Sport Sociology Online College Course

This sport sociology online course explores the function of sports in American culture, in an interdisciplinary fashion, with a focus on the contemporary scene.

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Why take Sport Sociology online?

Most of us have experienced sports personally as athletes or spectators, or both. You are probably familiar with the physical and emotional experiences of playing sports, and you may know the rules and strategies used in certain sports. You may even follow the lives of high-profile athletes at your school or on the national sports scene. Most of you have watched sports, read about them and participated in discussions about them.

This online course is designed to take you beyond the scores, statistics and personalities in sports. The goal is to focus on the “deeper game” associated with sports, the game through which sports become part of the social and cultural worlds in which we live.

The primary objective of this online course is for you to acquire knowledge and understanding of sport sociology. Upon the completion of this online course, you should be able to (orally and/or in writing) accomplish the following objectives:

• Think critically about sports so that you can identify and understand issues and controversies associated with sports in society.
• Look beyond performance statistics and win-loss records to see sports as social constructions that can have both positive and negative effects on people’s lives.
• Learn things about sports that enable you to make informed choices about your sport participation and the place of sports in your community and society.
• See sports as social constructions and be able to change them so they do not systematically disadvantage some categories of people as they privilege others.
• Apply principles and ideas of sport sociology to issues in your academic and professional careers.

Students have 3 to 9 months to complete this course from the time of enrollment. You may work at your own pace and complete lessons on your own schedule, submitting up to three items per week for grading. This course has 13 lessons, which includes 3 open-book exams. Each lesson contains specific learning objectives, required readings, notes (and stories) related to the key concepts for each lesson, interactive exercises, and an assignment containing 3 to 5 questions about the topics in the lesson.  Course topics include:

• The Sociology of Sport
• Sport and Societal Values
• Producing Knowledge about Sports in Society
• Sports and Socialization
• Deviance
• Violence
• Gender
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Class
• Media 

What is required to take this online course?

Coakley, J. J. (2009). Sport in society: Issues and controversies. (11th Edition.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-802252-4

How will the course appear on my transcript?

You may enroll at any time and have up to 9 months to complete this online course. The credits earned will be recorded on your UND transcript based on the date you registered for the course. It will appear on your transcript in the same way as a course taken during a regular semester. There is no indication that the course was taken online or that you completed it at your own pace. 

Consult the table on our How Enroll Anytime Courses Work page for a current listing of Enroll Anytime Registration Dates and the semester information that will appear on a UND transcript.

Why Take Online Classes at UND?

Here are a few reasons why you should take an online enroll anytime course at UND:

• Great customer service – Our registration team is ready to answer questions quickly so you can focus on your coursework.
• Affordable – UND's enroll anytime courses are priced at North Dakota's affordable, in-state tuition rate.
• Accredited – UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
• Easily transfer credits – Transferring credits is always at the discretion of the institution to which the credits are being transferred. In general, credits from schools/universities that are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission transfer to other regionally accredited institutions. UND's online courses appear on your UND transcript in the same way as other courses.

Flexible 100% Online Course

You'll take this online course at your own pace. Some students thrive in this environment, while other students may struggle with setting their own deadlines. If you have successfully taken an independent study or correspondence course previously, UND’s enroll anytime courses may be right for you. Still not sure? Take our online quiz to help determine if online enroll anytime courses are right for you.

Course information including tuition, technology requirements, textbooks, lessons and exams is subject to change without notice.