This course has an assignment that is due by 11:55 pm Central Standard Time on Wednesday night of the first week of class. Failure to complete this assignment will result in your removal from the course for non-participation.

Henslin, James. (2017). Essentials of Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach, 12th Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 978-0-13-420558-8.

You are responsible for having your book, in your possession the first week of class.

A study of social interaction and its products; culture, personality, social groups, institutions, and social change.

Students will:

1. Learn a basic language for talking about society
2. Learn the scientific methods used in sociology, and understand the strengths and weaknesses of this kind of knowledge.
3. Learn the basic demographic characteristics of the United States.
4. Gain insight into the functioning of the five major institutions: economy, family, religion, education, and the state.
5. Understand that societies are socially constructed and contain elements of both conflict and cooperation.
6. Examine social inequality in terms of race, class, sexuality, and gender.
7. Gain a higher level of appreciation for diversity.
8. Debunk commonly-held myths about American society.