Students
SOCX1000 – Introduction to Sociology: Understanding contemporary society
2021 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Norbert Ebert
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
Life in the 21st century is politically, economically and culturally fast-changing, increasingly diverse and technology-driven. In this unit, you will discover how sociologists understand society through topics such as culture and the economy, power and politics, gender and sexuality, self and identity, family and generations, social inequality and class, religion and race. It provides you with new and exciting ways to understand the contemporary world and your place within it. The skills and perspectives you learn will help you communicate complex ideas effectively and provide you with the analytical skills and perspectives you need to successfully navigate the politics, labour markets and diverse cultures in our rapidly changing world. All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Describe key sociological concepts.
- ULO2: Demonstrate a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and vocational settings (reading and listening; critique; relational thinking; data collection and analysis; sociological observation; theoretical awareness; written and verbal expression)
- ULO3: Summarise and apply basic works of sociology to the study of contemporary life
- ULO4: Distinguish the sociological imagination from other disciplinary approaches to analysing social issues and trends
- ULO5: Apply basic social research techniques.
General Assessment Information
LATE PENALTY: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
If you are unsure whether or not you need to submit a request for Special Consideration. contact the unit convenor or your tutor before submitting it.
Special consideration requests need to be submitted through https://ask.mq.edu.au/
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation. | 20% | No | weekly |
| Quiz | 30% | No | week 4, 8 and 12 |
| final online exam | 50% | No | Week 13 (exact date & time tbc) |
Participation.
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: weekly
Weighting: 20%
Graded active participation in tutorials, evidence of reading and lecture attendance, participation in learning assistance activities. External students are graded on online discussion boards - including a weekly summary and interaction in forums
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Describe key sociological concepts.
- Demonstrate a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and vocational settings (reading and listening; critique; relational thinking; data collection and analysis; sociological observation; theoretical awareness; written and verbal expression)
- Summarise and apply basic works of sociology to the study of contemporary life
Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: week 4, 8 and 12
Weighting: 30%
Several quizzes based on readings, lectures and tutorials have to be completed
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Describe key sociological concepts.
- Demonstrate a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and vocational settings (reading and listening; critique; relational thinking; data collection and analysis; sociological observation; theoretical awareness; written and verbal expression)
- Summarise and apply basic works of sociology to the study of contemporary life
- Distinguish the sociological imagination from other disciplinary approaches to analysing social issues and trends
final online exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 13 (exact date & time tbc)
Weighting: 50%
A final online exam based on all lecture material, the readings and tutorial discussions will be set at the end of the course and delivered through iLearn and submitted through turnitin.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Describe key sociological concepts.
- Demonstrate a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and vocational settings (reading and listening; critique; relational thinking; data collection and analysis; sociological observation; theoretical awareness; written and verbal expression)
- Summarise and apply basic works of sociology to the study of contemporary life
- Distinguish the sociological imagination from other disciplinary approaches to analysing social issues and trends
- Apply basic social research techniques.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
All resources needed to complete this unit are available through or can be accessed via iLearn.
Online tutorials will be on Zoom for which we will post a link on iLearn.
For F2F tutorials, please check timetables to make sure you know the correct tutorial time and room.
If you are an OUA student we recommend you join one of the online tutorials on Zoom. Alternatively we will set up a weekly discussion forum where you can participate in writing.
Unit Schedule
A detailed outline of weekly topics can be found on iLearn.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2021.04 of the Handbook