STAFF

    The sociology faculty at Kutztown University bring a wealth of diverse experiences to the classroom.   All have advanced academic degrees in sociology from some of the nation's outstanding universities.  A majority have the Ph.D. in sociology.  Some have published in international journals; others have read papers and conducted seminars at regional and national meetings of the sociological association.
     Their extensive academic preparation, diverse social and cultural backgrounds, broad and rich international experience and contacts open new vistas and opportunities in the world.  We are dedicated to helping students attain the best possible education by providing the inspiration guidance and personal attention that will make their experience in the Department a turning point in their lives.
 
 

FACILITIES
Library: 

    The University Library has over 350,000 volumes, 2,000 periodicals and newspapers and a sophisticated computer system for study and research purposes.  The collection of books and journals in the social and behavioral sciences is one of the best in the region.
 

CURRICULUM

    Society in the United States is very diverse, with men and women comprising various racial, ethnic and sexually oriented groups.  With our economy rapidly changing from industrial to service oriented, it is vital for the career minded individual to have a clear understanding of the interactions and interrelationships among these diverse groups.  Sociology provides that understanding.
    As a SOCIOLOGY MAJOR, you will have great freedom to design your course work to meet individual objectives.  The major field includes 39 semester hours in sociology.  Required courses include Principles of Sociology, Statistics, Foundations of Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research, a senior seminar, and either Social Stratification, Complex Organizations or Social Foundations of Human Behavior.  Other sociology courses from which students may choose include:  Contemporary Social Problems, Marriage and the Family, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, the Sociology of Sport, Sociology of Religion, Urban Sociology, Population Problems,  Sociology of Deviance, Criminology, Collective Behavior, White Collar Crime, Third World Development, and many more.  In addition, with the advice and consent of the sociology faculty, students may enroll in independent study courses.
    All majors must successfully pass a comprehensive examination in their senior year in order to fulfill the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.  Aside from these requirements, the other courses in the major are determined by your personal goals.
    In addition to courses in their major field, students are encouraged to enhance their marketability by taking a minor in another academic discipline, by combining two or three related academic areas into a concentration (e.g., computer information science and philosophy), or by enrolling in a variety of courses which follow a theme, such as minorities in American life.
 

CAREER OPTIONS

    With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology there are a wide variety of career opportunities in various fields, such as education, criminal justice, theology, urban affairs, social research, law, population and environmental studies, government and numerous other possibilities.
    Depending on the interest and training of the student, a number of specific positions may be available; for example:

         public relations
         human resource manager
         urban planner and manager
         demographic and consumer researcher
         labor-management liaison officer
         organizational or agency consultant
         policy analyst
         gerontology
         health administrator

    Students are encouraged to consult with members of the sociology faculty about these and many other career opportunities.
    As a result of the education and training received as a sociology major at Kutztown University, students will be well prepared to undertake graduate study in sociology or a closely related field if they choose to do so.
 

SPECIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

    Junior or senior sociology majors may also participate in the department's internship program.  Those students who exercise this special option will be placed in an agency or institution related to their future career aspirations.  The advantage of this program is that it allows students to gain important hands-on experience that will be of great value in their future careers.
 

SOCIOLOGY MINOR

    Virtually very major field of study at Kutztown University will be enhanced by the completion of a minor in Sociology.  An understanding of the complex interactions and interrelationships of man and women from diverse racial, ethnic, and sexually oriented backgrounds will greatly improve one's marketability, employability, and promotability in numerous fields such as:

          Nursing
          Education
          Policing and Corrections
          Social Work
          Psychology
          Marketing
          Business Management
          Political Science
          Communications

    Majors in other disciplines may gain a MINOR IN SOCIOLOGY by completing 6 semester hours in required courses and 12 semester hours in sociology electives.  Courses can include:  Principles of Sociology, Foundations of Human Behavior, Foundations of Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research, Contemporary Social Problems, Marriage and the Family, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, the Sociology of Sport, Sociology of Religion, Urban Sociology, Population Problems, Sociology of Deviance, Criminology, Collective Behavior, White Collar Crime, Third World Development, and many more.