Sociology

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO1: Develop the ability to analyze everyday experience from a sociological perspective.
• Objective 1a: Understand how social forces influence people.
• Objective 1b: Apply sociological imagination to recognize inequality of race, gender and class.
• Objective 1c: Evaluate how institutions and organizations impact individuals.
• SLO 2: Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific nature of social research.
• Objective 1a: Understand the components of research.
• Objective 1b: Develop an ability to interpret facts through critical thinking and the use of the inquiry method.
• Objective 1c: Recognize the various methods of research.
• Objective 1d: Compare and contrast the three sociological theories.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO1: Demonstrate an ability to analyze contemporary social problems which exists in society.
• Objective 1a: Identify objective and subjective criterion for defining social problem.
• Objective 1b: Articulate how sociological concepts can be used to explain social problems.
• Objective 1c: Understand charts, diagrams and statistics of a given problem.
• SLO2: Recognize how social problems are analyzed at a macro and micro-level
• Objective 2a: Master the three sociological paradigms used in the analysis of social problems.
• Objective 2b: Describe how various theories address the social problem.
• Objective 2c: Evaluate the validity of conclusions of the social problems by the three paradigms.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO1: Develop the ability to analyze and apply scientific research methods from a sociological perspective.
• Objective 1a: Recognize the various methods of research.
• Objective 1b: Apply scientific steps to construct a hypothesis, select a methodology, and collect and analyze data.
• Objective 1c: Differentiate between qualitative methods and quantitative methods as research tools and assess projects that might benefit from a mixed modality approach.
• SLO 2: Demonstrate an understanding and ability to assess the scientific nature of social research.
• Objective 2a: Utilize statistical software to organize, clean, and run descriptive and inferential analysis of data.
• Objective 2b: Demonstrate an ability to apply critical thinking skills to evaluate literature reviews and research databases to find common themes in research design and reporting.
• Objective 2c: Integrate research into a report with a project description, methodology, analysis, conclusions, and future areas of research
• Objective 2d: Identify ethical issues in research

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate an ability to identify and apply the principles and logic of social science research methods (SLO1).
• Recognize and analyze the process by which social issues are constructed as “problems” by the media, politicians and social elites (SLO2).
• Demonstrate an ability to apply critical thinking skills to assess the logic of an argument (SLO3).
• Objective 3a: Identify the issue of an article or piece of information.
• Objective 3b: Identify the conclusion statement of an author's written piece or a speaker's presentation.
• Objective 3c: Identify and criticize the reasons provided by an author or speaker.
• Objective 3d: Evaluate faulty reasoning, insufficient evidence, and unsupported conclusions used in the analysis and reporting of social problems.
• Objective 3e: Understand the use of statistics, tables, and charts in the presentation of an argument.
• Objective 3f: Contrast idiographic (full description) & nomothetic (generalized understanding) approaches to knowledge used by scientists, politicians & the media.
• Investigate and critically analyze information presented in everyday publications and media venues for their strengths and weaknesses (SLO4).
• Apply library research methods and computer skills in the collection, analysis, and reporting of social data (SLO5).
• Objective 5a: Compare and contrast the use of “expert opinion”, primary and secondary sources, and the influence of special interest groups in recognizing and giving credence to evidence reported about social problems.
• Demonstrate improved writing and analytical skills within the social sciences (with a minimum of 8,000 words in written assignments) [SLO6].

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO 1: DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES RELATING TO THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION OF THE FAMILY.
• Objective 1a: Examine cross-cultural, historical, political, and economic factors in the development of the family form and function.
• Objective 1b: Examine the racial and ethnic variations of the American family.
• Objective 1c: Examine the intersection of class, age, and gender in the family.
• Objective 1d: Examine sexuality and the emergence of new family forms.
• SLO 2: EXAMINE THE INFLUENCE OF CHANGING GENDER ROLES IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY.
• Objective 2a: Identify the expressive and instrumental roles of men and women and demonstrate an understanding of their historical change.
• Objective 2b: Assess the impact of evolving social structures such as economy, education, religion and politics and their impact on gender roles.
• Objective 2c: Understand the socialization process in the family and the various form of parenting.
• SLO 3: APPRAISE AREAS OF CONFLICT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.
• Objective 3a: Identify reasons for conflict.
• Objective 3b: Examine methods of conflict resolution.
• Objective 3c: Apply Sociological Imagination in interpreting reasons for divorce and rise in remarriages.
• Objective 3d: Discuss the socio-economical and political implications of divorce and remarriages on men, women and children.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO 1: Explain how an individual's race or ethnicity can affect the quality of their interactions in social structures throughout the larger society.
• Objective 1A: Explain how race and ethnicity can impact an individual's experience with structural assimilation.
• SLO 2: Define and identify various sociological theoretical perspectives in regard to the experiences of racial and ethnic groups.
• Objective 2A: Explain assimilation theories, which help us to understand the ideal social conditions under which different ethnic groups can become part of American society.
• Objective 2B: Explain Social Conflict Theory and the sub-theories of internal colonialism, separatism, and secessionism, and cultural pluralism, which help us understand the impact of these processes in American society.
• SLO 3 Analyze how prejudice, discrimination, and racism have both historically and contemporarily disadvantaged minority groups in American society and simultaneously advantaged the majority group in American society.
• Objective 3A: Explain the terms genocide, forced removal, slavery, segregation, social distance, cultural assimilation, primary structural assimilation, and secondary structural assimilation.
• Objective 3B: Describe the various ways that people show combinations of prejudice and discrimination according to Robert Merton, such as Active Bigot, Timid Bigot, All-Weather Liberal, and Fair-Weather Liberal
• Objective 3C: Examine both inter and intra-group social conflict.
• SLO 4: Explain the historical legacies of racial and ethnic inequalities and inequities and how these have led to contemporary social issues.
• Objective 4A: Describe the effects of stigma, the social construction of race, and stereotypes.
• SLO 5: Assess the significance of racial and ethnic groups' social movements in American society.
• Objective 5A: Explain the Civil Rights Movements of African Americans, Native Americans (AIM), Hispanic or Latino (Chicano Movement), and Asian Americans.
• Objective 5B: Examine the impact of these movements on the social perceptions of different groups in U.S. society. Students will understand race as a social construction of reality.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO 1: Articulate the general principles of biological, psychological, anthropological, and sociological theories to the study of sex and gender.
• Objective 1a: Appraise the contributions of these various fields to the study of sex and gender.
• Objective 1b: Evaluate the meaning of sex and gender as conceived in popular usage and as analyzed sociologically.
• SLO 2: Recognize the structural reasons for gender inequality in the U.S. and the world.
• Objective 2a: Examine social structures such as politics, family, economy, religion, health, media, military and education for the discrimination of the sexes
• Objective 2b: Compare and contrast social movements of women and men and their impact on raising awareness of gender issues.
• Objective 2c: Evaluate current status of men and women in all of the social structures and predict the future development of gender equality in the U.S. and the world.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Actively engage in intellectual inquiry beyond that required in order to pass a course of study.
• Discuss and outline a proposal of study (that can be accomplished within one semester term) with a supervising instructor qualified within the discipline.
• Design an independent study (to be completed individually or by collaboration of a small group) to foster special knowledge, skills, and experience that are not available in any one regularly scheduled course.
• Use information resources to gather discipline-specific information.
• SLO #2: Utilize modes of analysis and critical thinking to apply theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study to significant problems and/or educational activities.
• Analyze and apply the knowledge, skills and experience that are involved in the independent study to theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study.
• Explain the importance of the major discipline of study in the broader picture of society.
• SLO #3: Communicate a complex understanding of content matter of the major discipline of study.
• Demonstrate competence in the skills essential to mastery of the major discipline of study that is necessary to accomplish the independent study.
• SLO #4: Identify personal goals and pursue these goals effectively.
• Utilize skills from the “academic tool kit” including time management, study skills, etc., to accomplish the independent study within one semester term.