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Sociology & Criminology

Sociology & Criminology at IWU

Are you planning to pursue a career that involves dealing with group dynamics, keeping up on social trends, or navigating cultural diversity, here or abroad? Then you need to study sociology! Sociologists are social scientists who use sophisticated research methods to gather and analyze data on groups, institutions, beliefs, and experiences to understand how societies work. 

"The 'sociological imagination' is a framework that helps students learn to view the world from multiple perspectives and begin to see how individuals and social institutions are interconnected. Students learn how people are shaped by biology, culture, and historical and societal contexts, as well as how individuals play a role in shaping these contexts."  - American Sociological Association 

Students are often attracted to sociology because of a passion for social justice, a desire to understand different groups or cultures, and a need to understand organizations or institutions. Some of the common topics of sociological study include*:

  • Communication, Media, and Technology
  • Deviance, Crime, and Social Control
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Family
  • Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
  • Government and Politics
  • Health and Medicine
  • Immigration and Migration
  • Race and Ethnicity
  • Religion
  • Social Movements and Social Change
  • Research Methods and Data Analysis
  • Work and the Economy
    *(courtesy of the American Sociological Association)

To learn more about topics, skills, and career paths for sociology majors, visit the American Sociological Association website. 

The Sociology & Criminology department at IWU offers two majors and two minors:

 

Sociology Major

Sociology-Criminology Major

Sociology Minor

Criminology Minor

 

 

Opportunities to Explore

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS)

The interdisciplinary major & minor sequences in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies support IWU's commitment to diversity and social justice through courses that open discussion about the ways in which gender and sexuality construct our lives and institutions. 

Advocacy Minor

The Advocacy minor is for students who seek to learn effective advocacy skills. Students select one of three concentrations: law, nonprofit management, or public administration.

Student Research

The Research Honors program provides qualified students with an opportunity to work closely with a faculty member in the department who serves as the advisor on a year-long research project.

Internships

Students majoring in sociology have participated in a wide variety of internships, both locally and across the region and beyond. The Hart Career Center helps students search, apply, and interview for internships related to their goals and interests.

Mission and Vision

The mission of the sociology program is to provide students with a broad and actionable education, applicable to a variety of career paths, that includes research, writing, and critical thinking skills.

 

 

contact

Todd Fuist headshot

Todd Fuist - Chair and Associate Professor of Sociology

Department - Sociology & Criminology