Criminology, Sociology and Anthropology
The Department of Criminology, Sociology and Anthropology offers both a major and minor in sociology, a major and minor in anthropology, an option and a minor in archaeology, and an option and a minor in criminology. Many departmental faculty teach in the women’s, gender and sexuality studies, African-American studies and Latina(o) studies programs.
Department Options and Minors
For sociology majors wishing to concentrate their studies in the areas of criminal behavior and criminal justice, the department has a criminology option within the sociology major. This program provides the student not only with a thorough knowledge of the American criminal justice system, but combines that knowledge with a broad understanding of American society and the principles of sociological method and theory.
The archaeology option within the anthropology major offers students a broad view of contemporary archaeology, with emphasis on contract archaeology, artifact analysis, current method and theory, field experience and independent research.
The department strongly encourages all of its majors to acquire practical experience as part of their degree program. This experience may take a variety of forms, depending on the student’s major or minor. Along with other activities, the department recommends participating in faculty-supervised research (ongoing research projects are conducted out of both the archaeology and social research labs), internships (see Internships in the Special Academic Opportunities section), studying abroad for a semester or summer term, or becoming a departmental tutor.
There is an honors program for academically motivated students. Further information may be obtained from the department or the departmental honors section of this catalog.
The department offers three minors: one in criminology, one in sociology and one in anthropology. These minors provide the student with insight into the principles governing human interaction and social organization. The criminology minor is the most specific of the three, focusing exclusively on the American criminal justice system. The sociology minor, in broad terms, examines American society, while the student minoring in anthropology can focus on either archaeology or cultural anthropology. All minors facilitate career advancement and intellectual breadth, regardless of the student’s major field of study.
For the most recent career information, students should consult the criminology, sociology and anthropology department website.
The Faculty
Arnold, Marlene; Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.A., Macalester College, 1974; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1985
Garcia, Justin; Associate Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.A., Millersville University, 2001; M.A., Temple University, 2008; Ph.D., Ibid., 2011
Jerstad, Stephanie; Assistant Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
A.A.S., Harrison College, 2012; B.S., Ibid., 2014; M.S., University of Cincinnati, 2016; Ph.D., Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2021
Mahaffy, Kimberly; Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.S., Gordon College, 1987; M.S., Northeastern University, 1993; M.A., University of New Hampshire, 1995
Orr, Ryan; Associate Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.G.S., University of Kansas, 2001; M.A., DePaul University, 2004; Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2009
Porter, Aaron; Assistant Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.A., Bloomsburg University, 1985; M.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1987; Ph.D., Ibid., 1993
Schmitt, Frederika; Associate Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.A., Bucknell University, 1990; M.A., University of Delaware, 1994; Ph.D., Ibid., 1998
Smith, Carrie; Associate Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.S., University of California, 1996; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1998; Ph.D., Ibid., 2004
Trussell, Timothy; Associate Professor
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
B.S., Oregon State University, 1991; M.S., Ibid., 1997; Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 2004
the courses
Introduces basic concepts and topics: culture, fieldwork, communication, sex roles, social organization, politics, economics, belief systems, culture change and applied anthropology.
The anthropological study of human evolution: paleoanthropology, primatology and human population genetics, and the study of human variation— the ways humans adapt biologically to their environments. Offered annually.
Introduces methods and theory of contemporary archaeology using examples from Old and New World prehistory. The relationship of archaeology to anthropology is emphasized. Offered annually.
Experimental
Introduces ethnographic research methods through individual or group fieldwork, emphasizing the ethnographic interview and participant observation. Prereq: ENGL 110 or permission of instructor.
Examination of past and present cultures of the native peoples of North America. Offered periodically. Prereq: ENGL 110.
Comparison and contrast of the history and culture of rural and urban society in the Mediterranean region. Focus is on topics and themes of importance to the circum-Mediterranean culture area. Offered periodically.
Comparative investigations of a topic or region of current interest in the field of anthropology. Offered annually. Prereq: ENGL 110.
Comparative study of cultures through the medium of film using anthropological theories, perspectives and texts. Offered annually. Prereq: ENGL 110.
Comparative study of cultures through the medium of film using anthropological theories, perspectives and texts. Offered annually. Prereq: ENGL 110.
Examines human cultural evolution before and after the advent of writing, using archaeological and related records. Topics vary from the rise of civilization to the decline of local communities. Offered annually.
A comparative study of methods and aims in the discipline of historical archaeology (the excavation of sites dating post-1500), including excavation and analysis techniques, approaches to archaeological research, and case studies of specific excavations.
Experimental
Co-Op Ed Experience in Anthro
Focus on current developments in archaeological method and theory, with specific emphasis on contract archaeology, survey methods, artifact analysis and contemporary theoretical approaches. Offered annually. Prereq: ANTH 123 plus 3 additional hours of anthropology or permission of instructor.
Cross-cultural study of health and healing, including comparative medical systems, theories of disease, patients/healers in the context of culture, mental health, bioethics, interaction of culture, biology and environment, and the effects of cultural change. Offered periodically.
A cross-cultural examination of religious diversity. Primary emphasis will be placed on the five major world religions, although other religious traditions may also be considered. The course examines religion as a form of cultural practice, how people utilize religion to orient themselves to the social worlds in which they live, and the ways in which religion shapes peoples' lives. Pre-req: C- or higher in ANTH 121, restricted to Juniors and Seniors, Majors and Minors in the Sociology/Anthropology department, or instructor permission.
This course focuses on urbanism (the social and cultural dynamics of humans living within a large, dense city environment). Various topics to be examined in this course include the rise of urbanism, globalization, the dynamic nature of ethnic and class relations within urban communities, social and political activism among urban populations, migration, and settlement. 3 credits. Pre-requisite: ANTH 121
A Comparative Course that examines language as humans' primary means of communication. Although virtually all animals communicate in some form, language is considered distinctly human as a result of cognitive, cultural, and physiologically distinct features of our species. The course examines language as both a system and performance. The systematic approach towards language study examines the structural components of language: phonemes, morphemes, syntax, grammar, etc., while a performance approach towards language study examines the art and style of communication (regional accents and dialects, slang, etc.). Anthropologists widely consider language to be the single most important aspect of human culture, as language is the means by which culture is transmitted to others. Other key topics to be examined in the course include language and identity, bilingualism, the critical age of language development, language shift vs. language maintenance, the development of pidgins and Creole languages (with a particular focus on Black English Vernacular, Spang/ish, and the Ca/6 dialect of the Southwestern United States), the prescriptive vs. descriptive debate within linguistics, linguistic profile, language prejudice, and the rise of linguistic nationalism (as seen in cases such as the situation in Quebec among Franco-Canadian nationalists and the "English as the Official Language" debate in the United States. Pre-req: ANTH 121 and Junior class standing.
The intersecting role of gender, race and class on human social life in the U.S. and other cultures. An interdisciplinary and comparative examination of the ways social categories define, limit and liberate human potential. Offered annually. Prereq: COMM 100, ENGL 110, junior status and at least two social science courses.
Hnrs:Gender, Race, and Class
Experimental
Co-Op Ed Experience in Anthro
Examines, in a developmental fashion, the attempts made by anthropologists to explain human similarities and differences, and the dynamics of culture change. Offered annually. Prereq: junior/senior status and a minimum of 9 s.h. in anthropology.
Individual or group research in any of the subdisciplines of anthropology, including archaeological field school and ethnographic field projects. Offered periodically. Prereq: permission of instructor.
Research and group discussions for advanced students on various topics of interest. A total of 6 s.h. may be taken. Offered in alternate years. Prereq: permission of instructor.
Experimental
Two to four semesters of supervised research by highly motivated students capable of conducting independent research projects. Prereq: 3.0 GPA and recommendation by faculty mentor. For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section.
For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section.
Two to four semesters of supervised research by highly motivated students capable of conducting independent research projects. Prereq: 3.0 GPA and recommendation by faculty mentor. For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section.
Co-Op Ed Experience in Anthro
Introduction to the scientific study of human groups, organizations and societies. Examination of major sociological questions and approaches to studying them.
Introduction to the scientific study of human groups, organizations and societies. Examination of major sociological questions and approaches to studying them.
Experimental
The family as a social institution. Topics include the family in mass society, diverse family forms, human sexuality, typologies of love, mate selection, husband-wife interaction, parent-child interaction, family disorganization and American ethnic families. Specific topics may vary.
H:Sociology of the Family
A sociological examination of problem areas or human concerns such as poverty, labor issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, crime and justice, health, the environment, discrimination and globalization. Topics may vary. Prereq: ENGL 110.
H:Social Problems
Analysis of population processes such as fertility, mortality, composition, distribution and migration patterns; relationship of population processes to social, economic and political development; effects of status differences; trends in population change. Offered periodically.
Co-Op Ed Experience in Soc
Emphasis on learning and presenting findings from applied statistical techniques, including frequency tables and graphs, contingency tables, measures of central tendency and dispersion, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, analysis of variance, correlation, and linear regression (bivariate and multiple). SPSS software package used. Offered in fall, spring. Prereq: C- or higher in Math 130 and 9 s.h. in sociology/anthropology.
Examination of classical and contemporary theoretical traditions; relevance of sociology to everyday life; works of selected theorists such as Durkheim, Marx, Weber, Merton. Offered fall, spring. Prereq: SOCY 101 and 9 s.h. of sociology at the 200 level or higher.
Examination of the development of African-American social theory through the history of the American republic. Looks at the relationship between African-American social thought, civil rights movements and the larger Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Offered infrequently. Prereq: 9 s.h. in African- American Studies or SOCY 101 and 9 s.h. in sociology (SOCY 303 recommended) or permission of instructor.
Sociological understanding and interpreting religious phenomena including insight regarding the place of religion in society; the functional and conflict orientation to religion; religion and the individual; institutionalization of religion; religion and social change; and the secularization of religion. Offered periodically.
Behavioral and organizational response to environmental hazards and disasters. Case studies of major natural disasters and hazardous-materials incidents illustrate individual, group and societal challenges faced in such events. Issues include building a disaster-resistant community, the impact of the media, and governmental successes and failures. Offered annually. Prereq: SOCY 101 or SOCY 211. A required course for the EHEM minor.
Study of racial and ethnic relations, modes of adaptation of minorities and cross-cultural examinations of dominant-minority relations. Offered annually. Prereq: 3 s.h. of sociology or junior/senior status.
Introduction to sociological social psychology; how social interactions are created, become patterned and susceptible to change; how society is structured through social interaction; and how social identities are formed. Specific topics may vary. Offered periodically. Prereq: ENGL 110, 3 s.h. of sociology or junior/senior status.
Social and cultural factors in health and illness; social organization of the medical care system; structural and interactional aspects of healthcare. Prereq: 3 s.h. sociology or junior/senior status. Offered periodically.
Social-interaction processes in business and industry; nature and effects of complex industrial organization; interrelationships among industry and other social subsystems. Offered periodically. Prereq: 3 s.h. sociology or junior/senior status.
The development of social inequality by race, ethnicity, class, gender and nationality. The social construction of race and gender; various theories of class distribution. Inequality in education, housing and the workplace are discussed. Global instances of inequalities are also discussed. Offered periodically. Prereq: 3 s.h. of sociology and junior/senior status.
Analysis of education as a social institution and its relationship to other institutions; the roles of educator, administrator, student and parent; implications of subcultures, social stratification and social change. Offered infrequently.
Offered periodically.
Analyze how the courts and the law construct gender and how these social constructions of gender in the law impact individuals, families, groups, and institutions. Examine the lives of women & girls as offenders, prisoners, victims/survivors and workers in the criminal justice system from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. Analyze how the intersections of sexism, racism, heterosexism, and classism impact the lives of individuals and communities in regard to criminality.
Deviance as a social phenomenon. Discusses how definitions of deviance have changed over time, how people become labeled “deviant” and the utility of various theories of deviance. Offered annually. Prereq: SOCY 101.
Experimental
Co-Op Ed Experience in Soc
Historical and postmodern analysis of urban development, in particular the impact of demographic, political and socioeconomic structural changes on the social fabric of U.S. metropolitan cities. Topics include inner-city life and culture, race, gender, class relations and policy implications. Offered periodically. Prereq: SOCY 101.
Research and group discussion for advanced students on various topics of interest. A total of 6 s.h. may be taken. Offered in fall, spring. Prereq: permission of instructor.
Experimental
Two to four semesters of supervised research through independent projects. Prereq: 3.0 GPA and recommendation by a faculty mentor. For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section.
For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section. Prereq: 3.0 GPA and permission of faculty member.
Two to four semesters of supervised research through independent projects. Prereq: 3.0 GPA and recommendation by a faculty mentor. For further information, see the Special Academic Opportunities section.
Co-Op Ed Experience in Soc
POLICIES FOR ADMISSION TO THE ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR
- New students (freshmen and transfers) must be admitted to the anthropology major by the Office of Admissions upon admission to the university.
- Admission into the Anthropology major from other departments is upon approval of the chairperson of the criminology, sociology, and anthropology department.
- Non-degree and continuing education students must be admitted to the anthropology major by the office of admissions.
POLICIES FOR RETENTION IN THE ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR
- University requirements for retention.
- The Departmental Academic Review is a mandatory, non-graded activity designed primarily to enhance our departmental advising. Students cannot “fail” the review, and no student will be dismissed from the department based on a poor performance. The review will take place after the completion of 45 semester hours but no later than the semester following the completion of 60 semester hours. For students transferring into the major with more than 45 semester hours, the review will normally take place during the semester following their admission into the department. The review consists of a half-hour interview with the student, the student’s adviser, and the department chairperson. The student is required to submit and essay and resume to the interview committee one week prior to the scheduled conference. If the student fails to participate in the review, they will be placed on probation-in-the-major for one semester, during which time they will be given a final opportunity to complete the review process. Failure to complete the review during the probationary period may result in the student being removed from the major. Students may appeal their dismissals to the department through either their adviser or the department chairperson.
POLICIES FOR ADMISSION TO THE SOCIOLOGY MAJOR
- New freshmen students must have the required SAT I scores or class rank as determined by the University administration.
- Internal transfer students must:
-complete SOCY 101 (or an equivalent course) with a C or better,
-complete MATH 130 (or an equivalent course) with a C- or better,
-obtain a minimum CQPA of 2.0 and a QPA of at least 2.0 in courses required for the major,
-complete the Department Academic & Professional Review,
-complete 15 semester hours at Millersville University.
External transfer students must:
- complete SOCY 101 (or equivalent course) with a C or better,
- obtain a minimum CQPA of 2.0 and a QPA of at least 2.0 in courses required for the major,
- complete the Department Academic & Professional Planning Review.
3. Students who meet the above criteria may apply for admission to the Sociology major and will be admitted if space is available.
POLICIES FOR RETENTION IN THE SOCIOLOGY MAJOR
- University requirements for retention.
- Majors must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 overall and in the major. If either GPA falls below 2.0, the student has one semester to reestablish a 2.0, after which time the student will be dismissed from the major if either GPA remains below 2.0. A student who has been dismissed may petition the department to be readmitted after she/he has they have satisfied the minimum retention requirements. Students will be readmitted on a space-available basis.
- A student must earn a minimum grade of C in SOCY 101 Introduction to Sociology; a minimum grade of C- in MATH 130 Elements of Statistics 1; a minimum grade of C in SOCY 230 Criminology; and a minimum grade of C- in SOCY 302 Social Statistics before taking courses for which these are prerequisites. A student who does not earn the necessary grade in these prerequisite courses by the second attempt will be dismissed from the sociology or sociology major. In addition, a minimum grade of C in SOCY 230: Criminology must be earned prior to taking SOCY 331 or 332. A student who does not earn the necessary grade in SOCY 230 by the second attempt will be dismissed from the Criminology option. Students will be readmitted on a space available basis upon successful completion of the course.
- The Departmental Academic & Professional Planning Review is a mandatory, non-graded activity designed primarily to enhance our departmental advising. Students cannot "fail" the review, and no student will be dismissed from the department based on a poor performance. The review will take place after the completion of 45 semester hours but no later than the semester following the completion of 60 semester hours. It is the student's responsibility to contact their advisor to schedule the Academic Review after the completion of 45 semester hours. The review consists of a half-hour interview with the student's advisor and possibly the department chair. The student is required to submit an essay on their career goals and a resumé to the advisor one week prior to the scheduled conference. If the student fails to participate in the review, they will be placed on probation-in-the-major for one semester, during which time they will be given a final opportunity to complete the Academic Review. Failure to complete the review during the probationary period will result in the student being dismissed from the major. The Department Academic & Professional Planning Review is a graduation requirement.