Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

Sociology and Criminology (MA, PhD)

Telephone: (302) 831-2581
http://www.udel.edu/soc/grad.html
Faculty Listing: http://www.udel.edu/soc/faculty.html

Program Overview

The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice offers a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy degree program in both Sociology and Criminology. The Department also offers a dual bachelor-master degree program in both Sociology and Criminology to undergraduate students matriculated at UD’s partner universities in China. The primary focus of the program is the preparation of members of the next generation of sociologists and criminologists by emphasizing systematic training in theory and research methodology as well as teaching. These advanced education degrees are intended for persons interested in careers in academia, public service, or private enterprise. The Department has a large number of full-time distinguished faculty from the disciplines of sociology, philosophy, law, political science, criminology, history, and criminal justice. This allows students to work closely with faculty members while preserving a reasonable breadth of interests. Thus, while both the Sociology and Criminology degrees rely on strong theoretical and methodological foundations, they also allow students to tailor a program that meets their individual needs.

Research Centers

The Center for Drug and Health Studies (CDHS) was established at the University in 1991 and has been awarded a series of multi-million dollar research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. CDHS was instrumental in setting up and evaluating a national model of Therapeutic Community treatment in criminal justice. Recently, CDHS was included in a small group of Research Centers nationally that will be leading research in implementing interventions for substance-involved clients in the criminal justice system. In addition to evaluating treatment programs in criminal justice settings, other ongoing studies include: The relation of school experiences to adolescent substance abuse, studies examining the efficacy of AIDS education and awareness programs, and studies which examine the epidemiology and etiology of substance abuse in general. The Center offers opportunities for research training for graduate students including stipends for research assistants and use of data sources.

Requirements for Admission

Applicants should submit transcripts of all academic work, Graduate Record Examination scores and three letters of recommendation. The GRE requirement is waived for all applicants to the China dual degree program. The deadline for completed applications is January 3. The deadline for completed applications for the China dual degree program is February 1.

Admission is selective and competitive based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. The department admits new students only in the fall semester.

Financial Aid

Teaching assistantships, research assistantships and University fellowships are available to graduate students at the MA and PhD levels. Please refer to Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships for additional information.

Programs

Master’s

Doctorate