Sociology

Resources

Links

• Bureau of Justice Statistics
• CIA World Factbook
• FBI – Uniform Crime Report
• GSS General Social Survey – National Opinion Research Center
• Homeland Security Digital Library
• Law School Admission Council
• Rockford University Institutional Review Board
• United Nations Statistics
• U.S. Census Bureau
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Government Publishing Office

Professional Associations

• American Political Science Association
• American Sociological Association
• American Society of Criminology
• Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
• Midwest Sociological Society
• Midwestern Criminal Justice Association
• National Criminal Justice Association
• North Central Sociological Association
• National Association of Social Workers

Scholarships and Awards

Social Work Opportunity Grant

The Social Worker Opportunity Track (SWOT) grant offers eligible students the opportunity to
attend Rockford University tuition free for two years. Students who commit to working in
Winnebago County for three years following graduation will receive full tuition coverage as well
as $2,000 to use for wrap-around services like childcare, books, food, and housing.

Political Science

Edward W. and Virginia Mill Award

The Edward W. and Virginia Mill Scholarship was established in 1981 in memory of Dr. Edward Mill, who was Chairman of our Department from 1955 to 1959, and his wife Virginia. In addition to his professorship here, Dr. Mill taught at Long Island University and Occidental College and occupied a number of positions in the United States Foreign Service and the State Department.

The recipient, a junior or senior majoring in Political Science, or a Social Sciences Divisional major whose primary concentration is Political Science, must have completed 20 credit hours in Political Science (or, in the case of transfer students, at least 16 hours at Rockford University), and have an outstanding academic record, both in the major and overall.

Political Awareness Award

The Political Awareness Award was established in 2004 by Helena Milman, Class of 1997.
Helena and her close friend and classmate, Edward Dzialo, continue to provide support for
the award. Selected by the chair of the Department of Political Science, the award goes to a
student who has completed both junior and senior years at Rockford University and who has
demonstrated extraordinary interest in the theory and the practice of politics.

Sociology and Criminal Justice

Bonnie Lynne Keith Albracht Memorial Scholarship

Established in 1990 by Barbara S. and Robert B. Keith, in memory of their daughter who attended Rockford University during the summers in the early 1960’s. This scholarship is awarded to junior or senior students with financial need who are majoring in the helping professions.

Delman Prize in Sociology

The Delman Prize in Sociology was established to honor faculty emeriti. This award may be given to a student based on academic performance and grade point average criteria who has completed at least 30 credit hours in sociology.

Leslie H. Geddes – Rockford Downtown Rotary Club Scholarship

This scholarship, established in 1993 and based on annual renewal, is awarded to outstanding students pursuing a career in the field of criminal justice.

Stephen K. Alberts Memorial Scholarship in Criminal Justice

Established through individual and corporate gifts to the Rockford University Criminal Justice Advisory Board, this scholarship is awarded to part-time students who are majoring in sociology with a criminal justice emphasis or pursuing the master of business administration degree with emphasis in criminal justice. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and current full-time employment in the law enforcement field.

The Shirl Shanhouse Morris Prize in Sociology

The Shirl Shanhouse Morris Prize in Sociology was established in 1991 and is funded by
Mrs. Morris’ children and husband, Raymond F. Morris, to honor this 1941 Rockford
College alumna. The prize is awarded to an outstanding student majoring or minoring in
sociology.

SOCIOLOGY FACULTY

Thomas McIntyre, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of  Sociology
B.A., Pennsylvania State University
M.A., University of Pittsburgh
Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
 
‌‌E-mail: TMcIntyre@rockford.edu

Dr. McIntyre graduated with a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh. Areas of interest include: sociological theory, sociology of community, military sociology, and peace and conflict studies.

Careers and Internships

Career Opportunities

Political Science

An undergraduate major in political science provides a good foundation for careers in politics, public administration, international service, law, business, journalism, and education as well as graduate work in the discipline. Political science has long been the traditional major of choice for students who plan to attend law school. While law schools do not require any particular undergraduate major, the study of politics, including courses that make use of legal materials and legal reasoning and that illumine the political context of court decisions, is arguably the most logical and appropriate area for those intending a career in law. Pre-law students should consult with faculty in the program on which particular courses in political science and in other programs would most suitably prepare them on matters having to do with applying to and success in law school. Students interested in political science for the purpose of becoming secondary school teachers should work with the Education Department to ensure that all requirements are met for licensure in Illinois.

Sociology and Criminal Justice

Sociology and Criminal Justice are popular majors or minors for students planning careers in such professions as law, law enforcement, 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 sociology.

Employers frequently look for potential employees with specific skills that are acquired in sociology and criminal justice courses dealing with survey and research methods, statistics, criminal justice, marketing, and population research. 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 look at a variety of problems and apply creative analysis to solving them.

A variety of career opportunities exist for our graduates in both the public and private sector. Our graduates have found employment in a variety of law enforcement/criminal and juvenile justice agencies at all levels and social service agencies. For students who go on to graduate school, professional positions in law, social work, higher education, research, and public policy and administration are available. In addition, undergraduate study in sociology or criminal justice is good preparation for careers in local, national, and international sales and marketing as well as law.

Social Work

Upon earning their Bachelor’s of Social Work, graduates have the opportunity to work in a
number of different environments including hospitals, schools, mental health centers,
hospice center, youth services, criminal justice centers, substance abuse programs, private
practices, and non-profits.

Internship Opportunities

Political Science

The political science program supports students seeking opportunities for off-campus experiences in regular semester or summer internships. In recent years, students have had internships in law offices, on political campaigns, and with the national government.

Sociology and Criminal Justice

The criminal justice and sociology degrees are designed to provide students with a wide range of opportunities including academic internships at local agencies or organizations within the Rockford community and beyond.

Students seeking a sociology degree may choose to complete one, 3-credit academic internship, although it is not part of their degree requirements. Department faculty and advisors assist students with locating appropriate internship placement opportunities. Internships provide students the opportunity to get a “real world” experience in their field of career interest.

Social Work

A core component of the Social Work program at Rockford University is a combination of
both practicum placements and internships. Students who earn their Bachelor’s in Social
Work will thus find themselves well-prepared for stable employment in a high-demand field

Programs of Study

Political Science (B.A./B.S.)

The discipline of political science helps students develop their minds and, one hopes, also their characters to become decent, responsible, and informed citizens. Aristotle said that political science is the architectonic science because it is concerned with the comprehensive good for human beings. The ordinary citizen has decent opinions about justice and the common good. The educated citizen should move from opinion toward understanding and knowledge, while maintaining good will, sincerity, tolerance, generosity, and fairness. A political education in the liberal arts tradition helps students develop the ability to engage in rational and civil discourse about politics, look at difficult political issues from contrary points of view, and make prudent political judgments based on sound reflection.

The program’s course offerings cover the full range of subfields in the discipline of political science: American government and politics, including constitutional law; political theory; comparative politics; and international relations, including American foreign policy.

The program supports students seeking opportunities for off-campus experiences in regular semester or summer internships. In recent years, students have had internships in law offices, on political campaigns, and with the national government.

An undergraduate major in political science provides a good foundation for careers in politics, public administration, international service, law, business, journalism, and education as well as graduate work in the discipline. Political science has long been the traditional major of choice for students who plan to attend law school. While law schools do not require any particular undergraduate major, the study of politics, including courses that make use of legal materials and legal reasoning and that illumine the political context of court decisions, is arguably the most logical and appropriate area for those intending a career in law. Pre-law students should consult with faculty in the program on which particular courses in political science and in other programs would most suitably prepare them on matters having to do with applying to and success in law school. Students interested in majoring in political science for the purpose of becoming secondary school teachers should work with the Education Department to ensure that all requirements are met for licensure in Illinois.

The Political Science program offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees with concentrations available in American Studies, Constitutional Studies, Legal Studies, Political Ideas, Politics & Culture, and War & Peace, as well as a minor. 

Sociology (B.A./B.S.)

The discipline of sociology explores the nature, structure, and dynamics of social life. Students who study sociology will gain a better understanding of social issues that are especially affected by relations among groups, paying close attention to the interplay of such factors as class, race, ethnicity, sex/gender, religious belief, and national identity. The field of sociology looks at how society is organized, where power lies, what beliefs influence our behavior, and how societies have evolved over time. The study of sociology teaches students how to think about individuals, groups, institutions, communities, and societies and how to use the scientific method to ask and answer social research questions using data. Sociology helps students develop their skills in written and oral communication, critical and quantitative thinking, and research and design methods.

The program supports students seeking opportunities for off-campus experiences in regular semester or summer internships.

Sociology majors go on to pursue careers in fields as diverse as business, public administration, social and community services, social research, law, and education.

The Sociology program offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees as well as a minor. 

Criminal Justice (B.A./B.S.)

Criminal justice is an interdisciplinary field which prepares students for a wide range of careers in such diverse fields as law enforcement (local, state, and federal), probation and parole, pre-trial services, law, homeland security, fish and game conservation, and public advocacy. Students in this program complete coursework in criminal justice, sociology, and political science. The study of criminal justice helps students develop their skills in written and oral communication, critical thinking and decision making, research and analysis, and social awareness and ethical responsibility.

Students who pursue the criminal justice degree have a wide range of academic internship opportunities to earn credits in fulfillment of graduation requirements while working for a semester in an agency or organization in the community.

The Criminal Justice program offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees as well as a minor. 

Social Work (B.S.W.)

The Bachelor’s in Social Work program prepares undergraduate students to address the
social welfare needs of individuals, families, and groups through provision of a rigorous,
generalist training emphasizing the individual in social context, provided through a
combination of both didactic and field education (practicum placements/internships). The
program also prepares students to address social policy needs. This program thus equips
students for stable employment in a high demand field, serving to alleviate the shortage of
social workers in the region, and addressing the psychosocial needs of those of underserved
populations.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the RU bachelor’s in social work program, the student will be able to
demonstrate mastery across the dimensions of knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and
affective processes in each of the following nine competencies, as defined by the Council on
Social Work Education (CSWE): Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional
Behavior; Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and
Environmental Justice; Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
(ADEI) in Practice; Competency 4: Engage in Practice-Informed Research and ResearchInformed Practice; Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice; Competency 6: Engage with
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities; Competency 7: Assess
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities; Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities; Competency 9:
Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.

Forensics Minor

The Forensics Minor is interdisciplinary and exposes students to concepts and skills of social and natural science disciplines that relate to legal matters. The Forensics Minor can be a useful supplement to a major in a variety of disciplines, including Biology, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Computer Science, and Psychology. A minor in Forensics will help students develop skills that will be useful in a wide range of careers.

• Academic Catalog
• Search course offerings and descriptions

Political Science, Sociolgy, Criminal Justice, and Social Work

The department of Political Science, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work is home to
three programs that immerse students in a wide range of social science inquiry and one
program that prepares students to address the social welfare needs of individuals, families,
and groups in our society. Students explore the conceptual frameworks and methods
essential to understanding the political, social, and legal phenomena that organize human
communities. The department is defined by an open and critical exchange of ideas as it helps
students develop the skills of critical thinking, articulate communication, and academic
research necessary for success in college and professional life.

For more information about each major/minor, click “Programs of Study” on the right or view the Academic Catalog.

Majors

• Criminal Justice (B.A., B.S.)
• Political Science (B.A., B.S.)
• Sociology (B.A., B.S.)
• Social Work (B.S.W.)

Minors

• Criminal Justice
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Forensics