Sample program plan information is provided for sample purposes only. Students should consult with their academic advisor about their individual plan for course registration and completion of program requirements.
PLS 105 - Introduction to American Government
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
The American political system: constitutional principles, political processes, and governmental policy making.
PLS 205 - Governments Around the Globe
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB,GP WC
Comparative analysis of selected political systems.
PLS 207 - Introduction to Political Thought
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
Recurrent concepts or issues in political thought and ways they have been treated by classic and contemporary writers. Obligation and the social contract, liberty, justice and equality, property, representation.
PLS 208 - Fundamentals of International Relations
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. GP GS
Fundamental issues and problems that have contributed to structuring current patterns of international relations.
PLS 209 - Scope and Methods of Political Science
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Introduction to political inquiry; research methods necessary for in-depth research. Prerequisite: PLS 105
PLS 300 - Topics in Political Thought
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 207.
PLS 301 - Topics in American Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Analysis of research, concepts, institutions, theories, and literature. Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 105.
PLS 302 - Topics in International Relations
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: 3 hours of political science.
PLS 303 - Sub-Saharan African Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Focuses on Sub-Saharan African politics through examination of the influence of: historical factors such as pre-colonial governance and European colonization; social factors including gender, class, religion, and ethnicity; economic factors involving natural resources and corruption; health factors including malaria, HIV, and climate change; and political factors including political parties, personal rule, and military rule. Course does not presume any preexisting knowledge of Sub-Saharan Africa specifically but does require basic knowledge of comparative politics broadly. Prerequisite: PLS 205 or consent of instructor
PLS 304 - Governments of West Europe
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Governmental structures, public policies, policy making processes, ideological foundations, and dynamics of political and economic change in the parliamentary democracies of West Europe; emphasis on Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Prerequisite: PLS 205.
PLS 305 - Topics in Comparative Government
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 205.
PLS 307 - Classical Political Philosophy
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
Systematic political thought in Western philosophy during ancient and medieval times. Cross listed as PHL 307. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
PLS 308 - Modern Political Philosophy
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
From the beginning of the modern period through the 19th century. Cross listed as PHL 308. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
PLS 309 - Gender and Sexuality in Political Thought
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
This course considers the concepts of gender and sexuality as they relate to various theories of politics. Spanning more than two millennia of western political thought from ancient Greece to modern Britain to contemporary America, the course presents a variety of perspectives including (but not limited to) Platonism, liberal feminism, utilitarianism, and Nussbaum's capabilities approach. By the end of the course, students should have a grasp of the historical significance of both gender and sexuality in political thought, as well as a sense of the different ways in which those concepts have been understood and treated in different eras and philosophical traditions.
PLS 310 - Political Behavior
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Formation of opinion, perception of political events, voting behavior, and political participation; significance for democratic government. Prerequisite: PLS 105.
PLS 311 - Political Parties
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Organization and activities of modern political parties, forces shaping partisan organization and activities, and development of public policy. Emphasis on party politics in contemporary America, with attention to American political history and comparative party systems. Prerequisite: PLS 105
PLS 312 - State and Local Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Political processes through which rapidly growing problems of the state and local governments are identified, fought over, and resolved. Prerequisite: PLS 105
PLS 314 - The U.S. Congress
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Provides an advanced understanding of the American Congress and its members within the framework of social science. Discusses congressional rules and procedures, member behavior and motivation, and the role of parties and leaders. Addresses debates about the modern Congress including lack of competition for seats, polarization, redistricting, the filibuster and pork-barrel politics. Prerequisite: PLS 105
PLS 315 - The U.S. Presidency
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Provides a comprehensive, theoretical, and logical framework to analyze the presidency. Examines the institutional presidency, formal powers, and the president's role in a separated system. Explores the development of the president's power over time, and changes in vetoes, signing statements, bureaucratic management, and relationship with Congress and the courts. Prerequisite: PLS 105
PLS 317 - International Law
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. GP GS
Nature, sources, and development of international law as it has been invoked in diplomatic practices, international adjudications, and national courts. Prerequisite:
PLS 318 - International Organization
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
The analysis of major international problems of a character requiring the concerted efforts of international organization in their solutions. Prerequisite: PLS 208 or consent of instructor.
PLS 319 - International Political Economy
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Overview of theories and issues in international political economy affecting relations among advanced industrialized countries. Development of the international political economy; institutions for its management; emerging issues and future prospects. Prerequisite: PLS 208 or consent of instructor.
PLS 360 - Judicial Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Political behavior of American trial courts and variables connecting them to the larger political system. Examples from criminal procedure and civil justice cases. Emphasis on police and prosecutorial discretion; recruitment of judges; juries; and social function of judgments and punishments. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or consent of instructor.
PLS 380 - Washington Center Seminar
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Provides credit for students participating in the seminar component of the Washington Center program in Washington, D.C. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
PLS 407 - American Political Thought
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Systematic political thought in American philosophy from colonial times to the present. Prerequisite: PLS 207 or consent of instructor.
PLS 419 - Introduction to Public Administration
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Public administration in a democratic setting: history of American PA, organization theory, public personnel, budgeting, intergovernmental relations, decision making and policy analysis, the regulatory process, and ethics in government. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or 202.
PLS 420 - Public Personnel Administration
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
A study of the basic issues and techniques of public personnel administration: focus on the distinctive setting in which public managers function, theories of motivation in the work place, and the tasks commonly faced by human resource managers in the public sector. Prerequisite: junior standing.
PLS 421 - The Politics of Regulation
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
An examination of the modern administrative state through an in-depth study of the federal regulatory process; administrative law and procedure; the politics involved in the development and reform of the federal regulatory bureaucracy. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 422 - Urban Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Study of selected problems in metropolitan areas: political forms, ethnic politics, education, housing, poverty, corrections; theories dealing with these problems. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 459 - Constitutional Law: Institutional Powers and Constraints
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Position of the Supreme Court in American system of government as both symbol and instrument of power. Case method. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 460 - Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Supreme Court as one of the policy making agencies of the federal government. Relationship between citizen and government in civil, property, and political rights. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.
PLS 480 - Internship in Political Science
(1-6 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. EL
Students work with selected political agencies, to study practical political problems from the perspective of the discipline. Course may be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours. Pass/Fail. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.
PLS 483 - Reading in Political Science
(1-6 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Individual in-depth work on a subject approved and supervised by a PLS faculty member. For highly qualified students. May be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing and consent of instructor
PLS 484 - Reading in Political Science II
(1-3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Individual in-depth work on a subject approved and supervised by a PLS faculty member. For highly qualified students. Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing and consent of instructor
PLS 485 - Research
(1-6 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. EL
Individual research for qualified students. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: 3.2 average in student's major; junior/senior standing; consent of instructor.
PLS 491 - Seminar in Comparative Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in Comparative Politics Prerequisite: Senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.
PLS 492 - Seminar in International Relations
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Prerequisite: senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.
PLS 493 - Seminar in Political Theory
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in Political Theory Prerequisite: Senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.
PLS 494 - Seminar in American Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in American Politics Prerequisite: senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.
SOC 100 - The Sociological Perspective
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
Sociological insight into study of humans, society, and culture.
SOC 105 - Foundations of Social Justice
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
This course examines how principles of social justice are conceptualized in diverse communities and translated into strategies for social change. The course draws on multidisciplinary perspectives to examine how systems of inequality and oppression perpetuate past and present injustices, highlighting case studies of attempts to create a more just world. The course emphasizes experiential learning by connecting students with the resources, organizations, and communities that align with their own social justice commitments. Students will work on projects to amplify existing campus or community justice efforts, propose their own ideas, and discover how to integrate social justice into their unique academic and career goals.
SOC 111 - Contemporary Social Problems
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. SB
Sociological analysis of current social problems in the U.S.: poverty, racism, sexism, agism, medical care, the environment, population, urban disorganization, crime, juvenile delinquency, alcoholism, drug addiction, family disorganization, and mental illness. Use of different perspectives promotes a broad understanding of the study of social problems.
SOC 240 - Research Methods
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. EL
Social research methods: research design and models of observation, including single subject and program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative methods, sampling techniques, questionnaire construction, types of surveys, measurement problems, and data analysis. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111 or consent of instructor.
SOC 300 - Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. NW
Core Curr. GP WC
Examines the construction of gender in societies around the world, concentrating on the way gender shapes and is shaped by power relations in these societies. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111 or ANT 101; or consent of instructor.
SOC 308 - Immigration: People, Place and Power
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. MI,SB
This course examines the origins and outcomes of international immigration. Using perspectives and evidence from diverse fields in the social sciences and the humanities, we consider issues including the complex social and environmental factors that drive immigration; state, popular and media responses to immigration; and the effects of immigration, both for immigrants and for the nations they leave and enter.
SOC 310 - Sociology of Families
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Examination of the notion of the U.S. American family from a sociological perspective. Focus on perceptions of the family throughout U.S. American history, in mass media, and in relation to public policy; the historical transformation of families; the diverse and changing aspects of families; and the impact of social change and problems on the families of U.S.A. Emphasis on how society and the economic system affect families.
SOC 311 - Families in Cross-Cultural Perspective
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. NW
Core Curr. GP WC
Comparative study of family systems in societies around the world, with a focus on variation across cultures and times. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111 or ANT 101, or consent of instructor.
SOC 312 - Social Inequality
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
Inequality in income, wealth, prestige, and power. Theories explaining roots of and changes in inequality. Emphasis on the U.S.; variations in the extent and forms of inequality across different nations.
SOC 313 - Race, Ethnicity, and Power
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. SB,WI
Analysis of dominant-minority group relations. The emergence and dynamic of racism. Exploration of the experience of various ethnic and "racial" groups. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111, or consent of instructor.
SOC 313 - Race, Ethnicity, and Power
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. SB,WI
Analysis of dominant-minority group relations. The emergence and dynamic of racism. Exploration of the experience of various ethnic and "racial" groups. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111, or consent of instructor.
SOC 313 - Race, Ethnicity, and Power
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. SB,WI
Analysis of dominant-minority group relations. The emergence and dynamic of racism. Exploration of the experience of various ethnic and "racial" groups. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111, or consent of instructor.
SOC 315 - Gender and Society
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
An examination of gender as a system of stratification, as a social construction, and as a system of meaning which changes trans-historically and differs cross-culturally. Focus on structural and interactional aspects of gender inequality, as well as the relationship between gender and other social hierarchies, including class, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality. Prerequisite:
SOC 320 - Social Theory
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. WI
Review of sociology's major perspectives, from classic statements on social life to contemporary theories. Emphasis on the contributions of theorists of color, women, and non-Western scholars to the development of social thought. Application of sociological theories to contemporary problems and issues. Prerequisite: SOC Major, SOC Minor, or consent of Instructor.
SOC 322 - Self and Social Interaction
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Focus on relationship between individuals and the broader society, the formation of personality, and group influences on human perception and behavior. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or instructor consent.
SOC 325 - Environmental Sociology
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. SB
This course introduces students to the social causes and consequences of environmental problems and the conflicting interests and power dynamics that make sustainable solutions difficult to find and implement. The course begins by examining a range of philosophical perspectives on the relationship between Humans and Nature, followed by a brief survey of the range and extent of current environmental crises. We will then focus on four macro-sociological causes of environmental harm worldwide: international development, modern agriculture, armed violence, and energy production. Special attention will be paid to the linkages between environmental harm and political and economic inequality.
SOC 326 - Sociology of Globalization
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. GP GS,SB
Analysis of the process of global integration and its impact on communities, social institutions, and culture. Emphasis on theories of social change and social conflict over the nature and pace of globalization and its impact on non-Western societies. Focus on social class, ethnicity, gender, media, religion, the environment, and social problems confronting non-Western Societies. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or consent of instructor.
SOC 330 - Perspectives On Deviance
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Analysis of the concept and nature of deviance and its various forms, with emphasis on various theoretical perspectives on nature and causation of deviance. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111
SOC 331 - Correctional Policies and Society
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Analysis of theoretical and practical aspects of corrections, concepts of punishment and treatment, and their variations in practice. Includes analysis and evaluation of specific alternatives: prisons, probation, treatment centers, and sentencing. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111.
SOC 332 - Juvenile Delinquency
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Core Curr. MI
Analysis of the nature and origin of juvenile delinquency within an historical and theoretical context with emphasis on causation of delinquency and evaluation of different responses to it. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111.
SOC 333 - Sociology of Violence
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Sociological analysis of the concept and nature of violence in a macro and micro setting, its various manifestations, and evaluation of responses to it. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111.
SOC 334 - Crime and Society
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Analysis of the concept and nature of crime, the relationship between social structures, social institutions, and crime with a focus on social forces and social controls involved in the creation of crime. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111.
SOC 341 - Medical Sociology
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Application of a critical perspective to the institution of medicine. Focus on epidemiology, the social construction of illness, and current healthcare trends. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or SOC 111, or ANT 101, or consent of instructor.
SOC 343 - Sociology of Mental Health
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Emphasis on social, cultural, and political factors involved in the definition and control of mental illness. Topics include labeling theory, the impact of status characteristics and social relationships on levels of stress, and legal and ethical issues associated with current modes of treatment. Prerequisite:
SOC 344 - Social Movements
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
In some contexts, social movements have been considered legitimate political actors; in others, treacherous and subversive. Always they constitute a potential threat to those in power. When do movements emerge and how are they organized? How and when can they successfully bring about social change? We will examine key aspects of social movement theory and practice against the backdrop of a number of important American and international movements that have emerged in the last half century, such as the American civil rights, women's, environmental, and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 70s, the current "Fight for 15" and Black Lives Matter movements, and the global justice, autonomist, and Occupy movements internationally. Prerequisite:
SOC 345 - People, Power, and Politics
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
This course will introduce students to major themes, concepts, and debates in political sociology. Focus is on the relations of power between the State and other collective actors in society (e.g. interest groups, political parties, social classes, and social movements), with an emphasis on key axes of contention in US politics today, such as: the political power of corporations; the separation of church and state; political parties, polarization, and congressional gridlock; the trade-off between liberty and equality in free market, socialist, and social democratic systems; taxation and the role of the State in addressing social inequality; and the tension between national security and civil/human rights. Prerequisite:
SOC 346 - Sociology of Education
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Focus on the institution of education and its relationship to the broader society within which it is situated. Emphasis on the ways in which schools reproduce and challenge prevailing economic, social and political relationships; the link between schools and societal stratification; and sociological perspectives on contemporary educational reform. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or consent of instructor.
SOC 390 - Topics in Sociology
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for maximum of 9 hrs. credit. Prerequisite: SOC 100, SOC 101, or consent of instructor.
SOC 391 - Internship in Applied Sociology
(3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Supervised work in applied settings; study of practical problems from the perspective of the discipline. Prerequisite: Prior arrangement, and consent of Instructor.
SOC 490 - Directed Readings
(1-3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Special study on topics with faculty supervision. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
SOC 491 - Directed Research
(1-3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Empirical research with faculty supervision. Prerequisite: 3.5 GPA in Sociology and consent of instructor.
SOC 492 - Advanced Research Colloquium
(1-3 hours)
Gen. Ed.
Students will synthesize and integrate perspectives from their sociology courses and apply these perspectives to the empirical investigation of real-world social problems. Prerequisite: 3.5 GPA in major, completion of SOC 240, completion of SOC 490 or 491, approved proposal, and consent of instructor.
The Bradley Core Curriculum exposes all students to the requisite range of knowledge, skills and perspectives that prepares them for further learning and guides them on the path of continued growth to facilitate their success and fulfillment in a changing, complex world. In essence, the Bradley Core Curriculum lays the foundation for a lifetime of intellectual development.
More specifically, the Bradley Core Curriculum advances Lydia Moss Bradley’s intent that the university “furnish its students with the means of living an independent, industrious and useful life,” by equipping them with a common set of attributes, understandings and tools to:
Core Learning Outcomes
The Bradley Core Curriculum was designed to help students achieve specific Core Learning Outcomes that span all aspects of the program.
Core Values
The Bradley Core Curriculum is grounded in a set of fundamental perspectives, Core Values, that lie at the heart of the university's scholarly enterprise.
Bradley’s criminology program prepares you to pursue a career in any career within the legal system.
Bradley’s criminology program pairs theory with practice to strengthen your understanding of the law enforcement, court and corrections systems. You take research courses to learn why systems function certain ways, then you participate in an internship to gain experience in your chosen profession. Courses often approach topics from the perspective of justice, which means you spend time thinking about the implications of policies and procedures within criminal justice systems.
The criminology degree successfully prepares you to enter the workforce or graduate school. In recent years, most students found jobs or continued their education within six months of graduation. Recent graduates are working for sheriff’s departments, the Internal Revenue Service and Federal Bureau of Investigations. Others are attending graduate school at DePaul University and St. Louis University.
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