Fall Semester 2000 through Summer Semester 2002
Go to current catalog
Fall Semester 2000 through Summer Semester 2002
Go to current catalog
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Admission to major: No requirement other than good academic standing in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Minimum hours required for major: 33 (including SOC 101, 201, 352, 353, 354 and four other courses, with at least 3 at the 300- to 400-level)
Minimum hours required for minor: 18 (including SOC 101, 352, and 353, with at least 12 hours at the 300- to 400-level)
Advising: Individual faculty advisors and Student Handbook.
Student Honorary Society: Alpha Kappa Delta
Awards: Annual Distinguished Sociology Student Award
Student Organizations: Sociology Club
For Information: Contact the Sociology Department. Phone: 687-4500
Sociology is the study of social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sometimes this behavior involves personal relationships, perhaps among teen-agers or the elderly, sometimes the difficulties facing the urban poor or drug addicts, sometimes the development of modern nation-states and political conflict. Sociology opens new windows - challenging conventional wisdom, dissolving myths about social reality, illuminating how the world is socially constructed, and clarifying our options and choices.
Sociology students at Cleveland State University are taught to analyze modern social problems scientifically. In addition, they are taught how to do research about these issues using statistics, interviews, and participant observation. Good research requires a grasp of the "sociological imagination" - the connections between historical, large-scale social forces and biography, and the ways in which people live and understand their lives.
Majors in Sociology develop the critical thinking and writing skills basic to a sound liberal-arts education. They learn research skills and an understanding of the sociological perspective. This prepares them for a wide range of careers. Some students use the degree as preparation for graduate work in one of the social sciences or law, others work in human resource management, social service, corporations, or schools.
In establishing the requirements of the major in Sociology, the Department of Sociology maintains these objectives: to introduce students to the sociological perspective and its uses; to teach the principles of sociological research and the fundamental skills needed to use them, and to prepare students for advanced training at the professional and graduate-school levels.
A minimum of 33 hours in sociology is required for a major. The hours must include these core courses:
In addition, students must complete four elective courses, at least three of which must be at the 300- to 400-level.
Although a student is free to complete the major requirements with any combination of sociology electives, the department believes that the major program is greatly strengthened and better organized when there is judicious selection of electives. The department makes available a faculty advisor to every student who declares a major in Sociology. The student is expected to plan a total academic program with the assistance of a departmental advisor.
When appropriately selected, the sociology offerings permit a student to concentrate in one of the following subfields: criminology, aging and the life course, race, class, and gender; social organization and change.
Sociology majors with an interest in criminology and criminal justice may declare a major in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology. Students pursuing this program take core courses in the fundamentals of sociology and additional courses focusing on key areas and issues in the study of crime. This program familiarizes students with the principal theories and research findings of criminology and is designed to develop critical thinking abilities and the knowledge and research and writing skills central to a liberal-arts education. It prepares students for a wide variety of careers in applied criminal justice fields such as corrections, parole or policing; in the field of justice research and in social-service settings. In addition, students who complete this concentration are well prepared for graduate work in criminology, one of the social sciences or law.
For more information, call the Sociology Department, 687-4500.
Requirements for a BA in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology:
 | SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology |
| SOC 201 Race, Class and Gender |
| SOC 340 Criminology |
| SOC 352 Sociological Theory |
| SOC 353 Methods of Social Research |
| SOC 354 Quantitative Social Research |
| 4 electives from the two groups listed below, at least two of which must be from Group A; |
| Group A Electives: SOC 260, SOC 311, SOC 341, SOC 342, SOC 344, SOC 345, SOC 420, SOC 494 |
| Group B Electives: ECN 350, PHL 341, PSC 310, PSC 311, PSY 345, SWK 240, SWK 259, SWK 341, SWK 342, SWK 371, SWK 374, SWK 375, SWK 470 |
Internships in Sociology-Criminology: Students may qualify for an internship in Sociology-Criminology (SOC 490) by achieving an overall GPA of 3.0 in the required courses for the major. Students who qualify must arrange an internship with the departmental coordinator (call 687-4500). Internships may be for up to 8 credit hours. However, only four of these hours may be applied toward the requirements for the major (in lieu of 4 hours of Group B electives).
Also see minor in Criminal Justice
A minimum of 18 hours in sociology is required for a minor. The 18 hours must include:
| SOC 101 Principles of Sociology |
| SOC 352 Sociological Theory |
| SOC 353 Methods of Social Research |
In addition, students must complete two electives, at least one of which must be at the 300- to 400-level.
The Criminal Justice Certificate, which is administered through the Department of Sociology, introduces students to the institutions involved in society's handling of crime. It is also designed to heighten awareness of the theoretical and philosophical issues involved in defining, explaining, and deterring crime and to introduce students to some of the social-science research on the nature and extent of crime. In addition, the certificate provides students with the appropriate entry-level qualifications for many professional positions in criminal justice fields.
Requirements for an Interdisciplinary Certificate in criminal justice
Students wishing to earn a certificate in Criminal Justice must complete a minimum of 16 to 17 semester credit hours which must include:
1. Required Course Courses
| SOC 260 Deviance in the United States |
| SOC 340 Criminology |
| SWK 240 Administration of Justice |
| SWK 259 The Child, the Family and the Law |
2. Elective Courses: Students must also take one course from the following list, for a total of 3 to 4 semester credit hours.
| PSY 345 Abnormal Psychology |
| PHL 341 Philosophy of Law |
| ECN 350 Economics of Crime |
For additional information, contact the chairperson of the Department of Sociology at 687-4500.
