Social problems

CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY

COURSE SYLLABUS –FALL, 2013
SOCI 2420
SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Dr. Rodger Bates, Professor

100% ONLINE

Email: Rodgerbates@clayton.edu

Website: http://a-s.clayton.edu/rbates

Office: Phone: 678/466-4647

Office Hours: M, W 9:00 – 10:30 AM, Fayette Campus

T- 109B 10:00 -12:00 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM and by appointment,

Main Campus
Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 214, (770) 961-3719, disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.
Mission of the University
Clayton State University provides an intellectually challenging, culturally rich learning environment, encouraging all students to take advantage of the outstanding educational and career opportunities provided for residential and commuter students from a diverse range of ethnic, socioeconomic, experiential and geographical backgrounds. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs of superior quality taught by professionally active teaching faculty committed to promoting academic excellence. University programs and services are informed and guided by the following essential considerations:

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  recognizing and responding to the increasingly complex global context of contemporary life;
  
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  promoting community-based, experiential learning to create enduring and meaningful connections between education and other aspects of life;
  
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  encouraging and providing opportunities for continuous education and growth; and
  
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  developing an understanding of advanced applications of modern technology.
  

Clayton State University promotes excellence in teaching, research, and service to the people and the State of Georgia, the nation, and the international community. University graduates communicate effectively, think critically, learn and work collaboratively, demonstrate competence in their chosen field, and posses the capability of adapting to changing circumstances and new challenges. Clayton State University students are encouraged to develop an individually compelling sense of social and civic responsibility, community leadership and service to society.

SOCIOLOGY 2420 - An in-depth study of major social problems including population, hunger, drug use, science and technology and poverty.

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  Ability to use the Windows^TM operating system.
  
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  Ability to use a Microsoft Word^TM word processing program.
  
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  Ability to send and receive e-mail using the Outlook^TM or Outlook Express^TM program.
  
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  Ability to use Georgia View.
  
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  Ability to attach and retrieve attached files via email.
  
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  Ability to use a Web browser.
  

This is a 100% online course. Students must have ongoing computer and internet access.

Required text: Kendall, D. (2013)

There are required video lectures available for each chapter covered in this course. They are available through Georgia View and can be accessed through the web-site for this class. A series of supplemental videos are also available for most chapters and are required viewing. Viewing of videos is best done through Firefox, Safari or Chrome.

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

Students are expected to participate in all class assignments and activities. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through their course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of their courses, determine what effects excused and unexcused absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades.

This is a 100% online course. Students must complete the course pre-test and syllabus quiz by no later than Aug. 16. Students not completing these requirements may be dropped from the course as a NO SHOW.

Without a valid excuse, a grade of zero points will be assigned for missed work or deadlines. Any make-up examinations must be scheduled prior to the regularly scheduled exam date. If that is not possible, then it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor ASAP to arrange for a make-up examination with a valid and documented excuse. No make-ups will be allowed for quizzes.

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   There will be two examinations and a Final Examination. The exams will be a combination multiple choice and true/false questions. The examination will not be cumulative, except the final examination which will have a cumulative component. PLEASE DO NOT MISS THEM. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF EXTREME ILLNESS AND UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, NOTHING CAN BE MADE UP UNLESS ARRANGED IN ADVANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO CLASS.
   

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   There will be quizzes on most chapters in your text. Missed quizzes, for whatever reason, will not be rescheduled.
   

4. Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student

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   All quizzes and examinations will be taken online..
   

Please review the Netiquette program for online instruction on the course home page.

As course instructor, I will be available during the posted Office Hours and by appointment. I also will review my Course E-Mail at least every other day and will respond to student emails normally within 48 hours. Examinations will normally be graded and posted within three (3) working days. All grades will be available on the Course Web-Site when posted. Final grades, however, will only be available from the Office of the CSU Registrar.

Clayton State University is a community of scholars which emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work and any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. The most common forms of academic misconduct are cheating and plagiarism. All instances of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for the work involved. All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Life/Judicial Affairs. Judicial procedures are described at:

The final grade in this is based upon a student’s performance on the syllabus quiz (10 pts.), 12 chapter quizzes(120 pts.), the two examinations (200 pts.) and the Final Examination (125 pts.) and 3 Discussion Posts for a total of 470 points. The following grading scale will be used:

Approximate

Grade Percentage Range Total point Range Final Grade

A 00-90% 423-470 A

B 80-89% 376-422 B

C 70-79% 329-375 C

D 60-69% 282-328 D

F 0-59% 0 - 281 F
Quizzes

There will be a series of 12 quizzes (10 pts ea./multiple choice) on most of the chapters.

Examination #1 & #2 will cover a number of chapters (5), as scheduled. It will involve 100 multiple-choice questions and true/false(1 pt. ea.) questions examinations will be evaluated as a 100 point examination.

The Final Examination will involve 125 multiple choice questions (1 pt. ea.) One hundred questions will cover the chapters not previously tested and 25 questions will be comprehensive covering the full breadth of the course Final Examination will be worth 125 points. It is a 2-Part Examination.

There will be 3 discussion Posts. Discussion Post 1 is a brief personal introduction and explanation why you are taking this course. Discussion Post 2 is an explanation of a key concept or issue from the first half of the course and why you think this is important. Discussion Post 3 is an explanation of a key concept of issue from the second half of the course and why you think it is important. Discussion Posts will be graded on a 1-5 point scale based on originality and sociological relevance. The due dates are listed in the Discussion Section of the Course Content.