Faculty Syllabus

SOCI-1301 Introduction to Sociology

CANDY CANTRELL


Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

SOCI-1301-029 (33400)
LEC TuTh 9:00am - 10:20am HYS HYS1 01217.00

SOCI-1301-032 (28891)
LEC TuTh 12:55pm - 2:31pm DSP DSP1 P6

SOCI-1301-035 (33402)
LEC MW 10:30am - 11:50am RVS RVSG 9114

SOCI-1301-045 (28897)
LEC MW 1:30pm - 2:50pm RVS RVSA 2265

Course Requirements

In this course, we’ll explore how society works and how we, as individuals, both shape and are shaped by it. We’ll look at big topics like culture, social class, race, gender, and the many groups and institutions that make up our social world. Along the way, you’ll learn about the key ideas and research methods sociologists use to understand these topics. By the end of the semester, you’ll be able to see everyday life through a new lens, recognizing the social patterns around you, understanding why they exist, and thinking about how they might change in the future. 

Readings

Course Subjects

This course introduces students to the sociological perspective and explores how social forces shape individual lives and larger social systems. We begin with the foundations of sociology and sociological research, then examine culture, social interaction, and socialization to understand how norms, values, and identities are formed. The course moves into key areas of inequality and power, including deviance and social control, social stratification, global inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. In the second half of the semester, we focus on major social institutions such as family, religion, education, government, work, health, and medicine, and conclude with an analysis of social movements and social change. Throughout the course, students engage with documentaries, in-class activities, and reflections that connect sociological concepts to real-world issues and everyday experiences.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 

1. Compare and contrast the basic theoretical perspectives of sociology. 

2. Identify the various methodological approaches to the collection and analysis of data in sociology. 

3. Describe key concepts in sociology.

4. Describe the empirical findings of various subfields of sociology. 

5. Explain the complex links between individual experiences and broader institutional forces. 

Office Hours

M W 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM RVS Room 9139 – located on the 2nd Floor of Building G

NOTE Or by appointment via Zoom

Office Hours

M W 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM RVS Room 9139 – located on the 2nd Floor of Building G

NOTE Or by appointment via Zoom

Published: 01/19/2026 11:34:03