Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology



Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology

Fall 2016

Instructor Information

Name: Morgan Green, MA

E-mail: morgan.green@wnc.edu

Please allow a 24-hour response time for an individual response to emails.

Phone: (775) 240-0508 (no calls after 8 pm). You are always welcome to text me as well.

Office Hours: by appointment

Office: BRI 350 H or Starbucks

Course Information

Course Title: Introduction to Sociology

Course Section: Soc 101.1003

Course Date: Monday, August 29, 2016 – Saturday, December 17, 2016

Course Description: This course is a social science core course. It is intended to explore sociological principles underlying the development, structure, and function of culture, society, human groups, personality formation and social change. Topics include culture, education, economics, race and ethnicity, gender, and deviance/criminal behavior. NOTE: Students will be expected to have basic skills for writing papers in APA format.

Transferability of course within Nevada: Transfers to all NSHE Schools. Please contact the college/university you plan to transfer for complete information on transferability.

Course Objectives: In introductory but broad-based understanding of sociological concepts will be achieved through classroom lectures, media, and research papers. Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Identify the foundational theories of sociology

• Gain factual knowledge and transfer sociological insights into everyday experience

• Learn sociological terminology and apply to his/her life relations, in the family, at work, at school, and elsewhere

• Possess a sociological insight into human behavior

General Education Program Outcomes Linkage: Students in general psychological are expected in their ability to meet the general education student learning outcomes:

• College-level reading and writing skills

• Problem solving, creative, and critical thinking skills

• Understand and apply social science principles including an appreciation of participation in civic affairs

• Understand the importance of cultural traditions, diversity, and ethics in the modern world

Prerequisites: There are no academic prerequisites for this course; however, it is recommended that you have completed English 100.

For technical assistance contact 445-3225

Required Textbooks

Henslin, James T. 2014. Essentials of sociology: A down-to-earth approach. 11th Ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Policies

As sociology is the study of society, there will be times when topics are introduced that are controversial and may challenge your beliefs and opinions. Be prepared that some discussion topics may make you feel uncomfortable and challenge what you believe to be true or right. I ask that you respect your fellow classmates and their positions as well as be willing to take the material into consideration when constructing your own positions. No disparaging remarks will be tolerated in regards to ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, age, socioeconomic background, etc. Violations will be reflected in your participation score. (For further details, please refer to the student handbook). In return, I will do my best to uphold this tenet and treat everyone’s educated opinions/interpretations with due respect. If you do experience a particularly difficult time or feel uncomfortable with some issue, fellow student (including myself), or topic, PLEASE talk to me so we may address it immediately.

Special Accommodations: Western Nevada College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak with Disability Support Services and the instructor as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact Disability Support Services, Carson campus, Cedar 212, 775-445-4459 or susan.trist@wnc.edu & skylar.depedro@wnc.edu.

If at any point in time you have problems accessing the information or materials in the course please contact the instructor.

Students who feel that they are struggling in the course at any time contact the instructor to investigate other assistance opportunities.

Academic Skills Center:

         Carson/online: (775) 445-4260

         Fallon: (775) 423-7565 ext. 2278

Counseling Services:

Carson Campus: (775) 445-3267 or couneling@wnc.edu

Attendance: Attendance is not required for this course. If you choose not to attend, you are responsible for the materials covered during the lecture and will be held to the announcements made during the course. Absence is not an excuse for missing announcements. If you are going to miss an extended period of time from the course please communicate that with the instructor. If you are enrolled in this course at any point in the semester, and fail to complete your assignments upon the due dates you will receive an “F” (failure) for your final grade. If you cease participating in this course it is your responsibility to be officially withdrawn by completing the appropriate paperwork at the registrar’s office. I do not give students withdrawals or “W” for final grades.

Withdrawals/Incompletes: Please refer to WNC policy regarding Incompletes. Faculty cannot assign “W’s” October 27, 2016: Last day to change credit to audit or audit to credit for full-term classes October 27, 2016: Last day to drop full-term classes with a "W"

School/Military Sponsored Event: If you are unable to submit assignments due to a college, high school, or military sponsored event, it is your responsibility to give verification of your absence to the instructor prior to the time you will be absent. I will work with you to complete the course.

Class Cancellations: The only method of notification for class cancelations is via your email address used for myWNC.  Please make sure to check your email before coming to class to make sure the class is not cancelled.

Assignments

Papers and Exams are due in class on the assigned date unless prior arraignments are made.

Participation: Students are expected to participate in the classroom. There will be discussions or activities in the classroom over the course of the semester that students will be asked to partake with other classmates.

Papers: There will be two papers due this semester. Paper topics will be posted two weeks before the paper is due. Each paper should be between 3-4 pages, double spaced (this does not mean 2 ½ pages), be relevant to the chosen topic, clearly address all points, and be well-written (i.e., proper grammar and spelling). All sources for your papers should be cited using APA format including your textbook and articles. All papers must be submitted as a Word document in class. Late papers will not be accepted unless prior approval has been obtained. Plagiarism: is not tolerated and will result in a “0” on the assignment. Please refer to WNC’s policy on plagiarism. If you need assistance, you should go the Academic Skills Center and or WNC libraries for help prior to submitting your work.

Exams: There will be three exams throughout the semester. These exams will cover the reading from the textbook, required reading articles or media, and lecture notes. The two midterms will consist of 75 multiple-choice and true/false questions. The final will consist of a total of 100 multiple-choice and true/false questions related to the topics covered throughout the course. There will be a study guide provided a week prior to each exam.

Extra Credit: There will be two extra credit opportunities throughout the semester. One opportunity will consist of attendance at an APA workshop or other school sponsored workshop conducted through the WNC library on the Carson campus and will require a short write up of the material presented. The second opportunity will be an extra credit paper offered two weeks prior to the end of the semester. Extra credit is optional. Attendance at the workshop and the paper will each be worth 20 points. Attendance at the workshop will be recorded at that time and a summary will be required for credit. The paper will be due the final week of class unless otherwise posted.

Academic Integrety: Students are expected to do their own work. If a student turns in work completed by someone else, he/she will receive 0 points for that project and will not be allowed to make it up.

Exam Make-Up Policy

Arrangements must be made prior to the end of the exam deadline in order to be eligible for a make-up exam. If a dire emergency occurs immediately before the deadline, you must notify me either in an e-mail or phone call. Notification after the deadline will not be accepted. You may be required to submit verification of your emergency and make-up exams will include an essay exam provided by the instructor.

Grading System

Final Grade

Exam 1: 75 points Paper 2: 50 points

Exam 2: 75 points Participation: 25 points

Exam 3: 100 points Extra Credit 1: 20 points

Paper 1: 50 points Extra Credit 2: 20 points

Total points: 375 points

Grade Break-down

348-375 A 298-309 B- 252-260 D+

336-347 A- 290-297 C+ 235-251 D

327-335 B+ 273-289 C 224-234 D-

310-326 B 261-272 C- 223 and Below F

Note: Dates and assignments on the calendar are subject to change. Make sure to check announcements for any changes that are made. Most announcements will be made in class. You are responsible for being aware if you are unable to make it to class.

Class Calendar

|Date |Topic |Assignment |

|Aug 29 |Overview/APA Introduction |Read Syllabus, Chapter #1 |

|31-Aug |The Sociological Perspective |Chapter #1 |

|Sept 5 | |Labor Day |

|7-Sept, 12-Sept |Culture |Chapter #2 |

|14-Sept, 19-Sept |Socialization |Chapter #3 |

|21-Sept, 26-Sept |Social Groups and Formal Organizations |Chapter #5 Study Guide |

|Sept 28 | |Exam 1 & Paper Topic |

|3-Oct, 5-Oct |Social Structure and Social Interaction |Chapter #4 |

|10-Oct, 12-Oct |Deviance and Social Control |Chapter #6 |

|Oct 12 | |Paper #1 Due |

|17-Oct, 19-Oct |Global Stratification |Chapter #7 |

|24-Oct, 26-Oct |Social Class in the United States |Chapter #8 Study Guide |

|Oct 31 | |Exam #2 |

|2-Nov, 7-Nov |Race and Ethnicity |Chapter #9 |

|9-Nov, 14-Nov |Gender and Age |Chapter #10 & Paper Topic |

|16-Nov, 21-Nov |Marriage and Family |Chapter #12 |

|Nov 21 | |Paper #2 Due |

|Nov 23-Nov 25 | |Thanksgiving Holiday |

|28-Nov, 30-Nov |Education and Religion |Chapter #13 |

|5-Dec, 7-Dec |Politics |Chapter #11 & Extra Credit Topic |

| | | |

|At Final | |Extra Credit Due (Optional) |

|May 16-May 20 |Final Exam Week |Date:TBD |

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