Sociological Foundations
36 hours
One Semester or term
Online
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
This unit provides students with an introduction to the foundations of the discipline of sociology. Successful completion of this unit will prepare students to undertake study in the discipline at more advanced levels through their understanding of the sociological imagination and central sociological theories as applied to a range of current events and issues.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply a sociological perspective to the social world around them
- Identify and differentiate between the major theoretical perspectives employed by sociologists
- Define and use a range of key sociological concepts to appraise the ways in which social processes and social structures shape individuals and groups in contemporary society
- Discuss and critique published work and communicate this through informed written argument
- Undertake successful library-based research
- Identify and utilise the referencing style required by this discipline
Teaching methods
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Class | 1.00 | 4 weeks | 4 |
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.17 | 12 weeks | 146 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Individual | 45% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Test | Individual | 35% | 2,3 |
| Written Assignment | Individual | 20% | 1,3,4,5,6 |
Content
- Sociology, the Sociological Imagination and Social Stratification
- Society and Culture
- Sociological Theory and Methods
- Class
- Ethnicity, Race and Racism
- Gender, Sex and Sexuality
- Family
- Health
- Environment
- Media
- Globalisation and Neoliberalism
- Putting Sociology into Practice
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.