3.00 Credits
See Honors Work, page 61 of the 2011 - 2012 Undergraduate Catalog. Sociology and Criminology disciplines at Valparaiso University, supports Pi Gamma Mu, the international honor society in social science. The Common Core. (15 credit hours) All students who major in the department are required to enroll in the following courses which comprise the common core: SOC 110, 275, 310, 320, and 493. The Concentration in Sociology. Intended for students interested in understanding society and social behavior. The sociology concentration can lead to careers in administration in a variety of community, government and social service agencies, market research, or other vocations that require an understanding of the dynamics of human relationships in a multicultural society. The concentration also prepares students for graduate study in sociology. This concentration requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. In addition to the core courses, students must take at least two (2) additional 200 level courses, two (2) additional 300 or 400 level courses and one (1) additional course at any level. Students who seek careers involving agency administration should consider the Fundamentals of Business Minor (page 244). The Concentration in Criminology. This concentration is intended for students who plan to prepare for a career in law or employment in the federal, state, or local justice system (e.g., law enforcement, courts, or corrections). The concentration consists of 33 credit hours in sociology. In addition to the core courses required of all majors, students in the criminology concentration are required to enroll in SOC 130, 311, 386, and one of (270, 350, 360, 391, or 370). Students who are completing the concentration in criminology must also take two other courses at the 200 level or beyond. Students who plan to attend law school, or who are interested in justice agency administration, are strongly encouraged to complete degree requirements by adding an individualized minor in Justice Administration or some other individualized minor relevant to one’s course of study and career plans. It is recommended that students planning an individualized minor select courses from the following: PSY (110 or 111), 201 and 235; Associate Professors D. Bartusch, Venturelli, Yogan (Chair); Assistant Professor Lavin-Loucks. The Department of Sociology encompasses the disciplines of sociology, criminology, and anthropology, and seeks to provide a broad-based understanding of the organization and dynamics of human society and culture. Its subject matter ranges from intimate family life to the broader issues of ethnicity, race and gender, from crime to religion, from the divisions of social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture. Its primary focus is on social relationships in a wide variety of cultural and social settings. The department’s programs seek to help students achieve an awareness of the world in which they live, and of the causes and consequences of human social behavior. Its basic objective is to aid students to understand themselves, the groups in which they participate, as well as the dynamics of everyday life. By expanding their knowledge of the field, its theories, concepts and research methods, and by acquiring insights to their world from the study of different peoples and cultures, students develop skills in social analysis, enhance their capacity for self-evaluation, and grow in their ability to make informed judgments about key social issues in a multicultural society. To achieve these objectives, the department has developed a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts tradition that is flexible and responsive to student needs. While all majors are required to enroll in a core of basic sociology courses, the curriculum provides for a range of intellectual, professional, and occupational interests by offering concentrations in sociology and criminology. International Honor Societies. The department encourages qualifying students to join honor societies in sociology and the social sciences. Such organizations recognize outstanding scholarship and achievement. There are two international honor societies for which majors in the department may qualify. First, the department sponsors the NU Chapter of the international honor society in sociology, Alpha Kappa Delta. Second, the department, along with other social science Sociology and Criminology MGT 304; and POLS 120, 220, 340, 341, 345, and 360. Other programs which are suggested to complete degree requirements are the Fundamentals of Business Minor (page 244) or the Chicago Urban Semester (page 65). Minor. A minor consists of at least 18 credit hours in sociology. Courses must include SOC 110, 310, 320 and at least one 200 level course, one 300 or 400 level course, and one course from any level. Degree. Completion of the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences along with the concentration requirements of the Department of Sociology leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. Credit by Examination. Credit for SOC 110 may be earned through the College Level Examination Program in Introductory Sociology. Plan of Study. Each student taking a major or minor in sociology must have a plan of study approved by designated departmental advisors. Students are advised to take SOC 110 and SOC 130 during their freshman or sophomore years. They should take SOC 275, 310, and 386 during their junior or senior year. The capstone course should be taken during their senior year and only after they have taken their other required sociology courses. General Education Social Science Requirement. Courses in sociology partially fulfill the Social Science Requirement of the General Education Requirements. Level I. Level I courses are designed to give students a broad overview of sociology. These courses typically expose the student to many different sociological topics and are taught at the introductory level.