Objectives

Sociology Objectives

The Department offers a program in the liberal arts tradition to equip its majors with a deeper understanding of the social forces and dynamic changes affecting both contemporary society and personal lives. To this end, the Department emphasizes an analysis of social and behavioral patterns that underlie communal life on the planet. Dedicated to social justice traditions, the Department seeks to provide students with the tools for critical thinking, statistical sophistication, qualitative analysis, and the variety of possible explanations for a better understanding of our world as well as of ourselves.

The majors also provide a foundation for careers in many fields, such as social service and human resources, criminal justice and the law, research in public and private agencies, and preparation for graduate work in sociology, criminology, law, social work and related areas. To accomplish these goals, the Department offers four tracks:

(1) Youth and Family Services,
(2) General Sociology,
(3) Social Research,
(4) Criminology.

Criminology Objectives

Criminology is an interdisciplinary program which has a liberal arts foundation stressing critical thinking and communication skills. The program is one of four tracks offered by the department of Sociology and Criminology. Direct contact with social service or criminal justice agencies is required through an internship placement.

The program requires that students take a critical look at all aspects of the criminal justice system including police, courts, probation, prison, parole, diversion programs, community corrections, alternative sentencing and restorative justice practices. In addition to this institutional analysis, other courses examine the nature of individuals and groups which are in conflict with the law.

This program is more aligned with the liberal arts aspects of undergraduate education than it is with training for careers in criminal justice and social service, but it does help to prepare students for entry-level employment as well as graduate and law school.