Jammie Price Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice The University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Class Location and Time: SB 207, Tuesday/Thursday 12:30-1:45pm

Instructor: Jammie Price, PhD; Office SB 214H

Office Hours: Monday/Fridays, 9-11am, 1-2pm; and by appointment at other times

E-mail: pricej@uncw.edu, Phone: 962-3590

Course Web Page: http://people.uncw.edu/pricej/teaching/socialchange/index.htm

Prerequisite: SOC 105

Overview:   In this course we will explore the origins of modern society, the current trends in society, and the projected trends for the future.  We will focus on social change in the United States, although we will touch on the process of world-wide change and how this influences conditions in the United States.  Throughout each topic we will also explore the methods by which social change occurred and methods for creating social change now and in the future. 

Objective:  At the end of this semester you should be familiar with the process of social change and the significant trends that have, are, and will occur in society.  

Course Schedule:  Check this daily for schedule changes. I will revise the schedule as needed as we proceed through the semester.  

Reading Materials: 

Social Change, Fourth Edition, By Steven Vago. Prentice Hall.  1999.  Order this book on-line via any of the on-line retailers.  Amazon.com carries the book for $62 with free shipping. Prentice Hall offers it for $55.80 plus $6 shipping and handling. 

Subscribe to Futurist Update: News & Previews from the World Future Society. This is a free electronic newsletter distributed monthly to members of the World Future Society who provide their e-mail address.  (Nonmembers may also sign up for a limited, three-month subscription.)  You can subscribe by sending an e-mail message to majordomo@wfs.org with the words "subscribe futurist-update" in the body (not the subject heading) of the message.

Readings at the Library Reference Desk: I will occasionally put readings on reserve for you there, particularly towards the end of the semester when we begin discussing future social change.

Read web sites posted on the course schedule.

Attendance: I will take attendance every class period.  This will be worth 20% of your final grade.

Exams: There will be two essay exams. They will be based on lecture, course discussion, and reading material.   If you miss an exam, you may take a make-up exam at the end of the semester, during the designated final exam period.  Each exam is worth 30% of your final grade.  On the Tuesday of each exam week, I will distribute a list of essay questions from which I will select three questions for the exam.  On the Thursday of each exam week, you will answer the three questions during class. 

Group Projects:  Throughout the semester, we will work in groups to examine solutions to social problems that involve social change (nearly all social problems involve social change).  Your participation in these groups is worth 20% of your final grade.  You must be in attendance that day in order to receive participation credit.   These projects include writing an outline of your solutions and making a brief presentation to the class.  There will be a handful of rolls for you to perform such as discussion facilitator, note taker, presenter, etc.. You will rotate these rolls throughout the semester. 

Grades: At the end of the semester, I will enter the above grades into the following formula to calculate your total points:

Total Points =  Exam 1 (.30) + Exam 2 (.30) +  Group Projects (.20) + Attendance (.20)

Then I will record a final grade using the A-F point system below.    

Student Honor Code: I expect you to abide by the policies on academic integrity as set forth in Section V of the UNCW Student Handbook and Code of Student Life which prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty including any unauthorized collaboration or assistance on any text, assignment, or project.  If this code is violated, I will follow the procedures identified in the Student Handbook and Code of Student Life. 

Additional Resources: The Learning Center offers a variety of academic services to students including individual tutoring, study skills and test taking skills, and writing and reading skills.  All of these services are available to you at no cost. The Student Development Center offers a variety of services to students including stress management, counseling, and special services for students with learning disabilities. These are available to you at no cost.  If you have a disability which requires special accommodations, please let me know.  You should also seek assistance from the Office of Disability Services.