Course Description
An introduction to the profession of sociology. Faculty members describe their intellectual work and discuss issues of professionalization, including selecting a major professor, preparing for comprehensive exams, writing for publication, and preparing for the job market.
Athena Title
PROSEMINAR
Non-Traditional Format
The course will consist of weekly two-hour meetings spread out over two semesters.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
Students will learn about the realities of life as a professional sociologist -- the need to balance teaching and research, to master the art of publishing, and to fulfill service expectations. Students will acquire a clear sense of what it takes to succeed as a sociologist.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction to the Profession 2. The First-Year Experience 3. Being a TA for Introductory Sociology 4. Classroom Organization and Trouble-Shooting 5. Time Management 6. The Structure of the Discipline 7. Choosing a Major Professor 8. Mentoring and Collaboration 9. Professional Memberships, Conferences, and Presentations 10. Constructing a CV 11. Choosing a Thesis Topic 12. Writing Your Thesis 13. The Peer-Review Process 14. Balancing Teaching and Research 15. Negotiating the IRB 16. External Funding for Graduate School 17. External Funding for Post-Docs 18. Writing Successful Grant Proposals 19. Writing Papers for Publication 20. Academic Careers in Sociology 21. Taking Comprehensive Exams 22. Writing Your Dissertation
Syllabus
Public CV