Course Outline

SCS110 Australian Society: How does(n't) it work? - An Introduction to Sociology

Course Coordinator:Naomi Smith (nsmith7@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

UniSC Fraser Coast

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Australia is a changing society in a rapidly changing world. The benefits and disadvantages of social change are unevenly distributed. Australian society is characterised by significant inequalities of class, gender, ethnicity and power. Change and inequality affect all the institutions in which we live - education, healthcare, work, religion and government. This course introduces you to a sociological understanding of society. It questions whether Australian society is working well for all who live here and, if not, how we might change it for the better.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – 1 hour of weekly online learning materials for students to study and address in their own time before attending Tutorial/Workshops and seminars. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus 2 hour tutorials 2hrs Week 2 10 times
Seminar – There will be 2 recorded All-of-Cohort online seminars. 1hr Week 1 2 times
Online
Learning materials – 1 hour of weekly online learning materials for students to study and address in their own time before attending Tutorial Workshops and Seminars 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Synchronous online tutorial 2hrs Week 2 10 times
Seminar – There will be 2 recorded All-of-Cohort, online seminars. 1hr Week 1 2 times

Course Topics

  • Sociological Imagination
  • Social inequality
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Globalisation
  • Social Theory
  • Religion
  • Media and technology
  • Power and authority
  • Modernity

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological concepts for developing a critical understanding of society. Knowledgeable
2 Demonstrate a sociological understanding of the nature of social relationships and institutions; patterns of social diversity and inequality; and processes that underpin social change and stability. Creative and critical thinker
3 Communicate sociological ideas, principles and knowledge to specialist and non-specialist audiences using effective formats and media. Engaged
4 Apply sociological theories, concepts and evidence to sociological questions. Empowered
5 Critically review, analyse, summarise and synthesise sociological scholarship including research. Creative and critical thinker

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

In week 4 a formative online (worth 20% of your grade) quiz will be administered to provide some early feedback on your engagement with the learning materials covered up to that point. This will enable your tutor to identify any issues you might be having with the material and suggest appropriate strategies for improving your learning.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
One week
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Oral Individual 40%
6-8 minutes
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Essay Individual 40%
Minimum of 1500 words
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Online test on basic sociological terms
Goal:
To test your knowledge and comprehension of some basic concepts and terms used in sociology.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format:
You will be required to undertake a multiple-choice test that addresses material from the SCS110 readings and learning materials between weeks 1 and 4. The test will be available on Canvas and is automatically submitted for an assessment grade through this system.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Sociological understanding – clarification of the relevant social causes or meanings giving rise to a human problem/ issue.
1
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Video Presentation Applying Sociological Theory
Goal:
The purpose of the video presentation is to allow students to demonstrate and apply their understanding of the sociological issues raised in this course.
Product: Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Video recording of a 6-8 minute PowerPoint presentation. Students are required to choose and apply a sociological concept to a current social issue. Student's face must be visible while presenting.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identification and evaluation of a key sociological concept
1
2
Application of the sociological imagination (combining theory and evidence) to a current issue concerning social inequality in order to promote social change.
2 3 4
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Major Essay
Goal:
The purpose of this essay is for you to demonstrate a critical sociological understanding of one of the major substantive areas covered in learning materials, tutorials, and tutorial readings. A list of essay topics will be provided in Week 1.
Product: Essay
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This is an individual assignment of 1500 (minimum) words, plus references.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Sociological understanding – clarification of the relevant ”social causes or meaning” of the issue.
2 3
2
Critical application of sociological theory.
4
3
Synthesis – claim plus evidence = argument.
5
4
Communication – clarity, grammar, referencing
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required James Arvanitakis 2020 Sociologic Analysing Everyday Life and Culture 2nd Edition n/a

Specific requirements

Nil

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: