SOCIOL 100 : Issues and Themes in Sociology

Arts

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Introduction to sociology as a discipline and a review of some of its internal debates. Topics include: social class, gender, globalisation, power, sexual identity and family. Draws on material from a range of societies.

Course Overview

This course introduces sociology as a way of seeing and understanding the social world. Using the "sociological imagination" we investigate how society forms us as individuals and we in turn act collectively to construct and maintain the societies in which we live. 
 
Topics include family, sexuality, religion, work, technology, mass media and emotions as well as the sociological concepts of class, ethnicity and nationalism, power, identity and globalisation. Students are introduced to the pleasures of understanding the social contexts in which we make our lives through examples drawn from many different societies and cultures. At the same time we explore why sociological analyses and common sense ideas about society are often quite different from each other.  
 
Course Objectives 
 
At the end of this course you should: 
 
  •     Know how to recognise a sociological argument 
  •     Know how to recognise a sociological analysis 
  •     Understand the sociological imagination 
  •     Understand why sociological and commonsense ideas about society may not always align 
  •     Understand some of the main ideas and issues in present day sociology 
 
Reading and Coursework 
 
To achieve the course objectives listed above you will need to: 
 
  •     Attend lectures 
  •     Attend tutorials each week, which begin in week one 
  •     Read and understand all of the assigned chapters in the course textbook 
  •     Complete a small online assessment 
  •     Sit an in-class test (make-up tests are typically not offered) 
  •     Write a research-based socio-autobiography 
  •     Sit an examination of 100 multiple choice questions 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand basic sociological theories. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  2. Develop a critical sociological imagination. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  3. Identify contemporary social problems relevant globally and to Aotearoa New Zealand. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  4. Understand how various sociological theories and concepts apply to one's own life. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 6.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 5% Individual Coursework
Test 15% Individual Coursework
Assignments 5% Individual Coursework
Essay 25% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination

Next offered

Semester 1, 2020

Learning Resources

SOCIOL 100 has its own Coursebuilder site: https://www.coursebuilder.cad.auckland.ac.nz/flexicourses/5178/publish/1/

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 29/01/2020 11:45 a.m.