SOCI 1111: Introduction to Sociology I
Together with SOCI 1211 this course is an introduction to the discipline of sociology. Because humans are social by nature, all of us are members of various social groupings and are located in a social system; we can only achieve an adequate understanding of ourselves after we have acquired the tools to understand that social system. In this course, students learn to understand that social system and how it shapes and influences us all as individuals. Students learn the concepts basic to the sociological perspective, understand the importance of the transformation of Western society, examine the concepts that have been developed to describe capitalist society, and explore the sociology of Canada.
Learning outcomes
- Use the sociological imagination to see how features of your personal, everyday life are linked to ongoing processes of social organization and coordination.
- Articulate basic concepts, theories, and modes of explanation from the discipline of sociology and apply them to features of Canadian society and your own life.
- Identify the main methods of collecting data in sociological research and determine which is most appropriate for specific kinds of research questions.
- Describe the central ideas of the founders of sociology.
- Describe how individuals are shaped through basic social processes of culture, socialization, micro-level social interaction, and organizational life.
- Explain what is meant by the social construction of crime and deviance and why this is key to understanding current issues concerning criminality, crime rates, prisons, and policing strategies.
- Analyze the life of the body (gender, sexuality, aging, disability, health) in terms of social processes and structures.
- Explain why developing a systematic knowledge of society matters.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and formulate your ideas clearly in writing.
Course topics
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Unit 1: Introduction to Sociology—The Sociological Imagination
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Unit 2: The Social and Cultural Dimensions of Human Experience
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Unit 3: Micro and Macro Approaches to the Organization of Social Life
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Unit 4: Deviance, Gender, and the Human Body
Required text and materials
The following Open Education Resources (OER) textbook, free of charge, is required for this course:
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Little, W. (Ed.) (2016). Introduction to Sociology (2nd Canadian ed.). BC Campus.
Type: E-Textbook. ISBN: 978-1-77420-021-6
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology2ndedition/
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.
| Unit 1 Assignment | 15% |
| Unit 2 Assignment | 15% |
| Unit 3 Assignment | 15% |
| Unit 4 Assignment | 15% |
| Final exam (mandatory) | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.
