Purposes

• To provide students with understanding of social environments and patterns of human behavior. This knowledge is a foundation for many disciplines in addition to sociology, e.g., criminal justice, education, psychology, social work, ministry, business and international affairs.
• To help students understand themselves and others in the context of local, national and world societies through the comparison of societies and cultures.
• To prepare students to work with many populations and issues in a variety of settings in the United States and elsewhere in the world.
• To provide students with the tools for study and analysis of the structure and functioning of social groups, social institutions, and societies.
• To provide professional education for employment in the criminal justice systems and generalist social work practice, and the foundation for post-graduate study.

Tradition of Excellence

• A major in Sociology is foundational for the understanding of human society and social behavior. The graduate in Sociology is equipped for many human service positions and is prepared for post-graduate study in Sociology, which can lead to positions in higher education, research, business, and law.
• A concentration in Criminal Justice builds upon the core Sociology curriculum and prepares the graduate for positions in all components of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. The graduate is prepared for postgraduate study in Criminal Justice, Sociology, law, and other fields.
• A major in Social Work prepares the graduate for entry into professional social work in a generalist practice. The Social Work graduate is prepared for post-graduate work in the profession.
• A minor in Sociology as a complement to other disciplines.
•  A minor in Criminal Justice as a complement to other disciplines.

Career Opportunities

The Department of Sociology and Social Work prepares students to be effective leaders in the work force.

A number of students were hired while still in internships, and many graduates have secured professional employment during or shortly after completion of their undergraduate study. Popular careers students enter include research design, public relations, human services, probation and criminal justice, social work, social welfare, counseling, health care administration, and many other rewarding fields. Graduates are employed in a variety of occupations: as social workers at a hospital and with the County of San Diego, as counselors with the Salvation Army and with Big Brothers & Sisters, as corrections officer with the State of California and with Federal Pre-Trial Services, as director of a senior citizen center, as a layout designer for San Diego Gas and Electric Company, as teachers at all levels, and as local, state, and federal law enforcement officers.

Many graduates continue their education at the post-graduate level in Sociology, Social Work, and law. Students have entered schools such as the University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, University of Colorado, Duke University, University of Southern California, San Diego State University, and the California Western School of Law.

Majors

Minors

Courses

Faculty