SOCI 3001 - Sociological Contentions

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2020

In this capstone course for the Sociology Major we will examine the main strands of sociological thought and identify how the key thinkers, ideas and practices in the development of sociology can be used to address contemporary social problems. Lectures will focus on the writings of leading social theorists and sociologists, and their contribution to the development of a distinctly sociological theory and practice. Seminars will have a 'practical turn' as we consider the ideas and practices of these scholars and apply them to seeking solutions for contemporary social problems.

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Course Details

Course Code	SOCI 3001
Course	Sociological Contentions
Coordinating Unit	Sociology, Criminology and Gender Studies
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	6
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	At least 15 units of Sociology Major courses
Restrictions	Available to students undertaking a Sociology Major only
Assessment	Book review (2,500 words) (20%), Individual presentation (15%), Critical essay (3,500 words) (35%), Weekly quizzes based on readings & lecture (20%), Seminar attendance & participation (10%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Dee Michell

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Understand and critique the foremost arguments of key sociological thinkers.
Describe a range of key concepts and theoretical approaches within sociology
Demonstrate a sociological understanding of the nature of social relationships, diverse groups and institutions as discussed in key sociological texts.
Drawing upon key sociologists be able to critically reflect upon the processes that underpin social change and social stability

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3,4
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1,3,4
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	1
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	2,3,4
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	3,4
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1,3,4

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Required weekly readings will be available on MyUni

Recommended Resources

Reading lists, web-links, library resources, essay writing guides, study guides, referencing, IT support and TURNITIN will be available

Online Learning

The MyUni site will contain some additional resources and materials. Each week after the lecture, the lecture slides and lecture recording will be uploaded. Announcements and a discussion board are activated for student queries and the passing on of course information.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures provide key information about particular sociologist/s. This information is then supplemented and supported by practical work in seminars.

In each seminar students will work in groups of up to 6 students, to complete small group discussion exercises that require collecting information (from course materials and other sources), analysing problems, debating issues and making recommendations. They will share the results of their discussion with the rest of the class.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1x1 hour lecture per week 12 hours per semester
1x2 hour seminarl per week 24 hours per semester
2 hour online discussion and posting per week 24 hours per semester
9 hours reading per week 84 hours per semester
9 hours research per week 84 hours per semester

Total: 312 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 European Classical Theorists
Week 3 The Chicago School & Urban Sociology
Week 4 Marxism and Critical Theory
Week 5 Black Sociology
Week 6 Feminist Challenges to Sociology
Week 7 Post-structuralism
Week 8 Structurationist Paradigms
Week 9 Sociology in Australia
Week 10 Sociology in Asia
Week 11 Globalisation
Week 12 Concluding Thoughts

Small Group Discovery Experience

In each seminar students will work in groups of up to 6 students, to complete small group discussion exercises that require collecting information (from course materials and other sources), analysing problems, debating issues and making recommendations. They will share the results of their discussion with the rest of the class. The tutor will be available for assistance on request, and will work closely with at least one small group each week to provide further expertise, encouragement and guidance.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

ASSESSMENT TASK	TASK TYPE	WEIGHTING	COURSE LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
2500 word book review	Formative and Summative	20%	1, 2, 4
Individual presentation	Formative and Summative	15%	1,2
3500 critical essay	Summative	35%	1,3,4
Weekly Quizzes based on readings & lectures	Formative and Summative	20%
Seminar attendance & particicipation	Formative and Summative	10%	1,2,3,4

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.
1. The weighting for Individual Presentations has been reduced to 10%.
2. Weekly Quizzes now have a weighting of 25%.
3. Seminar attendance and participation is now conducted via Zoom and still has a weighting of 10%.

Assessment Detail

Book Review: students will be given a choice of key sociological texts and will be required to write a 2500 word review encompassing key arguments and critical reflections on the limitations – 20% weighting.

Weekly Quizzes: Students will be required to complete a quiz each week. Quizzes will be based on weekly set readings and weekly lectures - 20% weighting.

Seminar attendance & participation: Students are required to attend weekly seminars during which they will work in groups to complete small group discussion exercises that require collecting information, analysing problems, debating issues and making recommendations – 10% weighting.

Individual Presentation: Students will choose a topic to present in the seminar – 15% weighting.

Critical Essay: Students will be required to write a research essay from a list of available topics to be circulated – 35% weighting.

Submission

The two written assignments are to be submitted electronically via MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator