Course Description
This course will focus on increasing the student's understanding of the group life characteristics of urban youth in American society today. The course will provide a conceptual and analytical framework for examining the underlying causes and consequences of social problems that significantly impact the lives of urban youth. Classical and contemporary sociological theories and diverse humanistic perspectives will be considered regarding these problems. Particular attention is given to the influence of poverty, language and cultural diversity, immigration status and social acculturation, racism, sexism, homophobia, and drug and alcohol abuse on social role behavior. (3 credits)
Prerequisites
- ENG 101: English Composition 1
- ENG 102: English Composition 2
- SOC 101: Sociology (Recommended)
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Analyze the critical issues and their relationships to the group experience of urban youth.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the authors by comparing their viewpoints through active discussion.
- Analyze the underlying causes of social problems.
- Identify the relationship between one’s interests and future goals and the study of urban youth in American society.
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse theoretical perspectives on the role of inner city environments and the group experiences of urban youth.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 48% |
Midterm Written Assignment (Week 4) | 12% |
Reflection Paper (Week 2) | 15% |
Research Paper (Week 8) | 25% |
Total | 100 |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle
- Kozol, Jonathan. Fire in the Ashes. Broadway Book: New York, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-01-400-5247-9
- Putnam, D. Robert. Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. Simon Schuster, 2016. ISBN-13: 9781476769905
Course Schedule
| Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignment(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1-5 | Topic: Urban Youth in Contemporary America
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2 | 1-5 | Topic: The Impact of Race, Class and Gender on Urban Youth
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3 | 1, 2, 4, 5 | Topics: Poverty and The Social Realities faced by Urban Youth
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4 | 2-5 | Topics: Youth, Violence and Mental Health Issues and Health issues affecting members of the today’s urban youth
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5 | 1-3 | Topics: The Impact of Urban Schools and the Life Chances of Urban Youth
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6 | 1-3 | Topics: The Impact of Social Policies and Services on life Chances of Urban Youth
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7 | 1, 2 | Topics: The Impact of Substance Abuse on the Psychological and Social Development of Urban Youth
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8 | 1-5 | Topics: The Future of Urban Youth in America
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COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.