Course

Course Summary

Credit Type:

Exam

ACE ID:

CLEP-0026

Organization's ID:

CLEP-0026

Organization:

College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Location:

Certified CLEP test centers throughout the U.S.

Length:

Approximately 1.5 hours

Dates Offered:

Credit Recommendation & Competencies

Level	Credits (SH)	Subject
Lower-Division Baccalaureate	3	Introduction to Sociology

Credit is recommended for candidates scoring 50 and above.

Description

Objective:

The Introductory Sociology exam is designed to assess an individual's knowledge of the material typically presented in a one-semester introductory-level sociology course at most colleges and universities. The examination emphasizes basic facts and concepts as well as general theoretical approaches used by sociologists on the topics of institutions, social patterns, social processes, social stratifications, and the sociological perspective. Highly-specialized knowledge of the subject and the methodology of the discipline is not required or measured by the test content. The exam contains approximately 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes.

Skills Measured:

Questions on the Introductory Sociology examination require candidates to demonstrate one or more of the following abilities. Some questions may require more than one of these abilities.

• Identification of specific names, facts and concepts from sociological literature
• Understanding of relationships between concepts, empirical generalizations and theoretical propositions of sociology
• Understanding of the methods by which sociological relationships are established
• Application of concepts, propositions and methods to hypothetical situations
• Interpretation of tables and charts

The subject matter of the Introductory Sociology exam is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main topics indicate the approximate percentage of exam questions on that topic.

20% Institutions
• Economic
• Educational
• Family
• Medical
• Political
• Religious

10% Social patterns
• Community
• Demography
• Human ecology/environmental sociology
• Rural/urban patterns

25% Social processes
• Collective behavior and social movements
• Culture
• Deviance and social control
• Groups and organizations
• Social change
• Social interaction
• Socialization

25% Social stratification (process and structure)
• Aging
• Power and social inequality
• Professions and occupations
• Race and ethnic relations
• Sex and gender roles
• Social class
• Social mobility

20% The sociological perspective
• History of sociology
• Methods
• Sociological theory

Instruction & Assessment