IUPUI
Department of Sociology
425 University Blvd.
Cavanaugh Hall 303
Indianapolis, IN 46202

PH: (317) 274-8981

Fax: (317) 278-3654

E-Mail: sociolog@iupui.edu

Sociology at IUPUI

Within the School of Liberal Arts, the Department of Sociology at IUPUI is a diverse group of faculty, with interests in many areas. Their research projects have examined family violence, neighborhood development programs, democratization of the workplace, revolutions in other countries, sexual preferences, patterns of coping with disease and death, and the availability and use of victim services in Indiana. Some students get opportunities to assist the faculty in such projects as interviewers and research assistants, while others can benefit from the presentation of timely material from on-going studies by instructors actively engaged in scientific investigation.

The sociology faculty at IUPUI set high standards for themselves and their students. The work tends to be hard but fun. There is a rich and varied curriculum, with frequent writing and group project assignments. Students are taught to analyze their own environment, to critique published reports, to consider alternative possibilities in addition to the most obvious explanations. Sociology courses provide a great opportunity not just to pick up some intriguing facts uncovered by others but also to develop some new abilities to investigate things yourself.

Mission

The IUPUI Department of Sociology has a three-fold mission:

• to facilitate student learning of the field and craft of sociology and to prepare them for advanced study in sociology or for careers in fields which require social scientific background.
  
  
• to contribute through original research to the body of sociological and social science knowledge.
  

• to use and apply our sociological expertise for the betterment of society through service to the School, the University, and the community.

Within this three-fold mission, the Faculty hold specific goals within the domains of teaching, research, and service:

Teaching

• Attract and retain students for course work in the Department by offering stimulating and relevant opportunities to learn about society, sociology, and social science methods.
  
  
• Assist undergraduate students in developing critical thinking and analytic skills essential for success in higher education and professional careers.
  
  
• Help undergraduate students prepare for advanced studies in sociology or related fields and/or for careers which require social science background and training.
  
  
• Enhance student learning through innovative learning strategies including collaborative learning, independent studies, service learning, and mentoring initiatives.

Research

• Conduct exemplary sociological and interdisciplinary research for our students and peers.
  
  
• Respond to regional needs for applied sociological research.
  
  
• Secure funded research to enhance Department resources and support undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities.

Service

• Strive to expand public and professional awareness and appreciation of the sociological perspective and sociological research.
  
  
• Provide leadership and consultation on social issues and promote the use of sociology for university, professional, and community organizations and agencies.
  
  
• Promote the betterment of society and the amelioration of social problems through involvement in university and community activities.

As a unit within the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, the Department of Sociology offers a variety of unique learning opportunities for students and the community to critically examine the complex social, economic, political, and technological challenges facing our society today. The Faculty seeks to contribute to the broader intellectual mission of the School to "enhance the intellectual fabric of Greater Indianapolis, Central Indiana, and the state through its basic and applied research and teaching on social issues and problems." Consistent with the mission of IUPUI to develop and apply knowledge and serve as a "model for collaboration," the Faculty remain deeply committed to sharing the sociological imagination and their social science research expertise with colleagues throughout the University and with individuals, government, and community agencies across the state.