| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Sociology of Families and Relationships |
| Unit ID: | SOCIO2001 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BAXDC1003 or SOCIO1001 or SOSCI1002) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (SOCIN2101 and SOCIO3001) |
| ASCED: | 090301 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit provides a sociological perspective on families and relationships. It explores a diverse range of theoretical perspectives, situating families in their historical, international, and multicultural contexts. It covers all of the key stages in the life course including childhood, youth, partnering, parenting, and ageing and grandparenting. The unit analyses diverse relationships and family formations, marriage and cohabitation, separation and divorce, and singlehood. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Describe basic sociological concepts of socialization, class and gender, social and historical construction |
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| K2. | Identify the conceptual and theoretical frameworks for understanding families and relationships |
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| K3. | Define the diversity of family and relationship structures, their sociological contexts, and their roles in different cultures, times, and places |
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| K4. | Outline the role of social structures such as government, and religion, and the significance of the economy, policy, and technology, in shaping concepts of family and relationships. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop sociological research, writing and referencing skills |
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| S2. | Analyze critically the connections between academic learning and observed life experience |
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| S3. | Evaluate critically contemporary and historical issues and theories relevant to the sociology of families and relationships. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Interpret critically how cultural, technological, historical, and structural factors have influenced conceptualization of families and relationships |
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| A2. | Illustrate key debates regarding family, relationships, kinships, and intimate life utilizing evidence based approaches |
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| A3. | Apply research skills and sociological theories to contemporary issues related to families. |
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| Unit Content: |
• Coupling • Marriage • Reproduction • Mothers, mothering and motherhood • Fathers, fathering and fatherhood • Domestic labour • Same-sex relationships • Rural familes and relationships • Ageing and grandparenting • Companion animals • Singleness • What becomes of the brokenhearted? |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S3, A1 | Weekly online quizzes developing comprehension of unit materials and relevant concepts related to the sociology of families and relationships. | Periodic online assessment | 25-30% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3 | Students develop skills in sociological research, writing and referencing, through the critical examination of issues, theories and policies regarding families and relationships in a cross-cultural context. | Policy report | 30-35% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S3, A1, A2, A3 | Students develop skills in independent research and critical analysis and the construction of an informed and substantiated argument. | Research Essay | 35-40% |
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