This course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles of sociology. The study of cultures, patterns of social values, social institutions, stratification, and social change is delineated. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: BEHS 102, BEHS 312, SOCY 100, or SOCY 311.

The focus of this course is the study of human society -- in other words, ourselves. The object of our study is all around us, and we ourselves are a part of it. But the difficulty in having such an object of study is that we are often so immersed in our own conventional lives and patterns of behavior that we "can't see the forest for the trees". So there is both an advantage and a disadvantage in studying ourselves. We can speak from personal knowledge and experience, but we must also distance ourselves somewhat in order to have the proper perspective to understand what all this means.

This is an introductory course in the study of human society, so you will spend much of your time getting acquainted with the basic terminology, methods, approaches, and findings of sociology. Your assignments will permit you to examine such concepts as culture, social structure, socialization and enculturation, status and role. Other important concepts include gender roles, crime and deviance, organizations and social movements, social stratification and mobility, class structure, and race and ethnic relations.

This course can be used to fulfill requirements for general education, for degree requirements in the social sciences, or for a primary or secondary concentration in sociology. It is especially recommended for students interested in social and human service (human resource management, health fields) and in business and management.

When you have completed this course, you should be able to

• identify the main components of a sociological perspective as contrasted with a common sense perspective
• apply key theoretical frameworks to such institutionalized spheres as family, work, and the economy
• explain sociologically how social structures and cultures serve both to facilitate as well as to constrain people's actions and interactions
• identify components of social stratification as rooted in such characteristics as race, gender, class, and age
• identify social, cultural, and economic differences among developed and newly developing countries
• describe the importance of population growth and decline for society
• summarize current patterns of global stratification
• apply skills in critical thinking as well as research and writing to topics important to your own outlook and perspective

Required:

• Sociology in a Changing World, 8^th Edition, by William Kornblum, 2008, Wadsworth Publishing Co. This text will be used to study and prepare you for chapter assignments, quizzes and tests.
• SOCY 100 CAT Course CD-ROM
• Optional: Additional material available at the publisher Web site

MODULE 1: SOCIAL FUNDAMENTALS
Lesson	Chapter	Chapter Title
1	1	Sociology: an Introduction
2	2	The Tools of Sociology
3	3	Culture
4	4	Societies and Nations
	1-4	QUIZ 1 — Chapters 1-4; E-mail instructor for "Paper Topic"
MODULE 2: SOCIAL DYNAMICS
Lesson	Chapter	Chapter Title
5	5	Socialization
6	6	Interaction in Groups
7	7	Deviance and Social Control
8	8	Sexuality
	1-8	MIDTERM EXAM — Chapters 1-8
MODULE 3: SOCIAL DIVISIONS
Lesson	Chapter	Chapter Title
9	11	Inequalities of Social Class
10	12	Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity
11	13	Inequalities of Gender
12	14	Inequalities of Youth and Old Age
	11-14	Deadline: Complete & Submit Essay Paper before Quiz 2 QUIZ 2 - Chapters 11-14
MODULE 4: SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Lesson	Chapter	Chapter Title
13	15	The Family
14	16	Religion
15	17	Education
16	22	Global Social Change [Optional: Extra Credit due before Final]
	11-17, 22	FINAL EXAM — Chapters 11-17, 22

The learning system you will use as you work your way through The Introduction of Sociology has two components: a textbook and the CAT CD-ROM which contains the student notebook and individual chapter information. Together they provide an integrated learning system. To master the 16 lessons of this course, you should use the following sequence of learning activities:

1. Review the Lesson assignment found in the Student Notebook, Section III.
2. Review the Learning objectives found in the Student Notebook, Section III.
3. Complete all textbook readings and Student CD-ROM lessons found on this CD-ROM.
4. Complete the two quizzes, the midterm examination, the essay paper, and the final examination within the 10-week time frame. The extra credit project is optional.

Quizzes and Exams:

ALL quizzes and exams will be closed book and a test administrator at your local Education Center will proctor these (contact your local UMUC office). You decide when to take them within the 10 weeks but it will be a good idea to space them out evenly. The Exam questions will be similar to the Quiz questions and will be based on the course Learning Objectives. You will have the opportunity to take practice chapter quizzes (located on this CD-ROM) before taking a graded (paper) quiz or exam. This practice method is designed to help prepare you for the proctored quizzes and exams you will take as required with this course.

Critieria	Content	Format	Points
Quiz 1	Chapters 1-4	50 multiple choice	1 pt per M/C; Total 50
Midterm Exam	Chapters 1-8 Emphasis 5-8	70 multiple choice 3 essays	1 pt per M/C; 10 per essay; Total 100
Quiz 2	Chapters 11-14	50 multiple choice	1 pt mer M/C; Total 50
Final Exam	Chapters 11-17, 22 Emphasis 15, 16, 17, 22	70 multiple choice 3 essays	1 pt per M/C; 10 per essay; Total 100

*Note: In order to receive credit for the objective part of the exam, you will have to provide complete answers to the essay questions as well.

Essay Paper:

Students will complete one paper on a question provided by the course manager. Students must email the instructor requesting the paper topic and must email their papers back to the course manager after it is complete. The paper should be 6 pages in length, 12-point font, double-spaced, and saved in either Word (.doc) or rich text format (.rtf). The due date for the paper is any time before you complete Quiz 2.

Final Grade Scale

The grading system will be based on the quality of your work and total points on all assignments. All scores will be added together to determine your final overall grade. Your grade for this course will be determined in the following manner:

2 quizzes @ 50 points each	=	100 points
Midterm Exam	=	100 points
Final Exam	=	100 points
1 essay paper @ 100 points	=	100 points
Total	=	*400 points

* Maximum of 15 extra credit points is possible and will be added to overall points earned.

The final grading scale is:

You may earn a maximum of 15 possible points based on the quality of a Movie Review Paper.

A number of feature films have reflection in their themes, the interchange and conflicts among a variety of people. Some of the more popular themes in feature films have included women's rights, civil rights, racial issues, the impact of technological changes, etc. Select a film that reflects this type of theme.

A 3-4 page, 12-point font, double-spaced paper should be prepared after viewing this film. The paper is not to be a detailed summary of the film, but a summary of your impressions and reactions. What is the primary message of the film? In what important ways does the theme portray social life? What are your comments and criticisms? Submit the paper as an attachment to your course manager before you take the final exam.

As members of an academic community, which places a high value on truth and the pursuit of knowledge, students are expected to be honest in every phase of their academic life and to present as their own work only that which is genuinely theirs. Each student has the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and to refrain from cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty.

According to UMUC policy, academic dishonesty is the failure to maintain academic integrity. Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's idea or product as one's own. The University has low tolerance in cases of academic dishonesty.

Please click the link to educate yourself on avoiding plagiarism.

UMUC's Effective Writing Center also provides help with writing tasks in your classes; click here for more information.

UMUC Academic Policies

Please find below general information links to policies at UMUC:

• UMUC policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
• UMUC's Policy on the Grade of Incomplete and Withdrawal
• UMUC's Policy on the Code of Student Conduct
• Procedures on Arbitrary and Capricious Grading Appeals

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