Undergraduate Program

Welcome!

Welcome to the homepage of the Department of Sociology Undergraduate Program at the Catholic University of America.  The Sociology Department was founded in 1895 and was intended to strengthen the fields of moral theology and Christian social teachings.  It was one of the founding departments in the School of Social Sciences.  It was the first department of sociology in any Catholic university in the United States.  At first the department only offered graduate courses and most of the courses were philosophical in content.

The department gradually expanded and in 1921 the National Catholic School of Social Services split off as a separate school and later became part of Catholic University.  In 1934 the Department of Anthropology split off from the Sociology Department.

From the very beginning faculty members have been important figures in regional, national and international social science.  Two early members of the department were Father William Joseph Kerby (department member 1895-1936) and Monsignor Paul Hanly Furfey (department member 1935-1966).  Other distinguished members have been Father John O'Grady, Father Thomas Harte, Dr. C.J. Nuesse, Father Raymond Potvin, Dr. Che-Fu Lee and Dr. Dean R. Hoge.

We are a relatively small department so students still receive an abundance of attention.  Catholic University's location in the nation's capital provides students with access to a multitude of opportunities for studies and research.  Strong community ties provide students with numerous and wide ranging internships and job opportunities with corporations and government agencies.  The American Sociological Association, Eastern Sociological Association and District of Columbia Sociological Society all have offices in the area and conduct meetings that students are invited to attend.  Catholic University is also a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, which is made up of 11 local universities.  Students are encouraged to use the Library of Congress, vist the many museums such as the Holocaust Museum and the Smithsonian Institution, to attend local lectures, and to visit and volunteer at homeless shelters and soup kitchens.  Students are also invited to attend the Life Cycle Institute's "Brown Bag" lecture series.  The sociology program also provides a foundation for graduate studies.

Sociology is the study of groups and societies. Sociologists study such issues as the causes and consequences of social inequality, the impact of groups on individuals, the causes of social and political change, the sources of values and beliefs, and the organization of major institutions.

Our undergraduate sociology program program is designed to enable students to think systematically and critically about their society, and to help students develop analytical, research and writing skills relevant to a variety of careers. We encourage qualified advanced students to enroll in graduate courses. Our courses cover topics such as, crime and law, sex and gender, culture and religion, social change and economic development.

B.A./M.A. Program - eligible students (3.5 GPA) may complete a B.A. and an M.A. degree program in five years.

Department Honors

Apart from the regular Honors Program and the B.A./M.A. program, the department offers several honors and awards, including:

• Membership in Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society - open to majors with at least an overall 3.2 GPA. Contact Dr. Pumar for information.
• Membership in Pi Gamma Mu, the International Honor Society for Social Sciences - open to majorswho have completed seven major courses and have an overall 3.0 GPA.  See Rev. Sullins for information.    
• The William Joseph Kerby Award, given to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in undergraduate sociology.

 

Our current faculty and staff are:

Dr. Sandra L. Hanson, Ordinary Professor and advisor of undecided freshmen, hanson@cua.edu

Dr. Bronislaw Misztal, Ordinary Professor and Chair, undergraduate and graduate advisor, 202-319-5445, misztal@cua.edu

Dr. Enrique Pumar, Associate Profesor, Coordinator of the Crime, Justice and Pre-Law program, pumar@cua.edu

Rev. Dr. Donal Paul Sullins, Associate Professor, sullins@cua.edu

Cynthia King, Assistant to the Chair, 202-319-5445, kingc@cua.edu

To learn more about our faculty please click on faculty on the left side of the page.  Faculty can be reached by e-mail. Their e-mail address is their last name @cua.edu.

We invite you to explore the department through the website.  We will be glad to answer any questions you may have.