Sociology: Understanding the Social World unit (HGA101)

Introduction

Sociology inspires you to think differently about the world. We discover how a ‘sociological imagination’ enables us to better understand our lives, the groups we belong to and how societies are changing. From growing up with social media to changing gender roles, sociology is about explaining how the ‘big picture’ shapes our individual lives and experiences. Grounded in real-world examples and case-studies, the unit introduces you to the concepts, theories and research approaches used by sociologists to analyse and explain contemporary societies. You will learn to apply sociological frameworks to key issues in society, including how transformations in social identities such as class, gender, ethnicity are creating new opportunities but also new forms of inequality. The unit also closely examines how social institutions such as family, media and religion are significant in shaping the world we live in and our experiences and relationships. This unit gives you the skills, knowledge and tools to understand human behaviour from a sociological perspective, promote social change and is useful for diverse careers in a range of industries such as government, research, community sector, media, advertising and communications

Summary

Unit name	Sociology: Understanding the Social World
Unit code	HGA101
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Arts and Society Humanities and Social Sciences
Discipline	Sociology and Criminology
Coordinator	Doctor Nicholas Hookway
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Introductory

Availability

Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August

Learning Outcomes

• Describe the sociological perspective, key sociological theories, and research methods within the context of contemporary social life.
• Analyse major social identities, inequalities and institutions in relation to their impact on individuals and society.
• Apply sociological concepts, theories, and empirical data to explain elements of contemporary Australian society
• Communicate sociological ideas clearly in written and/or verbal form within an academic context.

Fee Information

2027 fee information will be available in August.

Requisites

Mutual Exclusions

You cannot enrol in this unit as well as the following:

HGE101 AND HGA100 AND HGA139 AND HGA135

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	On Campus: 1.5 hour weekly lecture (online), 2 hour weekly tutorial  Off campus: 1.5 hour weekly lecture (online), 2 hour weekly online discussion
Assessment	Digital Journal (30%)|Participation (30%)|Digital Sociology Group Project (40%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	You will need the following text: Germov, J., & Poole, M. (2023) Public Sociology: An introduction to Australian society (5th Ed). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Recommended	Aaron, H and Willis, E (2022) The Sociological Quest: An Introduction to the Study of Social Life (5th Ed). St Leonards: Allen and Unwin. Woodman, D. and Threadgold, S. (2021) This is Sociology. A Short Introduction. Sage: London. Van Krieken, R., Habibis, D., Smith, P., Maton, K., Martin, G., Churchill, B., West, B., and Hansen, E. (2020). Sociology (7th Ed). Pearson: Melbourne.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.