Sociology

With the liberal education core as the foundation for the Saint Rose major in sociology, students gain a strong background in the study of societal issues and sociological theory and research, as well as an understanding of how societies work and how they affect the behavior of groups and individuals. Sociology majors learn how to gather and accurately interpret data while developing a solid core of skills in research, statistics, and computer applications. Our faculty offers both a scientific and humanistic approach to sociology, enabling students to study the values held by certain groups that mold personal choice, prompt or restrict social action, and direct public policy.

THE SAINT ROSE DIFFERENCE
The Saint Rose Sociology Department is concerned about meeting the needs of all of its students and asks all seniors to complete an exit interview evaluating the program upon graduation. Here’s what our recent graduates identified as just some of the strengths of the Saint Rose sociology program:

• A comprehensive curriculum—students are exposed to a variety of cultures, social classes, values and beliefs as they study the principles of sociology.
• Small class sizes and accessibility to faculty—with an average class size of 15, students receive the individual attention that is crucial to developing the skills needed to understand the impact of society and cultural values on individuals and groups; and
• The Research Methods Sequence—the knowledge and skills gained through these two courses are invaluable to students interested in pursuing graduate study.

Research Methods Sequence
Since the study of sociology involves the collection and analysis of data, it is important for students to be knowledgeable in the various methods of conducting research. The first semester of the Research Methods Sequence is an introduction to the basic research process and the development of a research design. The second semester gives students the opportunity to implement the research design that they developed during the previous semester and it also provides an introduction to data processing and analysis as a research tool. The Research Methods sequence serves as an excellent foundation for students who wish to pursue advanced study in the social sciences, as all graduate programs include a strong research component.

Family Studies Concentration
The family studies concentration is especially advantageous for students who are preparing for careers in public policy, human services, counseling, law and research. Through courses in sociology, psychology and social work, students develop an understanding of the family as a social institution and a vital social system.

OUR MENTORING FACULTY
Sociology faculty members work closely with students to help them master key research skills and focus their career goals. When faculty members identify exceptional research projects, they invite students to submit their papers for the annual New York State Sociological Association undergraduate competition. Students whose papers are selected then attend the convention with their professors and present their papers as part of the program. Recently, two students have had papers accepted for presentation at the annual convention.

FIELD EXPERIENCE
Since career opportunities within the field of sociology are broad, exposure to various employment settings through internships enables students to focus on an area in which they might like to specialize. The College’s location in Albany provides a wide variety of field experience opportunities, including those in business, government, and public and private agencies. The department faculty strongly encourages students to complete at least one internship during their junior or senior years. Many students complete more than one internship.

In conjunction with their sociology field placement, students are required to write a paper drawing connections between their classroom learning and their “real world” experience. Examples of sites where sociology majors have completed field experiences include:

• Project Equinox Battered Women’s Shelter
• County Probation Departments
• Private law firms
• New York State Department of Health
• Nabisco Co.
• New York State Police Department
• New York State Attorney General’s Office
• Offices of public defenders
• Local police departments

• Human services
• Policing, criminal justice, and the law
• Law school
• Public administration
• Communications
• Personnel and sales

• University at Albany doctoral program in criminal justice and master’s programs in social work and library science;
• Russell Sage master’s program in community psychology;
• University of Pittsburgh doctoral program
  in sociology; and
• Albany Law School

Students who major in sociology will find a challenging program, not only in terms of the skills they must acquire, but also in terms of the critical perspective on society that they must develop. They will meet these challenges, however, under the close guidance of a caring and supportive faculty.

Steven F. Alger, chair,
Sociology Department

Frank T. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
Specialty: Comparative politics and society, with an emphasis on Latin America. He has published over 40 articles and two books in this area, and he serves on the editorial boards of two professional journals, Science & Society and Latin American Perspectives.

Kenneth MacDonald, Ph.D.
Specialty: The study of race, social stratification, criminology and social deviance.

I believe that the one-year Research Methods Sequence provides a unique hands-on experience for students where they must formulate a research question, develop its contextual and theoretical background, operationalize it, actually carry out the study, analyze the results using computer applications, and draw supported conclusions. This experience is especially useful since it is done in close consultation with the faculty member.

Richard Wunderlich,
professor of sociology