SOC. 1101 Section 1: Intro to Sociology
Fall 2010
Class Meets: 8-8:50 a.m. M,T,Th in Bohannon 90
(Online work every Wednesday – no class meetings except as specified in calendar)
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Instructor: Susan Janssen |
Office Hours:. M 11-1, Th 10:30 - 12 (subject to change, check before coming) |
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Email: sjanssen@d.umn.edu |
Location: 251 ABAH |
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Web page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~sjanssen |
Phone: (218) 726-8767 |
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Required Materials:
Textbook: Conley,
Moodle Access: (includes additional readings, videos, handouts, and assignments) https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=11716
Liberal Education Objectives:
Soc. 1101 is a liberal education course listed under category 6 (the social sciences). According to the UMD catalog, “Courses in this category deal with the empirical/descriptive study of individual behavior and social institutions affecting individuals as members of society, including psychological, social, cultural, economic, and political phenomena.” This course deals with society, social structure, inequality, and institutions. Specific objectives are:
1. To encourage you to think critically about society and the social world.
2. To introduce various major theoretical perspectives in sociology.
3. To develop a “sociological imagination:” awareness of historical events and current issues as they affect individual lives.
4. To increase awareness of cultural and structural diversity and its sources.
Required Activities and
Assignments:
1. Online assignments: Online work will be assigned nearly weekly. You will be required to access and submit assignments through the Moodle site. It is essential to your success in this class that you keep up with the work. Missing assignments will have a detrimental effect on your grade and may also affect your performance on tests.
2. Exams: There will be three multiple choice exams plus a comprehensive final. The lowest of your first three scores will be dropped. You must take the final exam regardless of your scores on the first three exams - the final exam score may not be dropped. If you have a documented excused absence on an exam day, you may be granted a make-up exam at the instructor’s discretion. Make-up exams will be essay style and some students may find them more difficult than the in-class exam. Missed exams must be made up within a week.
Expectations,
Policies, and Grading:
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The following point system will be used in grading: |
Points |
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Web assignments (10 @ 15 points each, 30% of grade) |
150 |
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Midterm Exams (best 2 @ 100 pts each, 40% of grade) |
200 |
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Final Exam (30% of grade) |
150 |
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Total possible points |
500 |
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
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A |
460-500 pts. (92%+) |
C |
360-389 pts. (72-77%) |
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A- |
450-459 pts. (90-91%) |
C- |
350-359 pts. (70-72%) |
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B+ |
440-449 pts. (88-89%) |
D+ |
340-349 pts.(68-69%) |
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B |
410-439 pts. (82-87%) |
D |
300-339 pts. (60-67%) |
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B- |
400-409 pts. (80-81%) |
F |
0-299 pts. (< 60%) |
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C+ |
390-399 pts. (78-79%) |
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Extra Credit: A maximum of 20 points may be earned by doing one or more of the following. Final product must be of high quality in order to get the entire extra credit allowed:
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Max. Extra Credit |
Activity |
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20 pts. |
20 hours of volunteer work (this semester) with individuals or groups who are disadvantaged or in need. This work must be done through an existing community agency and must be approved by me in advance (not after the work is done!) and before the end of the 11th week of class. Volunteer work that is required for another course cannot be used for extra credit in this course – but you may put in 20 extra hours in order to count it for this class. The program in which you are working must be specifically designed for individuals in need of considerable help or intervention. The work must all be done in one place (not a combination of places), and you must do the full 20 hours in order to get the extra credit. Keep a log of the dates, time, and type of work done and write a short summary of how the concepts learned in this course apply to your experience. Have the log signed by your supervisor. |
| 20 pts. | Interview an individual
whose work involves interacting with people and using a sociological
approach. Examples of occupations that
would fit this description are social services, education (early childhood to
college), community service, politics, law enforcement, counseling, management,
and marketing. These are only examples –
there are many jobs that involve sociology. If you aren’t certain whether a job
would fit, feel free to ask about it. Tell how the interviewee might use sociology in their work. Explain how their current economic and organizational environment affects their work. Show how concepts learned in this class apply to the occupation you describe. The report may be organized in any way that
makes sense to you, but be sure it covers their job description,
background and education, why or how they got into this line of work, day to day experiences, and observations on how society and social
institutions relate to their work.
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5 pts.each, 10 pts.max. |
Lecture summary. Attend a university or community lecture on a topic related to sociology. Write a 2-3 page summary. Include your reaction to the speaker. A maximum of 2 lecture summaries (up to 10 points) may be used for extra credit. Classroom lectures do not count – this must be a campus-wide or community event, open to the public. Announcements of these events can be found all over campus and on the UMD calendars. |
Expectations and Classroom Etiquette: It is expected that students will follow the UMD student conduct code. You
are expected to attend class regularly, pay attention, make every effort to
keep up and turn in assignments on time, ask for help if needed, and be polite
and respectful in the classroom. Distracting
behaviors such as walking in late, talking during lectures, ringing or
vibrating cell phones, or text messaging, will not be tolerated. In turn, you can expect me to come to class prepared,
know the material I teach, be available during office hours, provide up-to-date
information on your progress, listen to your concerns, provide help when
needed, and respect you as a student and human being.
No Laptops, Phones, or Other
Electronic Devices: In order to eliminate potential distraction, allow
other students to focus on lectures, and respect others’ privacy, electronic
devices such as laptops, PDA’s, cell phones, pagers, mp3 players, cameras, and
the like may not be used in the classroom.
If you bring these devices into the room they must remain turned off.
Powerpoint slides are available online and may be
printed in advance of the lecture. Electronic recording of any kind is
prohibited within the classroom unless such recording is necessary for
accessibility purposes. In that case, you must inform me in advance.
Academic Integrity: It is expected that students will know and follow all aspects of the university's academic integrity policy . The consequences of violating this policy may include a lower or failing grade on a particular assignment, a lower or failing grade in the course, or sanctions imposed by the university.
Late work/extensions: Late work will not be accepted. Assignments will be available through the Moodle system during specific time periods. You will know well in advance when assignments are available and due.
Incompletes: In order to get a grade of "I" for this course, at least 60% of the work must have been completed with a passing grade. Arrangements should be made before the final exam; an incomplete agreement form must be approved and signed by the student and instructor. If you have not completed at least 60% of the work with a passing grade, talk to me about withdrawing from the course. Withdrawals after the 8th week must be approved by the instructor, department, and college.
Withdrawals: You are free to withdraw from the class for any reason up to the end of the eighth week. After that, departmental permission is required. We do not consider failing grades to be grounds for withdrawal from a course. Around the eighth week of the semester, I will send out an email alert to any student whose current grade is a D or lower. If you receive such an alert, it is important to see me as soon as possible to discuss your options. To avoid getting a D or F on your official record, it is strongly recommended that you evaluate your progress in this course before the end of the eighth week.
Class Cancellation: If class is unexpectedly canceled due to inclement weather, instructor illness, or other situation, you may assume that the activity scheduled for that day will take place the next time the class meets, unless otherwise notified. This includes exams.
E-mail announcements: Official class announcements may be made via UMD e-mail. Be sure to check your e-mail daily.
Final exam: Friday, Dec. 17 at 8:00 a.m.
No
early or late finals will be given, except
in accordance with the official university
final exam policy.
Students with disabilities: It is the policy and practice of the University of
Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students,
including students with disabilities. If there are aspects of this course
that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course
requirements – such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use
of non-captioned videos – please notify the instructor as soon as
possible. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disability
Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations. Please
call 218-726-6130 or visit the DR website at www.d.umn.edu/access for
more information.
Course Calendar (subject to change – check for updates and announcements on email and Moodle)
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Date |
Topic |
Chapters |
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9/7 |
Introduction to the class |
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9/8 |
Intro to online work (class will meet.) |
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9/9 |
Sociological perspective |
1 |
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9/13 |
Sociological theory and methods |
2 |
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9/14 |
Sociological theory and methods |
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9/16 |
Culture and media |
3 |
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9/20 |
Culture and media |
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9/21 |
Socialization |
4 |
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9/23 |
Socialization |
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9/27 |
Groups, networks, and organizations |
5 |
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9/28 |
Groups, networks, and
organizations |
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9/30 |
Finish old material, review |
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10/4 |
Exam 1 – Covers chapters 1 through 5 |
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10/5 |
Social control and deviance |
6 |
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10/7 |
Social control and deviance |
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10/11 |
Social control and deviance |
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10/12 |
Family |
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10/14 |
Family |
7 |
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10/18 |
Education |
8 |
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10/19 |
Education |
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10/21 |
Religion |
9 |
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10/25 |
Religion |
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10/26 |
Capitalism and Economy |
10 |
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10/28 |
Capitalism and Economy |
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11/1 |
Finish old material, review |
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11/2 |
Exam 2: Covers chapters 6, through 10 |
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11/4 |
Authority |
11 |
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11/8 |
Authority |
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11/9 |
Gender |
12 |
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11/11 |
Gender, Race |
13 |
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11/15 |
Race |
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11/16 |
Stratification |
14 |
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11/18 |
Stratification |
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11/22 |
Poverty |
15 |
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11/23 |
Poverty |
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11/25 |
Thanksgiving break – no class |
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11/29 |
Finish old material, review |
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11/30 |
Exam 3: Covers chapters 11 through 15 |
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12/2 |
Health |
16 |
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12/6 |
Health |
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12/7 |
Science & Environment |
17 |
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12/9 |
Collective Action, Movements, and Change |
18 |
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12/13 |
Collective Action, Movements, and Change |
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12/14 |
Review for final |
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12/16 |
Study day |
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12/17 (Friday) |
Final Exam 8:00 a.m..
(Covers entire semester) |
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