Complete 2012-2014 Undergraduate Catalog - Virginia State ...

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK
AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Chairperson:
Professor:
James Hodgson, Mokerrom Hossain
Associate Professors:
Assistant Professors: Ayana Conway, Amy Cook, Nadjhia Normil
Instructor:
Gwendolyn V. Andrews, Makeda Carr, Aubrey Flippen, Franklin Fox, Renata
Hedrington,
John Harris, Morris Jones
Description of the Department
The Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice offers undergraduate degrees in three
areas, and these areas are: Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice. These programs prepare students
for a wide range of career options in the broad dimensions of teaching, practice, and research. Majors are
the ability to think critically.
The Sociology curriculum offers general education on different major aspects of sociological knowledge.
Majors in sociology are prepared for graduate and professional schools and for direct entry into administrative
teaching, and the military. Students whose objectives are law, ministry, business management, higher
professional schools upon completion of this baccalaureate program.
In an effort to address the University’s mission to provide viable and complementary minors for students,
the Sociology Program offers a minor. The courses in the minor are designed to serve as a complementary
area of study that will enhance practice in most disciplines and professions. All sociology majors are
required to declare a minor.
This department also offers Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Criminal Justice is a discipline dedicated
to studying how the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections) utilizes social control measures
in dealing with criminal behavior. A Criminal Justice major provides students with a comprehensive, broad-
law enforcement, corrections, court procedures, criminal law, forensic investigation, and criminal justice
research.
The BSW program prepares generalist social workers for lifelong learning, critical thinking, professional
service and leadership roles, and preparation for graduate social work education through an educational
process that combines a liberal arts and science foundation with professional social work education.
admitted during the academic year in which the program was granted candidacy will be seen as having
graduated from an accredited program.
Mission of the Department
The mission of the Department is to provide students with a liberal arts education through which they
acquire skill in abstract logical thinking, historical consciousness, knowledge and skills of science and
international and multicultural phenomena, and experience with in-depth study.