Syllabus Checklist Snapshot
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 1 Introduction to Sociology (SOCI 1301- 2A1) INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Thadius A. Batiste, M.A. Email: tabatiste@lit.edu Phone: 409-247-0074 Office Location: Technology Center Office Hours: M-TR: 09:00 AM – 11:00 AM(Online) CREDIT 3 semester credit hours (3 hours lecture, 0 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: Complete the Online Orientation and answer yes to 7+ questions on the Online Learner Self-Assessment: http://www.lit.edu/depts/DistanceEd/OnlineOrientation/OOStep2.aspx. Course Description The scientific study of human society, including ways in which groups, social institutions, and individuals affect each other. Causes of social stability and social change are explored through the application of various theoretical perspectives, key concepts, and related research methods of sociology. Analysis of social issues in their institutional context may include topics such as social stratification, gender, race/ethnicity, and deviance. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Compare and contrast the basic theoretical perspectives of sociology. 2. Identify the various methodological approaches to the collection and analysis of data in sociology. 3. Describe key concepts in sociology. 4. Describe the empirical findings of various subfields of sociology. 5. Explain the complex links between individual experiences and broader institutional forces. Core Objective 1. Critical Thinking: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. 2. Communication: To include the effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 2 3. Social Responsibility: To include the intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Required Textbook and Materials 1. Conerly, T. R., Holmes, K., & Tamang, A. L. (2021). Introduction to Sociology 3e. Houston, TX: OpenStax. https://www.oercommons.org/courses/openstax-4/view 2. Access to media/video files via YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc. 3. A laptop, computer, tablet, or iPad, and consistent and reliable internet access. Course Outline I. Welcome to Sociology a. Overview of Materials b. Definitions and objectives II. An Introduction to Sociology in The Global Age a. The Sociological Perspective or Imagination i. The Changing Nature of the Social World – and Sociology. ii. Thinking about and researching the Social World – classical sociological theory, theorist, and sociological research. 1. Culture – Material and Nonmaterial 2. Socialization and Interaction – The process of learning to be human 3. Organizations, Societies, and The Global Domain – Groups in Society III. Social Groups and Social Problems in Society a. Deviance and Crime – Shifting Definitions of Deviance. b. Social Stratification in the United States and Globally – Rankings of Property, Power and Prestige c. Race and Ethnicity – Recognizing Racism in Society d. Gender and Sexuality – Gender Diversity, Femininities and Masculinities, Sexuality IV. Social Institutions a. Families b. Education and Religion c. Politics and the Economy d. The Body, Medicine, Health and Health Care e. Population, Urbanization, and The Environment V. Social Change, Social Movements, and Collective Actions ASSESSMENT: 1) Exams & Quizzes: Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the material through quizzes and examinations. There are three quizzes and two exams in this course, which consist of true or false and multiple-choice questions. Quizzes are worth 50 points, and exams are worth 100 points. 2) Discussion Board: Students will have 5 discussion posts that they will be required to complete throughout the semester. Discussions board requirements in this course consist of a minimum of 250 words, one in-text reference properly cited and listed
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 3 after the discussion in APA format. Please Note: you must respond to two student discussions in complete sentences after making your initial post and you must cite your work in the initial post. All discussion posts are to be cited in proper APA format along with the listed reference(s). (Wikipedia is NOT a valid source!). All assignments will be due by 11:59 PM on the due date. 3) Research Paper: Students will write a two to three-page essay on their background history (upbringing, family history, culture, etc.), their current major/area of focus at LIT, and their career aspirations, in addition to describing the reason(s) as to why they chose the course. Regarding the research paper, I am looking for the following things in the paper: a description of your background (your cultural upbringing), your career goals and aspirations after completing your studies at LIT, and a description of how and why a sociology course such as this one is important in your career and life outside of LIT. When working on the paper, please think about the sociological imagination and how each person’s sociological imagination differs from person to person, culturally, geographically, and from generation to generation. Questions you should ask yourself and answer when writing this paper include: Who raised you? Are you the oldest, middle child, or the youngest/only child? Were you adopted? What values were instilled in your household? Who planted the seed to pursue higher education? What is your major/area of focus? Where do you plan to work? What type of people do you anticipate working with? How will this course improve, modify, challenge and/or change your world view about the people and world around you? Please keep in mind that ALL of these sources MUST be cited properly in the paper and given proper credit as well as being properly listed in APA format on the “References Page”. 4) Extra Credit: Extra credit assignments provide an opportunity to add points to student’s overall total via projects assigned specifically by the professor. Assignments include but are not limited to typed summaries of journal articles relevant to class discussions, submitting a typed, one-page paper on a subject selected by the professor (social justice, discrimination, ageism, etc.) as it relates to the course, and/or other opportunities as they arise. ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance in this course is strongly encouraged and necessary to be successful in any course. Since sociology is a shared learning experience better suited for groups, class discussions, online discussion boards, and additional assignments (if applicable), will make up a significant portion of one’s participation and attendance in the course. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 4 prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class. COURSE CALENDAR SOCI 1301: Introduction to Sociology, Professor Thadius Batiste, MAY MINI 2026 DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due for the Week) Discussion Board (Due on this Date by 11:59 PM) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date by 11:59 PM) 05/18 MAY MINI SEMESTER BEGINS! Introduction & Sociological Research Course Syllabus, Welcome Announcement, Download the PDF Version of the Textbook Chapters 1 & 2 None Syllabus Quiz (05/18/26) 05/19 Culture Chapter 3 Discussion Board #1: Introduction (05/19/26) QUIZ #1 (05/19/26) 05/20 Society and Social Interaction Chapters 4 Discussion Board #2: Culture (05/20/26) None 05/21 Socialization Chapters 5 Discussion Board #3: Socialization (05/21/26) None 05/22 None None None EXAM #1 (05/22/26)
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 5 05/26 Groups and Organization, Deviance and Crime, & Media and Technology Chapters 6-8 None QUIZ #2 (05/26/26) 05/27 Social Stratification, Global Inequality, & Race and Ethnicity Chapters 9-11 Discussion Board #4: Deviance (05/27/26) Sociology in Everyday Life Assignment Due (05/27/26) 05/28 Gender and Sexuality, Aging, Marriage, and Family, & Religion Chapters 12-15 Discussion Board #5: Media and Technology (05/28/26) 05/29 Education, Politics, The Economy, & Health and Medicine Chapters 16-19 Complete Final Exam Study Guide and Prepare for Final Exam Research Paper Due (05/29/26) 05/30 Population, Urbanization, and the Environment & Social Movements and Social Change Chapters 20-21 None Exam #2 (FINAL EXAM) (05/30/26) Course Evaluation Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: 1. Quizzes/ Exams 53% 2. Discussions 26% 3. Research Paper 21% Grade Scale 90 – 100 A 80 – 89 B 70 – 79 C 60 – 69 D 0 – 59 F
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 6 LIT does not use +/- grading scales Course Policies 1. No food, drinks, or use of tobacco products in class. 2. Cell phones, pagers, earbuds, and other electronic devices must be turned off placed at the lowest possible noise level (silenced) while in class. 3. Earbuds, headphones, beats should not be worn in class. 4. Children are not allowed in class. 5. If you wish to drop a course, the student is responsible for initiating and completing the drop process. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an ‘F’ in the course. 6. No late work. In the case of a documentable emergency beyond the student’s control, make-up work may be accepted solely at the professor’s discretion. 7. Discussion board assignments will have a courtesy of up to two days beyond listed due date to post assignments without penalty. 8. Make up work for quizzes, exams, additional assignments, and extra credit are solely at the discretion of the professor. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students found to be committing academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or collusion) may receive disciplinary action. Students need to familiarize themselves with the institution’s Academic Dishonesty Policy available in the Student Catalog & Handbook at http://catalog.lit.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=80#academic-dishonesty. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or Wi-Fi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 7 Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. INSTRUCTOR STATEMENT ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE As your instructor in this sociology course, it is imperative to acknowledge the state of higher education regarding the use of AI in the classroom. I believe that if used ethically and responsibly, AI can truly help enrich and revolutionize one’s educational journey. If a student decides to utilize AI technology and/or software, the method and manner of said usage must be documented in terms of providing the name of the tool, the date of access, the URL, and the assignment you selected to create your response of answer. Remember that you are responsible for any mistake made by the software and that the first incident of academic integrity or dishonesty will result in a zero on the assignment with the option to resubmit it, which is at the discretion of the instructor. The second offense would result in a zero on the assignment without the option to correct the offense. The third offense would result in an F in the course and a meeting with the Department Chair of General Studies and Developmental Education. Please make sure to properly cite your source as well in the references section of your assignment(s). STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. COMMUNICATION POLICIES Emails will be returned as soon as possible during regular working hours, typically within 48 hours. Please note that I do not check emails on weekends or after office hours. When emailing, include your name, course, and section number (e.g., SOCI 1301. 2A1) and use proper email etiquette. I will not respond to emails from personal accounts due to FERPA guidelines or to emails that are demanding or disrespectful. While voice messages may be left on my office phone, email is the preferred method of communication for timely responses.
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 8 Assignments must be submitted by the due date unless a valid excuse is provided and approved in advance. Participation is required and includes discussion board assignments, in-class discussions, group activities, and research. Always maintain proper etiquette when interacting with classmates in discussion boards to foster a respectful and productive environment. Before emailing, please review the syllabus and class announcements to ensure your question has not already been addressed. For urgent matters, consider speaking with me during office hours or before or after class. Adhering to these guidelines will help ensure clear and effective communication. CLASS ETIQUETTE POLICY Respect and professionalism are crucial in this course. All interactions, whether with the instructor or other students, should reflect courtesy and mutual respect. This includes maintaining professionalism when sending emails. There may be opportunities where we discuss current governmental decisions, but disrespectful behavior, intolerance, or judgment will not be tolerated. We are here to learn, not to judge. We must respect each other’s opinions, even if we disagree. Discriminatory or harassing comments based on race, gender, religion, or sex are strictly prohibited. The instructor has full discretion when addressing disruptive or intolerant behavior. Consequences can range from a verbal warning to an administrative drop from the course. Any student deemed disruptive will be reported to the department chair. If a student engages in extreme behavior or makes threatening comments, they will be immediately reported to administration and security personnel. Let’s maintain a positive and respectful environment for all. LATE WORK POLICY Timely submission of assignments is essential for success in this course. Late work will not be accepted except in cases of documented emergencies or extenuating circumstances approved by the instructor. All assignments must be submitted by the stated deadline in the syllabus or as announced in class. Late submissions will not be graded unless prior arrangements have been made, or an emergency has been promptly communicated and documented. Technical difficulties, such as computer crashes or internet issues, are not considered valid reasons for late work. It is your responsibility to plan accordingly and allow extra time for unforeseen challenges. In cases of illness or family emergencies, late work may be considered at the instructor’s discretion, but it requires immediate communication with the instructor and appropriate documentation, such as a doctor’s note. For late work submissions, a 10-point penalty will be applied to all assignments submitted after the five-day grace period. Any work submitted more than five days after the original deadline will receive a grade of zero. Please note that late assignments may take longer to grade, and feedback may be delayed as a result. It is crucial that all sources used in your assignments are properly cited in APA format, including references to textbooks, articles, and online resources. Failure to provide appropriate citations or references will result in a loss of points and may lead to academic integrity concerns. Ensure that you list all references used in your work to maintain proper academic standards.
SOCI 1301 COURSE SYLLABUS 9 NOTE: To avoid losing points, manage your time effectively, communicate any potential issues with me before the deadline, and submit your assignments early to account for possible technical difficulties. Assignments will only be accepted through Blackboard unless otherwise specified. Additionally, all assignments must be completed and submitted as a Microsoft Word document. Following these practices will help ensure a smooth and successful course experience. STUDENT CONCERNS AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION If you have any concerns or complaints during this course, please follow the chain of command outlined below to ensure your issue is addressed promptly and appropriately: 1) Instructor: Your first point of contact should be your instructor. They are available to discuss any issues related to the course content, assignments, or classroom environment. (If your instructor has not responded to your email in a timely manner, please proceed to send a complimentary email to follow up. 2) Program Director/Lead Faculty: If your concern is not resolved after speaking with your instructor, please contact their Program Director or Lead Faculty. They can provide additional support and mediation. 3) Department Chair: Should the issue remain unresolved, your complaint will be escalated to the Department Chair. The Chair's office is equipped to handle more serious or persistent issues.