The Department of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology offers a variety of programs that link coursework in the social sciences to students’ career-related objectives and also prepares students for post-graduate work in a variety of professions such as law, criminal justice, urban planning, human resources, public health, social work, and university teaching and research.

In addition to the general Sociology Major and Minor, the department offers several emphases and minors that build upon the discipline of sociology: the systematic study of human group behavior that seeks to understand the processes by which people build, maintain, and change their institutional arrangements and relationships with one another in an increasingly complex and global world.

The Criminology Major and Minor focus on the foundation and causes of criminal and delinquent behavior and victimization, and the operation of the criminal justice system in the United States. The Sociology-Global Comparative Emphasis Major entails analysis and comparison of social institutions, processes, and relationships across social and cultural settings, both within and between national borders. The Sociology-Honors Emphasis Major prepares students with advanced study in theory and methods in preparation for graduate school. The Family and Health Studies Minor focuses on the personal and social dimensions of family and health issues. The Anthropology Minor involves the cross-cultural study of humankind, both past and present, including its origins and development and material and non-material culture through archaeological, biophysical, ethnographic, and linguistic perspectives.

In addition to the Majors and Minors, the Department offers five unique Certificates: Forensic Science, Disability Studies, Applied Research, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Behavioral Health and Society. The Forensic Science Certificate teaches students how to apply the scientific method to the collection, processing, analysis and evaluation of evidence. Students learn how to interpret forensic evidence and its role in the criminal justice system. The Disability Studies Certificate prepares students to consider the construction and experience of disability (and ability) through multiple disciplines and perspectives.The Applied Research Certificate prepares students with the skills to plan and execute an applied research project and who plan to work in any public or private organization. The Corporate Social Responsibility Certificate teaches students how leadership in corporations act responsibly (or irresponsibly) in relationship to the environment, community, consumer, employee, government, non-government entities, and other stakeholders and members of the public. And finally, the Behavioral Health and Society Certificate helps students to develop a substantive expertise in issues related to mental illness and addictions, to help prepare them for careers at the intersection of psychology, criminal justice, sociology, and/or social work.

Majors/Emphases: Groups of Courses Within Sociology

Group 1A - Social Structure, Interaction, and Change