Sociology, Human Services and Crime Studies Student Opportunities

Experiential learning is a big part of our program, and there are lots of ways to put your classroom knowledge into practice. Research opportunities are available through both faculty- and student-initiated projects. You can earn college credit through independent study or in a research assistantship, and university funding is available for student research projects and travel to academic conferences.

Internships offer an excellent opportunity for students to leave college prepared for the next chapter in life, whether that means going on for more education or entering the workforce. They also serve as capstones fulfilling essential culminating course credits in the Sociology and Criminal Justice majors.  

Our department has a large and growing internship program that places students at a variety of organizations in the local community. Students in unpaid internships can apply for grant funding through the Career Planning and Networking Center. 

You can develop your teaching and research skills through one-on-one experiential learning opportunities with a faculty member in our department. Assistantships come in the form of Research Assistantships or Teaching Assistantships.  

A Teaching Assistant (TA) is someone who has taken a course, performed well, and now has something to offer other students taking the same course. A TA is a resource for helping students learn good study habits, effectively work on projects and papers, lead discussions, give presentations, and fulfill other needs in the classroom as determined by the professor. (Undergraduate students are not involved in grading their peers.)

A Research Assistantship is when a student wishes to participate in and support a research project that is led by a faculty member. Most of our faculty are active scholars, and getting involved in their projects may lead to presentations at professional conferences and possible publication in peer-reviewed journals or book chapters. 

An Independent Study differs from a Research Assistantship because it involves a project led by the student with the support of a faculty member. An Independent Study may be taken at the 2XXX or 3XXX levels. At the 4XXX level, we suggest the Senior Thesis option as a capstone course.  A Senior Thesis is an entire research project that acts as an upper-level Independent Study but also fulfills the capstone requirement of our majors. It also allows students to graduate with honors in the major. Any student wishing to pursue a Senior Thesis must have already been a Teaching and/or Research Assistant and have senior standing. We recommend that students considering graduate school complete a Senior Thesis. 

An Individual Course Enrollment (ICE) allows students to take a course that is in the academic catalog but not listed on the schedule as being offered in the desired semester. You take the course as an individual enrollment rather than joining a section with other students.

One of the best ways to get more involved with your major – and meet friends who share your interests – is to join a club and an honor society. These organizations organize fundraisers, host workshops and speakers, and attend conferences for professional organizations such as the Eastern Sociological Society.  

• The Criminal Justice Club offers events and opportunities for students to explore careers in the criminal justice system.
• Alpha Kappa Delta (Alpha Pi chapter) is the international sociology honor society.
• Alpha Phi Sigma (Pi Delta Omicron chapter) is the criminal justice honor society.