SOC 110 - Introduction to Sociology
Course Department: Social Science
Last Date of Approval: Spring 2021
3 Credits
Total Lecture Hours: 45
Total Lab Hours: 0
Total Clinical Hours: 0
Total Work-Based Experience Hours: 0
Course Description:
This course is an introductory study of society, culture, social groups, and human behavior from the perspective of sociologists. It examines the ways in which social processes, social interaction, and social institutions influence our sociological imagination. There is an emphasis on the scientific study of contemporary American society, including issues relating to socialization, social inequality, and changing rural and urban communities. Relationships among institutions such as the economy, religion, politics, and family are addressed. In addition, the course explores the ways that social status, social roles, social class, age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation effect social interaction and institutions. Knowledge of social processes and an understanding of how interpersonal interactions and group dynamics influence the social environment are important skills for achieving success in virtually all occupations and professions; thereby contributing directly to a higher quality of life.
Prerequisites/Corequisites: None
Mode(s) of Instruction: traditional/face-to-face and/or online
Credit for Prior Learning: This course offers an opportunity for students to earn Credit for Prior Learning for skills that they have brought with them to Iowa Central. For more information, please ask the instructor and see the Iowa Central Community College catalog.
Course Fees: None
Common Course Assessment(s): None
Student Learning Outcomes and Objectives:
- Effectively communicate a comprehension of sociology as a scholarly discipline and its main forms of inquiry and research methods.
- Describe the academic discipline of sociology and its main concerns and focal points of study.
- Differentiate between macrosociology and microsociology.
- Evaluate the ways in which sociology seeks to better understand observable patterns of human interaction within large and small groups, and in societies and worldwide patterns of interaction.
- Identify and evaluate the role of the sociological imagination in formulating potential answers to sociological questions.
- Describe and evaluate the methods of sociological research in formulating potential answers to sociological questions.
- Describe and assess the contributions from the men and women who are considered pioneers in the discipline of sociology.
- Describe and assess the contributions of Auguste Comte to the discipline of sociology.
- Describe and assess the contributions of Emile Durkheim to the discipline of sociology.
- Describe and assess the contributions of Karl Marx to the discipline of sociology.
- Describe and assess the contributions of Max Weber to the discipline of sociology.
- Describe and assess the contributions of various modern social theorists to the discipline of sociology.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of society and culture in human interaction.
a. Differentiate between society and culture, and provide examples of each of these sociological concepts.
b. Define basic concepts related to society and culture (social structure, social institutions, norms, values, roles, and statuses) and provide relevant examples of each concept.
c. Critically analyze how and why various societies in our world construct their social order as they do in order to create for them an effectively functioning culture.
d. Differentiate between material and nonmaterial forms of culture, and provide relevant examples of each concept.
e. Define the concept of cultural universals and provide examples of the major categories of cultural universals in the world today.
4. Identify and evaluate the structural functionalist, social conflict, and symbolic interactionist theoretical perspectives of sociology.
- Identify and evaluate the structural functionalist perspective of sociology.
- Identify and evaluate the social conflict (or Marxist) perspective of sociology.
- Identify and evaluate the symbolic interactionist perspective of sociology.
- Compare and contrast the three major theoretical perspectives of sociology.
- Critically analyze each of the three major sociological perspectives in the study of social structures, social institutions, human interaction, and other sociological phenomena.
5. Objectively interpret and evaluate the influence of major social forces that have had an impact on American society and the societies of the world today.
- Interpret and evaluate the influence of the economy and work on American society and the societies of the world today.
- Interpret and evaluate the influence of government and politics on American society and the societies of the world today.
- Interpret and evaluate the influence of religion on American society and the societies of the world today.
- Interpret and evaluate the influence of the marriage and family and other intimate relationships on American society and the societies of the world today.
- Interpret and evaluate the influence of mass media, education, crime, healthcare, population and urbanization, and other social forces on American society and the societies of the world today.
6. Effectively describe and analyze the main forms of social interaction that occur within societies and cultures.
- Describe and evaluate the ways in 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 personality, and how these differ from psychological theories.
- Describe the role of groups and informal and formal organizations as they function in societies and cultures.
- Objectively evaluate the positive and negative role of deviant behavior in groups, in society, and in the world today.
- Identify the role of social movements and technology in the creation of social change.
7. Describe and interpret the role of race, ethnicity, social class, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and family and marital status, in human interaction and social stratification.
- Describe and interpret the role of race and ethnicity in human interaction and social stratification.
- Describe and interpret the role of social class in human interaction and social stratification.
- Describe and interpret the role of religion in human interaction and social stratification.
- Describe and interpret the role of age in human interaction and social stratification.
- Describe and interpret the role of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and family and marital status, in human interaction and social stratification.
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