Sociology

David J. Hartmann, Chair
Main Office: 3311 Sangren
Telephone: (269) 387-5270
Fax: (269) 387-5599

Susan M. Carlson
Paul S. Ciccantell
Charles E. Crawford
Patrick Cundiff
Douglas V. Davidson
Whitney DeCamp
Elena Gapova
Barry Goetz
Chien-Juh Gu
Gregory Howard
Vyacheslav Karpov
Ronald C. Kramer
Ashlyn Kuersten
Vincent Lyon-Callo
Angela M. Moe
Timothy Ready
Jesse Smith
Zoann K. Snyder

Courses are designed to give students a better understanding of the significant factors and processes of modern life; to provide study useful for particular applied fields, such as social work, criminal justice, market research, opinion polling, city, state, and federal governmental service, and social research; to meet the needs of students preparing to teach in the social science field; and to prepare students for graduate work in sociology or criminal justice.

The Kercher Center for Social Research, as the research arm of the department, provides facilities and services available to students as well as faculty for instructional and research purposes. The center maintains computer and other research facilities that are used in research course instruction. Research conducted through the center has dealt with subjects such as: criminal justice, marital roles, race relations, voting behavior, alcoholism, mental health, demography, and education.

Department Advisor

3225 Sangren Hall, (269) 387-5286. Students must consult the department advisor for major/minor slips in Sociology, Criminal Justice, the Social Psychology concentration, and for the evaluation of transfer credits, or for any other questions involving majors or minors.

Undergraduate Assistantships

Students interested in becoming more involved in the department’s activities and projects may wish to apply for undergraduate assistantships which are available fall and spring semesters. Department assistants receive a moderate stipend and are assigned to work for a faculty member or department project. Applicants for these awards are also considered for the Kercher Award.

Further information and application forms may be obtained at the Sociology Office, 3233 Sangren Hall.

Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certificate Program

Sociology majors and minors may choose to participate in the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certificate Program. This program is designed to prepare students for employment, service, and leadership in nonprofit organizations. Students qualify for the certificate by taking courses in their major and minor that meet the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance competency requirements, by taking the required Nonprofit Leadership courses, and by meeting the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance extra-curricular requirements. For details, please see the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance description in the College of Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Program section of this catalog. Details are also available from the Sociology academic advisor and from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance director.

Honors Program

Students in sociology and criminal justice may participate in the department honors program in three ways:

Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta, the national sociology honor society. AKD is open to all sociology majors who have completed at least four courses in sociology with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, and whose overall average is at least 3.0. Further information and application forms are available at the Sociology office, 3235 Sangren.
Membership in Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society. Alpha Phi Sigma is open to all criminal justice majors and minors who have completed at least four criminal justice courses at WMU with an overall grade point average of 3.2 or better, and whose criminal justice average is at least 3.2. Further information and application forms are available at the Criminal Justice office, 3233 Sangren.

Advanced Courses

5000-level courses in the Department of Sociology are designed for graduate student audience. Advanced undergraduates with at least 12 hours of prerequisites and junior standing will be allowed to enroll. Prerequisites must include SOC 2000 or its equivalent in another related social science discipline; and two 3000- or 4000-level courses (i.e., one of each; or two of one). Exemptions for these may be granted on a case-by case basis.