Students in our department also have a variety of opportunities to do independent research. These include an upper-level research seminar in which students design and implement their own study, a senior honors thesis in which a student works with a faculty advisor on a project chosen by the student, and readings and research courses in which a student and a faculty member explore a specific topic of mutual interest. In addition, students occasionally serve as research assistants on ongoing faculty research projects.
UVM sociology students are encouraged to build on their coursework by taking advantage of additional opportunities tailored to their specific skills, interests, and goals.
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Multiple paths lead back to sociology
At UVM, junior Sheldon Burnell '20 discovered that many of his interests including criminal justice, law, journalism, education and advocacy led him to the same place: the discipline of sociology.
When he attended high school in Brattleboro, Vt., he served on a restorative justice committee which examined alternatives to punitive measures like suspensions for students who misbehaved.
“I suppose I had that experience in the back of my mind when I came to UVM,” he said, “but I wasn’t sure what a sociology major would lead to,” he said. “It wasn’t a linear process, but I eventually discovered everything I was interested in connected me to sociology.”
The first step was a sociology TAP course his first year titled “Science Fiction and Society” and he was intrigued. Then he took “Mass Media in Modern Society” course, which addressed his interest in journalism. As his academic career progressed, he took sociology courses touching on population dynamics, the environment, social movements, global deviance, terrorism, and immigration.
Read more of Sheldon's story
Can I do an internship for sociology credit?
The internship coordinator for the department is Professor Alice Fothergill. Presently, the only way for students to get sociology credit for an internship is through Professor Fothergill's spring semester course, SOC 3991. Internship Seminar in SOC. The course allows students to participate in internships in local organizations for the spring semester. Generally, internships require ten hours a week of service in the agency site for three hours of course credit. Sociology requires a rigorous scholarly component as well, including bi-weekly meetings, a sociological literature review, and a final paper. Students who want an internship experience but do not need sociology credit might consider registering for CAS 2920 Communities of Practice or CAS 2991 Internship. For more information on sociology internships, contact Alice Fothergill at alice.fothergill@uvm.edu.
Does UVM offer a criminal justice degree?
No, but the sociology department offers a concentration in Crime and Criminal Justice. We offer courses on Deviance & Social Control, Global Deviance, Criminal Justice, Crime, Sociology of Law, and Corrections. One can certainly explore that interest and gain expertise within the sociology major. There is also a minor in Law and Society which is describe here: https://catalogue.uvm.edu/undergraduate/artsandsciences/sociology/lawandsocietyminor/