Welcome to the Sociology Department at CSULB
Whether you are accessing this web page for the first time, or are a repeat user, whether you are one of our vast network of alums or just an interested member of the local, national or global community, we invite you to explore the wealth of information contained on this web site. Those of you who knew the department a few years ago will realize that we are undergoing rapid change. We hope you will be as excited as we are about changes that we think will transform an already good department to a truly outstanding one. To begin with, sociology has become a very popular major at CSULB over the last five years. In five years, we have increased our average number of majors from some 300 to 700 per year. More and more freshmen and transfer students are looking on sociology as a good, solid liberal arts major that together with internships, work and leadership experiences, and post-B.A. training of various kinds, provides a strong foundation for careers in social service, business, and a variety of professions.
Together with the growth in majors, we have many new full and part-time faculty members, with expertise in a wide variety of areas. These include urban sociology (two faculty members who began in Fall 2004) and medical sociology (2 faculty members who will begin in Fall 2005). In 2005, if all goes well, we will recruit two more, one with expertise in media, popular culture and ethnic/racial diversity and one with expertise in religion, politics and society.
Assisted by the enthusiasm and energy of new faculty, we are updating old courses and designing new ones, as well as taking a look at our major requirements and sequencing of required courses. More and more, we are encouraging as our sociology majors to get involved in programs and activities that will broaden their vision of their future career options as well as enrich their lives. These include internships, community service learning, study abroad, student research competitions, peer facilitation, the McNair Program, and campus leadership opportunities, among others. By Fall 2006, we hope to have in place an honors program to provide extra challenges and stimuli to sociology majors who are excelling academically.
If you are a new or returning student, we invite you to become part of these exciting changes by joining the Sociology Student Association or Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honor Society. Get to know the professors who teach your courses and stay up to date on your requirements and options by making appointments with the undergraduate advisors and stopping by the office for information or answers to your questions. We are all here to help you reach your goals!
Drs. Norma Chinchilla and Carole Campbell, Co-chairs