Department of Sociology and Criminology

Study complex interactions in society

About the Department Sociology and Criminology at Barry

Choosing to major in sociology or criminology at Barry University has many advantages. The faculty members have excellent credentials, are superior teachers, and maintain a high caliber of professional activity. The curriculum is challenging and comprehensive with an emphasis on issues of social justice. Class size is limited generally to 20 students per section, allowing for more individualized attention and ready-access to professors. All majors receive personalized, one-on-one advising from a regular full-time faculty member. Faculty advisors assist students with meeting degree requirements and with clarifying educational and career objectives. 

The Sociology & Criminology Club provides students with an outlet to meet and socialize with like-minded peers. Our academically superior students can join Pi Gamma Mu, the International Social Science Honor Society, which is sponsored by the Department. In addition to our excellent curriculum and dedicated faculty, our specialized program provides students with opportunities to gain practical experience through research projects or internships. Rich in diversity and culture, the Miami-South Florida area offers numerous possibilities in sociology and criminology related research and work experience. Majors have served as interns with child protection and youth service agencies, federal investigative agencies, circuit/criminal courts, correctional facilities, and state and federal probation offices.

Develop the skills and expertise for a career solving problems in contemporary society, whether it be by joining the Justice system or writing as a researcher or journalist.

Department Highlights

class

Small class sizes

Student Centered Program

Student Centered Program

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Hands-on Experience

Books School

Academic Support

  • class

    Small class sizes

  • Student Centered Program

    Student Centered Program

  • person-arrow-star

    Hands-on Experience

  • Books School

    Academic Support

Our Programs

  • Sociology (BS)

    The Bachelor of Science in Sociology focuses on the study of the interactive dynamics of social institutions, organizations, and everyday life. Sociologists combine humanistic and scientific perspectives to study urban and rural life, family patterns, social change, health care and illness, crime, social class, technology and communications, social movements, and many other social issues.

  • Criminology (BS)

    The Bachelor of Science in Criminology focuses on the study of historical and contemporary patterns of crime and victimization, the social etiology of criminality, social responses to crime, and the processes of crime control. Criminologists combine theoretical and empirical methods to study crime and delinquency, including the manner in which offenders are processed.

News

Top Stories

  • The Death Penalty as State Crime: Who Can Kill? May 14, 2024

    Laura L. Finley is a Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Barry University in Miami, Florida. Her recently published book offers a new perspective on the death penalty in the US, examining capital punishment as state crime or state-produced harm. It addresses the death penalty, showing how the state not only authorizes a system and a practice that tortures human beings, but is also aware of its deep flaws and chooses not to address them.

  • Watch: “Violence, Neglect, And Well-Being During The COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons From South Florida” May 03, 2021

    On Thursday, April 8, the Department of Sociology and Criminology presented a virtual panel discussion titled “Violence, Neglect, and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons from South Florida.”

  • Social Justice, Race, And Gender Hosted By Dr. Finley March 05, 2021

    The Department of Sociology and Criminology would like to thank our esteemed professor, Dr. Laura Finley, for hosting a deliberative dialogue on February 11, “Say Her Name! Working for Social Justice at the Intersection of Race and Gender.”

What can I do with a degree in sociology or criminology? Career Opportunities

At Barry, sociology, and criminology graduates are often employed in the helping professions, business, the criminal justice system (local, state, and federal level), and in a variety of public and private sector jobs, especially those which involve the delivery, development, and administration of human or social services.

Criminology students are more likely to choose employment in the justice system, but sociology majors may also select these types of positions. 

Employment opportunities include entry-level positions in occupations related to administration, advertising, banking, counseling (family services and youth services), community planning, health services, group and recreation work, marketing and market research, education, human resources/personnel work, social services, and government services.

As a complement to the required coursework, departmental volunteer and internship opportunities help students obtain the needed knowledge, skills, and connections to obtain work in their chosen fields.

Below are some common job titles of those who enter the work force with a bachelor's degree in sociology or criminology:

  • Human Rights Officer
  • Fundraising Assistant
  • Child Care Worker
  • Human Rights Officer
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Parole Officer
  • Special Agent
  • Consumer Relations
Career Opportunities

Department of Sociology and Criminology Events and Activities

Department of Sociology and Criminology Faculty and Staff

The odds are definitely in your favor at Barry University. Our student-faculty ratio is only 15:1. That means you get personal attention and guidance, and nobody gets lost in the shuffle. Even more impressive, over 80 percent of our faculty hold a PhD or the highest degree available in their field of expertise.

We seek out professors who are not only great teachers, but who love what they do. Their passion, enthusiasm, and inspiration are contagious, and there's no better way to keep young minds excited about learning and discovering. Beyond each teacher's area of expertise, our faculty is committed to promoting equality, social justice, altruism, diversity, and humility. Through education, everyone can have a voice.

Pay it forward Support our Department

Your gift to the Department of Sociology and Criminology ensures the sustainability of our commitment to the highest academic standards through our degree programs.

By giving online, your contribution will make a huge impact for our deserving students, as well as create opportunities and promote excellence within the department.

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