SOCI-101 Introduction to Sociology

Through this introduction to sociology, students will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of sociology including culture, socialization, social stratification, and social change and be able to apply these concepts to social problems and everyday life experiences. Students will be exposed to sociological information and ideas which will help them understand and clarify their own norms, values, and attitudes.

Credits

Prerequisite

Eligible to enroll in ENGL-121

Hours Weekly

3 hours weekly

Course Objectives

1. Apply the sociological imagination to the identification, summary, and analysis of private
concerns and public issues.
2. Identify the major analytical frameworks and theoretical perspectives in sociology, describe
their differences in levels of analysis and explanatory assumptions, and determine one’s
own theoretical orientation toward a variety of social problems or issues.
3. Differentiate the major sociological research methods and correctly identify key components
of the scientific model as it is used by sociologists to reason and evaluate with scientific
evidence.
4. Examine the essential components of the concept "culture" through cross-cultural and global
comparisons, and sociologically analyze the increasingly multi-cultural character of
American society.
5. Identify the components of social structure, especially the concepts of status and role, and
explain how social structure shapes human belief and behavior.
6. Identify key structural agents of socialization, and analyze the process by which humans
become socialized by these agents throughout the life cycle.
7. Explain human consciousness and behavior as a product of social interaction in the socially
structured contexts of peoples lived experiences.
8. Identify and/or describe the major dimensions of social stratification—including social class,
racial and ethnic, as well as gender inequalities—and be able to critically evaluate structured
inequalities on peoples life chances in American society.
9. Examine key social institutions (i.e. economy, polity, family, religion, etc.) from a sociological
perspective.
10. Explain social change from both micro and macro theoretical perspectives.
11. Formulate specific, unified and concise theses through writing that demonstrate an
understanding of sociological thinking.

Course Objectives

1. Apply the sociological imagination to the identification, summary, and analysis of private
concerns and public issues.
2. Identify the major analytical frameworks and theoretical perspectives in sociology, describe
their differences in levels of analysis and explanatory assumptions, and determine one’s
own theoretical orientation toward a variety of social problems or issues.
3. Differentiate the major sociological research methods and correctly identify key components
of the scientific model as it is used by sociologists to reason and evaluate with scientific
evidence.
4. Examine the essential components of the concept "culture" through cross-cultural and global
comparisons, and sociologically analyze the increasingly multi-cultural character of
American society.
5. Identify the components of social structure, especially the concepts of status and role, and
explain how social structure shapes human belief and behavior.
6. Identify key structural agents of socialization, and analyze the process by which humans
become socialized by these agents throughout the life cycle.
7. Explain human consciousness and behavior as a product of social interaction in the socially
structured contexts of peoples lived experiences.
8. Identify and/or describe the major dimensions of social stratification—including social class,
racial and ethnic, as well as gender inequalities—and be able to critically evaluate structured
inequalities on peoples life chances in American society.
9. Examine key social institutions (i.e. economy, polity, family, religion, etc.) from a sociological
perspective.
10. Explain social change from both micro and macro theoretical perspectives.
11. Formulate specific, unified and concise theses through writing that demonstrate an
understanding of sociological thinking.