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The Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work prepares students for careers in social work and social services, community relations, policy analysis, government, law enforcement, community corrections, prison and jail programs, juvenile corrections and youth services, court operations, victim advocacy, private security, legal professions, and many more.
"When you go to a criminal justice professor, you're going to someone who is already well-versed in the field; you're going to someone who has already served as a county prosecutor, a judge ... not only are you getting the knowledge you need for your future career, you're also getting a mentor."– Titi Sharpe shares his story.
Alumni in arts, humanities, and social sciences are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in sociology and criminal justice fields (NACE)
Noteworthy dpeartment area Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
The Bachelor of Social Work at William Paterson is an interdisciplinary degree program comprised of 10 required social work courses as well as courses in sociology and public health. The program culminates with a 400-hour internship experience during the fall and spring semesters of the senior year.
View academic program requirements and course descriptions in the University Course Catalog:
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Students in this program will learn fundamental facts about how the criminal justice system operates in the United States, how and why criminality varies across people and places in the US and around the world, and policies intended to reduce crime and/or punish perpetrators.
Students in the general sociology program will learn about patterns in social behavior and a variety of possible explanations for those patterns. There will be particular focus on inequalities by race, gender and social class.
Students minoring in CCJ learn about the basics of the criminal justice system and about theories that help explain why crime varies over time and place. They also can choose from a variety of electives about policing, corrections, forensic social psychology, and more.
A minor in sociology helps undergraduates become effective citizens, with the ability to grapple with such issues as multiculturalism, inequality, and globalization. By integrating these key concepts, students become capable of critical inquiry and civic engagement.
Students in our Sociology, Criminal justice, and Social work programs have many opportunities to learn and develop outside the classroom, such as engaging with community groups and organizations, attending special presentations and expert panels, conducting research with professors, and presenting at conferences. They also develop connections and work with industry professionals through a wide array of internships. Students can earn selection in Alpha Phi Sigma, the criminal justice honor society, as well as join extracurricular activities including the Sociology/Criminal Justice Club, among others.
In our Sociology, Criminal justice, and Social Work programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including :
Graduates of our programs have job opportunities in a wide array of areas such as health and social services, business and non-profit organizations, community work, corrections, colleges and universities, publishing, computer work, public relations, and federal, state, and local government, and law enforcement, among many others. Many also go on to attend graduate school.
Our professors are proud practitioners in their fields and love to share their expertise beyond the classroom. Mentorship is at the core of our department, and it’s our goal that every student work directly with a faculty member to expand their knowledge and worldview.
criminology and criminal justice and psychology double major, currently pursuing a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling.
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
When Kevin Anthony Jones decided he wanted to finally earn the bachelor’s degree he had been thinking about for two decades, he convinced his younger sisters, Ebony Campbell and Monique Jones, to join him in pursuing their degrees. The three adult siblings, who are all from Newark, graduate together this week from William Paterson University. All earned their degrees through the University’s WP Online program.
Kevin, 42, is the CEO of an organization that provides community-based support and mentorship for city youth with behavioral issues. Kevin, who is also a martial arts instructor and trainer, had been running the organization with some college credit, but no degree – until now.
As a teenager, Kevin says he didn’t think college was for him, so he stopped out.
A married father to four children, he decided he now really wanted that degree – for himself, his children, and the youth he mentors. He investigated William Paterson and its WP Online platform, which allows students to pursue their studies fully online, at their pace and on their schedule.
“I knew this was going to be a bit of a struggle for me. I was a little outdated with this school stuff,” Kevin says with a chuckle. His sisters Ebony Campbell and Monique Jones, now 39 and 27, respectively, had associates degrees. He convinced his sisters to enroll in WP Online with him so they could pursue and earn their bachelor’s degrees together.
“I thought, ‘Let me use that youth that’s more updated with school and technology and knows what they’re doing to help me and to give me that energy that I needed,” Kevin adds, smiling.
“I was contemplating going back to school, but the time management with work, and family … I needed to get it done,” says Ebony, a married mother of two. She has an associate’s degree in paralegal studies and works with the Morris County Superior Court in the family division. She is also a prenatal and post-natal doula and assists her brother with the community organization he runs.
Youngest sister Monique had been a student at William Paterson starting in 2016, immediately after earning her associate’s degree. She started in one major, switched to another, and just hadn’t found her calling. She took some time away from school and started a career with the Internal Revenue Service. Her role as an employee of the U.S. Government helped Monique realize her passion: She wants to work with the FBI someday. She needs a bachelor’s degree to do it, so she agreed to jump on the family’s WP bandwagon – as a new mom to an infant son.
Though not exactly planned, all three siblings ended up pursuing a degree in sociology, as all three have or desire careers that are heavily rooted in community interaction.
“Sociology helps you to have empathy and sympathy for people, understand where they come from, and give them grace,” Ebony explains.
“I love the study of social behavior and of different cultures, and I thought it was important to study that,” adds Monique.
Was it always easy to balance full-time careers with full-time parenthood and university studies? No, Kevin explains, citing long nights and the support he needed from his family to make it all work. WP Online made it possible, though. “We stuck through it, and this is where we are right now,” he says, a few days before the University’s Commencement ceremony. “I have to credit Ebony with her tenacity and Monique with her open-mindedness and getting both on my back and my last nerve,” he adds. “I also have to thank our parents; they laid the foundation for us.”
Kevin’s son and Ebony’s daughter are graduating high school in June, so the Jones family has a lot to celebrate: five graduations in one month.
“They were my first professors and editors,” Kevin says of the teens, explaining how they taught him to use online sources properly to avoid plagiarism. “They told me, ‘You cannot use ChatGPT like that!' They checked me.”
When asked what advice they would give to other adult students considering a return to college, Monique – with a happy now-toddler in her lap – does not hesitate: “It’s never too late,” she responds.
“Just do it,” Kevin adds.
