|
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.
|
