SOC 3 - Cultural and Racial Minorities
Instructor: Sarah Thompson
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Course Description
Analysis of Racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Includes race, ethnicity, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping, as well as theories and patterns of intergroup relations. Focus on contemporary American minorities; African Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.
Strongly recommended: Sociology 1 or Anthropology 3 or Psychology 1 or 50.
To take this class, you must have daily access to a computer with an Internet connection, an email account, and experience using a web browser. You will also need to update your email address in CLASS-Web when you register.
Check the college catalog for CSU/UC transferability and to see if this course meets AA/AS degree requirements.
This class begins Jan 22 and ends May 30.
On-Campus Meetings
There are no required on-campus meetings.
How This Class Operates
This is not a self-paced class; there are due dates throughout the semester that you are expected to meet, just like in a traditional, face-to-face class.
Communications will take place primarily via email and the class discussion board. Other possible forms of communication include chat, telephone and face-to-face meetings during on-campus office hours.
This class is divided into modules, and each module contains various activities. All the modules will be accessible from the Course Materials area, but students will only be able to access currently active and open modules.
Class Activities
There are seven modules, and each module consists of reading, a written assignment and/or groupwork.
Class Project(s)
You will complete a project called The Future of Ethnicity. The objectives of the project are:
- To develop an understanding of ethnicity theory through direct application
- To forcast the future of ethnicity in the United States based on these theories
- To become an expert in the history, current status, and cultural contributions of one ethnic minority group in the United States
You will complete the project following these steps:
- Choose an ethnic group - 10 pts.
- Create a bibliography - 30 pts.
- Write an abridged history - 50 pts.
- Write a status report - 50 pts.
- Outline the theories - 50 pts.
- Write the final paper - 100 pts.
- Write your personal reflection - 30 pts.
How Students are Graded
Each module has its own point value. The point distribution is as follows:
Module 1: 25 points
Module 2: 40 points
Module 3: 60 points
Module 4: 80 points
Module 5: 130 points
Module 6: 130 points
Module 7: 260 points
There will be a midterm and final exam worth 200 and 400 points, respectively. The midterm will be given after Module 4, and the final will be given after Module 7. The exams will be in a long essay format. All quizzes and examinations will be given over the Web.
Grade Breakdown:
1175 -1325 points = A
1025 -1174 points = B
875-1024 points = C
725-874 points = D
Succeeding in an Online Course
Students who succeed in online courses tend to be independent, self-motivated learners with good computer skills. If you are a procrastinator who relies heavily on the instructor for motivation, can't use a computer too well, have taken less than 21 units of college credit in your lifetime, and/or have a grade-point-average under 2.0, you should probably consider enrolling in a face-to-face course instead.
Also, don't enroll in this class if you believe the myth that learning online requires less effort than learning face-to-face. This course covers the same content and has similar activities as the face-to-face version of the course; only the method of delivery changes.
LPC offers a tutorial called "Succeeding in an online course" that will not only tell you if you are a good fit for online learning, but it also offers many strategies -- among other pertinent information -- that will help you succeed online. Please complete the tutorial.
Blackboard
This course will use the Blackboard course management system as its virtual classroom. To learn how to log in to Blackboard, go to the Blackboard Login Procedures page. Once you enroll, you will not be able to log in until the first day of class.