SOCIOLOGY HOME | FACULTY OFFICE HOURS | SPRING 2007 CLASS SCHEDULE
Mission Statement The Department of Sociology is committed to the
principles of a liberal education and to assisting students in learning
to "think sociologically" in order to define, analyze, and understand
human behavior. Therefore we are committed to equipping undergraduate
students with a broad view of the world consistent with the goals of
a liberal arts education and to preparing them to understand the structures
and patterns upon which everyday life rests; the interplay between biography,
history and their intersections within social structures; to interpret
social patterns and relationships from multiple perspectives; and to
examine existing social arrangements critically - in other words, to
develop and apply a sociological imagination. The mission of the Sociology
Department is also intricately tied to the mission of the university
and the college of arts and sciences which recognizes the richness of
our multiculturalism and diversity. In this regard, an important part
of our mission is to educate students for world citizenship. This requires
a broad knowledge and understanding of culture and society, a critical
understanding of multicultural perspectives and experiences as well
as the emerging interdependencies among members of the global community.
Our instructional mission includes providing knowledge
and skills, both sociological and general, for a broad spectrum of jobs
in today's competitive labor market or to pursue graduate and professional
degrees in Sociology and related disciplines. This includes fostering
in our students critical and analytical thinking skills, research abilities
necessary to explore systematically the complex interconnections among
people and their social worlds, and to engage in life-long learning.
Responsive to this mission, the sociology department provides students
with opportunities to develop and enhance rational thinking and prudent
judgment, to enhance communication skills, to develop understanding,
respect, and understanding of differences, to expand the imagination,
to acquire knowledge about a wide range of theoretical perspectives
and principles, and to acquire a working knowledge of the application
and use of sociological methods of inquiry, including statistical analysis
and field methods of research. Students are provided with a wide range
of opportunities to apply these skills through participation in empirical
research and service to the community. The vision that informs our mission is of a proactive
civic sociology focusing on stratification, the intersections of race,
class, gender and sexuality, individual and collective agency and social
change as central to sociological analysis. In addition, central to
our mission is a departmental emphasis on application and sociological
practice. We encourage close collaboration among faculty and students
at all levels of sociological practice: in the classroom, in the conduct
of research and in serving the needs of our various communities. Students
are given a variety of opportunities to engage in and complete community
service projects and the department's internship program provides students
with an opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to the
realities of work in organizations serving diverse communities thereby
helping them bridge the gap between theory and the practice of sociology.
We expect students to demonstrate an appreciation for social and intellectual
diversity, an awareness of social inequality, civic engagement and responsibility,
and a commitment to social justice. In this context, the department
has sought to provide a dynamic student-centered environment within
which students are provided with course work and experiences that empower
them to create a more humane and just society. The sociology faculty are sensitive to the particular
needs of all of our students thus we provide a range of opportunities
for full-time and part-time, day and evening study for both traditional
and nontraditional students utilizing a variety of perspectives and
pedagogical styles to enrich the teaching and learning experiences of
our students. In addition, the department recruits and retains qualified
faculty members who are sensitive to the differential needs and learning
styles of our students as well as the developments in their respective
areas of expertise and who demonstrate a professional commitment to
teaching. Sociology faculty are also active contributors to sociological
knowledge through research, publications, and community activism within
their respective specialty areas. The combined strengths of our department
faculty in topical areas of scholarly and community activism include:
social/structured inequality; the intersectionality of race, class,
gender and sexualities; contemporary social issues, self-defense; institutions
and organizations; community studies and community activism; development;
globalization; and demography. Our teaching and scholarship are grounded
in the values of: academic and professional integrity, inclusiveness,
community, compassion, excellence, creativity and collaboration. The department manifests its mission through course offerings for a minor in Sociology or a major leading to the Bachelor of Arts Degree. |
NEWSAugust 21, 2007:
January 3, 2007: October 4, 2006: September 11, 2006: August 11, 2006:  |
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