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Instructor: Harvey Krahn
Office: Tory 4-23 Phone: 492-3315 E-Mail: hkrahn@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca |
Course Description: This course focuses on work and work organizations in the past, present, and future. Students will be introduced to central debates and recent research in the sociology of work, social theory, organizational analysis, labour relations, industrial psychology, labour market economics, and related areas. No prior knowledge of sociology is assumed. Enrollment is restricted to students in the Faculty of Engineering.
Required Texts:
H. Krahn and G.S. Lowe. 1993. Work,
Industry and Canadian Society. 2nd ed. Scarborough: Nelson Canada.
Lowe, G.S. and H. Krahn (eds.). 1993.
Work in Canada: Readings in the Sociology of Work and Industry.
Scarborough: Nelson Canada.
Course Requirements, Testing
and Grades:
| 1st Mid-Term Exam (Feb. 2; in class) | 30% |
| 2nd Mid-Term Exam (March 11; in class) | 35% |
| Final Exam (April 20; location to be announced) | 35% |
All three exams will contain multiple-choice and short essay questions. The multiple-choice questions will cover material from lectures, other classroom presentations, and assigned readings from the previous third of the course. Essay topics on the mid-term exams will cover material from the previous third of the course, while the final exam essay topics may cover material from earlier in the course. The three exams will be graded and weighted (as noted above) to obtain a total term percentage before a final grade is assigned. Approximate cutting points for final grades will be:
| 90% + = 9 | 66% - 72% = 6 | 40% - 49% = 3 |
| 80% - 89% = 8 | 58% - 65% = 5 | 20% - 39% = 2 |
| 73% - 79% = 7 | 50% - 57% = 4 | < 20% = 1 |
| Approximate Date | Topic | Assigned Readings |
| January 7 | Introduction | |
| Jan. 9 - 16 | Industrialization & Social Theory | KL, chp. 1-2; LK, pt. 1-2 |
| Jan. 19 - 30 | Canadian Labour Force Trends | KL, chp. 3; LK, pt. 3 |
| February 2 | 1st Mid-term Exam | |
| Feb. 4 - 9 | Sociology of Labour Markets | KL, chp. 4; LK, pt. 4 |
| Feb. 11 - 13 | Women's Employment | KL, chp. 5; LK, pt. 5 |
| Feb. 16 - 20 | Reading Week (no classes) | |
| Feb. 23 - March 9 | Organizations & Management | KL, chp. 6; LK, pt. 6 |
| March 11 | 2nd Mid-term Exam | |
| March 13 - 20 | Conflict & Control in the Workplace | KL, chp. 8; LK, pt. 8 |
| March 23 - 27 | Unions & Industrial Relations | KL, chp. 7; LK, pt. 7 |
| March 30 - April 8 | Meaning of Work & Job Satisfaction | KL, chp. 9-10; LK, pt. 9 |
| April 20 | Final Exam |