Course Syllabus
A.
Course Information
1. Course title:
Cultural Anthropology
2. Course number:
Course SOC 255
3. Lecture, Lab, and Credit
Breakdown:
3/0/3
4. Course Prerequisite:
NONE
B. Catalog Description
This course offers students the opportunity to examine the concept of culture and its
significance in the study of the behavior of individual humans as well as human groups. This
course places special emphasis on the various types of social organization. Numerous
comparisons are made between Western and non-Western cultural practices in an attempt to
further an overall understanding of the role and meaning of culture.
C.
GRADING PROCEDURES
There will be 6 written assignments during the semester. Our pace will be roughly 1 written
assignment every two weeks over the 10-week semester. Written assignments will
contain questions related to the lectures as well as the assigned readings. Assignment
questions will be posted and expectations for responses listed. All written assignments
will contain due dates identified. Assignments submitted after announced due dates
will have points deducted. No assignments are accepted more than one week after the
due date.
THERE ARE NO EXAMS/TESTS IN THIS COURSE – GRADES ARE DETERMINED
SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF WRITTEN WORK
GRADING:
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4
Assignment 5
Assignment 6
TOTAL
SCALE:
400 - 360 = A
359 - 319 = B
318 - 278 = C
277 - 237 = D
236 - 000 = F
60 points
60 points
60 points
70 points
70 points
80 points
400 points
Disclaimer:
As the semester progresses, if circumstances require, the instructor retains the right to make
changes to this syllabus. Students will be given timely notice of any and all changes to the
syllabus. Any changes made will benefit the students in this class.
D. TEXTBOOK – The Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges has made a FREE
textbook available.
You may access this FREE book one of two ways:
You may go to the website
http://perspectives.americananthro.org/Chapters/Perspectives.pdf and the book will be
available there.
Or
You may access the pdf version of the textbook at the class website.
COURSE OUTLINE – here is the outline of readings for the semester. As I mentioned in the
syllabus there will be additional topics covered in the lectures. Make sure you check the
Announcements page frequently to see where you should be at all times during the semester.
I. Introduction to Anthropology and Culture
A. The Nature of Anthropology
1. Anthropology's origins
2. The unique fields of study of Anthropology
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
B. Culture--A First Look
1. Defining Culture
2. Culture's characteristics
3. The beginning of Culture
4. Human ancestors
5. Human survival
6. Human organization
C. Lecture/Unit – The Calendar
READING:
Textbook Chapters TBA
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1
II. Culture and It's Importance to Human Survival
A. Language and Communication
1. Language
2. Language & culture
3. Language & gender
4. Language & thought
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
B. The Learning of Culture--Becoming Human
1. Culture & the self
2. Culture & personality
3. Variations in personality structures
C. Lecture/Unit – Rites of Passage
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2
D. Culture and Human Survival--Sex & Marriage
1. Sexual relations
a. Incest taboo
b. exogamy & endogamy
2. Marriage v mating
3. Cultural variations in marriage
E. Lecture/Unit – Subcultures/Counter-Cultures and Social Movements
1. The Shakers
2. The Oneida Community
3. The Rastafarians
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 3
F. Culture and Human Survival - Family and Household
1. Functions of the family
2. Family & society
3. Forms of the family
4. Variations on a theme
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 4
III. Applying the Ideas of Culture
A. Lecture/Unit
1. Proverbs
2. Gestures
B. Culture and Religion
1. The study of religion
2. Religion and practice
3. Religion and Ritual
4. The functions of religion
C. Lecture/Unit – Islam
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Textbook Chapters TBA
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 5
IV. Cultural Manifestations
A. Culture and Art
1. Verbal art
a. myth
b. legend
c. tales
d. stories
2. Music
3. Sculpture
4. Craft
READING ASSIGNMENT: Textbook Chapters TBA
V. Culture and the Future
A. How cultures change
1. innovation
2. diffusion
3. forced change
4. technological change
B. The Future???
1. Anthropology and the study of the future
2. Humanity
3. Population
4. Violence
READING ASSIGNMENT: Textbook Chapters TBA
C. Lecture/Unit – Techniques of Divination
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 6
Instructor contact:
Instructor: Dr. Thomas Soltis
Office: 260 Founders Hall, Youngwood Campus
Office Hours: By Appointment only in the summer
Phone: 724-925-4239
Email: soltist@westmoreland.edu
Westmoreland County Community College is committed to providing equal opportunities in
higher education for students with disabilities, in compliance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with
Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008.
If you are in need of accommodations due to a disability, please contact Lauren Eicher,
disabilities counselor, at 724-925-4000 or eicherla@westmoreland.edu. You may also stop by
the Office for Students with Disabilities in Founders Hall room 130.
Advance notice may be necessary for some accommodations to be provided in a timely manner.
Accommodation requests must be supported by documentation, and they are determined on an
individual basis.
EQUIVALENT INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
We will meet online for 10 weeks. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the
federal government have established the standard that all academic courses must meet for a
required number of hours. This is how we will meet these time requirements in our Cultural
Anthropology (SOC 255) course.
The following activities will take an estimated:
Equivalent Instructional
Activity
Quantity
Time
Total
30
.25 hr
7.5 hours
Discussion Board Postings
Week 1(Intro)
Week 2(Calendar)
Week 4 (Rites of Passage)
Week 6 (Proverbs)
Week 8 (Social Movements)
Week 9 (Social Mvmnts 2)
Week 13 (Divination)
Total
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
.5 hr
.5 hr
.5 hr
.5 hr
.5 hr
.5 hr
.5 hr
Review of lecture notes
Week 1 (lecture 1 &1A)
Week 2 (lecture 2)
Week 4 (lecture 3 & 3A)
Week 5 (lecture 3C & 3D)
Week 7 (lecture 4A & 4B)
Week 10 (lecture 4C & 4D)
2
1
2
2
2
2
Twice Weekly
Announcements
3.5 hours
2hr
2hr
2hr
3hr
3hr
3hr
Week 11 (lecture 5)
Week 13 (lecture 6)
Review Essay Assignments
Week 3 (AS 1)
Week 6 (AS 2)
Week 8 (AS 3)
Week 10 (AS 4)
Week 14 (AS 5)
Total
Individual Written Projects
AS 1
AS 2
AS 3
AS 4
AS 5
AS 6
Total
Individual Assessments
Week 9
Week 15
Total
EIA Total Hours
Total Instructional Hours
1
1
13
2hr
2hr
19.0hrs
1
1
1
1
1
5
.25hr
.25hr
.5hr
.5hr
.5hr
1
1
1
1
1
1
1.0hr
1.0hr
2.0hr
2.0hr
2.0hr
2.0hr
1
1
2
1.5hr
1.5hr
2.0hrs
10.0hr
3.0hr
45hrs
45