1. Sociology Fundamentals Course Summary
Description: This course covers the fundamentals of
sociology; explains why sociology is important; discusses how
understanding sociology can change your perspective of the
world around you; and gives a brief history of sociology.
There are eight (8) lesson modules, four (4) assessment
quizzes, and a final exam which covers all lessons.
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2. Sociology Fundamentals Course Summary
Lesson Module One: What Is Sociology? - This
lesson introduces sociology as a branch of the social
sciences; and discusses methods and structure.
David Émile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) was a
French sociologist. He formally established the
academic discipline and (with Karl Marx and Max
Weber) is commonly cited as the principal architect
of modern social science.
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3. Sociology Fundamentals Course Summary
Lesson Module Two: History of Sociology - This lesson
will discuss the early founders of sociology.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857) influenced by
the utopian socialist Henri Saint-Simon; Comte
developed the positive philosophy in an attempt to
remedy the social malaise of the French Revolution,
calling for a new social doctrine based on
the sciences.
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4. Sociology Fundamentals Course Summary
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Lesson Module Three: The Development of
Sociology - This lesson discusses early sociology
courses and college programs.
In the United States, the first Sociology course
was taught at the University of Kansas,
Lawrence in 1890 under the title Elements of
Sociology (the oldest continuing sociology
course in America).
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Lesson Module Four: Early Sociological Studies -
This lesson covers early sociology as a science; and
associated methodologies.
Early sociological studies considered the field to be similar to
the natural science, like physics or biology. As a result, many
researchers argued that the methodology used in the natural
sciences was perfectly suited for use in the social sciences.
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Lesson Module Five: Quantitative Vs. Qualitative
Sociology - This lesson contrasts quantitative and
qualitative methodological approaches to sociology.
Quantitative sociology is generally a
numerical approach to understanding
human behavior. Qualitative sociology
generally opts for depth over breadth.
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Lesson Module Six: Sociology and Other Social
Sciences - This lesson compares sociology with
psychology, political science, economics, and other
social sciences.
Psychology studies the human mind and micro-
level (or individual) behavior; sociology examines
human society; political science studies the
governing of groups and countries.
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Lesson Module Seven: Development of Social
Science - This lesson discusses how early thinkers,
and philosophers, contributed to the emergence of
the social sciences.
In ancient philosophy, there was no difference between the
liberal arts of mathematics and the study of history, poetry or
politics. Only with the development of mathematical proof did
there gradually arise a perceived difference between
scientific disciplines and the humanities or liberal arts.
9. Sociology Fundamentals Course Summary
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Lesson Module Eight: Modern Sociology - This
lesson discusses how sociologists today study a
broad range of topics.
In the past, sociological research focused on the organization
of complex, industrial societies and their influence on
individuals. Today, sociologists study a broad range of topics.
Some sociologists research macro-structures that organize
society, such as race or ethnicity, social class, and gender
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Assessment Quizzes and Final Exam: There is an
assessment quiz after every two lesson modules; for
a total of four quizzes. The final exam covers all
course modules.
Quizzes and exams reinforce your knowledge
of the fundamentals and prepare you for more
advanced topics in sociology.
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We hope you enjoy our Sociology Fundamentals
course; and learn a lot.
Combined with our other courses, you can
attain Associate Degree level knowledge,
CEUs, Certificates, Transcripts, Badges,
and Verification Letters.
