Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology
Fall 2015
Instructor Information
Name: Morgan Green, MA
E-mail: morgan.green@wnc.edu or morgang.wnc@gmail.com
Please allow a 24-hour response time for an individual response to emails.
Phone: (775) 240-0508 (no calls after 8 pm). You are always welcome to text me as well.
Office Hours: 8:30 am – 9:30 pm Monday and Wednesday by appointment
Office: BRI 350 H
Course Information
Course Title: Introduction to Sociology
Course Section: Soc 101.1001
Course Date: Monday, August 31, 2015 – Saturday, December 19, 2015
Course Description: This course is a social science core course. It is intended to explore
sociological principles underlying the development, structure, and function of culture,
society, human groups, personality formation and social change. Topics include culture,
education, economics, race and ethnicity, gender, and deviance/criminal behavior.
NOTE: Students will be expected to have basic skills for writing papers in APA format.
Transferability of course within Nevada: Transfers to all NSHE Schools. Please contact the
college/university you plan to transfer for complete information on transferability.
Course Objectives: In introductory but broad-based understanding of sociological concepts will
be achieved through classroom lectures, media, and research papers. Upon completion of
the course, the student should be able to:
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Identify the foundational theories of sociology
Gain factual knowledge and transfer sociological insights into everyday experience
Learn sociological terminology and apply to his/her life relations, in the family, at work,
at school, and elsewhere
Possess a sociological insight into human behavior
General Education Program Outcomes Linkage: Students in general psychological are expected
in their ability to meet the general education student learning outcomes:


College-level reading and writing skills
Problem solving, creative, and critical thinking skills
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

Understand and apply social science principles including an appreciation of participation
in civic affairs
Understand the importance of cultural traditions, diversity, and ethics in the modern
world
Prerequisites: There are no academic prerequisites for this course; however, it is recommended
that you have completed English 100.
For technical assistance contact 445-3225
Required Textbooks
Henslin, James T. 2014. Essentials of sociology: A down-to-earth approach. 11th Ed. Boston,
MA: Pearson.
Policies
As sociology is the study of society, there will be times when topics are introduced that are
controversial and may challenge your beliefs and opinions. Be prepared that some discussion
topics may make you feel uncomfortable and challenge what you believe to be true or right. I ask
that you respect your fellow classmates and their positions as well as be willing to take the
material into consideration when constructing your own positions. No disparaging remarks will
be tolerated in regards to ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, age, socioeconomic
background, etc. Violations will be reflected in your participation score. (For further details,
please refer to the student handbook). In return, I will do my best to uphold this tenet and treat
everyone’s educated opinions/interpretations with due respect. If you do experience a
particularly difficult time or feel uncomfortable with some issue, fellow student (including
myself), or topic, PLEASE talk to me so we may address it immediately.
Special Accomidations: Western Nevada College is committed to providing reasonable
accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate
formats upon request. Any student with a documented disability needing academic
adjustments is requested to speak with Disability Support Services and the instructor as
early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact
Disability Support Services, Carson campus, Cedar 209, 775-445-4459 or
susan.trist@wnc.edu.
If at any point in time you have problems accessing the information or materials in
the course please contact the instructor.
Students who feel that they are struggling in the course at any time contact the instructor
to investigate other assistance opportunities.
Academic Skills Center:
Carson/online: (775) 445-4260
Fallon: (775) 423-7565 ext. 2278
Sociology 101
Revision: August 20, 2015
Attendance: Attendance is not required for this course. If you choose not to attend, you are
responsible for the materials covered during the lecture and will be held to the
announcements made during the course. Absence is not an excuse for missing
announcements. If you are going to miss an expended period of time from the course
please communicate that with the instructor. If you are enrolled in this course at any point
in the semester, and fail to complete your assignments upon the due dates you will
receive an “F” (failure) for your final grade. If you cease participating in this course it is
your responsibility to be officially withdrawn by completing the appropriate paperwork at
the registrar’s office. I do not give students withdrawals or “W” for final grades.
Withdrawals/Incompletes: Please refer to WNC policy regarding Incompletes.
Faculty cannot assign “W’s”
October 23, 2015: Last day to change credit to audit or audit to credit for full-term classes
October 29, 2015: Last day to drop full-term classes with a "W"
School/Military Sponsored Event: If you are unable to submit assignments due to a college, high
school, or military sponsored event, it is your responsibility to give verification of your
absence to the instructor prior to the time you will be absent. I will work with you to
complete the course.
Class Cancellations: The only method of notification for class cancelations is via your email
address used for myWNC. Please make sure to check your email before coming to class
to make sure the class is not cancelled.
Assignments
Papers and Exams are due in class on the assigned date unless prior arraignments are
made.
Participation: Students are expected to participate in the classroom. There will be discussions or
activities in the classroom over the course of the semester that students will be asked to
partake with other classmates. Participation will be accounted for in your grade at the end
of the semester.
Papers: There will be two papers due this semester. Paper topics will be posted two weeks before
the paper is due. Each paper should be between 3-4 pages, double spaced (this does not
mean 2 ½ pages), be relevant to the chosen topic, clearly address all points, and be wellwritten (i.e., proper grammar and spelling). All sources for your papers should be cited
using APA format including your textbook and articles. All papers must be submitted as
a Word document in class. Late papers will not be accepted unless prior approval has
been obtained. Plagiarism: is not tolerated and will result in a “0” on the assignment.
Please refer to WNC’s policy on plagiarism. If you need assistance, you should go
the Academic Skills Center and or WNC libraries for help prior to submitting your
work.
Exams: There will be three exams throughout the semester. These exams will cover the reading
from the textbook, required reading articles or media, and lecture notes. The two
midterms will consist of 75 multiple-choice and true/false questions. The final will
consist of a total of 100 multiple-choice and true/false questions related to the topics
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Revision: August 28, 2015
covered throughout the course. There will be a study guide provided a week prior to each
exam.
Extra Credit: There will be two extra credit opportunities throughout the semester. One
opportunity will consist of attendance at an APA workshop or other school sponsored
workshop conducted through the WNC library on the Carson campus and will require a
short write up of the material presented. The second opportunity will be an extra credit
paper offered two weeks prior to the end of the semester. Extra credit is optional.
Attendance at the workshop and the paper will each be worth 20 points. Attendance at the
workshop will be recorded at that time and a summary will be required for credit. The
paper will be due the final week of class unless otherwise posted.
Academic Integrety: Students are expected to do their own work. If a student turns in work made
by someone else, he/she will receive 0 points for that project and will not be allowed to
make it up.
Exam Make-Up Policy
Arrangements must be made prior to the end of the exam deadline in order to be eligible for a
make-up exam. If a dire emergency occurs immediately before the deadline, you must notify me
either in an e-mail or phone call. Notification after the deadline will not be accepted. You may be
required to submit verification of your emergency and make-up exams will include an essay
exam provided by the instructor.
Grading System
Final Grade
Exam 1:
75 points
Paper 2:
50 points
Exam 2:
75 points
Participation:
25 points
Exam 3:
100 points
Extra Credit 1:
20 points
Paper 1:
50 points
Extra Credit 2:
20 points
Total points: 375 points
Grade Break-down
348-375
A
290-297
C+
224-234
D-
336-347
A-
273-289
C
223 and Below
F
327-335
B+
261-272
C-
310-326
B
252-260
D+
298-309
B-
235-251
D
Sociology 101
Revision: August 20, 2015
Note: Dates and assignments on the calendar are subject to change. Make sure to check
announcements for any changes that are made.
Class Calendar
Date
Topic
Assignment
Aug 31, 2015
Overview/APA Introduction
Read Syllabus
The Sociological Perspective pt. 1
Chapter #1
7-Sept
Labor Day- No Class
14-Sept
The Sociological Perspective pt. 2
Culture pt. 1
21-Sept
Culture pt. 2
Socialization pt. 1
28-Sept
Chapter #3
Socialization pt. 2
Social Structure and Social Interaction
5-Oct
Chapter #2
Chapter #4
Social Groups and Formal Organizations Chapter #5 Study Guide & Paper Topic
Oct 12, 2015
Exam 1
Deviance and Social Control pt 1
Oct 19, 2015
Chapter #6
Paper #1 Due
Deviance and Social Control pt 2
Global Stratification
Chapter #7
26-Oct
Social Class in the United States
Chapter #8
2-Nov
Race and Ethnicity
Chapter #9 & Paper Topic
9-Nov
Gender and Age
Chapter #10 Study Guide
16-Nov
Exam #2, Paper #2 Due
Marriage and Family pt 1
23-Nov
Marriage and Family pt 2
Education and Religion pt 1
Nov 25- Nov27
Thanksgiving Holiday- School Closed
30-Nov
Education and Religion pt 2
Politics and the Economy
7-Dec
Chapter #12
Chapter #13
Chapter #11 Extra Credit Topic
Politics and the Economy pt 2
At Final
Extra Credit Due (Optional)
14-Dec - 18-Dec Final Exam Week
Date:TBD
Sociology 101
Revision: August 28, 2015