Anthropology and Sociology
College of Social Sciences, Commerce, and Education
Faculty
Dr. Lynn Newhart, Chair
Prof. Colleen Kennedy, Visiting
Adjunct Faculty
Prof. Christina Warden, M.S.W., LCSW
Prof. Jeremy Vann, M.P.H.
Emeritus Faculty
Dr. Thomas McIntyre
Anthropology and Sociology illuminate the human experience. They invite us to examine aspects of the social environment that we often ignore, neglect or take for granted. Through these studies, we can achieve a better grasp of how society is organized, where power lies, what beliefs channel our behavior, and how societies come to be what they are. Anthropology and Sociology equip us with a special form of consciousness that gives us a better understanding of the social and cultural forces we confront, especially those that constrain us and free us. Thus, both disciplines are liberating sciences.
By looking at social and cultural arrangements in imaginative and fresh ways, we gain a new vision of the social experience. We find that the society into which we are born and the culture transmitted to us shape our identities, personalities, emotions, thought processes and fortunes in countless ways. The challenge of Anthropology and Sociology is to go beyond appearances, and peer behind the masks that people and organizations wear.
As majors in Anthropology and Sociology at Rockford University, students may pursue a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, and choose from several tracks: Anthropology and Sociology, Criminal Justice and Pre-Social Work. In each area, the all-university and general education requirements ensure a strong liberal arts foundation for a more specialized program of study. Students may have a wide range of academic internship opportunities to work for a semester in an agency or organization in the community, and earn credits toward graduation.
Career Opportunities
Anthropology and Sociology majors and minors are popular for students planning futures in such professions as law, politics, social work, public health, urban planning, community relations and public administration. Students also will find that numerous courses in criminal justice, management, marketing, business organization, labor relations, communication, journalism, recreation and nursing draw upon the principles, research techniques and findings of both Sociology and Anthropology.
Employers frequently look for potential employees with specific skills that are acquired in Anthropology and Sociology courses dealing with survey and research methods, statistics, population research and urban studies. With a number of these courses to their credit, students may well find themselves at a competitive advantage with other liberal arts graduates. The breadth of learning from a liberal arts education gives opportunities to develop interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills essential for success in today’s competitive job market. According to the Wall Street Journal, big employers are wooing social science and liberal arts graduates with growing fervor after years of favoring job applicants with technical degrees. Employers find that graduates of schools like Rockford University can apply creative analysis to solve a variety of problems.
Degree Requirements
Students who wish to major in the Anthropology and Sociology department must be considered at least a sophomore and have completed 12 credits or more in the Department at Rockford University before a major can be declared. In addition, students who elect either the Criminal Justice or Pre-Social Work track must have achieved, and must subsequently maintain, a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 for all courses attempted at the University and in the Department. Both of these tracks require an internship, and the GPA for the internship is set by the University. Students whose cumulative GPAs fall below that required by the University will be changed from their selected track to the general track.
All majors must complete at least three 300- or 400-level courses and Senior Seminar at Rockford University.