Social Problems Syllabus

Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

S SYG 2010 Social Problems

Indian River State College

CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus
Office:
A-105 (St. Lucie West Pruitt Campus)
Office Hours: As Posted
Phone:
(772) 336-6203
Email:
fcorrodu@irsc.edu

COURSE INFORMATION
Required Text:
D. Stanley Eitzen & M. Baca Zinn. Social Problems, 13th Ed, Pearson Education, Inc, 2014.
Course Overview:
The primary goal of this class is to increase students awareness of contemporary social problems.
The focus will be on crime, poverty, drug abuse, terrorism as well as the problems associated with
health care, education, and the growth of corporate America.
Course Description:
The course is designed to promote a better understanding of contemporary society by applying
different sociological perspectives to societys problems. This process will help students to:
go to the source of contemporary social problems
analyze the social conditions and factors that are likely to contribute to the emergence and
persistence of these problems and be able to come up with possible solutions.
Course Objectives:
To analyze the source of contemporary social problems.
To apply existing sociological perspectives to everyday problems.
To assess the impact of social factors on personal issues.
To come up with possible solutions to contemporary social problems.
Learning Outcomes
Describe a wide range of global, social and cultural points of view and apply various perspectives to
analyze human behavior.
1.
2.

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the sociological imagination and its
relation to individual behavior.
Students will be able to apply the sociological imagination to various cultures and social

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

3.
4.
5.

structures.
Students will be able to apply the major theoretical perspectives of sociology to contemporary
social issues.
Students will be able to identify the various research methods used to collect data about
contemporary social issues.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impact of sociological factors such
as race, gender, social class, ethnicity, and educational level on life chances.

Teaching Strategies

This course will use a variety of teaching strategies including the assignment of
required readings and homework, the administration of exams and quizzes, class
notes on important chapter content, and small group activities. During group
activities and out of class assignments, students will be required to apply their
knowledge to instruction-related issues.
*Warning: This course may expose you to theories, ideas, and viewpoints that may be different from
those with which you agree. If this happens, Don't Get Mad! Think!
The book and my lectures are intended to stimulate thinking. I do not expect you to agree with
everything. I do expect you to think and to explore the general topics and their implications. It is my
hope that, if you consider yourself a conservative you will use this opportunity to read books
and articles from a liberal perspective, and if you are a liberal, to read books and articles from a
conservative perspective. We seldom learn from hearing only the viewpoints we already agree with.
There is no official line or position in this class. There are no truths I expect you to learn. I expect
you to think, take positions and be able to defend those positions using theory, research and practice. In
other words, there are no sacred texts. You should draw upon experience, reason, and perhaps,
traditions in the discipline of sociology. Dare to think, analyze, evaluate, and extrapolate.
Student Contribution to Classroom Discussions

Each student is expected to contribute to the content of the course by sharing articles, book chapters,
etc. that comply with the course objectives.
Active participation is important in the Course Forum. Please share with me and the class feedback
from your Internet and Textbook Reading assignments.
You are expected to use the Internet resources included in the activity section of your text to
improve your understanding of sociology.
Students are expected to make a minimum of one (1) contribution to the discussion every week.
These contributions may be brief but they must be a substantive contribution to the topic under
discussion and reflect the quality of discourse characteristic of a college student.

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

Americans with Disabilities Act

Students with disabilities who need academic accommodation should: (1) register
with and provide documentation to Student Disability Services; (2) speak to the
instructor to confirm receipt of SDS email and indicate the provided
accommodations you will use. This should be done during the first week of class .

Academic Honor Code

Students attending Indian River State College are expected to uphold the highest
standards of academic integrity. These standards are based on the premise that
each student has the responsibility (1) to uphold the highest standards of
academic integrity in the students own work, (2) to refuse to tolerate violations of
academic integrity in the college community, and (3) to foster a high sense of
integrity and responsibility on the part of the college community. Reported
infractions will be discussed privately with the student(s). If it is determined that
someone has violated these standards, that person(s) will earn 0 points for that
assignment. Violations may be reported to the Vice-President of Student Affairs
for possible disciplinary action.
http://www.irsc.edu/uploadedFiles/Admissions/DatesandDeadlines/StudentHandbook(2).pdf (p. 36-8)

Attendance
Class attendance is an integral part of the learning experience. Students are
expected to arrive for class on-time and to participate in class discussions and
activities. You will be responsible for all announcements made in class including
changes to exam and paper due dates. The instructor may reduce your final grade
by 20% if class absences become excessive (three or more absences). POSITIVE,
PRODUCTIVE, class participation will also be taken into account and may impact
your final grade.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Exams (80%)
There will be four (4) units of work (with 3-4 chapters per unit). An exam will follow each of these

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

units. Each exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions. Study questions are available in
Blackboard to help you get ready for exams.
Writing Assignment (20%)
Students will meet this requirement by writing a Term paper. Your response to the question must: 1)
be a substantive contribution to the topic under discussion; 2) reflect what you've read (concepts,
issues, theories etc...). Your answers must be typed, double-spaced and grammatically correct. Your
writing should reflect critical thinking- that is the ability to take concepts and ideas learned in the
classroom and apply them to real world problems and experiences, etc...). Your answer sources
must be your assigned textbook, another current Social Problems text or any professional
sociology journal.
Directions: Choose one of these topics to write about: poverty, racism, sexism, divorce,
population problem, or crime. There are three parts to this essay. The first section of the essay
focuses on the individual. In other words, what is the role of the individual in causing or perpetuating
the particular topic you chose? The second section of your essay involves the role of societywhat role
does the larger society play in causing or perpetuating this problem? The final section of the essay
focuses on social changehow do we bring about social change on an individual or societal level to
lessen this problem?
Your paper must be a minimum of 3 complete pages. Essays must be double space, using 12 fonts,
and must be completed in Times New Roman. Your essay will be graded on the basis of content,
quantity, grammar, and adherence to good writing guidelines. Any information drawn from works
published by others must be appropriately cited within the body of your work, and then referenced as
part of a bibliography page. The essay is worth a total of 100 points and must be submitted on or before
the due date.

Class Participation
Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and come prepare for class discussions.
GRADING POLICIES
You can accumulate a total of 100pts in the class.
assessments:

The 100 points will come from the following

4 Exam (each exam is worth 20% of your

final grade)

80pts

Writing Assignment (Term paper) which is

20% of your final grade

20pts

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

TOTAL POINTS

100 pts

Grading Scale:
At the end of the semester, letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= 70-79
D= 60-69
F= 59 and below

CLASS POLICIES
Attendance: Attendance is very important and will be recorded daily. After two (2) absences you
will lose points for each additional absence (up to 20% of your final grade). Students with perfect
attendance will have points added to their final grade.
Academic honesty: A student who turns in a plagiarized paper will receive an F for his/her
work. Plagiarism includes purchasing papers written by others, cutting and pasting from websites,
and cutting and pasting while changing a few words. Any student found guilty of cheating or
plagiarism will be referred to the Academic Review Board for disciplinary action that may result in
expulsion, probation or suspension.
Make-up Exam Policy: Students who have legitimate reasons (such as participation in documented
college supported activities and documented periods of hospitalization for a life threatening
situation) for missing a regularly scheduled exam, may arrange to take the exam early or on the class
day immediately following the scheduled exam date. All other students who miss an exam can make
it up by writing a term paper from a list of topics prepared by the professor. Each term paper must be
typed on 8 x 11 papers, and double-spaced, with a minimum length of 9 pages. This paper will not
receive a grade higher than a "C". Term papers are due NO later than 10 days prior to the final exam
date. Papers submitted late will not be graded. There will be no make-up exam for the final. If
you missed the final exam, your grade for that exam will be ZERO, no exceptions.
Withdrawal & Student Assistance: If you encounter any difficulties, or if you are considering
withdrawing from the course for any reason, please contact your instructor without delay. The

Social Problems Syllabus

Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

college has many resources to help students succeed, and your instructor may be able to help you to
obtain the assistance that will allow you to complete the course successfully.
Withdrawal Deadline: The last day to withdraw from the class with a W is ------------Instructor withdrawals will NOT be given for poor academic performance or poor attendance.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this
class and for which you may require accommodations, please notify Student Disability Services.
Course Policies
1. Students are expected to have read the assigned readings and be
prepared to participate in class discussions and activities.
2. Blackboard. This is a web-assisted course. Students are expected to check
the site regularly and are responsible for all curriculum information. The
instructor will also post any changes to the schedule or assignments. Please
check the announcements frequently.
The cCell phones use is prohibited during class at IRSC. All cell phones must be et on
silent off during the class period. Any student who uses a cell phone, during class time ay be
aske may be asked to leave and may be considered absent for that class. No student s the
right has the right to disturb the teaching and learning process.
IF

If you are experiencing difficulty in your course, your first obligation

is to work directly with your instructor to resolve the issue. If you are
unable to settle your concerns with the assistance of your instructor,
you may contact the Department Chair (Dr. Dean Wagstaffe,
dwagstaf@irsc.edu), who will assist you or advise you about
contacting the Academic Dean (Dr. Bruce Fraser, bfraser@irsc.edu) or
Vice President (Dr. Anthony Iacono, aicono@irsc.edu).

Reading Assignment and EXAM Schedule

TOPIC and TEXTBOOK CHAPTER
______________________________________________________
Unit # 1
The Sociological Approach to Social Problems ..........Chapter 1

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

Wealth and Power: The Bias of the System

EXAM # 1

..

Chapter 2

_____________________________________________________________

UNIT # 2

World Population and Global Inequality

Chapter 3

Threats to the Environment

.. .
Chapter
4
Demographic Changes in the United States . Chapter 5

EXAM # 2
_______________________________________________
UNIT 3
Poverty

Race and Ethnic Inequality

Gender Inequality

Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Chapter 9

EXAM # 3
______________________________________________________
UNIT #4
Families

Education

The Healthcare System .

EXAM # 4 (FINAL)

Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17

Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

Teaching Practices
I teach because of my overwhelming desire to impart knowledge, especially in the areas of

Social Problems Syllabus

Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

Sociology and Psychology. I seek to challenge, provoke and inspire students to think, to learn, and to
change. Hence, I approach teaching as a calling and a serious responsibility to pass on to students the
skills and knowledge they need not only to improve themselves but for the improvement of others and
the society at large.
I believe that as a college professor, I must always encourage students to be active participants in
their own education. I want them to speak out on issues, to ask both the difficult and the simple
questions, and to continuously question the status quo. My students are encouraged to challenge my
lectures and the text by presenting statistical and research evidence to support or contradict materials
presented in my lectures or the text. Of course, I remain aware that more so than for many other
disciplines, in the introductory Psychology or Sociology class, the instructor does not merely educate,
he re-educates. Students bring to the Psychology or Sociology course many misconceptions, born of
exposure to "psychology" or "sociology" of the popular media, which give them a perspective that may
be quite at odds with the emphasis of the text and lecture.
Regardless of what is going on, I attempt to make my classroom a positive, contemporary haven
that exudes with energy and enthusiasm. That energy /enthusiasm is incorporated in my quest for
academic excellence. Deeply rooted in every class session is the desire to bring to students a sense of
joy in the pursuit and practice of Sociology and Psychology.
I often enjoy expressing controversial viewpoints and invite my students to engage in a dialogue
with me. By making students intellectual peers rather than "students" in discussions, I encourage the
development of self-confidence and maturity.
In addition to using lectures to convey outside information and to clarify, I attempt to
demonstrate each major concept through group activities, experiments, discussions, debates,

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

transparencies, film or video presentations, humor, current issues, personal experiences, students'
experiences and by inviting community resource persons or cultural experts to participate in the class.
Dramatization is often a vital part of my classroom presentations.
In an effort to tie the classroom experience to real life events, I have been experimenting with
different testing methods. These methods include the traditional essay and multiple choice
examinations. But instead of students writing exams as individuals, students have the option of taking
some exams in small groups of two to six persons. Students discuss each question and arrive at the
answer as a group. When the exam is returned by the instructor, students again work in groups to
understand why incorrect answers were turned in and how to explore alternatives. Students are also
assigned more group oriented out-of-class projects, the results of which students discuss with the entire
class each student becoming an "expert" of the information contained in the project. In general, my
aim in giving tests is to make testing a learning experience as well as an evaluative one.
After taking a course with me, the student should be able to honestly agree that my course
assisted in strengthening his/her ability to:
1.

Plan and achieve personal goals

2.

Organize his/her time and follow a schedule

3.

Work with others as part of a team

4.

Organize and present information including course materials

5.

Use computers/technology to obtain or to communicate information

6.

Describe how social, organizational, and technological systems work

7.

Perform effectively within a system

8.

Interpret written information

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Dr. Fontley R. Corrodus

9.

Write effectively

10.

Understand verbal information

11.

Speak effectively

12.

Solve problems by logical reasoning or mathematical techniques

13.

Accept personal responsibility for his/her work

10