Current Courses

Professional Organizations

• American Sociological Association. 08/2019 - present. Position : Member.
• American Society of Criminology. 11/2015 - present. Position : Member.

Courses I Teach

• HSP 5000 - Health, Society & Policy Capstone
  This course is designed to give coherence to a multi-disciplinary program and to draw the faculty from those disciplines together in a joint effort. Each year a single topic in health will be chosen (poverty and health, aging, AIDS, medical ethics, etc.) and explored from the perspective of the various disciplines involved in the HSP Program.
• SOC 1010 - Introduction to Sociology
  An introduction to the basic nature of society and the relationship between society and the individual. This course focuses on how society functions and is organized, and how society impacts and influences individual motivation, understanding, action, and well-being. Basic sociological ideas regarding social relations, social interaction, social structure, and social change are examined. Students are introduced to key issues addressed by contemporary sociologists; class, race, gender, sexuality, religion, globalization, education, health care, crime, the media, and the environment. The knowledge gained in these course will aid students in future studies within a variety of fields and careers, and encourage the development of critical thinking about important issues.
• SOC 1020 - Social Problems
  A course designed to prepare students to think critically and participate intelligently in public debates on contemporary social problems. Topics may include the causes and consequences of structural inequality, institutional and financial crises, sexual harassment and rape, illicit drug use, racism and hate crimes, unplanned population growth, terrorism, homelessness, residential and educational segregation, and environmental degradation.
• SOC 3562 - Juvenile Delinquency
  Are children today more violent than in the past? What are the current trends and patterns in the delinquency committed by juveniles today? Juvenile Delinquency explore the nature and extent of delinquency, various theories explaining why juvenile delinquency occurs, and different types of delinquency, as well as the state of and issues in the juvenile justice system. Overall, the goal of this course is to enable students to think sociologically and critically about issues related to juvenile delinquency.
• SOC 3563 - Police & Society
  Why are some cops corrupt and/or brutal? Is racial profiling a problem in the U.S? Has community policing been an effective policing policy? This course explores law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels. Students are introduced to the nature of policing, a history of policing in the United States, different types of law enforcement agencies, different roles of police in our society, how police respond to crime, problems in policing, and experiences of police officers.
• SOC 3568 - Sociology of Law
  A dominant theme among many sociologists, jurists, and philosophers is that a primary function of law is to bring about social change. To this end, sociology of law will be explored through both historic and modern perspectives. Sociological conditions that give rise to major legal developments will be explored through key appellate and supreme courts cases. An additional emphasis of the course will be to investigate what role sociology and other social sciences should play in the process of making new laws and abolishing obsolete ones. Specific topics covered include: the incarceration binge, the treatment of white collar criminals and sex offenders, reproductive freedom, and death row.
• SOC 3570 - Gangs & Gang Violence
  This course will examine the history and development of gang culture in America. From the beginnings of immigrant gangs in the 1800's to present day gang activity, classified as organized crime by many in law enforcement, we will examine the development of modern gang activity and violence in contemporary society. We will explore the effects of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, and family structure on the growth affiliation and activity. Sociological theory will used to gain an understanding of gangs and gang activity historically and in contemporary society.

Student Projects

• Sociology Honors Thesis & UROP Scholar. Melissa Tyszko. 08/2021 - 11/2023