Course Description
This course focuses on drug (mis)use as a social phenomenon. We discuss the history of drug (mis)use, causes of drug use, and the development and enforcement of drug laws. Prerequisite: SOC 101 or SOC 222 or SOC 324.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
- Acknowledge the complex social history of drug use and laws regulating drug use.
- Identify patterns of drug (mis)use.
- Appreciate the social and social-psychological explanations of drug use and misuse.
- Understand the discrepancies between empirical research about drug use and media and political discourse on drug issues.
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate a sociological approach to drug (mis)use.
Course Grading Information:
| Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
| Quizzes (5 at 7% each) | 35% |
| Online Forums (3 at 12% each) | 36% |
| Final Project (1 at 29%) | 29% |
Grading Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 98-100% | A+ |
| 94-97.99% | A |
| 90-93.99% | A- |
| 88-89.99% | B+ |
| 83-87.99% | B |
| 80-82.99% | B- |
| 78-79.99% | C+ |
| 73-77.99% | C |
| 70-72.99% | C- |
| 68-69.99% | D+ |
| 63-67.99% | D |
| 60-62.99% | D- |
| 00-59.99% | F |
Attendance/Participation:
Attendance/participation is not a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
- Drugs and the American Dream: An Anthology. 2012. Wiley-Blackwell Press.
- “It’s Hard to Explain, but…: What Psychedelic Use Teaches us about the Social and the Spiritual.” 2026. Cognella.
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.