1. BA116IU Introduction to Social Sciences
School of Business Administration
IU – VNU HCMC
BA116IU Introduction to Social Sciences
Instructor:
Dr. Truong Thi Kim Chuyen
USSH – VNU HCMC

2. Course Description .
Seeking to foster an understanding and appreciation of the social sciences
There are many kinds of social sciences, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, economics, political science, geography, ect..

3. Contents Overview of the Social Sciences
Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Culture
Social Interaction and Social structure
Groups and Organizations
The family and Intimate Relationships
Stratification by Gender and Age

4. Course Textbooks
Everyone will be required to read the course textbook:
Perry, J. and Perry, E. (2005), Contemporary Society: An Introduction to Social Science, 11th edition, London, Allyn and Bacon
Richard T. Schaefer (2006), Sociology A Brief Introduction, 6th ed., McGraw Hill.
Other Required Material(s):
McAdams, T., Neslund, N. and Kristopher, N. (2004) Business and Society, 7th Edition, Irwin Press
You will also be asked to read several articles that I will provide.

5. Course Objectives This course has several objectives:
Explain several reasons for studying the social sciences.
Describe the methods used by social scientists to conduct research
Identify and discuss key issues involved in debates about social change in areas such as: group and organization, gender, social interaction and network (structure), family, inequality, education…
Develop critical thinking skills as course topics are discussed and debated.
Improve writing skills through essays and in-class writing assignments.

6. Course Grading 100 points Participation, In-class Quizzes
and Home Assignments: 30
Mid term Exam: 30
Final Exam:

7. Participation
Participation is valued at 10 points. Among other things, participation involves reading material to be discussed in class beforehand, active engagement in class discussions (listening and speaking), asking relevant questions, and good faith efforts to grapple with course material. Earning a high participation grade, of course, will require you to attend class regularly.
The In-class Quizzes, and Assignments will be worth 20 points. You may do the assignments either as an individual or as a group.
More information, including a list of possible topics, will be provided in a separate handout.

8. Mid-term and Final Exams
Mid-term and final exams will be worth 30 points and 40 points.
You will do with two sections of multiple choice and a short essay to express your own point of view on some selected topics critically and originally.

9.
Weblog:

10. Class Schedule Week 1, Overview of the Social Sciences Perry, Ch.1,
Dates Topics Readings
Week 1, Overview of the Social Sciences Perry, Ch.1,
and Sociology Schaefer, Ch.1, pp. 1-26
Week 2, Research Methods in the Soc. Sci. Perry, Ch.1,
and Sociology Schaefer, Ch.2, pp
Week 3, Culture Schaefer, Ch.3, pp
Perry, Ch.11,
Week 4, Social Interaction and Social Network Schaefer, Ch.5, pp
Week 5, Groups and Organizations Schaefer, Ch.6, pp
Perry, Ch.4,
Week 6, Mid-term exam

11. Class Schedule Relationships Schaefer, Ch.12, pp. 299-324
Dates Topics Readings
Week 7, The family and Intimate
Relationships Schaefer, Ch.12, pp
Week 8, The family and Intimate
Relationships (cont’d) Schaefer, Ch.12, pp
Week 9, Stratification by Gender and Age Schaefer, Ch.11, pp
Perry, Ch.7, 8, 9
Week 10, Stratification by Schaefer, Ch.11, pp
Gender and Age (cont’d) Perry, Ch.7, 8, 9
Week 11, Final exam