SOCIOL 102
Contemporary Sociological Theory
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisite: course 101. Critical examination of significant theoretical formulations from 1920 to present. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - This class exceeded my expectations. Before taking this class, I viewed others' comments about this course who had taken it before; it seemed like grading was rigorous, and the professor was a tough grader based on the grade distribution diagram, most people got Bs and Cs, only a few people got A- and above. I had no other choice because I would graduate in the Spring. However, when I took the class, it gave me different feelings about the course; the professor was welcoming to questions, and TAs were helpful. If you have any questions, just ask them for help. Every week, you learned about two theorists, and a homework assignment would be due on each Sunday. However, you had a grace period to submit it on Monday at 5 pm without penalty. Please note that they didn't accept any submissions later than that for any reason, they graded them on completions not content. For the final exams, the first part of the exam, you need to find your own examples from the news article, and apply the theorist's theory you selected. One concept, one theory, breaks down the theoretical explanation and outcome, references. Remember to CITE for quotes and give credit recognition to theorists for everything that was not your original idea. Simply copy and paste concepts and theories from the professor's lecture slides and CITE them properly; that's it. For three other exams, just revisions based on your homework, only one concept, one theory, and CITE for the quotes you chose, and references at the end. Before I took this class, I aimed to pass it with a C so I could graduate smoothly, but I ended up earning an A. I can do it, so you can do it too. Do not let other negative comments influence you; just take it, you won't regret it. As long as you put in your work, you will be fine.
Spring 2025 - This class exceeded my expectations. Before taking this class, I viewed others' comments about this course who had taken it before; it seemed like grading was rigorous, and the professor was a tough grader based on the grade distribution diagram, most people got Bs and Cs, only a few people got A- and above. I had no other choice because I would graduate in the Spring. However, when I took the class, it gave me different feelings about the course; the professor was welcoming to questions, and TAs were helpful. If you have any questions, just ask them for help. Every week, you learned about two theorists, and a homework assignment would be due on each Sunday. However, you had a grace period to submit it on Monday at 5 pm without penalty. Please note that they didn't accept any submissions later than that for any reason, they graded them on completions not content. For the final exams, the first part of the exam, you need to find your own examples from the news article, and apply the theorist's theory you selected. One concept, one theory, breaks down the theoretical explanation and outcome, references. Remember to CITE for quotes and give credit recognition to theorists for everything that was not your original idea. Simply copy and paste concepts and theories from the professor's lecture slides and CITE them properly; that's it. For three other exams, just revisions based on your homework, only one concept, one theory, and CITE for the quotes you chose, and references at the end. Before I took this class, I aimed to pass it with a C so I could graduate smoothly, but I ended up earning an A. I can do it, so you can do it too. Do not let other negative comments influence you; just take it, you won't regret it. As long as you put in your work, you will be fine.
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2021 - Everyone loves Guhin, and he's a really sweet person and a caring, welcoming professor. However, I have to say as far as explaining the actual subject matter, I didn't find him that helpful. The lectures were a little too focused on his ideas and thoughts about the theorists and reading, rather helping students to understand the arguments of each theorist. You could come away from a lecture knowing Guhin's ideas and passions more than with a breakdown of the theory or argument, which is bad because later you have to write a lot of papers about that argument. TAs are helpful to a point with that but it's a crapshoot whether you get a helpful TA or not. In any case be prepared to read a lot and DO NOT get behind on reading.
Winter 2021 - Everyone loves Guhin, and he's a really sweet person and a caring, welcoming professor. However, I have to say as far as explaining the actual subject matter, I didn't find him that helpful. The lectures were a little too focused on his ideas and thoughts about the theorists and reading, rather helping students to understand the arguments of each theorist. You could come away from a lecture knowing Guhin's ideas and passions more than with a breakdown of the theory or argument, which is bad because later you have to write a lot of papers about that argument. TAs are helpful to a point with that but it's a crapshoot whether you get a helpful TA or not. In any case be prepared to read a lot and DO NOT get behind on reading.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - Professor Jepson is a very traditional lecturer. He doesn't use slides and doesn't record his lectures. However, I like this style because it forces me to listen to what he is saying during the lecture. His class consists or a midterm worth 40 points, a final worth 40 points, a paper worth 30 points, and discussion participation worth 18 points (I believe). On the midterm and final, we were provided with 10-15 questions regarding lectures, readings, or discussion questions that our TAs provided us prior to the discussion. We were told to choose 4 to answer in our blue books. The paper is on a sociological idea and theorist that we touch on in class. I found the paper to be very easy as I chose to write about Anomie. I would recommend Jepson as a professor as he is very clear about his points. However, make sure your TA is a good TA because if they are good, you basically have the answers to the questions on your midterm and on your final.
Spring 2024 - Professor Jepson is a very traditional lecturer. He doesn't use slides and doesn't record his lectures. However, I like this style because it forces me to listen to what he is saying during the lecture. His class consists or a midterm worth 40 points, a final worth 40 points, a paper worth 30 points, and discussion participation worth 18 points (I believe). On the midterm and final, we were provided with 10-15 questions regarding lectures, readings, or discussion questions that our TAs provided us prior to the discussion. We were told to choose 4 to answer in our blue books. The paper is on a sociological idea and theorist that we touch on in class. I found the paper to be very easy as I chose to write about Anomie. I would recommend Jepson as a professor as he is very clear about his points. However, make sure your TA is a good TA because if they are good, you basically have the answers to the questions on your midterm and on your final.
Most Helpful Review
Lupher has horribly distracting mannerisms. Apart from that, I didn't really think he was THAT bad, and I actually thought he was pretty funny. His lectures are way straightforward, which can be a good thing for some and a bad thing for others, but I thought it was okay because I learned most of the facts that I needed to know. One other thing about him is that if he doesn't like a body of theory that he's lecturing about, it totally shows, because he can't give it justice. If you ever take him, make sure you get a really good TA.
Lupher has horribly distracting mannerisms. Apart from that, I didn't really think he was THAT bad, and I actually thought he was pretty funny. His lectures are way straightforward, which can be a good thing for some and a bad thing for others, but I thought it was okay because I learned most of the facts that I needed to know. One other thing about him is that if he doesn't like a body of theory that he's lecturing about, it totally shows, because he can't give it justice. If you ever take him, make sure you get a really good TA.
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