SO 432: Urban Sociology

Course Description

By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities. Urban Sociology focuses on urbanization, why cities exist, how they develop, and how they affect individuals and social relationships.

Supplemental Course Information

Academic Learning Activities Required Outside of Scheduled Class Time: (Instructor Add or Delete 5-week hybrid/F2f classes only)

Course Meeting Times/Place

Term: [instructor add]
Location: [Instructor add Online/Campus]
Start Date: [instructor add]
End Date: [instructor add]
Time: [instructor Add]
Type: [Online, Face to Face, Blended, Hybrid]

Instructor Information

Name of instructor: [instructor add]
Office Location: [instructor add]
Office Hours: [instructor add]
Office Phone: [instructor add]
Regis.edu email: [instructor add]

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, learners should be able to:

  1. Discuss how historical factors have shaped the urban development of cities.
  2. Define urban sociological terminology and theoretical approaches used by experts to explain urban development.
  3. Describe how power and money influence spatial and social organizations of cities.
  4. Recognize how diversity and variable living conditions in urban areas affect social issues.
  5. Explain why people congregate to urban areas and how this impacts urban development.
  6. Identify the status and sustainability of contemporary cities, their changing designs, and how they contribute to pragmatic social justice and change.
  7. Identify what cities of the future will look like based on environmental changes.
  8. Define the role urban sociology plays in peoples' lives.
  9. Identify factors shaping the evolution of urban areas and their impacts.

Course Materials

Required Texts

Required Texts: Kleniewski, N., & Thomas, A. (2019). Cities, Change and Conflict: A Political Economy of Urban Life (5th ed). New York, New York: Routledge. ISBN-13: 978-1138604483; ISBN-10: 1138604488

Required Materials

Students are required to access the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) for information about composition strategies, grammar and punctuation rules, and APA formatting and citation styles. The OWL can be accessed at the following online site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ While the OWL is free to access as a reference resource, please note the Fair Use Policy regarding restrictions for using the OWL at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/551/01.

Optional Materials

Recommended: Strunk, W., & White, E.B. (2000). The elements of style. (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Longman (Pearson). ISBN: 978-0-205-30902-3 or 0-205-30902-X soft.

Technology Tools

Minimum Technology Requirements

Course Assignments & Activities

Week Topics Reading Graded Assignments and Points
1
  • Organization and use of urban spaces
  • Issues and concepts involved in the study of urban sociology  in its modern context.
  • Major factors that impact urban living.
 Chapter 1 in Cities, Change and Conflict

Introduction (ungraded)

Forum Postings: 6 Points
2
  • Methodology
  • Smart Growth
  • Paradigms used in urban sociology
 Chapter 2: Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points

Essay: 10 Points
3
  • Development of cities.
  • Social institutions
  • Healthy living and community building in urban development.
 Chapter 3 in: Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points

Essay: 10 Points
4
  • Design of American cities.
  • Urban growth and change.
  • Urban development
 Chapters 4, in Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points

Essay: 10 Points
5
  • Describe in the United States including the growth of suburbs.
  • Changes in metropolitan areas since 1950
  • Development of cities in Europe and developing countries
  • Poverty in third world countries.
 Chapters 5, 6 and 7 in Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points
6
  • Immigration in urban areas
  • Gentrification and how it impacts communities.
 Chapters 8, 9, 10 in Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points

Essay: 10 Points
7
  • Economic development programs.
  • Local government and federal policy.
  • Economics and growth
 Chapters 12, 13, 14, in Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points
8
  • Modern urban planning
  • Environmental factors
  • City design for smart growth and sustainable urban living.
 Chapters 16, in Cities, Change and Conflict

Forum Postings: 6 Points

Final Paper: 12 Points
      Total points = 100 points

Note to Learners: On occasion, the course faculty may, at his or her discretion, alter the Learning Activities shown in this Syllabus. The alteration of Learning Activities may not, in any way, change the Learner Outcomes or the grading scale for this course as contained in this syllabus. Examples of circumstances that could justify alterations in Learning Activities could include number of learners in the course; compelling current events; special faculty experience or expertise; or unanticipated disruptions to class session schedule.

College of Contemporary Liberal Studies Grading Scale:

Letter Grade Percentage Grade Point
A 93 to 100 4.00
A‾ 90 to less than 92 3.67
B+ 90 to less than 89 3.33
B 83 to less than 87 3.00
B‾ 80 to less than 82 2.67
C+ 78 to less than 79 2.33
C 73 to less than 77 2.00
C‾ 70 to less than 72 1.67
D+ 68 to less thank 69 1.33
D 63 to less than 62 1.00
D‾ 60 to less than 62 0.67
F Less than 60 0

University and CCLS Policies

Review the CCLS Policies on the Regis University website. specifically note these items:

Additional Policies:

  1. Academic Support Resources Statement
  2. Disability Accommodations Statement
  3. Academic Integrity Statement