Faculty

SOCI-1301 Introduction to Sociology

Dawn Tawwater

Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

SOCI-1301-014 (18567)
LEC TuTh 6:00pm - 7:20pm DIL DLS DIL

SOCI-1301-053 (34065)
LEC MW 10:53am - 12:34pm LKH LK1 A131

SOCI-1301-056 (34066)
LEC MW 1:16pm - 2:57pm LKH LK1 A131

SOCI-1301-057 (34067)
LEC MW 3:02pm - 4:45pm LKH LK1 A131

Course Requirements

*Grade Requirements

Chapter Quizzes (15 x 21) = 300pts 630 – 700 =A

Class Activities and Assignments = 300 pts 559 – 629=B

Research Project = 100pts 489– 558=C

419 – 488=D

418 OR BELOW =F

*Total points possible = 700

Readings

REQUIRED TEXTS (Free - no cost text)

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 3E

https://openstax.org/details/books/introduction-sociology-3e

Introduction to Sociology 3e

Course Subjects

This course is an introduction to the principles and methods of Sociology. Topics include society and culture, socialization, family, social stratification, race, and ethnicity, gender, deviance, social movements, and social control.

COURSE RATIONALE

This Introduction to Sociology course provides students with a foundational understanding of how society and its various components shape human behavior, culture, and interactions. Sociology examines the structures, institutions, and social forces that influence individuals and groups, enabling students to develop critical thinking skills to analyze societal issues from multiple perspectives. Through this course, students will explore topics such as socialization, inequality, culture, race, gender, deviance, and social change.

The rationale behind this course is to equip students with the tools to better understand the complex dynamics of the world around them. By examining how social forces impact personal and collective experiences, students will gain insight into their roles within society and become more informed and engaged citizens. Additionally, the course encourages students to challenge assumptions, question societal norms, and develop a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human experiences.

This course is essential for those pursuing further studies in sociology, as well as those in other disciplines, as it provides a critical framework for understanding contemporary social issues and global challenges. It prepares students to think analytically, communicate effectively, and engage with social problems in meaningful ways.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Students will learn primary components of the academic discipline of sociology through lecture, discussion, debate, and study, with an emphasis on race, class, and gendered inequalities and the intersections they share.

Students will identify and practice the theoretical perspectives that guide and influence sociological thought, the social construction of society, and the sociological imagination.

Students will employ critical thinking about cultural constructions and the real and/or potential by-products of inequality and social problems associated with contemporary constructions of culture, systems, and institutions using sociological research and perspectives.

Students will illustrate an understanding of the sociological approach to issues affecting social life and the individual, to understand the connection between the biographical and the historical; the personal and political, to understand the effects of social institutions on individual free will and expression, to see the connections between status, power, and privilege;

Students will discuss the broad spectrum of issues addressed by sociologists to deconstruct these issues, and discuss alternative approaches using theory and critical analysis that direct us towards a public good.

Students will use the scholarly ability of critical thinking to apply critical analysis to written and verbal work.

Office Hours

M W 12:45 PM - 1:15 PM LKH

NOTE

M T W Th 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ZOOM

NOTE If you cannot attend the established office hours, send me an email, and we can try to find a time around my schedule that will work for you. This applies to M-F only - no weekends are available.

T Th 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM ZOOM

NOTE