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Sociology

Program Mission Statement

Within UNF's Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the Sociology program seeks to provide its students with a sound comprehension of the field, and to encourage the development of new knowledge through faculty scholarship. Our educational aim at the undergraduate level is to facilitate mastery of theoretical, methodological and empirical work in Sociology as a specialized field and as a component of a broader Liberal Arts education. At the graduate level, we aim to prepare students for professions that rely on the application of sociological methods and insights, and to provide training in advanced sociological scholarship that will facilitate doctoral level study. Our commitment to research reflects broad interests and aspirations, as we aim to contribute both general and applied research on local, national and global social issues. Finally, our faculty and students are committed to serving the diverse communities in which they live and work, including the University, the discipline, and the region.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able:

Content/Discipline-Specific Knowledge/Skills

  • Understand the basic subject matter of sociology, including central structures, processes, methodologies and theoretical orientations.
  • Know the role of evidence and data in sociological research.

Communication Skills

  • Communicate in a clear, logical style.
  • Support arguments with evidence.
  • Know major forms of bibliographic citation and reference.

Critical Thinking Skills

  • Apply appropriate methods to investigate specific research questions.
  • Evaluate the merit of arguments and knowledge claims in sociology.
  • Apply sociological theory and research to social problems.

Assessment Approaches

Numerous direct and indirect measures of student learning will be employed to assess mastery of the intended student learning outcomes. Course embedded assessments using a defined scoring rubric (criterion-based rating scale) will be one of the principal assessment approaches within the Sociology program. Other direct measures of learning outcomes may include capstone projects, pass rates on subject-area tests, student publications/conference presentations, and/or intern supervisor ratings of students' performance. Indirect measures may include employer or alumni surveys, student perception surveys, and graduate school placement rates.