Maryville College

Division of Social Sciences

Sociology 101-03

Introductory Sociology

Course Syllabus

 

 

 

Instructor:  Dr. Susan Ambler                                               Credit:  3 semester hours

Office:  Thaw 203C                                                               Term:  Spring, 2008

Phone:  865-981-8232                                                         Time:  10:00-10:50 MWF

Hours:  11-12:00 MWF, 2-3:30 MW,                                  Place:  Thaw 215

              9:30-10:30 TR                                                         Home phone:  865-980-0153

E-mail: susan.ambler@maryvillecollege.edu                    

 

Instructor’s web page:   http://faculty.maryvillecollege.edu/ambler

 

 

Course Description (2006-08):  Study of the fundamental structure and dynamics of human societies and the basic principles and concepts used in sociology.

 

Textbook (required):

 

Henslin, James M.  Essentials of Sociology:  A Down-to-Earth Approach, 7th ed.

Boston:  Allyn & Bacon, 2008.

 

Objectives:

 

  1. Develop greater understanding of the nature of society.
    1. Develop awareness of what all societies have in common.
    2. Appreciate the uniqueness and importance of every culture.
    3. Develop a more global, less ethnocentric perspective.
    4. Understand the role of the individual in society.

 

  1. Be familiar with the focus of sociology and its perspective
    1. Understand sociology as a science and as a humanity.
    2. Be familiar with the theories that sociologists use to interpret social phenomena.
    3. Be familiar with the research methods sociologists use to obtain sociological knowledge.
    4. Be exposed to findings of sociological research.
    5. Understand and use sociological concepts and theories.

 

  1. Be familiar with examples of how sociological knowledge has been and can be applied to solve the problems of society, the public uses of sociology.

Course Requirements

 

Quizzes/homework/small projects

TBA

100  appr.

Exam 1, Chs 1-3

3-7

100

Exam 2, Chs 4-6

4-7

100

Exam 3, Chs 7-9, 10 pt. 12, 14 pt.

5-12 (9:00)

100

Class participation:

attendance/ discussion

 

  40

Paper

5-2

100

  

 

 

TOTAL

 

540 points

 

1.  My absence policy is that I expect you to attend class and participate in class discussions.  It is your responsibility to account for your absences with me and to initiate make-up exams.

 

2.  Exams will be a combination of objective questions such as multiple choice, true-false, and matching as well as one-page essays.

 

3.  Some quizzes will be composed of objective questions.  Other quizzes may be short writing assignments in class.  These may occur at the beginning of the class period when we begin a new chapter or chapter section.  If you are late to class, you may miss the quiz.  The purpose of the quiz is to encourage completing the reading assignment before class discussion of the topic as well as encourage attending class.  Some quizzes may be given after completing a chapter to test your learning of the content of the chapter.

 

4.  The completed analytical paper should be at least 1,250 words typed, double-spaced applying sociological theories, research, and concepts to a film.  The film with be shown periodically in class. You may also watch the film on your own.  Show page numbers from your text for the concepts, theories, and research you discuss.  Also, use a Works Cited page at the end of the paper listing your sources.  You are expected to use at least one source, your textbook.  Provide a word count at the end of your paper using “Tools” in Microsoft Word.  Turn in the paper of 1,250 words by Friday, May 4.  Points are deducted for late papers.

 

5.   This instructor is committed to the Maryville College Covenant that MC students developed several years ago.  These students identified the principles of scholarship, respect, and integrity as the most basic principles to guide the lives of members of this higher learning community.  Living with a covenant means that the individuals in the community make a commitment to each other to live by the principles of the covenant.  In particular, this instructor interprets the M.C. Covenant as guiding a scholar’s (student’s) behavior to be honest in doing the scholar’s own work on exams, quizzes, homework, and papers.  This means that if the scholar uses others’ words or ideas for a paper or an exam, the scholar is obliged to identify the source.  In order for this instructor to also be committed to the Covenant, for this course the consequence of the instructor being aware of a student’s violating these principles is that the instructor would assign the student an F on the exam, paper, etc.  This includes copying from another student as well as from published sources on paper or on the internet.  This instructor is committed to these same principles in her own teaching and research.  This instructor promises to evaluate students in a fair and impartial manner.

 

Grading Scale

 

Percentage

Grade

Percentage

Grade

97.5-100.0

A+

72.5- 77.4

        C

92.5- 97.4

       A

69.5- 72.4

 C-

89.5- 92.4

A-

67.5- 69.4

  D+

87.5- 89.4

 B+

62.5- 67.4

D

82.5- 87.4

       B

59.5- 62.4

 D-

79.5- 82.4

B-

0- 59.4

 F

77.5- 79.4

 C+

 

 

 

 

Course Outline

 

A.  What is sociology?                                                         

1.      History & development

2.      Sociological theories

3.      Research methods

B.  What do sociologists study?  What do they know?

1.      Culture

2.      Socialization

3.      Social structure

4.      Social interaction

5.      Groups & organizations

6.      Deviance

7.      Social stratification

a.      Social class

b.      Race & ethnicity

c.      Gender & age

8.      Social institutions

a.      Politics                                        

b.      Economy                                     

c.      Marriage & Family

d.  Education

                        e.  Religion

9.      Social change

a.      Population                                   

b.      Urbanization                               

c.  Environment

                        d.  Social movements

How to do well in this course:

 

1.  Complete reading assignment for the day.

 

2. Attend class.

 

3. Take notes in class.

 

4.  Participate in class discussions.

 

5.  If absent, initiate make-up work.

 

6.  Meet deadlines.

 

7.  Learn the sociological terminology & the basic theoretical perspectives.

 

8.  Learn to analyze, integrate, and apply the concepts, theories, & research findings.

 

9.  Write clear and organized essay questions and paper.  Make a minimum number of grammatical mistakes.  Document your paper using the text including a Works Cited page and internal reference to author and page number. 

         

10. Apply and integrate sociological concepts and theories to what you observe    

           in the film in your rough draft.

          

11.  Make corrections and expand your paper to the required length.

 

12. Talk to your professor if you do not understand, are not performing well, or want further discussion than is available during class time.

 

 

 

 

Note:  I reserve the right to change this syllabus schedule due to problems caused by illness, unforeseen professional obligations, etc.