Course Syllabus Introduction to Sociology – soci 1301

Spring 2017 (Jan 14, 2017 – May 13, 2017)

  

Instructor Information

Instructor: Vu Luyen

Telephone: 0908 333933end_of_the_skype_highlighting

E-mail: luyenv@saigontech.edu.vn, luyenmaster@yahoo.com

Office Hours:  by appointment

Course Identification

Location: To be advised, SaigonTech Tower

Class Times: Sat, 13:00–16:10

Credit Hours: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Total Course Contact Hours: 48

Type of Instruction: Lecture

Course Description

A survey course which focuses on the nature of human groups in American and world societies, their social and cultural adaptations, and the impact which various social processes may have on their social organization and social change. Core Curriculum course.

Reading: placement in co-requisite GUST 0342

Writing: placement into ENGL 0313/0349

Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)

1. Appreciate information about the background and history of sociology.

2. Analyze the seminal theorists in sociology, their theories, and how those theories translate into the real world.

3. Discriminate between and among various critical thinking fallacies.

4. Evaluate theories of collective behavior and social movements and how they impact real people’s lives in the real world.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

1. Evaluate the three major perspectives in Sociology: Conflict, Functionalism, and Symbolic Interactionism.

2. Apply the principles of the social science research process.

3. Analyze sociological studies found in peer-reviewed journals.

4. Apply various theories of social interaction and the social structure as they impact American society and the world.

5. Apply various theories of social groups and bureaucracies as they impact American society and the world.

6. Evaluate the various aspects of stratification as they affect American society and the world.

7. Evaluate the various aspects of the institutions of society as they affect American society and the world.

 

Learning Objectives (LO)

1. 
   Analyze the seminal theorists in Sociology, their theories, and how those theories translate into the real world.
   
2. 
   Discriminate among and between various critical thinking fallacies.
   
3. 
   Evaluate theories of collective behavior and social movements in the three perspectives of Sociology: Conflict, Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism.
   

2.1 Illustrate Sociological experiments as found in a textbook or a peer-viewed journal, and discuss the study in terms of the scientific method.

2.2 Delineate scientific research methods.
3.1 Analyze Sociological studies found in peer-reviewed scientific journal articles.
4.1 Apply theories of culture.

4.2 Apply theories of the process of socialization.

4.3 Apply theories of social interaction and social structure to the real world.

4.4 Apply theories of sexuality to the real world.

5.2 Apply theories of deviance to the real world.

6.2 Evaluate theories of globalization and social change and how they impact people’s real lives in the real world.

6.3 Evaluate theories of population, urbanization, and environment and how they impact people’s real lives in the real world.
7.1 Evaluate the major theories of each of the institutions of society.

Required Course Text

Society: The Basics, 11^th edition, John Macionis, Pearson, 2011.

ISBN978-0205027095.

Saigon Tech policy stipulates that if a student misses 12.5% of class hours of instruction, then he/she will be dropped from the course at the instructor’s discretion.

All personal questions or announcements for your instructor should be directed to him either in person before or after class, during an appointment meeting, or by email.

You need to check your school email before every class date for possible course updates.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating and plagiarism, is a serious academic offense. Now that SaigonTech has recently circulated an official policy on academic dishonesty, students are advised and expected to strictly observe the policy.

If you have questions about cheating and/or plagiarism, ask your instructor as soon as possible. Any instance of plagiarism will earn a zero for the whole assignment (mid-term essay, final project, final essay) and, in severe cases, result in an F for the class or more serious consequences. Similarly, any cheating in any quiz will result in a zero for that very quiz.

To prevent plagiarism, all students will be required to cite all sources used for their reports, to quote and paraphrase appropriately.

During the course, as many as ten (10) random quizzes shall be given. Each of the quizzes shall consist of 10 multiple-choice questions. The purpose of the quizzes is to test your memory and understanding of key terms, concepts, and themes of sociology throughout the course.

There are generally no make-up quizzes. You will get a zero as a result of your absence on the quiz day unless you have an excuse with proper documentation.

Mid-term Essay

The mid-term essay is a 90-minute-long closed book examination. It shall be done in class on the date designated in this syllabus. Students will be given up two essay questions about certain sociological aspects related to one theme introduced in the first half of the course. The questions will be made known to the students prior to the examination date. The students will then select one question and prepare some written notes in respond to the essay question. The notes shall be used for their development of the complete essay on the test sheet that will be provided by Saigon Tech.

The course’s final project is a Theme Report of individual or pair work. Each student (or pair of students) will choose a topic relevant to any sociological aspect covered in the course (culture, socialization, social interaction, groups & organizations, sexuality, deviance, social stratification, race & ethnicity, family, religion, education, health & medicine, population, environment) and write an analytical report on the selected topic. The topic shall be as specific as possible and must be approved by the instructor prior to your report writing.

Each student’s analytical report should demonstrate his/her understanding of the sociological aspect he/she has elected and how the aspect reflects or affects people’s real lives in the real world.

The report should be no fewer than 6 double-spaced one-sided A4 pages and include an introduction, a body of 8 to 10 analytically written paragraphs and a conclusive paragraph, plus a list of references. A hard copy of the report must be submitted to the instructor by the dates designated in this syllabus.

In addition to writing the report, each student will have to present his/her report in class and he/she must use Microsoft Powerpoint slides in the presentation, which will be done on the dates designated in this syllabus for special presentations.

The final essay is a 90-minute-long closed book examination. It shall be done in class on the date designated in this syllabus. Students will be given a list of up to three essay questions about the sociological aspects covered in the second half of the course. Each student then selects one question of his/her interest and prepares some written notes prior to the final examination date. The students are allowed to use only those notes for their production of the complete essay on the test sheet that will be provided by the college.

Grades will be based on the following: