FutureLearn

What Is Sociology? An Introduction (FutureLearn)

Offered by The University of Newcastle, Australia,

Examine perspectives on society, and the cultural issues facing society. Apply sociological theory to researching social groups. Discover the fascinating field of sociology. How can society be analysed? And what are some of the contemporary cultural issues in society? Get answers to these questions and more with this introduction to sociology course.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

On the course, you’ll learn about the basics of sociology and discover sociological theories. You’ll explore topics including class, social inequality, globalisation and the media. You will also learn how to do your own sociological research, and present your findings.
This course is part of the program Society and Culture: A Sociological Introduction, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in Bachelor of Arts.

What topics will you cover?

What is Sociology?
What is sociogical theory and why is it important?
Sex and Gender

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

identify the difference between sex and gender and the terms binary and spectrum
explore the dominant narratives of femininity and masculinity
produce a glossary of sociological terms
investigate your own assumptions about popular culture

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

FutureLearn

University of Glasgow

Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime (FutureLearn)

Law

Delve into the seedy underbelly of the art world, looking at smuggling, theft, fakes, and fraud, with this free online course. From fakes and fraud, to thefts and trafficking, art crime has turned archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria into “lunar landscapes”, decapitated Buddha sculptures in Cambodia and left empty frames on museum walls.

No sessions available

3 Weeks

Sociology Archaeology Anthropology

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

The Changing Status and Perception of Animals (Coursera)

Social Sciences

In this course, we explore how mainstream understandings of animals and human-animal relationships have changed in recent years. Module 1 focuses on the roles of animals in human physical health and psychological well being. Module 2 explores animal selfhood, particularly in light of their inability to use spoken language. Finally, Module 3 examines some of the collective efforts undertaken when the treatment or use of animals comes to be seen as inhumane, immoral, and worthy of ameliorative social action.

Sep 7th 2026

3 Weeks

Animals Animal Welfare Human Health

Coursera

Yonsei University

Gender, Family, and Social Change in Contemporary South Korea (Coursera)

Social Sciences

This course examines the transformation of Korean society beginning around the turn of the 20th century to contemporary times. In particular, it explores how shifting categories of masculinity, and by contrast, femininity have impacted upon, and in turn been influenced by social, cultural, and political change.

Sep 14th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Education Culture Gender

FutureLearn

University of Basel,University of Bern, Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies (ICFG)

Gender and Labour in the Global South (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Business

Delve into the Global South's labour market to understand gender issues and impacts on sustainable development. Examine gender discrimination in the Global South’s labour market. Although women’s participation in the paid labour market has increased in recent decades, gender discrimination in access to decent work persists. Women, particularly in the Global South, have the lowest participation in the labour market due to a number of factors. This three-week course from the University of Basel will guide you in assessing the Global South’s labour market to understand the impact of gender inequality in labour.

Mar 14th 2022

3 Weeks

Gender Sustainable Development Labour

EdX

University of Hong Kong,HKUx

Doing Gender and Why it Matters (edX)

Humanities Social Sciences

Understand gendered realities through an in-depth consideration of "sex" and "gender" as cultural, social and legal phenomena impacting society and how they interact with structures of power and violence using an interdisciplinary lens. The course is a comparative, interdisciplinary and cross-sector conversation which encourages reflective thinking about practices of gender. It courts and questions the fixity of language, traditions, laws, and practices as well as the resilience of stereotypes, biases, and structures which perpetuate myths, hierarchies and discrimination.

Self Paced

Self-Paced

Gender Social Sciences Identity

Crafting Realities: Work, Happiness, and Meaning (edX)

EdX

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore,IIMBx

Crafting Realities: Work, Happiness, and Meaning (edX)

Management & Leadership Business

Learn to create and experience your work as a joyful and meaningful activity - for yourself and others. This course draws upon positive psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and philosophy to guide participants in proactively crafting their own work experience. It weaves inputs from these various fields into a series of lectures and experiential exercises.

Self Paced

Self-Paced

Neuroscience Philosophy Sociology

FutureLearn

National Tsing Hua University

Global Intimacies: Sex, Power, Gender and Migration (FutureLearn)

Law

Study the evolution of intimacy in the context of global capitalism and probe the intersections of sex, love, labour and mobility. Explore how freedom of movement impacts sex, gender and our ideas of intimacy. In this time of global capitalism, travelling between countries for work and leisure is common. Global mobility has blurred the boundary between strangers and changed the meaning of intimacy.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Gender Sexuality Sex

Coursera

Stanford University

Health Across the Gender Spectrum (Coursera)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

This course offers an intimate, story-based introduction to the experiences of six transgender children and their families. Through illustrated stories and short teaching videos, learners will gain a better understanding of gender identity and the gender spectrum. Stanford physicians, K-12 educators, and transgender faculty members offer practical tips for parents, teachers, healthcare providers and anyone who wants to help create a more gender-expansive environment - one in which all people can live authentically. As a global community of unique individuals, we can begin to build a world that is ready to nurture and love each and every child.

Sep 28th 2026

3 Weeks

Health Healthcare Gender

FutureLearn

University of Exeter

Understanding Gender Inequality (FutureLearn)

Law Social Sciences

Gender inequality is a key challenge in society. Explore its causes and consequences and consider the ways you can overcome it. Explore gender inequality in the workplace, family, and society. Gender equality and the empowerment of women is a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, and has been thrust into the spotlight with the recent #MeToo movement and HeForShe campaign.

Available Now

4 Weeks

Gender Inequality Gender Inequality

FutureLearn

The Open University

The Lottery of Birth (FutureLearn)

Social Sciences

Birth is a lottery. Find out how your life chances are influenced by where, when and to whom you are born. This online course will look at the big picture of the lottery of birth and the smaller, human stories. You will examine key inequalities, such as being born rich or poor, female or male.

No session available

4 Weeks

Sociology Inequalities Birth

Coursera

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Structuring Values in Modern China (Coursera)

Humanities History

This sequence of four courses will propose a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history conceived of as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic). The focus will be on the moments of paradigm shift from one mode of rationality to another. For each of these moments, cultural facts and artifacts—thought, literature, ritual—will be examined in relationship to changing social, political, and economic systems.

Sep 14th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Science History China

FutureLearn

University of Strathclyde

Understanding Violence Against Women: Myths and Realities (FutureLearn)

Health & Society

Learn how to challenge attitudes that lead to violence against women and develop your knowledge of this human rights issue. The United Nations considers violence against women to be a grave violation of human rights of epidemic proportions. Such violence has profoundly negative consequences for individuals, communities and entire societies. This is why violence against women is a priority issue for governments and societies around the world.

Apr 18th 2022

5-12 Weeks

Women Gender Power