MEDIA, CULTURE & SOCIETY
http://profstein.wordpress.com/
Dr. Jill Stein
Office: IDC 369
Email: jmstein@pipeline.sbcc.edu
Phone: (805) 965-0581 ex. 3051
Office hours: Monday/Wednesday 1:00—2:00
Tuesday/Thursday 11:00—12:00
Sociology 118
Fall Semester 2010
(CRN #34547)
Monday/Wednesday 11:10—12:30
BC-Forum
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Description:
Media and popular culture are ubiquitous in our everyday lives, yet we often take their presence, meaning, and
power for granted. This course looks at the mass media and popular culture from a sociological perspective.
In general, this concerns the interplay between the media, society, and the individual, and how each are
shaped and influenced by the others. In particular, we will explore the social context surrounding popular
culture and the mass media. We will apply the major theoretical approaches to studying a variety of current
examples from a number of different sources. The final goal is to help students become more critical and
informed media creators and consumers.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, the successful student should be able to:
1. Explain how the major sociological thoeries can be applied to an analysis of popular culture and mass
media
2. Discuss the professional roles and norms of individuals working in the culture industries
3. Analyze cultural creation and consumption and the reproduction of inequality in society
4. Explain how audiences interact with the media and consume culture
5. Describe new media technologies and their impact on society
Enrollment:
 There is an English 110 skills advisory for this course. Students intending to take this course who are not
at this level of college reading and writing may encounter significant difficulties in succeeding.
 Students are responsible to check the campus calendar for scheduled enrollment, add, drop, and credit
change deadlines. Please make note of deadlines and dates for assignments and exams in the syllabus
schedule before enrolling.
 No auditors or visitors allowed in the classroom without permission.
Textbooks and Supplemental Materials:
 There is one required textbook for the course:
o
David Grazian (2010) Mix It Up New York: W.W. Norton
 Readings should be completed prior to the day of the week for which they are assigned. Try to anticipate
your reading load in advance, as we will be reading all ten chapters of the text.
 Videos shown in class should be considered as additional material for which students will be responsible.
Some videos may be available online, or for review in the Learning Resource Center.
 As a part of this course you will also be expected to actively and consciously consume a variety of media
products including newspapers, magazines, books, radio, CDs, television, film, videogames, and the
Internet.
Supplies:


Students will need paper and pens to take notes during lecture and participate in other in-class exercises.
Students will need the following supplies for exams:
o
#2 pencil and eraser
o
Scantron “100 answer” card (form #882-E)
College Standards
All students should be familiar with the SBCC student standards of conduct. You can find a copy of the
document at: http://www.sbcc.edu/home/current/ssconduct/index.cfm This site explicitly states college policy
and its enforcement. Students should note that they have both rights and responsibilities at the college. Your
professor will also follow relevant codes pertaining to faculty. At the beginning of the semester, we will
discuss how to create an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Some basic ground rules:
 Arrive on time, and plan to stay for the entire class period. If you know you are going to be late, or
need to leave early, please speak to the professor before or after class.
 Always show respect for other members of the class, both students and the professor.
 Be alert, attentive, and focused on what is happening in class:
o
No sleeping
o
No disruptive talking
o
No reading outside materials
o
No disruptive use of laptops or hand-held electronic devices
 In the event of an emergency, please note these numbers for campus security:
o
From a campus phone, dial ext. 2400
o
From a cell phone, dial 730-4200
Student Success and Support:
 Course Website: available at: http://profstein.wordpress.com/ Here you can find course materials such
as the syllabus and assignments, as well as PowerPoint presentations and other helpful links.
 The Professor: I encourage students to visit me during office hours to discuss course material, study
skills, and strategies for test taking and writing assignments.
 Learning Skills Workshops: Various workshops on study skills, test taking, and time management will
be offered in the Learning Resource Center during the semester. Please take advantage of them.
 Writing Tutors: Writing tutors are available on a drop-in basis at the Writing Center in the Learning
Resource Center
 Study Groups: I encourage students to form study groups, share notes and review for exams together.
 Student Services: Assistance with financial aid, academic and career planning, college transfers,
personal counseling, student health, job placement and more. All services are offered free of charge to
any enrolled student. See online at: http://sbcc.edu/ctl/seekhelp.php
 Students with Disabilities:
o SBCC students with disabilities who are requesting accommodations for classes, college activities
or tests should use the following SBCC procedure. (NOTE: This also includes students who are
requesting to bring service animals into classes. The procedure also includes requests to bring
personal service attendants into classes as volunteers or hired by outside agencies.)
[1] Contact Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS).
[2] Submit documentation of your disability to the DSPS office.
[3] Communicate with a DSPS counselor regarding options for services and accommodations.
[4] Reach written accommodation agreement with the DSPS counselor and your instructor.
SBCC requests you complete this process at least ten working days before your accommodation is
needed, in order to allow DSPS staff time to provide your accommodation.
o Contact: DSPS office (805) 965-0581 x 2364, SS Building, room 160, dspshelp@sbcc.edu
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Attendance:
Attendance is essential to doing well in the class, and you will need to be present in order to complete video
worksheets and in-class exercises. I will circulate an attendance roster in the first weeks of semester to
determine whether there are any drops. College policy states that students can be dropped from class after
three (3) unexcused absences. An excused absence due to an emergency, or medical or legal reasons, must be
verified by some form of official documentation. Please ask me for an "Excused Absence Form" if this is the
case. All other absences, regardless of the reason, will be considered unexcused.
Grades:
Details about the requirements and standards for student work will be discussed in greater detail in class.
Students should retain all returned exams, video worksheets or other course work until the end of the semester
and the posting of final grades to the Records Office. A grade grid is attached in order to assist students in
recording scores and calculating their progress in the class.
Participation:
Although this is a large class, efforts will be made to create opportunities for interaction. It is essential that
students come prepared and be willing to listen as well as contribute to classroom discussions. Because there
will be numerous audio, video and web-based presentations in class (many of which are not listed on the
syllabus), as well as discussion of materials not included in the readings, it is essential that you make every
class meeting.
In-Class Exercises:
Students will have the opportunity to complete 6 in-class exercises during the semester. These will consist of
group or individual work, and could be based on readings, lecture, videos or discussions. The exercises may
be given at the beginning of class, sometime in the middle, or at the end. Exercises cannot be made up at
another time or handed in late. Students will receive credit for a total of 5 out of 6 exercises.
Video Worksheets:
This course features a number of videos or video clips that address various issues in the media that we will
covering. The videos are not only entertaining, but should be viewed as supplemental material to the textbook
and lecture. Students will be given a set of questions linking the videos to the course material. Worksheets
should be completed during viewing and collected in class. Students will be given their best score for 8 out of
the 9 video worksheets. In the event of an excused absence, students may view videos in the Learning
Resource Center and submit worksheets immediately afterwards. No other late worksheets will be accepted.
Exams:
There will be a total of 5 exams—four midterms and one final exam. The exams are non-cumulative. The
format will consist of any of the following: multiple-choice and true/false questions, matching, short answer
and/or essay. Exams will be based evenly on the materials for the course: readings from the textbook, lectures
and videos. Students will be given credit for 4 out of 5 exams if they also do the project assignment. Students
who opt out of the project will be given credit for all 5 exams. You must plan on conforming to the scheduled
times for all exams. Absolutely no early or late exams will be given. In the case of a legitimate legal or
medical reason for missing an exam, you must provide written verification and schedule a make-up exam
within one week of your return.
Project Assignment (optional):
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There will be one project assignment for the class. Students may choose to do the projects individually or to
collaborate in groups of 2 or 3. There will be several options to choose from. Further details about the project
assignment will be discussed in class. Help is available (see above). Students may exchange their score on the
project for one exam score. A student may drop the project assignment and instead keep scores on all 5
exams.
Extra Credit:
No extra credit will be available. Please take advantage of all the credit opportunities offered in the class.
Scores for Course Work:
The following components of course work will be worth points as noted toward your total grade:
Video Worksheets (8 out of 9 @ 10 points each)
80 points
In-Class Exercises (5 out of 6 @ 5 points each)
25 points
Exams (4 out of 5 with project, or all 5 without)
Midterm Exam #1
Midterm Exam #2
Midterm Exam #3
Midterm Exam #4
Final Exam #5
50 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
50 points
Project Assignment (may drop or exchange for 1 exam)
50 points
________________________________________________________________
TOTAL
355 points
Grading Curve:
This is a sample grading curve for the class. It is a basic straight curve which should be used as a general
guideline only. The final curve will not be applied until the end of the semester.
“A”
“B”
“C”
“D”
“F”
90% of total points
80% of total points
70% of total points
60% of total points
50% or less of total points
319 points
284 points
248 points
213 points
177 or less points
Course Schedule
Please see the attached course schedule for information on dates for lecture topics, assigned readings, in-class
exercises, videos, exams and other deadlines. This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change depending
upon a variety of conditions during the semester. Every effort will be made to adhere to all scheduled dates
for exams and project deadlines.
“Sociology is not a spectator sport. There is not you and society. There is you, in which society lives.
And there is society, in which you live. If you are concerned about an issue, that produces a reality; if
you are unconcerned, that produces another reality. There is no way that you can be ineffectual. You
and I are the terms of society.”
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