Students

SOCX1000 – Introduction to Sociology: Understanding contemporary society

2024 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Norbert Ebert
norbert.ebert@mq.edu.au
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 Assessment Submission Penalty 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all non-timed written assessments (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc) is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams/quizzes, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Participation. 20% No weekly
Quiz 30% No 17/03/2024 & 14/04/2024
final online exam 50% No 02/06/2024

Participation.

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: weekly
Weighting: 20%

 

Graded active participation: 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: 25 hours
Due: 17/03/2024 & 14/04/2024
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: 02/06/2024
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, recodings and reading materials will be available via iLearn.

Unit Schedule

 

SOCI1000 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY: UNDERSTANDING CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Wk 1

23/02/2024

Lectures and tutorials start in week 1

Wk 2

01/03/2024

all lecture are held on Friday mornings 9am in 29WW T1 in-person. Recodings will become availablbe about 30 minutes after the lectures have finsihed.

Wk 3

08/03/2024

 

Wk 4

15/03/2024

Quiz 1 10%

Wk 5

22/03/2024

 

Wk 6

29/03/2024

 

Wk 7

05/04/2022

 

Wk 8

12/04/2024

Quiz 2 20%

 

19/04/2024

Mid-session break

 

26/04/2024

Mid-session break

Wk 9

03/05/2024

 

Wk 10

10/05/2024

 

Wk 11

17/05/2024

 

Wk 12

24/05/2024

 

Wk 13

31/05/2024

Final quiz / test 50%

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:

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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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 2024.01 of the Handbook