This course is to provide students with a general survey of the field of sociology. The lectures, readings, and assignments will focus on understanding the basic social processes and how sociological concepts can be applied to everyday events, both small and large, both personal and political. With this in mind, the course begins by focusing on the development of the ‘self’ and identity, as well as the rules that guide interaction between individuals. Then, in the second part of the course, we will examine how large-scale social changes and the organization of society affect us as individuals. In the second part of the course, we will also explore how institutions and social interaction create and reproduce social inequality. And in the final part of the course, we will see how all of this applies to contemporary U.S. society.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
• How do I understand human experiences and connections?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
- Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Intercultural Competence
- Perspective-Taking
- Persuasion