202, or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 302

Advanced Written & Oral Spanish

This course emphasizes the development of oral and written skills based on advanced grammar. It includes an examination of different topics of popular Hispanic culture.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 201, 202, or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 310

Latin American Culture & Civilization

This course paints a broad picture of society and culture in Latin America. Various aspects of culture are discussed, including topics such as history, art, politics, religion, sports, customs, and current events in the Hispanic world. Cultural readings, videos, and websites are used to stimulate discussion, add insight and knowledge, and develop the capabilities of the oral language. Conducted entirely in Spanish.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 201, 202, or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 320

Spanish Culture & Civilization

Conducted entirely in Spanish, this course uses an historical approach to examine society and culture in Spain. Various aspects of Spanish culture and society are discussed: literary works, art, politics, religion, sports, customs, and current events. Cultural readings, newspaper and magazine articles, videos, and websites are used to stimulate discussion, add insight and knowledge, and develop the capabilities of the oral language.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 201, 202
2026-2027 SPAN 405

Spanish Peninsular Literature I

Survey courses covering selected major authors in Spanish Peninsular Literature from the Middle Ages to the present. The historic and literary context of the works is presented and the influence of Christianity as a significant force shaping both literature and culture is examined. All major genres are included from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century.

Course Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 302 or instructor's consent
2026-2027 SPAN 406

Spanish Peninsular Literature II

This course includes literature from the early nineteenth century to the present. Students consolidate their language skills through the critical reading of literary texts and the writing of compositions and essays.

Course Credits:
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 302 or instructor's consent