SOCIOLOGY PRACTICUM – SOCI 4901 - 25030

Dr. Karen Beasley Young, Professor

TR 3:35pm – 4:50pm ROOM U-327

Email:

Office: Clayton Hall T-105C Phone: 678/466-4854

Office Hours: TR 7:45am – 8:15am & 11:15am – 1:45pm

and by appointment

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the DisabilityResourcesCenter, StudentCenter 255, (678) 466-5445,

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Sociology Practicum is the place where it all comes together. Theoretically, everything you’ve ever learned during your course of study as a Sociology major should be demonstrated and integrated into your understanding, in your work and in your academic performance in this class. Hence, this is the reason it is designed to be taken in the very last semester that you are a Sociology undergraduate student and the semester in which you will graduate with the Sociology degree. The course expects you to draw heavily on your ability to apply and use critical thinking skills, excellent discussion skills, competent facilitation skills, and excellent scholarly research and writing skills as you apply the knowledge you have gained in your sociology major and in your liberal arts education here at Clayton State. The course is also designed to be reflective in nature and integrative in practice. This means that it will allow for and expect you to reflect back on your experiences and knowledge as a Sociology major while at the same time look forward in using this knowledge and these experiences as a springboard into your future and what life might look like for you beyond graduation. This is the true meaning of a “capstone” course or “senior seminar” course.

As a result, this capstone course will function much like a graduate seminar where, instead of being taught by the instructor, you will have the responsibility of teaching, facilitating discussion, learning, critiquing yourself and others, and conducting your own scholarly research, while at the same time engaging your peers and classmates in this process. The professor is here to guide you, push you, challenge you in your critical thinking abilities, and attempt to stretch your potential as much as humanly possible. At the end of this process you should have a clear understanding of the way in which your journey through the world of sociology has influenced, affected, changed or made stronger your values, your concept of self and others, and your views about life in general from a local, regional, national and global perspective.

NOTEBOOK COMPUTER REQUIREMENT: Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student’s academic program. Students will sign a statement attesting to such access. For further information on CSU’s Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to http:itpchoice.clayton.edu/policy.htm.

COMPUTER SKILL PREREQUISITES:

  • Ability to use the WindowsTM operating system.
  • Ability to use a Microsoft WordTM word processing program.
  • Ability to send and receive e-mail using the OutlookTM or Outlook ExpressTM program.
  • Ability to attach and retrieve attached files via email.
  • Ability to use a Web browser.

IN CLASS USE OF STUDENT NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS:

Student notebook computers will not be used in the classroom in this course. Computers will be required to access course materials,to access scholarly research material, to communicate with your instructor, and to communicate with your classmates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Department Office:Arts & Sciences Clayton Hall Room T-211

Department Phone:678/466-4605

Department Assistant:Pam Healan

If you need to get in touch with me outside of scheduled office hours, please email me or call me at (678) 466-4854 and leave me an email or voice mail message. I generally check my email and voicemail messages several times a day and I will make an effort to get back to you within 24 hours.

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

NO EXTRA-CREDIT WILL BE OFFERED OR ACCEPTED FOR THIS CLASS!! Please respect this policy as its purpose is to honor fairness to all students in the course. Grading will be done on a numerical scale during the semester, with a final letter grade determined at the end of the course. Each graded item has been given a point value, and the total points earned will determine your letter grade according to the scale below.

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:

Children, even those who are quiet and well behaved, are not allowed in class due to university policy and because they are a potential distraction to anyone present. Not only that, but it is unfair to other parents in the class who have children but went to the trouble to arrange childcare. Students bringing children to any class period will not be allowed to stay and attend class, but must leave immediately.

Also, please do not hold conversations with classmates whenever the professor or another student is speaking. Your undivided attention in class is a must particularly because an atmosphere of mutual respect is in order. PLEASE NOTE: the professor reserves the right to request a student to leave if his or her behavior seems inappropriate and disrespectful. Please turn your cell phones to off or silent… and, please, no texting during class, and no computer/internet surfing during class as well!!

The Professor reserves the right to make additions, deletions or changes to any part of this syllabus at any time during the semester.

MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORT

The mid-term grade in this course will be issued between 2/24 & 3/3 and will reflect a portion of the entire course grade. Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of “W”. Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form available in the Office of the Registrar and March 3rd is the last day to withdraw without penalty.

CLAYTONSTATEUNIVERSITY ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

ClaytonStateUniversity is a community of scholars which emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work and any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. The most common forms of academic misconduct are cheating and plagiarism. All instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will result in a grade of zero for the work involved. All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Life/Judicial Affairs. Judicial procedures are described at: