Part 2

This module establishes the conceptual and methodological foundation for the study of society.

1. Phenomenology & Sociological Inquiry
Students are introduced to phenomenology as a way of examining how individuals experience and interpret social life. Emphasis is placed on observing social patterns, distinguishing personal experience from structural forces, and learning how sociologists translate lived experience into researchable questions. For many students, this serves as their first formal exposure to sociological research and disciplinary thinking.

2. Foundations of Sociology
Students engage in a comprehensive introduction to sociology, including the sociological imagination, major theoretical paradigms, core concepts, and essential disciplinary vocabulary. This section functions as a full foundational survey of sociology and provides the analytical tools needed to examine social institutions, inequality, culture, and social change.

CLEP Exam Alignment
While the primary focus of this module is disciplinary understanding, its readings, terminology, and conceptual frameworks are deliberately aligned with the College Board’s Introductory Sociology CLEP exam. Students who master this material are well prepared to sit for the exam and may earn 3 college credit hours and 150 Strength-of-Diploma points, contributing to the Louisiana SPS index (Bulletin 111 § 709).