Sociology Studies - Social Institutions Course

Sociology Studies - Social Institutions is the third in a series of four free online courses and this course will give you an understanding of social institutions and how they establish patterns of rule-governed behaviours. You will learn how sociology defines family, the variation in family structures and what the social impact of changing family structures is along with the challenges faced by families through divorce and abuse. Next you will look at religion from a sociological perspective and get an understanding of the different types of religion, and how religion has brought about social change. You will also study power and authority and its use in government and politics. The course describes different types of authority and the various forms of government from dictatorships and oligarchy to democracy. You will also learn what affect race, gender and class have on voter participation and electoral outcomes. The world of work and the economy are explored next with a focus on capitalism and socialism, both in theory and practice. You will also review the pros and cons globalisation in modern society. Finally, the course covers healthcare from the social construction of health and medical sociology to global health and social epidemiology. You will also explore the differences between low and high income nations. Using the United States as an example you will explore healthcare issues such as access for different socio-economic groups, mental health and disability issues and the correlation between medicalisation and stigmatisation. This free online course will be of great interest to professionals working in areas as diverse as medicine, politics, law, urban organization and marketing. It will also be of great interest to all learners who would like to know more about how cultures and societies evolve and change.

CERTIFICATION
To qualify for your official ALISON Diploma, Certificate or PDF you must study and complete all modules and score 80% or more in each of the course assessments. A link to purchase your Diploma certificate will then appear under the My Certificates heading of your My Account page.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Having completed this course you will be able to:

- Describe society’s current understanding of family;
- Discuss the social impact of changing family structures;
- Describe the social and interpersonal impact of family abuse;
- Discuss historical view of religion from a sociological perspective;
- Explain the differences between various types of religious organizations ;
- Identify and describe the three types of authority;
- Explore the influence of race, gender, and class issues on the voting process;
- Describe different types of economic systems and their historical development;
- Describe capitalism and socialism both in theory and in practice;
- Define globalisation and describe its manifestation in modern society;
- Explain the difference between the cultural meaning of illness, the social construction of illness, and the social construction of medical knowledge;
- Explain the differences between high-income and low-income nations;
- Explain disparities of health based on gender, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity.