Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

About Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work programs

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty

Location: Building 51, Room 2304
Phone: (904) 620-2850
Web Address: www.unf.edu/coas/sasw/
Jennifer Spaulding-Givens, Chair

Mission

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work seeks to provide greater understanding of human behavior with a focus on its social and cultural contexts, both locally and globally. We strive to accomplish this through our commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, scholarly research and the development of practical and applied skills with which our students and faculty create new knowledge to critically analyze and serve diverse populations and communities. The Department is committed to the focused use of available resources and to a process of continual self-reflection and improvement.

Department Accreditation Status

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work's Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The Program

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work includes faculty and degree programs in three disciplines: Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. All share a common focus on human behavior, though their specific emphases differ.

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people navigate and interact within these contexts. As a social science, sociology employs a rigorous methodology that includes both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Central areas of sociological inquiry include social class, race and ethnicity, gender, religion, urban life, work and organizations, social welfare, family, politics, and international development. UNF's Sociology faculty have expertise across these areas and maintain active research agendas. They bring knowledge and passion into the classroom, and many of our faculty have involved students in research projects.

Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity from a holistic, cross-cultural, and historical perspective. It draws insights from a variety of disciplinary lenses, including the social sciences, the humanities, and the biological sciences. The goal of anthropological research is a deep and rich understanding of who we are as humans, how we have changed, and why we are as we are. UNF's Anthropology program provides rigorous training in sociocultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and physical anthropology. In addition, students learn to apply their anthropological knowledge to real-world human problems at the local or international level. The UNF Anthropology faculty represent the diversity of discipline and are active in publishing and presenting their research.

Social workers routinely provide services in the areas of child welfare, housing assistance, disaster relief, mental health, substance abuse, crisis intervention, vocational training, hospice and palliative care, juvenile justice and corrections, and victim advocacy. UNF's Social Work program provides generalist and advanced generalist training in the theory and practice of social work with diverse individuals, groups, families, and communities. The program includes a substantial field education component, placing students in local agencies like those where they would work as professionals. UNF's Social Work faculty have extensive academic training as well as practical experience in the field.

Undergraduate Major Degree Programs

The Department offers BA degrees in Sociology and in Anthropology, and a BSW in Social Work. All majors must fulfill the University's general education requirements and the College of Arts and Sciences graduation requirements. The minimum total hours required for all four-year degrees is 120 credit hours.

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (BA): The BA in Sociology (33 hours) provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the sociological perspective based on the systematic study of the interrelationship between the individual and larger social structural forces and institutions. The undergraduate curriculum is organized to cultivate the theoretical, methodological, empirical, and critical thinking skills -- central to both sociology and a broader liberal arts education. Sociology majors may opt to complete a concentration in Social Research to enhance their quantitative and qualitative research skills. The BA in Sociology requires a minor.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (BA): The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (36 credit hours) is grounded in the discipline's four fields: archaeology, sociocultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and physical anthropology. Students take a core course in each of these areas, as well as courses in the theories, methods, and traditions of the discipline. Elective courses provide insights into the cultures and regions about which faculty have specialized knowledge (for instance, Southeast Asia or the Southeastern U.S.), or into specific topics of interest to Anthropologists (such as religion or globalization). Many students complement their coursework with applied research experiences in the Department's labs or the Archaeological Field School. Prerequisites include six hours of lower-level courses in Anthropology. The BA in Anthropology requires a minor.

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): The Bachelor of Social Work degree is a 54-credit hour program designed to develop students' knowledge of social work and their skills in social work practice. The BSW program of study includes required courses in social work theory and practice, as well as courses in social diversity and electives that enhance students' knowledge of specific client populations and practice contexts. In their second year, all students will complete a two-semester supervised internship at an approved field site. The BSW is a limited-access program, admitting students in fall semester only. Full-time and part-time programs of study are available. Prospective students should consult the catalog's limited access webpage for current application information and deadlines. BSW students are not required to complete a minor.

Undergraduate Minor Degree Programs

In addition to our BA and BSW programs, the Department offers minors in Sociology, Anthropology, Social Welfare, and Child Welfare. All of the Department's minors are 15 credit hours (some have additional prerequisite requirements).

Sociology: The Sociology Minor facilitates a basic understanding of the field through a required course in sociological theory and a choice of four additional upper-level electives.

Anthropology: The Anthropology Minor allows students to choose from a range of courses across this diverse field.

Social Welfare: The Social Welfare Minor requires courses in social welfare, human services and social diversity; electives further prepare students for work with a variety of client populations.

Child Welfare: The Child Welfare Minor is designed to prepare UNF students for child welfare practice upon graduation with a baccalaureate degree in a related discipline. By completing requisite courses and a practicum at a local community-based child welfare organization, students will be prepared to take the state pre-service certification exam upon graduation and assume employment immediately as a family service counselor. Family service counselors work in a case management capacity to support the safety and well-being of children and their families involved in the foster care system following allegations of abuse or neglect.

Graduate Degree Program

Master of Social Work (MSW): The University of North Florida (UNF) Master of Social Work (MSW) program fosters a commitment to creating social change through a holistic practice of social work that emphasizes the attainment of biopsychosocial-economic and spiritual wellbeing, especially among people who experience systematic marginalization and oppression. Through an educational experience founded on critical thinking, research, service, and social justice and enriched through diverse community partnerships, the program prepares professional advanced generalist social workers for multi-method clinical and administrative practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Study Abroad/CBTL/TLO Programming

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work has a strong record of providing students with learning opportunities outside the classroom. These include faculty-led study abroad trips, the Archaeological Field School, undergraduate research opportunities, internship opportunities, and community-based learning. Faculty have led students on study abroad trips (to Bali, Iceland, and the United Kingdom, most recently). The Anthropology program offers an Archaeological Field School each summer that allows students to examine native Floridian and early European sites near the UNF campus. Students who have conducted research in the contexts of their courses, honor projects, field school or independent studies are invited to present posters or papers at the Department's annual Undergraduate Symposium. All BSW students are required to complete internships as part of their program of study, and students in the Anthropology and Sociology programs may complete a supervised internship as an elective. The Department has ongoing relationships with over 70 local non-profit organizations and other agencies that welcome student interns.

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty

Jennifer C. Spaulding-Givens, Associate Professor & Chair

Keith Ashley, Associate Professor

Jennifer Barr, Instructor & BSW Program Director

Mandi N. Barringer, Assistant Professor

Jessica Chandras, Assistant Professor

Cristy E. Cummings, Assistant Professor & MSW Program Director

Rosa De Jorio, Professor & Anthropology Program Coordinator

Johnathan Grant, Assistant Professor

Jasmine Haynes, Assistant Professor

David D. Jaffee, Professor

John Kantner, Professor

Ronald A. Lukens-Bull, Professor

Yolanda Machado-Escudero, Assistant Professor

Ross E. McDonough, Associate Instructor & BSW Field Director

Jacqueline Meier, Assistant Professor

Rachel Mullins, Instructor & MSW Field Director

Anne E. Pfister, Associate Professor

Richard D. Phillips, Professor & Sociology Program Coordinator

Gordon F. Rakita, Professor

Juan Salinas, Assistant Professor

Jenny M. Stuber, Professor

Jeffry A. Will, Professor & Diretor of NEFL Center for Community Initiatives