Download COVENANT UNIVERSITY, OTA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND

COVENANT UNIVERSITY, OTA
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
ALPHA SEMESTER 2014/2015
SOC 113 (ELEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHTS 1)
COLLEGE: College of Business and Social Sciences
DEPARTMENT: Sociology
PROGRAMME: Sociology
COURSE CODE: Soc 113
COURSE TITLE: Elements of Scientific Thoughts 1
UNITS: 2
COURSE LECTURER: Dr. Abimbola, O. H.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to provide students with the basic understanding of the major elements of
science in sociological thought. It examines the methods of science and the relationship between
sociology and other scientific disciplines. Uniquely, the contributions of earlier sociologists to
the standing of sociology as a scientific discipline are examined.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
• discuss the meaning and major characteristics of science
• explain the influence of positivism on the emergence of sociology as a scientific discipline;
• discuss the works of August Comte, Emille Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx in the
emergence of sociology as a scientific discipline; and
• relate their understanding of elements of science to development issues in society.
METHODS OF LECTURE DELIVERY/TEACHING AIDS AND ASSESSMENT
Courses are taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials and students will be
encouraged to actively participate in class discussions. Students are given lecture notes in
advance to study prior to lecture periods. The aim is to familiarize the students with the topics
that will discussed in the lectures. Students will be assessed by a blend of coursework and
examination. This will involve one assignment (10 marks), two class test (10marks each) and
examination (70marks).
COURSE OUTLINE
MODULE 1: THE RISE OF POSTIVISM IN SOCIOLOGY
Week 1:
• Introduction to course outline
• Class Assignment
Week 2 and 3:
• Positivism and its major proponents
MODULE 2: SCIENCE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
Week 4, 5 and 6:
• What is science? The major characteristics of science
• Ethics of science
• What is pseudo science?
• Difference between science and pseudo science
MODULE 3: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
Week7:
• Ontology and epistemology
• What is empiricism? Exponents of empiricism
MODULE 4: UNDERSTANDING MAJOR CONCEPTS
Week 8 and 9:
• Theory, Hypothesis, Dogma, Paradigm
MODULE 5: EARLY SOCIOLOGISTS AND ELEMENTS OF SCIENTIC THOUGHTS
Week 10:
• Emile Durkheim - Suicide
Week 11
• Karl Marx - Economy and Society
Week 12
• Max Weber - Bureaucracy
Week 13:
• Revision
GROUND RULES
● Students will treat each other with respect and tact.
• Students are advised to strictly adhere to Covenant University’s dress code when coming for
lectures.
● Only one student is allowed to speak at a time, while the rest remain silent.
● Lateness to classes will not be acceptable.
● Students are required to study extensively the various topics in the course outline prior to
lecture times.
● Disruptive attitudes aimed at unsettling learning atmosphere will not be tolerated..
ASSIGNMENT
Topical discourse in line with problem based learning model.
SPECIFICATION
Scholarly Integrity/Plagiarism
It is your responsibility as students to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty in
Covenant University’s context. Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a
serious academic offence. Consequences include failure on the assignment, and possibly
suspension or expulsion from the University. For information on the various kinds of academic
dishonesty please refer to page 140:3 of Covenant University Students’ Handbook.
You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear
in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. I must be able to tell exactly
where your words and ideas end and other people’s words and ideas begin.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
It is expected that students attend lectures promptly. Students must discuss with me in advance
any unavoidable absence from class. Students who choose to defy this directive are in jeopardy
of being administratively withdrawn from seating test and examination.
ALIGNMENT WITH COVENANT UNIVERSITY VISION/GOALS
This course offers insight for understanding human society from a platform that is devoid of
sentiments, superstition, complacency, and fatality, which combine to produce situations and
behavior s that inhibit the potentials that abound in our context. The course aligns with the
‘Vision’ of Covenant University, which centres on producing new generation of leaders who are
expert thinkers and solution providers.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES/INDUSTRY RELEVANCE
This course offers potentials for understanding society unfettered in sentiments, ethnicity,
superstition and other biases that tend to dispel the above vices, and that are taught to students
which capable of fostering harmony and development in our society.
READING MATERIALS
Fadeyi, A.O. and Adedokun, O.A. (EDS) (2004). Fundamentals of Social Reseach. Lagos:
Landmark Publishers.
Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. (2001) Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London: Harper
Collins. Sixth Edition.
Ogunbameru, O.A. (2008) Sociological Theory. Ibadan: Penthouse Publications.