Sociology 101: Principles of Sociology
Spring 2016
CED 308
Time: Tuesday 4:00 – 6:45 pm
Revised January 25th, 2016
Instructor Michaela Logan
Units: 3
Contact information: Michaela.Logan@wnc.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Transfer Information: This course is designed to apply toward a WNC degree and/or
transfer to other schools within the Nevada System of Higher Education, depending on
the degree chosen and other courses completed. It may transfer to colleges and
universities outside Nevada. For information about how this course can transfer and
apply to your program of study, please contact a counselor.
Course Outline
I: Catalog Course Description
Explains sociological principles underlying the development, structure, and function of
culture, society, human groups, social change.
II: Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Gain factual knowledge and transfer sociological insights into everyday experience.
Learn terminology and apply to his/her life relations, in the family, at work, at school,
and elsewhere.
Possess a sociological insight to human behavior.
III: Course Linkage
Linkage of course to educational program mission and at least one educational program
outcome.
Students who complete this course are expected to demonstrate they:
▪ have college-level skills in reading, writing, and oral communication appropriate to
their degree and/or emphasis.
▪ have problem solving, critical and creative thinking skills.
▪ 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.
IV. Course grading
Attendance and class participation are essential for successful completion of this class.
Students are required to read the chapter prior to coming to class each week.
Participation consists of small group work, reading, oral presentations and writing.
Students unable to attend class due to unforeseen life events are responsible to
independently study the missed content. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the
instructor to determine necessary make up work.
The calendar for the topics covered is the following:
January 26 - Introductions; The Sociological Perspective
February 2– Culture
February 9– Socialization
February 16– Social Structure and Social Interaction
February 23– Social Groups and Formal Organizations
March 1– Midterm exam
March 8– Spring Break
March 15- Deviance and Social Control
March 22 – Global Stratification
March 29 – Social Class in the United States
April 5 - Race and ethnicity
April 12– Gender and Age
April 19 – Politics and the Economy
April 26 – Marriage and the Family
May 3– Education and Religion
May 10 – Review
May 17 - Final
The above schedule is subject to change during the semester.
Reflections
There will be a total of thirteen (13) in class written reflections. Each reflection will be
awarded a maximum of 10 points. Students will write a reflection during each period of
instruction.
Exams
There will be two exams that consist of a selection of multiple choice questions covering
key sociological terms and theories. This will be exclusively based on the textbook
information.
The schedule of these exams is the following:
Midterm – March 1
Final – May 17
Final grade:
Syllabus Quiz (9-14) ……………….…………… 20 points
Attendance and participation…10x15 classes … 150 points
Reflections 13x10 points each ……………………130 points
Midterm……………………………………........ 75 points
Final…….……………………………..............… 75 points
Total………………………………......................450 points
A
B
C
D
F
405 - 450 points
360 - 404 points
315 – 359 points
270 – 314 points
269 or less
It is student’s responsibility to ensure attendance and assignments turn in. Late
assignments will receive points deduction depending on the amount of time being late.
V. Required materials
James M. Henslin Essentials of Sociology. A Down to Earth Approach
VI. Methods of instruction
The instructor will present lectures on various sociological topics, following the topic
sequence presented above. The main resource will be the textbook. It is required to have
the textbook for every class, as some work includes reading and discussing the material.
Multimedia resources will be used during the semester to support and enhance
understanding of the topics.
VII. Web-enhanced class
The web component will offer students the opportunity to earn extra credit. There will be
weekly open questions or multiple choice quizzes. A student may not earn more than 20
points extra credit per semester.
VIII. Additional info
Taping and/or video recording the class/instructor without written permission is strictly
prohibited.
Cell phone use during class is not accepted. This includes calling, texting, web browsing.
In case of an emergency, please notify the instructor before the beginning of the class.
For students with disabilities who need to request accommodations, please contact the
Disability Support Services office (Bristlecone building, Room 103) at 445-3266 or 445-
3275 as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Please note that in an effort to help students successfully complete their courses, it is now
mandatory to post midterm grades. These will be based on the students progress in class,
however they represent just estimates of the perceived success at the end of the semester.
Students are expected to abide by the WNC’s Code of Student conduct in all of their
classes. This information is available at
http://www.wnc.edu/files/departments/studentservices/student_code_of_conduct.pdf
Plagiarism is one of the issues that is covered under the Code of students conduct.
Have a GREAT spring semester!