Welcome to Your Major: Sociology and Criminology at Old Westbury

A brief Orientation

for Sociology /Criminology

Majors

Welcome to Your Major

During your timehere at SUNY College at Old Westbury, you will be introduced to the

thoughts and perspectives of key thinkers and practitioners of the sociological tradition.

What Are We Doing Here?

“…it is by means of the sociological imagination that men and women now hope to grasp what is going on in the world, and to understand what is happening in themselves as minute points of the intersections of biography and history within society.” – C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination (1959/2000, p. 7)

Why study sociology, or criminology? An answer is provided by C. Wright Mills (1916-1962), who was an important sociologist of modern times:

Sociology Department Mission Statement

The Sociology Department provides students with a liberal arts education based on a sociological understanding of human behavior, culture, and society through scientific inquiry. Our majors in Sociology and Criminology provide a foundation for intellectual development and civic responsibility in a diverse society, and require every student to complete an original thesis based on primary research. Students who complete either of our majors will have successfully demonstrated:

* competence in core sociological theories and intellectual traditions * proficiency in methodological and analytical techniques * an understanding of the social forces that shape interaction and behavior * high levels of critical analysis, reasoning, and written communication

The Department’s faculty are committed to preparing students from every background for graduate degree programs, as well as for careers in teaching, social work, law, and a variety of research and other professional endeavors.

-- Adopted by the Sociology Department at SUNY College at Old Westbury, Spring 2011

Students should be aware that the Department is devoted to helping you develop your critical, sociological mindset throughout your academic career. Here is our stated Mission:

Please note that the Major requirements for both Sociology and Criminology Majors have been changed, effective with the new 2012-2014

calendar. Students accepted to the College in Fall 2012 (and after) must follow the new Major

guidelines. In the information that follows, please note that some requirements will be

labeled as either the ‘new’ or ‘old’ requirements. Make sure that you are aware of which

guidelines to follow – this is your responsibility!

Major Requirements

Sociology Majors:

Must satisfy College requirements for graduation [120 Credits total].

10 courses [= 40 credits] within the Sociology Department must be completed to graduate with a B.A. (90 liberal arts credits) or B.S. (60 liberal arts credits) in Sociology.

Up to 3 courses [an Intro. Course, plus 2 others: either two electives, or another Foundation Course and an elective] may be satisfied by transfer credit. A student must have earned a B+ or better in a transferred Foundation Course to receive credit for the course. [Must be from a 4-year accredited institution; additionally, course must be initially approved by the Chair.]

Sociology Majors falling under the pre-Fall 2012 catalog must fulfill to the following requirements:

What are these courses?Foundation Courses:SY 1500: Introductory Sociology SY 4530: Sociological Theory I SY 4500: Cross Cultural Analysis SY 4540: Sociological Theory II (now referred to as Global Sociology )SY 4520: Methods of Sociological SY 5990: Senior Seminar in Research (now Research Sociology Methods I )

…plus four electives: as many as two may be at the 2000 – 3000 level, but at least two electives must be at the 4000 level.

Older Catalog Requirements:

Keep in Mind:Sociological Theory I and Theory II may not be taken together in the same semester, as Theory I is a prerequisite for Theory II.

To enroll in SY 5990 [Senior Seminar], students must be seniors [88 credits], and have completed and earned a C or better in both SY 4520 [Methods] and SY 4530 [Theory I], and one additional Foundation Course, prior to registering for the Senior Seminar.]

A minimum grade of C or higher is required for courses counted towards the major. (NOTE: a C- grade will not count towards the major.)


Sociology Majors:

Must satisfy College requirements for graduation [120 Credits total].

10 courses [= 40 credits] within the Sociology Department must be completed to graduate with a B.A. (90 liberal arts credits) or B.S. (60 liberal arts credits) in Sociology.

Up to 3 courses [an Intro. Course, plus 2 others: either two electives, or another Foundation Course and an elective] may be satisfied by transfer credit. A student must have earned a B+ or better in a transferred Foundation Course to receive credit for the course. [Must be from a 4-year accredited institution; additionally, course must be initially approved by the Chair.]

Sociology Majors falling under the NEW 2012-2014 catalog must fulfill to the following requirements:

What are these courses?Foundation Courses:SY 1500: Introductory Sociology SY 4530: Sociological Theory I SY 4520: Research Methods I SY 4540: Sociological Theory IISY 4570: Research Methods II SY 5990: Senior Seminar in SociologyAnd, a ‘Cross Cultural Component’ Course, satisfied by any one of the following: CR 3094, Drugs and Society; CR 3200, Crime, Media & Culture; SY 3700, Family and Society; SY 4160, Sociology of Culture; SY 4320, Population and Society; SY 4500, Global Sociology; SY 4651, Sociology of Communications and Media; SY 4950, Sociology of Music

…plus three electives: two must be at the 4000 level.

New Catalog Requirements, 2012-2014:

Keep in Mind:Sociological Theory I and Theory II may not be taken together in the same semester, as Theory I is a prerequisite for Theory II. Research Methods I and II cannot be taken in the same semester, and Methods I must be taken prior to Methods II.

To enroll in SY 5990 [Senior Seminar], students must be seniors [with 100 credits], and have completed and earned a C or better in both SY 4530 [Theory I] and SY 4540 [Theory II], and both SY 4520 [Methods I] and SY 4570 [Methods II].


**Students may not repeat, more than once, any Sociology/ Criminology course used to fulfill their major requirements.**


Criminology Majors:Must satisfy College requirements for graduation [120 Credits total].

10 courses [= 40 credits] within the Sociology Department must be completed to graduate with a B.S. in Criminology.

Up to 3 courses [an Intro. course, plus 2 others: either two electives, or another Foundation Course and an elective] may be satisfied by transfer credit. A student must have earned a B+ or better in a transferred Foundation Course to receive credit for the course. [Must be from a 4-year accredited institution; additionally, course must be initially approved by the Chair.]

Criminology Majors falling under the pre-Fall 2012 catalog must fulfill to the following requirements:

What are these courses?Foundation Courses:SY 1500: Introductory Sociology SY 4530: Sociological Theory I CR 1500: Introductory Criminology CR 4550: Theories of CrimeSY 4500: Cross Cultural Analysis SY 5990: Senior Seminar inSY 4520: Methods of Sociological Sociology Research

…plus three electives drawn from the list of electives for the Criminology Major.


Keep in Mind:Sociological Theory I and Theories of Crime may not be taken together in the same semester, as Theory I is a prerequisite for Theories of Crime.To enroll in SY 5990 [Senior Seminar], students must be seniors [88 credits], and have completed and earned a C or better in both SY 4520 [Methods] and SY 4530 [Theory I], and one additional Foundation Course, prior to registering for the course.]A minimum grade of C or higher is required for courses counted towards the major.


Criminology Majors:Must satisfy College requirements for graduation [120 Credits total].

10 courses [= 40 credits] within the Sociology Department must be completed to graduate with a B.S. in Criminology.

Up to 3 courses [an Intro. Course: Intro. Sociology and/or Intro. Criminology; plus, 1 other class: either a suitable elective, or another Foundation Course] may be satisfied by transfer credit. A student must have earned a B+ or better in a transferred Foundation Course to receive credit for the course. [Must be from a 4-year accredited institution; additionally, course must be initially approved by the Chair.]

Criminology Majors falling under the NEW 2012-2014 catalog must fulfill to the following requirements:

What are these courses?Foundation Courses:SY 1500: Introductory Sociology SY 4530: Sociological Theory I CR 1500: Introductory Criminology CR 4550: Theories of CrimeSY 2600: Social Deviance SY 5990: Senior Seminar inSY 4520: Research Methods I SociologySY 4570: Research Methods II

…plus two electives drawn from the list of electives for the Criminology Major.


Keep in Mind:Sociological Theory I is not, in the new catalog, a prerequisite for Theories of Crime. However, students are advised by the Department to avoid taking two theory courses in one semester, as this could be overwhelming to the student.

To have Senior Standing in Criminology, students must be seniors [100 credits]; satisfied College-wide requirements of English and Math skills; and, have completed and passed all foundation courses (SY 2600, SY 4520, SY 4530, SY 4570, and CR 4550) AND at least one 4000-level elective with a grade of C or better.


**Students may not repeat, more than once, any Sociology/ Criminology course used to fulfill their major requirements.**


The Sociology Department also is involved with several Minor Programs, in:

Social WorkEnvironmental

Studies Pre-Law StudiesPublic PolicyMedia &

Communications

Please see the College Catalog for details about Requirements for these Minors!

The General Education Program

“The Seven Liberal Arts, ruled over by philosophy”The General Education Program at SUNY

College Old Westbury is divided into several different knowledge areas. Students must meet both Math and English Proficiencies. Further, courses must be taken to satisfy all of the following knowledge areas:

The General Education Program

Domains/Knowledge AreasCreativity and the Arts Western Tradition American

ExperienceMajor Cultures Foreign Language Natural Science

(with lab)

plus one course for each of the following:

Humanities Social Science Diversity

Remember that in the course of completing your major, some of the General Education areas will be filled. Theory I [SY 4530] satisfies the ‘Western Tradition,’ while Cross Cultural Analysis (Global Sociology) [SY 4500] fulfills ‘Major Cultures.’ The ‘Social Science’ area is also easily filled [i.e., Intro. Sociology SY 2500], and the Department also has several electives that will satisfy the Diversity requirement.

Courses must be taken in the following areas:

The General Education ProgramIN ADDITION:

There are Math and English requirements that are part of General Education.

Students should meet these requirements as soon as possible, in order to ensure moving through either the Sociology or Criminology major on-time.

For example, you MUST have completed College Algebra before enrolling in a Methods course.

You must also meet College Proficiency in English (English Comp. I & II) before enrolling in 4000-level courses.

Whether You Are A Sociology or Criminology Major…Always remember that you are part of a program: think of the connections between the courses that you are taking in your Major! You are learning important perspectives that will allow you to think critically, not just in terms of future employment, but also in your life.

Further: how do the courses in your Major also relate to all the other classes that you are taking? The General Education Program provides you with studies within a Liberal Arts Curriculum: how does a sociological perspective enrich this experience?

Whether You Are A Sociology or Criminology Major…

Enhance Your Education

Write

Question

Read

at SUNY College at Old Westbury

The Importance of the Degree EvaluationOn the next slide, you will find instructions on how to access your Degree Evaluation.

The Degree Evaluation is essential for you to monitor throughout your College career. On the Evaluation, you will find a lot of information, such as: total credits [it takes 120 credits to graduate the University]; the courses that you have taken; and, whether or not you have satisfied the College’s requirements for Math and English.

In addition, you will see that the courses are divided up into several areas – for example, the courses that you have taken for your Major; the courses that you have taken for General Education; courses that count towards Liberal Arts credits; and, 45+ credits at the 3000 level (or higher) Residency Requirement.

On the left-hand side of the Degree Evaluation, you will either see a ‘yes’ next to a requirement, or a ‘no.’ A ‘yes’ indicates that the requirement or proficiency has been fulfilled; a ‘no’ indicates that it has not yet been fulfilled.

Reading your Evaluation should give you an idea of what you have taken, and what you still need to take, in order to graduate.

By the time you go to graduate, your Degree Evaluation should be complete – all parts of the Evaluation should have a ‘yes’ checked off beside each component.

PLEASE BE SURE TO MONITOR YOUR DEGREE EVALUATION CLOSELY! This is your responsibility, and mistakes can, unfortunately, occur!

Advising Begins: Tuesday October 1, 2013Advising Ends: Friday December 6, 2013

*Remember the Requirements for Your Major*Remember the Requirements for the General Education Program**Here are the instructions for obtaining your Degree Evaluation:*Access Your Degree Evaluation On-Line: https://my.oldwestbury.edu Enter User ID and Password Select Student Services Tab Select Degree Evaluation Select the Most Current Term, and ‘Submit’ Scroll to Bottom of Page and Select ‘Generate New Evaluation’ Select Detail Requirement, and ‘Submit’

(Putting the Pieces Together)

https://my.oldwestbury.edu/

Important Advising NotesAnyone may seek an advising appointment. First-year and transfer students should especially see a Sociology Department Faculty member!

Please be prepared with any necessary advising forms: advising will go smoothly, if you provide your Degree Evaluation, and you have filled out a form with a list of courses that fit your schedule!

Advising Form: What You Must Fill Out For Your Appointment

Instructions , On The Back of Your Scheduling Form

Some AdviceDo not assume that courses that you will need to take will be offered over the Summer and Winter Sessions. Electives are usually offered over intersessions, but there is no guarantee that any course may ‘run’ (intersession classes are dependent upon enrollment). Further, Foundation Courses have been rarely offered over the Winter and Summer vacations.

**Do not count on overtallies to create your schedule! ALL overtallies must be approved by the Professor of the course FIRST, before the Chair can notify the Registrar of the overtally. Professors cannot overtally over the room capacity, which is set by law. Further, Professors also may exercise their own discretion and not overtally more students into their courses, period.

Know What You Will Need…By accessing your course information via ‘myoldwestbury,’ you will be able to see what books are required for your classes. Such information must be provided by law.

As long as the information has been submitted, then you have the opportunity to prepare yourself for book purchases in advance of the first class. Professors will order books into the Campus Bookstore, but knowledge of what books are required can allow you to avoid delays at the beginning of the semester!

Needed for Graduation:•120 Credits to graduate the University

•Completed the requirements of your Major

•Satisfied the General Education requirements

•Fulfilled English and Math proficiences

•Have a 2.0 GPA or greater

•45 Credits have to be at OR above the 3000 level! [This is the last section on the Degree Evaluation.]

What Next?Better

Understanding of Business, Industry,

& Organizations

How do sociological

variables such as race, ethnicity,

social class, etc. affect

organizations and government?

‘Applied Sociology’

Or, go on to Graduate School for further study

and to pursue your own research and

teaching!

Sociology and

Criminology

Graduate School•Now is the time to be thinking about graduate or professional

school for Fall 2014!

Eastern Sociological Society

Held at the Baltimore Hilton: Baltimore, MD February 20 – 23, 2014

www.essnet.org

Poster presentations by Undergraduates

Submit a theme via the website; submissions must be in by December 15, 2013

$30 for student membership/$10 to register for the conference(forms available on the website)

A great way to build up resumés for young sociologists!

Explore sociology more at a professional conference!

http://www.essnet.org/

Please Sign-Up and Stay Connected!

The Sociology Department is now creating a student database, so that we can send you important announcements and departmental events.

Please fill out the online form at:

https://sites.google.com/site/owsocdatabase/

https://sites.google.com/site/owsocdatabase/

Further InformationPlenty of useful, additional information about

the Sociology Department at SUNY College at Old Westbury may be found on

the Department’s website, accessible from the College’s own website.

[Go to: Academics School of Arts and Sciences

SociologyVisit Department Site]

https://webfs.oldwestbury.edu/faculty_staff/hellerj/sociology



Remember…We are all here for YOU!

Make the Sociology Department your home!

Thank You For Your Attention!