Social Stratification and Campus Community Engagement Syllabus

Abstract

This course blends the academic study of Social Stratification with an applied on-campus observational research project.  The goal of the project is for students to make recommendations for reducing social inequalities on campus.  While this syllabus focuses primarily on social class, gender, ethnic, and racial stratification, the course can be adapted...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Stratification/Mobility

Resource Type(s):

Syllabus

Class Level(s):

College 300, College 400

Class Size(s):

Medium, Small

Usage Notes

This course is an upper-division undergraduate course primarily for Sociology majors, though non-majors also enroll.  While many students are interested, learning about the social reproduction of inequality is often frustrating (Coghlan and Huggins 2004). To address this, the course asks students to blend this academic experience with on-campus...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Identify and discuss core concepts concerning gender, class, and racial/ethnic stratification
2. Describe micro and macro-level forces that prevent / enable change in systems of social stratification
3. Evaluate and describe the methods used to produce data and scholarship on social stratification
4. Collect and document observational and/or secondary social stratification data
5. Apply insights from the first three learning objectives to our campus community through blending academic engagement and on-campus experiences
6. Justify research-based solutions to improve the campus community

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Knowledge of core concepts is assessed across three exams, primarily through multiple choice questions.
2. Descriptions of social forces affecting stratification systems are assessed through essay questions across three exams. Some multiple choice questions also assess this area.
3. Knowledge and evaluations of research methods is assessed through multiple choice questions on exams as well as Journals, a Mid-Term Paper, and a Final Paper.
4. Collection and documentation of data is assessed through Journals and the Final Paper.
5. Application of course content to the campus community is assessed through the Final Paper.
6. Justifications for improvement of the campus community are assessed through the Final Paper.