Dec 07, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Sociology and Criminology


430 Park Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4670

716-645-2417
arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/sociology.html

Robert Adelman, Ph.D.
Department Chair

Christopher Dennison
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Administration
crdennis@buffalo.edu

Sarah Ford
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Advising
smford3@buffalo.edu

Sociology and Criminology Overview

Sociology prepares undergraduate students to become active, enlightened citizens of the world by understanding how social factors shape human experience. Asking important questions like: “What effect does poverty have on health?” and “How does inequality shape social policies?” paves the way for students to become leaders in their fields and catalyze social change in their communities. Undergraduate students may choose the BA in Sociology or the BA in Criminology. Additional opportunities include Minors in Sociology, Criminology, Social Justice and Society, or Medicine and Health, as well as Micro-Credentials in Understanding Diversity Through Sociology and Crime and Justice in a Diverse Society.

Sociology is the systematic study of social processes. It examines how membership in different groups and communities interacts with social structures and social institutions to create social change. Sociologists study questions such as: Why do women earn less than men? What are the social causes of climate change? Why are so many neighborhoods racially segregated? How does a prison record affect a person’s chances of getting a job? Students pursing the Sociology BA at UB select among courses related to a wide variety of social problems and institutions including family, gender, race, social class, the city, law, social policy, crime, health, organizations, aging populations, and the environment. Training in sociology prepares students for a wide variety of professional careers as well as active, enlightened participation in local, national, and world affairs.

The BA in Criminology offers a critical investigation of crime and criminal justice institutions and the way they reflect and reinforce systems of power and social inequality, such as racism, sexism, and classism. In this major, students study social scientific evidence and theories of the nature and causes of crime, criminal behavior, and how society reacts to and is impacted by crime. This major is ideal for students who seek an evidence-based understanding of criminal behavior. Graduates can pursue a range of careers related to law enforcement, public safety, and policy analysis and criminal justice reform, as well as working with communities and individuals impacted by crime or criminal justice institutions. The Criminology major also prepares students for graduate education in a wide variety of disciplines.

Academic Advising

Students obtain academic advice and guidance from the academic advisors in the College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisement & Services office (275 Park Hall) and from faculty in their program of study. The CAS Student Advisement and Services Office assists undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences to plan their academic trajectory, develop goals and successfully complete their college careers.

Academic Advising Contact Information

College of Arts & Sciences Student Advisement & Services
275 Park Hall, North Campus
North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-4140
Phone: 716-645-6883
Email: cas-advisor@buffalo.edu

Programs

    MajorsCombinedMinorsCertificatesMicro-credentials