Course Syllabus

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

SYG 2010

Department of Sociology, College of Sciences

Fall 2020

 

Instructor Information 

Dr. Elzbieta Sikorska

Office: 409 F Howard Phillips Hall       

Office Phone: 407-823-2601

Office Hours:

Tuesday 11:00 pm – 12:00 pm

Thursday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

& By Appointment

E-mail: Elzbieta.Sikorska@ucf.edu

 

Course Description

This course provides an overview of major social problems from a global perspective. Special consideration is given to poverty, socio-economic inequality, discrimination, religious/ethnic hatred, political violence, refugee crisis, and environmental destruction. Students will be  learning to apply sociological concepts and theories in the analysis of current challenges facing the global community, including the United States.

 

Course Objectives

• Gain knowledge about basic concepts, analytical frameworks, and theoretical perspectives on social problems.
• Identify the key forces that give rise to social problems and factors that make people vulnerable to them.
• Learn how to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of current social problems with an emphasis on critical thinking and civic online reasoning.

Course Materials and Resources

Textbook

• JoAnn Chirico. 2019. Global Problems, Global Solutions. Prospects for a Better World.  SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.

 

Applied Learning Resources

www.bbc.com
BBC News, founded in London in 1922, is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation that is responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of international news and current affairs.

www.TheGuardian.com
The Guardian is a British news and media company founded in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian. It is part of the Guardian Media Group, owned by the Scott Trust.

www.propublica.org
ProPublica is an American non-profit newsroom based in New York City that aims to produce investigative journalism. It was established in 2010 and became the first online news source to win the Pulitzer Prize.

www.reuters.com

Reuters is an international news agency headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It was established in 1851 to report on stories of international importance.

www.ted.com/talk
TED Talks are influential videos from expert speakers on education, business, science, tech and creativity, with subtitles in 100+ languages. Ideas free to stream and download.

www.pbs.org
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American public broadcaster and television program distributor. As a nonprofit organization it provides educational television programming to public television stations in the United States.

Course Structure & Modules

This course consists of one introduction module and seven content modules. Typically, each module will open on Friday and students will have two weeks to complete the assignments (i.e., textbook readings, quizzes, and applied learning tasks). The opening and closing dates for the modules can be found on the Modules page.

To complete each module, students are required to accomplish the following:

• Thoughtfully read and study the assigned textbook material.
• Take a quiz on the assigned textbook readings.
• Complete the assigned applied learning tasks. 
• Write an essay reflecting on a social problem in the context of the assigned readings and films.

 

Graded Assignments

Students are required to complete all assignments within each module by the posted due dates. There are no extra credit assignments in this class.

Getting Started Assignments/Course Introduction Module
The Getting Stated assignments are designed to familiarize students with the course layout and requirements. They include: 1) Academic Activity Quiz; 2) Syllabus Quiz, and 3) Course Introduction Essay. 

Course Content Module Assignments
The content assignments consist of 7 quizzes and 7 applied learning tasks that are designed to guide students' understanding of global social problems in the context of real life events and current affairs.

 

Quizzes
Every content module contains one quiz on the assigned textbook readings. Each quiz consists of 15 questions (1 point per question) designed to test students’ knowledge and understanding of the concepts/themes covered in the textbook. Students will have 15 minutes to complete each quiz. They should consider devoting at least 3 hours to study prior to taking it. The total quiz score for 7 content module quizzes is 105 points (i.e., 15 points per quiz).

Applied Learning Tasks
Students will be asked to 1) to read newspaper articles and/or watch films/documentaries that illustrate problems discussed in the textbook, and 2) reflect on their content in an essay format. The essays are designed as “critical thinking exercises” to help students apply the knowledge gained from the readings to the analysis of real life situations/problems. Detailed instructions concerning each essay assignment are posted in the modules.

All essays must be submitted as Microsoft Word files through the appropriate Assignments in the course. Emailed essays will not be accepted. Each essay is worth 25 points. The total value of the 7 Content Module Essays is 175 points. The essays will be graded within 10 days after the module closing date and the scores will be posted on webcourses.

 

Final Grades

Final grades will be calculated based on the total points earned over the semester on the following assignments:

ASSIGNMENT	QUANTITY	POINTS EACH	TOTAL POINT VALUE
Getting Started  Academic Activity Quiz  Syllabus  Quiz  Introduction Essay	1 1 1	1 4 15	20
Quizzes	7	15	105
Essay Assignments	7	25	175
		TOTAL:	300

 

To receive full credit, all assignments must be completed on time and prior to the closing date. There are no due-date extensions or extra credit assignments.

Students who have questions about their grades may send me a message through the course mail (i.e., Course Mail button on the Homepage).

There are no plus and minus grades. Students who are “borderline” (no more than 1%  off a better grade) may have the quality of their assignments over the semester taken into consideration. 

 

A	270 - 300
B	240 - 209
C	210 - 239
D	180 - 209
F	179 or less

 

Other Course Policies

Make-up Assignments

Make-ups and late submissions are allowed in cases of medical emergencies, religious observances, legal obligations (such as jury duty) or other unpredictable circumstances only and they must be submitted no more than 48 hours after the assignment closing date. In these instances, students must provide relevant documentation prior to requesting a make-up assignment.

Modifications to course policies may be announced during the semester. Students are responsible for reading all course-related announcements and emails.

Required Statement Regarding COVID-19
University-Wide Face Covering Policy for Common Spaces and Face-to-Face Classes
To protect members of our community, everyone is required to wear a facial covering inside all common spaces including classrooms (https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/PolicyEmergencyCOVIDReturnPolicy.pdf. Students who choose not to wear facial coverings will be asked to leave the classroom by the instructor. If they refuse to leave the classroom or put on a facial covering, they may be considered disruptive (please see the Golden Rule for student behavior expectations). Faculty have the right to cancel class if the safety and well-being of class members are in jeopardy. Students will be responsible for the material that would have been covered in class as provided by the instructor.

Notifications in Case of Changes to Course Modality
Depending on the course of the pandemic during the semester, the university may make changes to the way classes are offered. If that happens, please look for announcements or messages in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email about changes specific to this course.

COVID-19 and Illness Notification
Students who believe they may have a COVID-19 diagnosis should contact UCF Student Health Services (407-823-2509) so proper contact tracing procedures can take place.
Students should not come to campus if they are ill, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID, or if anyone living in their residence has tested positive or is sick with COVID-19 symptoms. CDC guidance for COVID-19 symptoms is located here: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html)

Students should contact their instructor(s) as soon as possible if they miss class for any illness reason to discuss reasonable adjustments that might need to be made. When possible, students should contact their instructor(s) before missing class.

In Case of Faculty Illness
If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any alterations to this course.

Course Accessibility and Disability COVID-19 Supplemental Statement
Accommodations may need to be added or adjusted should this course shift from an on-campus to a remote format. Students with disabilities should speak with their instructor and should contact sas@ucf.edu to discuss specific accommodations for this or other courses.

 

 

Academic Integrity

The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.

http://academicintegrity.org/

 

UCF Creed: Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence are the core values that guide our conduct, performance, and decisions.

1. Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty.
2. Scholarship: I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the UCF community.
3. Community: I will promote an open and supportive campus environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual.
4. Creativity: I will use my talents to enrich the human experience.
5. Excellence: I will strive toward the highest standards of performance in any endeavor I undertake.

The following definitions of plagiarism and misuse of sources come from the Council of Writing Program Administrators <http://wpacouncil.org/node/9> and have been adopted by UCF’s Department of Writing & Rhetoric.

Plagiarism

In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.

 Misuse of Sources

A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropriately.

 Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating

UCF faculty members have a responsibility for your education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student's official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/zgrade. For more information about UCF's Rules of Conduct, see http://www.osc.sdes.ucf.edu/. 

Unauthorized Use of Class Materials

There are many fraudulent websites claiming to offer study aids to students but are actually cheat sites. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity are in violation of academic conduct standards and may face penalties.

Unauthorized Use of Class Notes

Third parties may be selling class notes from this class without my authorization. Please be aware that such class materials may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. Use these materials at your own risk.

Course Accessibility Statement

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need specific access in this course, such as accommodations, should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss various access options. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons, 7F, Room 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.

Campus Safety Statement

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise in our class, we will all need to work together. Everyone should be aware of the surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.

• In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
• Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Please make a note of the guide’s physical location and consider reviewing the online version at http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.html. 
• Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes from each of your classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency. (Insert class-specific details if appropriate)
• If there is a medical emergency during class, we may need to access a first aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those items are located in this building, see https://ehs.ucf.edu/automated-external-defibrillator-aed-locations
• To stay informed about emergency situations, sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to my.ucf.edu and logging in.  Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the tool bar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on your Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including your e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
• If you have a special need related to emergency situations, please speak with me during office hours.
• Consider viewing this video about how to manage an active shooter situation on campus or elsewhere. 
• You CAN Survive an Active Shooter

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

If you are a deployed active duty military student and feel that you may need a special accommodation due to that unique status, please meet with me to discuss your circumstances.