Introduction to Sociology

Code:

LRI011

Acronym:

INTSOC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Sociology

Instance: 2012/2013 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Germanic Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Languages and International Relations

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LRI	87	Study Plan	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - Minor in History	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - Minor in German Studies	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - Minor in English Studies	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - Minor in Spanish Studies	1	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan - Minor in French Studies	1	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1) Aims
. Introduction to epistemological and methodological reflections in social sciences.
. Introduction to scientific discourse, conceptual language and methods of sociological analysis.
. Be familiarised with the logic of scientific research in Sociology.

2) Competences to be acquired
1. Be able to consider Sociology as a science and profession, and master the constructive issues of Sociology.
2. Understand the contributions of Sociology and other social sciences in its complementarity and in the vaster framework of interdisciplinarity.
3. Identify and reflect on the research methods and techniques used in Sociology.
4. Develop the skills to enable life-long learning with a high level of autonomy.
5. Be a critical and reflective citizen, with professional attitudes based on ethical principles.

Program

1. Social sciences and knowledge of social reality
1.1. Science as a specific form of knowledge
1.2. Unity of reality and the plurality of social sciences
2. Sociology as a social science
2.1. Object of Sociology
2.2. Uses of Sociology
2.3. The sociological perspective. Obstacles to sociological knowledge
2.4. The logic of sociological research and research tools

Mandatory literature

COSTA, A Firmino; O que é a Sociologia, Difusão Cultural, 1992
NUNES, A. Sedas; Sobre o Problema do Conhecimento nas Ciências Sociais, G.I.S., Caderno nº 9, 1976
ALMEIDA, João Ferreira (coord.); Introdução à Sociologia, Universidade Aberta, 1994
ALMEIDA, João Ferreira e PINTO, José Madureira; A Investigação nas Ciências Sociais, Ed. Presença, 1980
GIDDENS, Anthony; Sociologia, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 1992
PINTO, J. Madureira e SILVA, Augusto Santos, (Orgs.) ; Metodologia das Ciências Sociais, Afrontamento, 1994

Complementary Bibliography

BOURDIEU, Pierre, CHAMBODERON, J. C., e PASSERON, J. C.; Le Métier du Sociologue, Mouton, 1983
WORSELEY, Peter; Introdução à Sociologia, Publicações D. Quixote, 1974
SANTOS, Boaventura de Sousa; Introdução a uma ciência pós-moderna, Afrontamento, 1989
FERRAROTI, Franco; Sociologia, Teorema, 1985
COMISSÃO GULBENKIAN SOBRE A REESTRUTURAÇÃO DAS CIÊNCIAS SOCIAIS; Para Abrir as Ciências Sociais, Publicações Europa-América, 1996
SANTOS, Boaventura Sousa de; Um discurso sobre as ciências, Afrontamento, 1988

Teaching methods and learning activities

Intensive use of lectures combined with more questioning, demonstrative and active methods.

Theory-practical classes (TP) – expository classes on the different topics of the programme, with emphasis on the explanation of theoretical and methodological contents. The expository method will be intermixed with student participation and discussion of the issues raised by students and lecturer. At the same time, questions will be put to students and examples will be given, focusing on Portuguese case studies

Tutorials (OT) – involving work programme in order to produce worksheets to be submitted for assessment. Work materials will be provided beforehand. Tutorials involve providing scientific-pedagogical support and follow-up to students, preferably organised into small, previously defined groups.

keywords

Social sciences
Social sciences > Sociology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
Exam	Exame	2,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Study	Estudo autónomo	104
	Total:	104,00

Eligibility for exams

The frequency will be achieved by complying with the following:
Final examination, Investigation work and participation and quality of the work developed during the mentoring orientation sessions.
The requirement of presence in, at least, 75% of the classes is not a condition for obtaining frequency, but is a criterion to consider in the final assessment in accordance with the established appreciation.

Calculation formula of final grade

Criteria weighting of each element on the final evaluation of the discipline:
. written examination and, if necessary, oral examination: 50%
. thematic report writing: 35%;
. attendance at sessions (theoretical and practical sessions; tutorial orientation) and work developed in the tutorial orientation sessions: 15%

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students who, by law, are exempt from class attendance are obliged to contact the teacher in the early period of functioning of the course, for purposes of establishing of the procedures for the knowledge evaluation.

Classification improvement

The student may require improvement of the classification. The improvement may occur in normal and appeal times until the appeal period (inclusive) of the following academic year to the approval of the discipline. Students, who wish to improve the rating in the year following the year they received approval of the discipline, have to comply to the programs and evaluation methods prevailing in that school year.
Evaluation components of improvement: a written examination and, if necessary, oral examination; and individual thematic report writing.

Observations

The time of appeal includes the completion of a written examination and, if necessary, oral and a written report theme. Each component has a weight of 50%. Is required the realization of the evaluation element for which was obtained a negative grade. The approval of the course has a condition that the scores obtained in each of the components is equal to or higher than 10.
Foreigner students unable to write in Portuguese are allowed to write their exam and report in English, French or Spanish.

At the beginning of the academic year will be given students a schedule of teacher contact hours.
All scanned documents relevant to the discipline will be inserted in SIGARRA.