HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SOCIAL AND BUSINESS SCIENCES
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Prefix: SOC 101-13
Course Title: Introduction to Sociology
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours 3
Days & Times Monday and Wednesday 3:30 – 4:45
Room: ICB 2707
Introduction:
This course will familiarize students with the basic problems, methods, concepts, and theories of
sociological analysis. It is important that students come away from an introductory course in
sociology with knowledge of how a sociological perspective differs from and/or complements
other perspectives (e.g., psychological, theological, philosophical, or biological) as well as an
appreciation of how sociology compares with various "common sense" interpretations of the
social world. In order to see these differences, it is crucial to recognize that sociology has a
scientific basis.
Catalog Description:
This course provides an introduction to the scientific study of society. Topics include power and
inequality, change, deviance, education, occupations, organizations, family/gender, religion, and
racial/ethnic groups. Students will develop a critical understanding of social forces.
Prerequisite(s): None.
Instructor Information:
Instructor name: Treyce’ L. Spears
Phone number to contact instructor: (309) 268-8590
Instructor e-mail address: Treyce.Spears.@heartland.edu
Location of instructor’s office: ICB 2100
Hours and days of instructor’s office hours: By appointment only.
Textbook Required: Sociology, The Core; Carolyn J. Kroehler and Michael Hughes;
McGraw Hill Publishing; New York, NY. 2011.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer: This course fulfills 3
of the 9 semester hours of credit in Social Sciences required for the A.A. or A.S. degree. This
course should transfer as part of the General Education Core Curriculum described in the
Illinois Articulation Initiative to other Illinois colleges and universities participating in the IAI.
However, students should consult an academic advisor for transfer information regarding
particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page at www.itransfer.org for more information.
Beliefs: This course is intended to provide information regarding issues that affect us and how
we relate to society. Because the information provided in the course includes the cutting edge of
sociological research regarding our society, the student may be able to apply this information to
his/her life.
Academic Discipline: Sociology is focused on the study of human social relationships. As a
discipline, Sociology seeks to explore and explain why humans form the social relationships that
they do, what affects those relationships, and how society's issues have an effect on us all.
Student Learning: The student’s role in the learning process is to be accepting of information
provided. He/she should have an open mind regarding the information even though there may
be information he/she does not agree with. In order to do well in the course, the student will
need to read the required material and attend class. Class time will include information
provided in lecture, not found in the text and will also include activities which cannot be made
up by the student him/herself.
Instructor's Role: The instructor’s role will be to foster an environment conducive to
learning. I will provide the most current information available regarding how people deal with
issues in our society and how those issues affect us personally and globally. I will also provide
classroom activities which will illustrate course concepts and will provide assignments and test
questions which reinforce the retention of the information provided.
Methods of Instruction: The course will be taught through a combination of lecture, in class
group activities, and videos.
Participation/Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes and participate
meaningfully in the activities each class day. Attendance will be taken at the start of each class
period and roll called after any required break. Please provide an official letter notifying me of
any affiliation with organizations that may require that you attend a college-sanctioned event
that conflicts with class schedule. Arrangements can be made to make up coursework.
Please be prompt to assure that you attendance record is accurate. Announcements regarding
extra credit opportunities, changes in due dates, or changes in examination dates will be made
during class time. It is in the student’s best interest to attempt to acquire notes/announcements
from at least two students for a class period missed. The instructor will not provide the
student with missed notes or announcements.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (Learning Outcomes): At the completion of this course, the
student will be able to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the science and research methods
developed in sociology.
2. Apply the basic sociological paradigms – structural functional, social conflict and
symbolic interaction.
3. Define, give examples and demonstrate the relevance of the following sociological
notions: culture, socialization, deviance, stratification, social structure and social change.
4. Analyze the major social institutions such as family, government, economy, religion,
education and medicine.
5. Identify and offer explanations of social inequality while considering the relationship to
social process, social interaction and institutions.
6. Examine and explain the impact of human relations on patterns of urbanization and the
physical environment
General Education Program and Course Learning Outcomes:
SOC 101 is a course within the General Education Program at Heartland, and as such, contains
learning outcomes that help students develop proficiency in Communication, Diversity, Problem
Solving, and Critical Thinking. Specifically, upon completion of this course, students will
develop an increased proficiency in the following areas:
Communication:
1. Apply the basic sociological paradigms – structural functional, social conflict and symbolic
interaction.
Diversity:
1. Define, give examples and demonstrate the relevance of the following sociological notions:
culture, socialization, deviance, stratification, social structure and social change.
Problem Solving:
1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the science and research methods developed in
sociology.
Critical Thinking:
1. Analyze the major social institutions such as family, government, economy, religion,
education and medicine.
Course Specific:
1. Identify and offer explanations of social inequality while considering the relationship to social
process, social interaction and institutions.
2. Examine and explain the impact of human relations on patterns of urbanization and the
physical environment.
3. Analyze and demonstrate awareness of the impact of cultural diversity in our society.
COURSE/LAB OUTLINE:
Week 1 & 2
January 18 Orientation –Intro Ch.1; (Read 1&2)
Week 2
23 (read ch 1) & 25 (read ch. 2) Developing a Sociological Consciousness (read ch 3)
Week 3
January 30 Culture and Social Structures/Socialization ; February 1 Socialization
Week 4
February 6 Socialization; (read ch 4); 8 Social groups & Formal Organizations
Week 5
February 13 (review of ch 1,2-3 & 4) & 15 TEST 1,2,3,4 (read ch 5):
Hand-out on Paper that will be due on April 25. Discuss requirements
Weeks 6
February 20 Librarian; & 22 Deviance and Crime (read ch 6)
Weeks 7
February 27 Social Stratification 29 Inequalities of Race, ethnicity/Gender( read ch. 7&8)
Weeks 8
March 5 Panel Discussion & 7 Test on Ch(s) 5,6,7,&8
******Week 9 March 12-19 Spring Break (read ch 9) & mid-term grades due****
Week 10
March 19 & 21 Gender Inequality (read ch 10)
Week 11
March 26 Political & Economic Power 28 The Family (read ch. 11)
Week 12
April 2 The Family ; 4 Religion/Edu/Med (read ch 12)
Week 13
April 9 Population & Environment 11 Review for test
Week 14
April 16 Test on Ch 9.10,11, 7 12 (Read ch 13); 18 Social Change
Week 15
April 23 Research Paper due TODAY Social change; 25 Soc at the Movies – A review of
theories, sociological perspectives, etc. through film (to aid in practical application and retention
of knowledge).
Week 16
April 30 & May 2 Comprehensive Review begins
Week 17
May 7 Review Continues & May 9 Group project/Presentations
Week 18
******** May 16 (Wednesday) Final Exam *******
*********May 21 Final Grades due**********
Method of Evaluation: Expected Exams, Papers and Other Assignments: A
student’s average percentage on these will be worth 100 points. If the student achieves 90%, for
example, he/she will have earned 90 of the 100 points. Exams: Four (4) examinations will take
place and one research paper will be required. Each examination will include material from
current reading assignments, and in class lectures, notes, etc., and the final exam will be
comprehensive. Each examination will be worth 100 points. The research paper will also be
worth 100 points.
Grading System
4
Exams @ 100 = 400 points
1
Paper @ 100 = 100 points
4
From a Sociological Viewpoint Papers (In class writing) @ 25 = 100 points
Attendance and Participation (mandatory) = 100 points
1
Group project @ 100 = 100 points
Total: 800 points. Your total points will be added and divided by 800 to arrive at
your percentage: Example: 741 pts /800=..926 or 93% (A)
100 - 90
A
89 - 80
B
79 - 70
C
69 - 60
D
59 & below F
Incomplete: Incomplete will be assigned due to extenuating circumstances and upon
notification to the instructor of these circumstances as soon as possible. Incomplete will not be
considered unless the student has completed over 50% of the course requirements and has a
passing grade at midterm. No student has an automatic right to receive an incomplete.
Make-up of tests and assignments: If a student must miss an exam, the instructor will
allow the student one class period to make it up. If an additional exam is missed, a make-up
assignment will be assigned. This assignment will be a written paper on the topics covered on
the exam and will require research. If a student misses an exam, the instructor must be notified
within a week in order for the student’s assignment to be made, otherwise, the examination
cannot be made up.
Deadlines: Due dates may be changed at the instructor’s discretion. Any changes will be
announced during class time.
Required Writing and Reading:
Students are required to read the text(s) and other assigned materials as well as respond to
assigned review questions. Writing will be required on exams and/or assignments.
Student Conduct/Class Rules:
ALL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WILL BE TURNED OFF AND PUT
AWAY DURING CLASSTIME. THIS INCLUDES CELL PHONES, MP3
PLAYERS AND PAGERS. TURN OFF AND PUT AWAY ALL ELECTRONIC
EQUIPMENT BEFORE CLASS STARTS. INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE
RIGHT TO TAKE DEVICES WHEN VIOLATIONS OCCUR.
1. Do not interrupt other students while they are making a point or asking a question.
2. Do not attempt to carry on a conversation with another student while in class. Idle
chit chat is disruptive to the instructor and other students in the class. If this behavior
occurs, the students engaged in talking may be asked to leave the class.
3. Any behavior that is disruptive to the class will be subject to disciplinary actions.
4. An exception: If you take notes using a laptop during class, you cannot surf the net or
check e-mails, etc., during class time.
Failure to follow the class rules will result in disciplinary action. After a first warning,
students will simply be told to leave the class. If this occurs more than once the student will
be withdrawn from the course.
Syllabi disclaimer: The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus as needed.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community College
and is essential to the credibility of the College's educational programs. Moreover, because
grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of
their fellow students. The College, therefore, views any act of academic dishonest as a serious
offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course failure, suspension, and even
expulsion from the College. In addition, an act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen
effects far beyond any officially imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or suborning
cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and misrepresentation of data,
falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to computerized
academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these violations may be found in
the college catalog.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presenting of others' ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper,
create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work,
except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is
considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
1
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own
4
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source
5
Paraphrasing someone else's line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were
your own.
6
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were
your own.
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure -on the particular piece of
work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
Specifications for written materials: All assignments are due at the beginning of the class
period. If a student brings in an assignment after this time, it will be considered late and will be
worth only half of the points assigned to that assignment. If a particular assignment does not
have to be typed, the students will be notified in class.
Syllabi disclaimer: The syllabus is viewed as a contract between the instructor and the
student. Any changes in this syllabus will be announced in class. Staying enrolled in this class
will be viewed as the student accepting the course requirements as written here and as modified
(if necessary) in class.
Notice of Cancelled Classes: Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed
under “Cancelled Class Meetings” in the A-Z Index under “Academic Information” in the
“Current Students” page on the HCC website. To learn what classes have been cancelled for that
day and the upcoming week, be sure to check that website. Also, be sure to check the last
column, which might contain a message from the instructor.
Confidentiality of Educational Records: Should you require the release of information
concerning your performance in this class, attendance, or final grade, etc., a written request that
contains your signature and the date, along with the following information will be required:
(1) what record is needed; (2) name and relationship of person to whom information will be
disclosed; (3) the specific purpose or intended use of the information requested.