Assistant Professor Janet Buhrmann
Assistant Professor Kelly A. Dagan home page
Assistant Professor Richard B. Maye

Sociology Home Page
Sociology Course Listings

What is distinctive about a Sociology major at Illinois College?
The sociology department is designed for students to develop the interconnections between individual lives and the larger society. Students are asked to think on a deep level and question the impact of society on individual choices, behaviors, attitudes and how those choices, behaviors, and attitudes shape the society in which we live. Those interested in majoring in sociology have the option of choosing between four subfields: social work, criminology, inequality/stratification and family studies. 

The sociology department also requires a minimum of 3 credit hours of fieldwork or independent study. To set up a particular fieldwork project, students work in conjunction with a faculty advisor to find a project that fits their interests and provides them with an enriched learning experience. Students enrolled in the sociology program are encouraged to take courses in statistics, computer skills, and federal, state, and local government.

What opportunities are available for students?
Alpha Kappa Delta is the International Sociology Honor Society with the goal to study humankind for the purpose of service. Members can attend sessions on career information and graduate schools in the field of sociology and social work. Students majoring in sociology are inducted into the society once they meet the following requirements:

• Be an officially declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within an official program of Illinois College
• Be at least a junior (3rd year) by the standards of Illinois College
• Accumulated the equivalent of a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and rank in the top 35% of their class
• Maintained the equivalent of a 3.0 grade point average in sociology courses taken at Illinois College
• Completed at least 4 courses in sociology

Students have the opportunity to start fieldwork as early as their sophomore year. Opportunities for practical fieldwork experience through an internship are available through a cooperative arrangement with state and local social service agencies such as: the State Department of Children and Family Services, mental health, vocational rehabilitation, corrections, county probation offices, public aid offices, alcohol treatment agencies, nursing homes, and law enforcement agencies. A student’s faculty advisor and the Career Center, located in Baxter Hall, are Illinois College’s main resources for matching a student’s interest with their field of study.

Students also participate in research projects either through the social research class or an independent study. The social research class introduces students to research ethics, design, data collection techniques, and analytical procedures. An independent study is a one-on-one student / faculty class where a students research a specific topic with faculty guidance.

What opportunities are available after graduation?
Many sociology graduates are pursuing graduate degrees in either sociology or social work. A few of the schools they are currently attending are: St. Louis University, University of North Carolina, Illinois State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Chicago State University.

Sociology students have accepted jobs as case managers, early intervention service coordinators, school social workers, and probation officers. They are employed by organizations such as Metropolitan Family Services, Youth Attention Center, Hobby Horse House, Department of Children and Family Services, Catholic Charities, and the State Department of Corrections.

 

   

 

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