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Iowa Central Community College
Sociology Department
Course Syllabus
Course Name:
Introduction to Sociology
Course Number:
SOC-110-NW01E
Class Location: NewellDay:
Time: 12:57-1:41
Fonda High School
Monday
Room: ICN
through Friday
Course Start Date: August 20, 2008
Course End Date: December 22, 2008
Instructor:
Office Location: Newell-Fonda High School
Kari Hansen-Limbert
E-mail Address:
Office Hours:
[email protected]
Days:
Times:
Daily
As Posted
Phone: 712-272-3324
Home: 712-273-5015
Final Exam: Monday Day: Date: December 22, 2008 Time:
Departmental Assistance: For help with course selection, class registration, transfer
information, and other academic assistance, please contact the department associate,
Jenny Williamson, in Science 108, at (515) 576-0099, ext. 2503 or 1-800-362-2793,
ext. 2507, or by e-mail: [email protected]
Total Semester Hour Credit: 3
Total Contact Hours per Semester: Lecture: 54 Lab:
Clinical:
Catalog Description:
This course is a concise study of human behavior from the perspective of sociologists. It
will examine the ways in which social interaction, social processes, and social institutions
comprise our sociological imagination. The course will also explore the ways in which
personality, status, role, class, gender, age, and ethnicity affect human interactions and
institutions.
Pre-requisites and/or Co-requisites:
None
Textbook Required:
Sociology Now by Michael Kimmel and Amy Aronson
Supplemental Materials Required:
None
Additional Course Information: This is an earlybird course for dual credit.
Grading Policy: 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D
Course (Student) Outcomes:
After successfully completing this course, the student should be able to:
 Effectively communicate an understanding of sociology as a scholarly discipline that
seeks to better understand observable patterns of human interaction within small
groups, in societies and worldwide.
 Understand the importance of the foundational concepts of the sociological
imagination and the social construction of reality.
 Recognize and describe the contributions from the men and women who are
considered pioneers in the discipline of sociology.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of culture in human interaction.
 Identify and describe the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist theoretical
perspectives.
 Objectively interpret and evaluate the influence of major social forces that have had an
impact on our society and the societies of the world today.
 Critically analyze how and why various societies in our world construct their social
orders as they do in order to created an effectively functioning culture.
 Effectively communicate and describe the social interaction by which humans seek to
impress and influence other humans and how this interaction may create a lasting
impact.
 Describe and critically analyze sociological theories of socialization and how these
differ from psychological and sociological theories.
 Describe the role of groups, and informal and formal organizations as they function in
culture.
 Objectively evaluate the positive and negative role of deviance in groups, in society,
and in the world today.
 Objectively describe and interpret the role of race, class and gender in human
interaction and social institutions.
 Describe how population growth has an important impact on culture.
 Identify the role of social movements and technology in the creation of social change.
Unit Outcomes
In addition to the overall course outcomes, these unit outcomes offer a more detailed look
at what students should accomplish upon completing this course.
Unit One: Chapter One—What is Sociology and Chapter Two—Culture and Society

Understand what the sociological imagination is and its importance.

Describe the three main theoretical perspectives: Structural functionalism, conflict
theory and symbolic interaction.

Describe the contributions of the foundational people in sociology.

Describe the scientific method as it related to sociological research and other
research methods appropriate for social science investigation.

Describe the elements of culture including norms, folkways and mores.

Understand the process of socialization and the six agents of socialization.
Unit Two: Chapter Three—Interactions, Groups and Organizations and Chapter
Five--Socialization

Understand the elements of social structure including statuses and roles.

Differentiate between various types of groups—primary, secondary, etc.

Describe the characteristics of bureaucracy.

Understand the importance and influences of the media.

Understand various stages in socialization and the agents that influence it.

Discuss socialization and the life course.
Unit Three: Chapter Six—Deviance and Crime

Describe what deviance and social control are.

Differentiate between conformity and obedience.

Understand the various theoretical foundations for deviant acts.

Describe the various systems of stratification and perspectives associated with it.
Unit Four: Chapter Seven—Stratification and Social Class and Chapter Eight—
Race and Ethnicity

Analyze stratification in the world system.

Differentiate between race and ethnicity and understand both as social constructs.

Describe the different patterns of intergroup relations between racial and ethnic
groups.

Identify characteristics of various racial and ethnic groups.
Unit Five: Chapter Nine—Sex and Gender and Chapter Ten--Sexuality

Differentiate between sex and gender and understand both as social constructs.

Analyze various inequalities such as wage gap, division of labor, etc. as they relate
to gender.

Identify early studies in the area of sexuality.

Describe American sexual behavior and identities.

Discuss current topics such as rape and sexual assault, sex education, birth control
issues, and minority communities.
Unit Six: Chapter Eleven—Age from Young to Old and Chapter Twelve—The Family

Understand aging and transitions throughout the life course.

Describer what family is and the role of it for the individual and society.

Identify trends and patterns within families: marriage, descent, divorce rates, etc.
Unit Seven: Chapter Fifteen—Religion and Science, Chapter Seventeen—Education
and Chapter 18—Mass Media

Understand different approaches to religion from a sociological perspective.

Describe the importance of schools as formal organizations and the function of
education.

Understand current demographic trends toward education and the various forms of
education in the United States.

Recognize how social movements are formed, maintained and/or resisted.

Understand the impact of media on culture.