Sociology (SOCI) 437

Overview

The main objective of this course is to show students how social theory may be relevant to their own lives. Social theory can often help us clarify and sharpen our understanding of the social world in which we live. This is because social theory can help us place personal situations and private experiences into a much broader social picture.

Objectives

When you have completed this course, you should be able to:

1. demonstrate familiarity with some of the major traditions of contemporary social theory.
2. analyze each of the major theoretical traditions in terms of its basic assumptions, key concepts, main arguments and major representatives.
3. analyze each of the major theoretical traditions as discourses, polemics, and as guides to action.
4. critically evaluate each of the major theoretical traditions in terms of their interpretive and explanatory strengths and weaknesses.
5. apply some of the key concepts and main arguments of each theoretical tradition to your social worlds and personal life experiences.
6. analyze any social theory in terms of its domain assumptions.
7. take into account the socio-historical background associated with the growth of any particular social theory.
8. trace the intellectual genealogy of the ideas associated with any particular social theory.
9. distinguish some of the openly espoused theories publicly used in our society from the more taken-for-granted theories used in our private lives.
10. show the relevance of social theory to your own life experiences.

Evaluation

To receive credit for SOCI 437, you must submit all the required course assignments and complete them to the satisfaction of your tutor, achieve a grade of "C-" 60 percent or better on the final exam and an obtain an overall course grade of at least "C-" (60 percent).

The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Other Materials

Students will access all other materials online. NOTE: There are twelve video lectures—one lecture for each unit.

Challenge for Credit Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.

Full information about Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the SOCI 437 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least C- (60 per cent) on the examination. The two part examinations are to be completed on the same day.

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form