Can you define "culture"?
Do you know how socialization occurs?
Do you understand how conformity and deviance interact?
Do you know the mechanisms driving sexism, ageism, racial and ethnic discrimination?
Have you strong feelings on censorship and freedom of speech? Or on religion and spirituality? Or on various environmental issues?
If any (or all) of these questions interest you, then Instructor Eric Mackerson’s "Sociology 101" provides a perfect, comprehensive overview for you, regardless of age or academic background. In the course of nineteen interactive lessons, this course:
- Surveys various sociological perspectives, types of research, and cultural debates
- Examines the process of socialization
- Looks at various kinds of groups and organizations
- Delves into crime and deviance, stratification, inequality and discrimination (including ageism, gender, race, and ethnicity)
- Pores over the economy, forms of government, marriage, religion, health and environment safety, urbanization, and various social movements
By the time you complete the course, you will have developed a true "sociological imagination," having examined yourself, your society, and various others. This course requires no previous experience in any particular area, but you should read at a high school level. All course material is provided in the lessons and through numerous netlinks. No books are required.
Because enrollment is open 24/7, there's no reason to put off starting. Register today.
How do you feel when you hear or read unfamiliar "big words" about government, the environment, the economy, and various social movements?
Would you like to have something informed to say about sexism, ageism, race, ethnicity, minorities, and marriage and the family?
Do you shy away from discussing money, the economy, and social relevance? How about censorship and freedom of speech?
This comprehensive course will bring you up-to-date on all the essentials and let you dig into whatever specific areas most interest you. At the top level, you will find yourself --
- Comfortable discussing a wide range of classical and contemporary perspectives
- Seeing links between various theories and current research
- Developing a “sociological imagination,” capable of examining yourself, your own society, and those of others
- Appreciating various perspectives and cultural debates
- Understanding the process of socialization.
By looking at various groups and organizations, you will find many areas of life that you want to understand better:
- Crime, conformity, and deviance
- Stratification, inequality and discrimination
- The economy
- Various forms of government
- Marriage
- Religion
- Health and environment safety
- Urbanization
- Social movements
This course is an excellent resource for students of any age, including non-academic hobbyists and life-long learners.
The course consists of nineteen lessons:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Sociology
Lesson 2: Developing a Sociological Perspective
Lesson 3: Sociological Research
Lesson 4: Culture
Lesson 5: Socialization and the Life Cycle
Lesson 6: Social Interaction
Lesson 7: Groups and Organizations
Lesson 8: Governments, Political Power, and War
Lesson 9: Urbanization and Population
Lesson 10: Deviance, Crime, and Social Conformity
Lesson 11: Stratification, Class, and Inequality
Lesson 12: Gender and Age Inequality: Sexism and Ageism
Lesson 13: Race and Ethnic Inequality
Lesson 14: Marriage and the Family
Lesson 15: Work and Economic Life
Lesson 16: Mass Media and Education
Lesson 17: Religion and Education
Lesson 18: Health and the Environment
Lesson 19: Social Change and Social Movements
Each lesson must be completed sequentially. In order to progress to Lesson 2, you must first fully complete Lesson 1, and so on. Each lesson includes a review quiz and an assignment. Students successfully complete this course by obtaining a score of 70% or better.
The course does not require previous experience in any particular area, but you should read at the high school level. All course material is provided in the lessons and through netlinks. No books are required, but several supplementary paperback titles are recommended:
- Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings
- A Dictionary of Sociology (Oxford Paperback Reference)
If you encounter questions or areas that leave you confused, you can contact your instructor directly at any time by using the Class Email Forum under the Communications tab in the main classroom area.
Best of all, this class gives you the freedom to work at your own pace. There are no set days or times for lectures and there are many ways to get in touch with the instructor and your fellow classmates.
Enrollment is open 24/7, so register today.
