The Curriculum: Where Does Your Course Fit In?

Kathryn FelteyUniversity of Akronfelteyk@uakron.edu

What is the Curriculum?

“The curriculum… is not only a matter of the courses listed in the catalog; it is also, and perhaps more importantly, the structure within which those courses are arrayed.”

-- Catherine White Berheide, (2005)

Most Sociology ProgramsFor the major require:

introductory sociology theory, statistics and methods (skills)

a capstone course or experience (integration, application)

Elective credits

Internships are increasingly important

The Intro ClassGeneral Education Course

“I want to hook them... show them the discipline can be fun.... and get them to take another class!” Brian Pendleton (35 yrs)

75% of sociology majors chose Sociology because they enjoyed their first class (Spalter-Roth, et al 2010)

The Intro ClassPrerequisite for upper-level courses in Sociology a “ticket to ride” what do you want covered in Intro

for your upper-level classes?

Organizing the Curriculum

According to the ASA to provide continuity for majors, course content (across classes) should include: Research skillsTheoretical approaches Key concepts

Across Classes I always think of my classes as helping

students develop their sociological imaginations, or in other words, learning to put the course contents/topics in a broader social and historical context. I honestly haven't thought too much about how my classes fit into the sociological major at UA, but maybe I should.

--Janette Dill (1 yr)

Across Classes I try to see each course as a way of

expanding their knowledge of how (1) social inequalities and (2) socialization influence all aspects of social life. I also try to continually impress upon them that sociologists look at the social world and take what they think is "common sense" information, and transform that into meaningful and testable research questions.

--Adrianne Frech (2 yrs)

ASA – Bachelor’s & Beyond Surveys

What Leads to Student Satisfaction with Sociology Programs?

Knowledge AcquisitionAs part of your sociology major, to what extent did you learn to:

Present sociological explanations about current social issues such as crime, racism, poverty, family formation, or religion

Discuss what is meant by a social institution and give examples of their impact on individuals

Discuss basic sociological theories or theoretical orientations

Knowledge Acquisition

Explain basic concepts in sociology (including culture, socialization, institutions, or stratification)

Explain important differences in the life experiences of people as they vary by race, class, gender, age, disability, and other ascribed statuses

Identify the impact and consequences of social policy

--Senter, et al 2012

Skills AcquisitionAs part of your major, to what extent did you learn to: Use computers to find information

to develop a bibliography or a list of references

Create a hypothesis with independent and dependent variables

Use standard Use standard software packages, such as SPSS, SAS, and STATA, to analyze data

Skills Acquisition Evaluate the strengths and

weaknesses of different research methods (e.g., surveys, in-depth interviews, participant observation) for answering specific research questions

Gather information to make an argument based on evidence

Describe percentages and statistics in a two-variable table

Skills Acquisition Interpret the results of different

types of data gathering such as surveys, experiments, case studies, or other qualitative studies

Identify ethical issues in sociological research

Write a report that can be understood by non-sociologists

Skills Acquisition Graphically display data Work with people who differ in

race, ethnicity, gender, or class Use qualitative data analysis

packages, such as NVivo, Atlas.ti, or Ethnography

Write research or grant proposals

Write a résumé Make presentations using software

such as PowerPoint-- Senter, et al 2012

Specialty AreasOver one-third of sociology departments have concentrations or specialty areas. 62% in crime, law, and society 29% in social work or social services 16% in gerontology 15% in family and youth

-- Spalter-Roth and Erskine 2003

Focus on InequalitiesThe ASA recommends that all

sociology majors be exposed to courses that place a major focus on gender, racial diversity, and class inequality, as well as multi-cultural, cross-cultural, and cross-national content

-- McKinney, et al. 2004

ReferencesBerheide, Catherine White. 2005. Searching for Structure: Creating Coherence in the Sociology Curriculum. Teaching Sociology 33:1-15.Kain, Edward L. 2007. The Sociology Major at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States. Teaching Sociology 35:31-37.McKinney, Kathleen, et al. 2004. Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major Updated: Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Sociology in the Twenty-First Century. American Sociological Association, Washington DC.Senter, Mary, et al. 2012. What Leads to Student Satisfaction with Sociology Programs? American Sociological Association. http://www.asanet.org/documents/research/pdfs/Bachelors_and_Beyond_2012_Brief1_Satisfaction.pdf

References (continued)Spalter-Roth, Roberta, et al. 2010. ASA’s Bachelor’s and Beyond Survey: Findings and Their Implications for Students and Departments Teaching Sociology 38:314-329.Spalter-Roth, Roberta and William Erskine. 2003. How Does Your Department Compare? A Peer Analysis from the 2000-2001 Survey of Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Sociology. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.Sweet, Stephen and James Rothenberg. Navigating the Sociology Major. http://www.asanet.org/students/Navigating%20the%20Sociology%20Major.pdf