Sociology

Associate Professors Dundes, Harlow, Lemke (Department Chair); Assistant Professors Raley, Semu.

Areas of particular teaching interest: Professor Dundes: criminology, criminal justice, medical sociology; Professor Lemke: social theory, research methods, social stratification, gender roles; Professor Harlow: race and ethnicity, sociology of education, and society and the individual; Professor Semu: globalization/international development, love and marriage, social policy and urban sociology; Professor Raley: gender, work and family, sexuality, consumption, and research methods.

Sociology is the study of social life and the social structural causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociology takes a scientific, humanistic, and cross-cultural approach when investigating the structure of groups, organizations, and societies. It also analyzes the relationships that unite societies in the world system. Topics of interest include deviance, family patterns and relationships, social change, intergroup relations, race, gender, sexuality, social class, work, education and development.

Sociology is an available liberal arts major for students seeking careers in social research, community and social services, business and industry, government, the justice system, public administration, community and international development, education, and market research. The sociology major provides a good foundation for students wishing to pursue professional degrees in social work, education, public health, business administration and community planning, in addition to graduate degrees in sociology, law, medicine, and divinity school.

Please see the Education section under Curriculum in this catalog for teacher certification requirements in Sociology.

Please see the Dual Major section for dual majors with Communication, Foreign Language, and Psychology.

Departmental Honors

To receive departmental honors, students must:

have at least a 3.50 GPA
satisfy any departmental requirements
be recommended by the Department
see the Department Chair for more specific requirements.