Unit Outline
HGA101
Sociology: Understanding the Social World
Semester 1, 2026
Nicholas Hookway
Humanities and Social Sciences
Arts and Society (Portfolio)
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Nicholas Hookway
Email: Nicholas.Hookway@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
Sociology inspires you to think differently about the world. We discover how a ‘sociological imagination’ enables us to better understand our lives, the groups we belong to and how societies are changing. From growing up with social media to changing gender roles, sociology is about explaining how the ‘big picture’ shapes our individual lives and experiences. Grounded in real-world examples and case-studies, the unit introduces you to the concepts, theories and research approaches used by sociologists to analyse and explain contemporary societies. You will learn to apply sociological frameworks to key issues in society, including how transformations in social identities such as class, gender, ethnicity are creating new opportunities but also new forms of inequality. The unit also closely examines how social institutions such as family, media and religion are significant in shaping the world we live in and our experiences and relationships. This unit gives you the skills, knowledge and tools to understand human behaviour from a sociological perspective, promote social change and is useful for diverse careers in a range of industries such as government, research, community sector, media, advertising and communications
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1
Describe the sociological perspective, key sociological theories, and research methods within the context of contemporary social life.
2
Analyse major social identities, inequalities and institutions in relation to their impact on individuals and society.
3
Apply sociological concepts, theories, and empirical data to explain elements of contemporary Australian society
4
Communicate sociological ideas clearly in written and/or verbal form within an academic context.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)
HGE101 AND HGA100 AND HGA139 AND HGA135
Alterations as a result of student feedback
The unit has been amended to streamline the assessment structure and workload, allowing for deeper engagement with the Intended Learning Outcomes. Synchronous fortnightly workshops have been introduced for online students, alongside dedicated consultation sessions for the Group Project to ensure equitable access and additional support. Assessment descriptions have been refined to clearly articulate the specific components and requirements of each task, providing greater transparency around grading criteria and the use of sociological evidence.
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Lecture (Online)
No Description
1.50
Weekly
Tutorial
No Description
2
Weekly
Online
Lecture (Online)
No Description
1.50
Weekly
Individual Study
online discussion
2
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online or includes online activities, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline or MyLO, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Digital Journal
Refer to Assessment Description
30 %
LO1, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:
Participation
Refer to Assessment Description
30 %
LO1, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:
Digital Sociology Group Project
Refer to Assessment Description
40 %
LO2, LO3, LO4
 
Assessment details
Assessment Task 1: Digital Journal
Task Description:
You will develop and deepen your understanding of foundational sociological ideas, concepts, and theories by maintaining an ongoing digital journal throughout the semester. You are required to make regular entries in response to weekly guiding questions. This journal is completed using the platform provided (i.e., Padlet).

This task involves two (2) graded submissions. For each submission, you must provide a 400-word reflective piece accompanied by a PDF export of your digital journal to demonstrate consistent engagement.

SUBMISSION 1 (Week 5): A reflection on the development of your sociological imagination and key concepts from Weeks 1–4. You must explain how these ideas have shifted your understanding of yourself or wider societal issues.

SUBMISSION 2 (Week 13): A final reflection on your learning journey across the unit. You must explain how central sociological ideas, concepts, or theories have enhanced your understanding of the social world and discuss their application to personal or professional contexts.

Both submissions must demonstrate a clear understanding of sociological concepts, supported by relevant sociological evidence and in-text citations (APA 7).
Task Length:
 
Due Date:
Refer to Assessment Description
Weight:
30 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Explain key sociological theories and concepts with examples
LO1
2
Reflect on your personal journey, explicitly connecting insights to specific sociological theories and concepts
LO3
3
Apply the sociological imagination to personal and societal contexts
LO3
4
Present sociological ideas supported by evidence
LO4
 
Assessment Task 2: Participation
Task Description:
Your participation in the unit is made up of two parts:

PART A (10%) - POP CULTURE PROMPT: Lead a discussion in one chosen week of the semester by presenting a 5-minute sociological analysis of a pop culture example and posing discussion questions to the class.

On Campus: Delivered as a short presentation during tutorials.

Online: Delivered as a recorded video presentation uploaded to the discussion board.

PART B (20%) - WEEKLY CONTRIBUTION: Active participation in collaborative discussions and the application of sociological evidence, theories, and concepts.

On Campus: Engaging in small group activities and applying sociological ideas during class discussions.

Online: Applying sociological ideas to answer peer discussion questions on the board and/or participating in fortnightly online workshops.
Task Length:
 
Due Date:
Refer to Assessment Description
Weight:
30 %
 
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Connect the chosen pop culture element and discussion questions with sociological perspectives discussed in the unit
LO1
2
Apply sociological concepts and theories to the issues being discussed
LO3
3
Communicate ideas within an academic context
LO4
 
Assessment Task 3: Digital Sociology Group Project
Task Description:
You will work in a small group (4-5 people) to produce a digital artefact that presents an in-depth sociological analysis of a contemporary social issue (selected from Weeks 4–12). Groups will apply relevant sociological theories and concepts to critically examine the issue, drawing on multiple sources of evidence, including high-quality sociological sources (e.g., journal articles, book chapters) and official data (e.g., ABS).

There are three graded components to this task:

PART A (10%) - PROJECT PLAN & PEER REVIEW (Week 9): Submit a Group Project Plan (500 words) outlining the sociological framework, key data sources, digital artefact concept, and timeline. Groups are required to provide structured peer feedback on another group’s plan.

PART B (70%) - DIGITAL PROJECT (Week 13): Submit a Digital Artefact (e.g., podcast, video, zine) that analyses the social issue using diverse sociological evidence and at least two concepts and/or theories. The digital format should aim to convey ideas in a coherent and engaging way. A full reference list (APA 7) must be included with your submission (either integrated into the artefact or as a separate file).

PART C (20%) - INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION (Week 13): This component involves a confidential peer evaluation of group member contributions. Your score is derived from feedback provided by your group members on your teamwork, self-management, and contribution to project deliverables.

(Note: Groups are assigned via MyLO in Week 4).
Task Length:
1500 words
Due Date:
Refer to Assessment Description
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Analyse the social issue critically using multiple sources of evidence
LO2
2
Apply sociological theories and concepts to the chosen social issue
LO3
3
Communicate ideas in a chosen digital format
LO4
4
Contribute to group work in the development of your project
LO4
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
Academic progress review
The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
You will need the following text:
Germov, J., & Poole, M. (2023) Public Sociology: An introduction to Australian society (5th Ed). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
 
Recommended reading materials
Aaron, H and Willis, E (2022) The Sociological Quest: An Introduction to the Study of Social Life (5th Ed). St Leonards: Allen and Unwin.
Woodman, D. and Threadgold, S. (2021) This is Sociology. A Short Introduction. Sage: London.
Van Krieken, R., Habibis, D., Smith, P., Maton, K., Martin, G., Churchill, B., West, B., and Hansen, E. (2020). Sociology (7th Ed). Pearson: Melbourne.
 
Other required resources