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General Sociology

Code: 102303
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Business Administration and Management OP 4
Economics OP 3
Economics OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Olga Serradell Pumareda
Email :
olga.serradell@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.

Objectives

The objectives of the course are:

  1. To provide an introduction to the sociological perspective, its main areas of analysis, and the ideas and concepts of classical and contemporary authors.
  2. To analyse the main characteristics of contemporary social structure and the axes of inequality that shape it today.
  3. To provide a theoretical framework addressing key sociological concepts for understanding current social changes and transformations.


Learning outcomes

  1. Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
  2. Analyse the role of regulation in the workplace in Spain.
  3. Apply sociological analysis to current social structures.
  4. Assess the interrelationships between companies and activity.
  5. Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
  6. A capacity of oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which allows them to summarise and present the work conducted both orally and in writing.
  7. Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
  8. Work as part of a team and be able to argue own proposals and validate or refuse the arguments of others in a reasonable manner.
  9. Interpret the basic principles of sociology.
  10. Identify ways of improving labour relations.
  11. Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
  12. Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
  13. Assess ethical commitment in professional activity.
  14. Demonstrate motivation regarding the quality of the work performed and sensitivity regarding the consequences on the environment and society.
  15. Assess the interrelationships between companies and activity.
  16. Analyse the role of regulation in the workplace in Spain.
  17. Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  18. Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  19. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  20. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  21. Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Contents

I. What is Sociology?

The emergence of sociology

Sociology as a science

Ethics and research in the social sciences


II. Modernization, structure and social change

Socialization and agents of socialization

Structuration, axes of inequality and intersectionality

Interactions and everyday life


III. Fundamental sociological paradigms and theories

Functionalism and structuralism

Phenomenology and symbolic interactionism

Dual theories: system and agency


IV. The contributions of sociology to societal challenges

Peace, equality, well-being, work, education, sustainability

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Reading and preparation of texts 84.5 3.38 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Lectures and comprehension exercises 32.5 1.3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20
Seminars and practical sessions 17 0.68 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20

The course is structured as follows:

  1. lecture sessions on key concepts in Sociology and the contributions of the authors studied in class;
  2. comprehension activities carried out in the classroom and/or via the virtual campus; and
  3. “book-in-hand seminars” involving presentations and discussions of the required readings.


The detailed schedule, including the content of the different seminar sessions, will be presented on the first day of the course, together with the teaching materials and other information necessary for successful course participation. As the course progresses, detailed information about the activities will be published on the Virtual Campus. In the event of a change in the teaching format due to health-related reasons, the teaching staff will inform students of any modifications to the course plan and teaching methodologies.




Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Exam 2 30% 2 0.08 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 15, 18, 19
Seminars 40% 12 0.48 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Exam 1 30% 2 0.08 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 15, 18

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT (CA)

The assessment consists of three activities with the following grading criteria:

a) Exam 1 (30%)

The grading criteria for the written test will be based on the understanding of the content explained and worked on in class, including the required readings.

b) Exam 2 (30%)

The grading criteria for the written test will be based on the understanding of the content explained and worked on in class, including the required readings.

c) Seminars (40%)

The course is structured into 10 seminars, “with the book in hand,” held in the classroom, which include prior reading and preparation of the required texts by the student. Each seminar will be assessed through an individual multiple-choice test conducted on the virtual campus, as well as through presentations and oral contributions on the texts. Attendance and participation in all seminars is mandatory. Seminars are not recoverable.

Note: In order to be weighted with the rest of the grades, both the exam scores and the seminar score must be at least 4 out of 10.

Resit

Students will have the right to resit the course if they have been assessed on activities whose combined weight is at least two-thirds of the total course grade. If passed, the grade for each recovered component will be 5 out of 10.


NOT ASSESSABLE

If a student does not attend the exam sessions, and/or does not participate in the course seminars, they will be considered "Not assessable".


IRREGULARITIES

The completion of assessment activities is subject to the provisions set out in this course guide and in the "Policy of the School of Economics and Business on the Detection of Irregularities during Assessment Activities", which regulates the conditions under which assessment tasks are conducted and the procedures applicable in cases where indications of irregularities are detected. Students are encouraged to consult the policy.

Bibliography

Addams, Jane. (1902/2007). Democràcia i ètica social. Girona: Editorial Papers.

Beck-Gernsheim, Elisabeth; Butler, Judith; Puigvert, Lidia (2001). Mujeres y transformaciones sociales. Barcelona: El Roure.

Berger, Peter L. i Thomas Luckmann (1988/1967). La construcció social de la realitat. Barcelona, Herder.

Burawoy, Michael. (2005). Por una sociología pública. Política y Sociedad, 42(1), 197–225.

De Botton, Lena, Puigvert, Lidia, & Taleb, Fatima (2004). El velo elegido. El Roure.

Hanafi, Sari. (2022). Contra el liberalismo simbólico. Barcelona: Hipatia Press.

Marx, Karl (2000/1867) El capital (Llibre 1, Vol.1). Madrid: Akal.

Mead, George H. (1982/1934). Espíritu, persona y sociedad. Barcelona, Paidós.

Merton, Robert K. (1964/1949). Teoría y estructura sociales. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Sen, Amartya. (2000). Desarrollo y libertad. Barcelona: Planeta.

Touraine, Alain. (1997). ¿Podremos vivir juntos? Iguales y diferentes. Madrid: PPC Editorial.

Weber, Marianne. (2007/1904, 1905, 1913). La mujer y la cultura moderna: tres ensayos. Fundación Editorial Archivos del Índice.

Weber, Max. (1919/2002). El polític i el científic. Barcelona: Edicions 62.

Wright, Eric Olin. (2010/2014). Construyendo utopías reales. Madrid: Akal.

Wright Mills, Charles. (1991/1959). La imaginació sociològica. Barcelona: Herder.

Software

Not required.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed