Introduction to Sociology Syllabus for 2025-2026
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Course Information

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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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Course

SOCI-1301-DC002 Introduction to Sociology

Prerequisites

Course Description

The scientific study of human society, including ways in which groups, social institutions and individuals affect each other. Causes of social stability and social change are explored through the application of various theoretical perspectives, key concepts and related research methods of sociology. Analysis of social issues in their institutional context may include topics such as social stratification, gender, race/ethnicity and deviance.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Dual Credit Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Kristof, Nicholas D. and Sheryl Wudunn. 2020. Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope. NY:                          Penguin Random House LLC.

Carney, Timothy P. 2020. Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse.                         NY: HarperCollins Publishers. 

Note: The instructor has provided students with pdf versions on Blackboard

Both books examine social decay and economic dislocation in America’s towns and cities, but from sharply different perspectives and political leanings. Together, they will help illustrate the diversity of sociological viewpoints and give students the chance to apply what they learn in class to one of the most pressing issues of our time. They will also offer opportunities to use sociological theory and research methods to both validate and critique the authors’ core claims.

The assigned readings do not always align with the lecture content. Instead, they are supplemental material (but required!), allowing students to explore a topic in greater detail and exposing students to different analytical styles and voices.

Supplies

In order to improve students' focus and their engagement with the material and each other, the instructor prefers that students minimally use laptops and smartphones.

Student Performance

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Survey the field of sociology, including its sub-fields focused on the family, deviance, stratification, religion, and more.
• Expose students to a variety of competing sociological perspectives, improving their critical thinking skills and developing their sociological imaginations
• Demonstrate how sociologists use theory to generate testable hypotheses
• Demonstrate how sociologists use data to develop and improve theory
• Familiarize students with basic social scientific research methods and the peer review process
• Provide students with rudimentary social scientific research skills
• Improve (or reinforce) students’ academic reading skills
• Provide an environment conducive to class participation and pro-social interaction

WEEKLY PLAN

Most weeks in this course will follow a consistent pattern so that you know what to expect and can plan your time effectively:

• Mondays – Wednesdays: The instructor will post short lecture videos (about 20–30 minutes each) to introduce key concepts and examples. Alongside these videos, you will complete short activities designed to help you apply what you are learning and practice sociological thinking.
• Thursdays: You will take a brief reading quiz to check your understanding of the assigned material. After the quiz, you will participate in reading group discussions. These discussions will allow you to connect the readings to broader course themes, ask questions, reflect on ideas, and share your own reactions to the material.
• Fridays: Our time will be set aside for Read Ahead sessions, when you will begin the readings for the upcoming week. This is a structured opportunity to get a head start, ask clarifying questions, and make sure you are on track.

This rhythm is meant to balance lecture videos, practice, discussion, and preparation, helping you stay steadily engaged with the course material throughout the week.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

Reading Quizzes. On most Thursdays, we will begin with a short reading quiz on the day’s assigned readings. These quizzes serve as an accountability structure to help students keep pace with the material, offer practice with short-answer questions like those on the midterm and final exams, and act as launching points for discussion. Quizzes are low-stakes and will not focus on highly specific details like dates or names. Instead, they will address key themes, examples from the texts, and occasional applications of course concepts. Students will always choose between two prompts, providing students with some flexibility in what topics and type of question they address. Students have a built-in cushion: up to three quizzes will not count against their grade. If fewer than three quizzes are missed, students will earn extra credit. The most credit is awarded if all quizzes are completed, a smaller amount if only one is missed, and a bit less if two are missed. Missing three quizzes carries no penalty but does not earn extra credit. The course schedule below shows which readings are due for each reading quiz.

Midterm and Final Exams. Students will complete both a midterm and a final exam during the 16-week term. Please check the course schedule (below) to ensure you are available on exam dates. If you anticipate a scheduling conflict, notify the instructor in advance to arrange an alternative time. In cases of illness or emergency, contact the instructor as soon as reasonable to request a reschedule. The instructor reserves the right to deny a makeup exam if a student has made little or no effort to engage in the course; in practice, students who keep up with reading quizzes and participate in class activities are more likely to be granted an exception.

Exams will consist of approximately two-thirds multiple-choice and one-third short-answer questions. For the short-answer section, students will choose from multiple prompts (e.g., respond to four out of six). Like the reading quizzes, exams are not intended to sort students by ability or interest in sociology. Instead, they are designed to give practice with exam formats common at four-year institutions and to encourage steady engagement with course material throughout the term.

In-class Writing and Analytical Activities. Soc 1301 offers many unscheduled opportunities for students to engage with peers and receive feedback from the instructor, typically on Mondays and Wednesdays. These take two main forms. First, students may complete short one- or two-paragraph writing exercises to reflect on course material, ask clarifying questions, or connect concepts to their own experiences. Second, students may be asked to identify and analyze different types of data related to social phenomena, introducing them to sociological methods and publicly available data sources. In-class writing assignments and data activities receive credit if completed with reasonable effort. As with the reading quizzes, students have a built-in cushion for in-class writing and analytical activities. Up to five activities will not count against their grade. If fewer than five activities are missed, students will earn extra credit. The most credit is awarded if all activities are completed, a smaller amount if only one is missed, and progressively less if two, three, or four are missed. Missing five activities carries no penalty but does not earn extra credit.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Above all else, students are expected to be respectful and engaged. The instructor will talk more about codes of conduct on the first day of class and throughout the course. 

There is another student behavior that is highly encouraged: course feedback. This class is a work in progress. The instructor enjoys and appreciates receiving constructive criticism, and knowing how to advocate for yourself and others is a highly useful career skill. However, students will have access to an anonymous suggestion box (web link), but please be kind and constructive. 

Grading Criteria

Attendance

Students are expected to attend each session per their educational institution's policy. There is some flexibility built into the course. Student are allowed to miss a certain amount of reading quizzes and in-class writing/analytical activities with no penalty to their grade. Please don't hesitate to contact the instructor of attendance is ever an issue. The instructor is usually open to accommodations.  

Please note that Amarillo College instructors are required to track attendance. If you miss classes, you may be contacted by a success coach or receive a message from the college. This does not mean that your grade in my class will be adversely impacted. It is just a way for the College to check in to help ensure your success. (Policies may differ for Dual Credit courses)

Calendar

Additional Information

Here's my lengthier description of Sociology 1301, for students who want more info: 

The American Sociological Association’s (ASA) web page defines sociology as “The study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to global communities; from deviance to organized crime; from religious traditions to state institutions; and from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture.” Sociology is therefore a very substantively broad academic discipline – after all, it covers any topic that is related to the social. This breadth is both a strength (there is no end to what sociologists can examine) and a limitation (sociologists lack a unifying framework or set of topics).

Most importantly, sociology is a social science. That means that sociologists use rigorous scientific methods – many shared with the natural sciences – to answer research questions about social life. This makes sociology an empirical discipline, as data and analysis are central to what sociologists do. Sociological data can be numerical (quantitative) or text-based (qualitative). The field is therefore broad not only in subject matter but also in methodology.

Theory is also central to sociology. It guides deductive research, where scholars test hypotheses about causal relationships, and inductive research, where theory emerges from the data. Competing theories lead to different approaches and ways of answering to big questions like: Does teen pregnancy cause poverty, or does poverty increase the likelihood of teen pregnancy? Are wage gaps explained by worker skill differences or by discrimination? Do healthier, happier societies result from generous social programs or from strong cultural solidarity? Why does someone become a career criminal – because legitimate opportunities are blocked, or because crime is normalized in their peer groups?

Sociology continues to be popular because it encourages critical thinking and informed analysis. It can be valuable to anyone with intellectual curiosity, regardless of background or politics. But sociologists are not purely disinterested, neutral observers – their perspectives shape the questions they ask and the methods they use. This has fueled critiques of political bias. While such critiques are not entirely unreasonable, sociological research can – and still does – support a wide range of worldviews. In this class, students will engage with competing perspectives. Considering different theoretical traditions and standpoints will help students sharpen their critical thinking and develop their sociological imaginations.