Sociology

David Hartmann, Chair
Main Office: 3311 Sangren
Telephone: (269) 387-5270
Fax: (269) 387-2882

Paul Ciccantell
Charles Crawford
Patrick Cundiff
Whitney DeCamp
Elena Gapova
Barry Goetz
Chien-Juh Gu
Gregory Howard
Vyacheslav Karpov
Ronald Kramer
Ashlyn Kuersten
Elena Lisovskaya
Vincent Lyon-Callo
Ann Miles
Angela Moe
Jesse Smith
Zoann Snyder
Katherine Tierney

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
Tom Mills, 3225 Sangren Hall, (269) 387-5286

Students must consult an advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences for major/minor slips in Sociology, Criminal Justice Studies, and Social Psychology 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, 3235 Sangren Hall.

Honors Program
Students in sociology and criminal justice may participate in the department honors program in two 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 3.3. 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 Sociology office, 3235 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.

Accelerated Graduate Degree Program
For more information about department accelerated graduate degree programs see the graduate catalog.