Introduction to Sociology

This unit is the first of the eight units of this course, a course that will introduce you to the basic concepts you should know in Sociology. It will equip you with the foundational content and direction you will need to move onto the next units in the course and other Sociology courses you are doing. In this unit students will be exposed to a definition of Sociology, the origins of the discipline and the research methodologies people engaged in sociology use to understand social issues. For the last mentioned, we provide only a light introduction. The unit is designed to help you reinforce and reflect on your learning and you are, therefore, expected to participate in the learning activities including the peer assessments.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit you will be able to:
1. Define sociology.
2. Discuss the explanations provided about its origin.
3. Differentiate between sociology and other major social sciences.
4. Explain key concepts in sociological methodologies including positivism, empiricism, survey research and triangulation.
5. Draw on your own reading and research to explain the importance of sociology in understanding human behaviour.

This unit is divided into three sessions as follows:

Session 1.1: What is Sociology? (History and Purpose)
Session 1.2: Sociology as a Science
Session 1.3: Research and Sociology (Types: Quantitative, Qualitative)