University of Delaware
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice administers separate academic programs in Sociology and in Criminal Justice.

SOCIOLOGY

The sociology major is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the dynamics of society and social relations. The curriculum include core courses in social theory and research methods and emphasizes flexibility by allowing students to design a program that fits their particular needs and objectives. There are concentrations in Data Analysis , Health Services, Law and Society, and Social Welfare.   The department also offers a major in sociology education and a minor in sociology.

Field Experience: One important feature of the sociology major program is a field experience in the social welfare, health services, law and society, and data analysis concentrations. Each field experience involves placement of students in various organizations and departments related to their area of interest, including city offices and agencies, hospitals and other health care organizations, human services and welfare agencies, and law offices and research bureaus. These field placement programs are offered during the winter session and involve four hours of pass/fail course credit. This credit is considered part of the student's related studies requirement.

Over a five-week period students are placed in the field between 120 and 180 hours, depending upon the nature of the work and the need of the student. In addition, students in each field placement meet in a two-hour weekly seminar (for five weeks) to discuss and analyze their experiences.

Advantages of the Program

  1. While all students will receive a B.A. degree in sociology, this program provides preprofessional training within selected areas of the student's choice.
  2. The program offers future job-related experience with academic supervision and for academic credit.
  3. It includes certification of these concentrations by the department, which may be beneficial in obtaining employment.
  4. It offers increased flexibility for the student by allowing choices among various focused, directed concentrations.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The criminal justice major program is structured around a core of criminal justice courses on such topics as law enforcement, the judicial process, juvenile justice, corrections, and the criminal law. The Criminal Justice curriculum includes courses in political science, psychology, and at least one foreign language, as well as in sociology.

Students may become criminal justice majors in one of two ways. First, any incoming freshman or transfer student may choose criminal justice as a major. These students are expected to demonstrate both the ability and the commitment to perform well in all of their course work. Those who do not should meet with their advisor to discuss ways to improve their study skills and/or the possibility of selecting another major. Second, matriculated students who have already declared another major or who presently are undeclared may transfer into the Criminal Justice Program after they have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours if their overall cumulative average at the University of Delaware is at least 2.3.

Double Major: With the permission of the dean of the college and the department chair a student may elect to fulfill requirements for two majors such as criminal justice and English (for a career in journalism), criminal justice and chemistry (for a career in forensic science), criminal justice and political science (for a career in court administration), criminal justice and psychology (for a career in corrections), or criminal justice and sociology (for a career in related fields).

Visit the College of Arts and Science Website
Back to Catalog Contents - College of Arts and Science
College Faculty 
Questions?
 
Back to  Home Page | Back to  Catalog Contents 
UD Catalog Webmaster:  mww@udel.edu