Instructor: Alisa A. Bourne

Instructor Information:

Mrs. Bourne is a graduate of William Carey University and the University of Southern Mississippi. She holds a Mississippi Educator License with endorsements in Business, English, Mathematics, General Science, Social Studies, Psychology, AP World History, Counseling, and Administration.

Prior to accepting her current position as Administrator of The University of Mississippi High School, she served as the Guidance Counselor at South Pontotoc High School, and District Data and Guidance Coordinator at the Pontotoc City School District.

Contact Information:

If you have questions concerning the content of the course, you may contact the instructor directly using the email link in the "Communications & Tools" tab. NOTE: Whenever sending email, please be sure to indicate your Course title and number in the subject line (ie, Sociology.).

Communication is a very important component to success in the online environment. Under Communications & Tools, you will find the email system. The Blackboard email system is your tool to stay in contact with me. It is extremely important that you check your Blackboard email each time you logon to your course, and you need to reply to my email message so that I will know your current status in the course. If you have questions, donít hesitate to email me. I will try my best to help.

Course Description:

Sociology engages in the study of people and their lives in groups. This course examines how people behave in groups and how interaction shapes both individual and group behaviors. The analysis of the rules, organizations, and value systems that enable people to live together will also be an area of emphasis.

Required Textbook:

Introduction to Sociology 2e from OpenStax
Print ISBN 1938168410, Digital ISBN 1947172263
www.openstax.org/details/introduction-sociology-2e

Good news: your textbook for this class is available for free online! If you prefer, you can also get a print version at a very low cost. Your book is available in web view and PDF for free. You can also choose to purchase on iBooks or get a print version from OpenStax on Amazon.com. You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended – the responsive design works seamlessly on any device. If you by on Amazon, make sure you use the link on your book page on openstax.org so you get the official OpenStax print version. (Simple printouts sold by third parties on Amazon are not verifiable and not as high-quality.)

The .pdf version of each chapter of your required textbook is available for download in this course.

Course Objectives include (but are not limited to):

• Explain the development of sociology as a scientific field of study and the methods used by sociologists to study human social systems.
• Evaluate the role of culture throughout the world.
• Apply theories on life cycle development to explain differences in social interactions and relationships at different points in the life cycle of a human being based on cultural socialization in response to those developmental changes.
• Examine human behaviors that deviate from social norms including antisocial behavior, violence, criminal activity, and rehabilitative strategies, and the effectiveness.
• Appraise the role of group dynamics on the behavior of an individual and the impact of group dynamics on the effectiveness and efficiency of work groups in commercial, governmental, and non-profit organizations.
• Describe theories and processes related to human social networks.
• Breakdown the economic and social factors that play a role in socioeconomic stratification.
• Describe the methods by which individuals and groups establish and maintain a sense of identity and their impacts.
• Describe the roles of various social institutions on maintaining societal norms.
• Analyze the impacts of various forms of significant social change on society.

Course Outline:

This course consists of 5 instructional units. NOTE: you must pass the Syllabus and Orientation Quiz for the course materials to appear on the Lessons page.

Grading Scale:

93 - 100% = A
85 - 92% = B
75 - 84% = C
70 - 74% = D
Below 69% = F

The grading format is as follows:

Minor Grades: 50% (Discussion, Journals, and Labs) 
Major Grades: 30% (Quizzes)
Exams: 20% (Proctored Exams)