Log on
Apply | Contact Us | Give a Gift | VU Home | Site Index | Text only
About VU Admission Academics Campus Life Athletics and Recreation Libraries Alumni and Friends of VU
You are exploring: VU > Arts & Sciences > Sociology  Print This Page

Welcome to the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at Villanova University. The department offers undergraduate majors and minors in Sociology and Criminal Justice, a Master's degree in Criminology, Law and Society, and a Five-Year Combined Bachelor's and Master's of Arts.

Sociology is a perspective for understanding human behavior, and holds that people’s actions are largely a response to the conditions and situations in which they live. Human beings make decisions, but they make them under circumstances not of their own choosing. It is our mission to empower students to think critically about societies. The sociological perspective systematically analyzes human behavior by exploring the tension between decision making and life circumstances.

Please take your time and explore our web site. You can find information about our programs, faculty, and graduates (you can read their comments about our department and their occupations). Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Thomas M. Arvanites, the Department Chair, at 610.519.4774.

News and Events

Department in Focus
  • See our latest Fall 2009 Interactions Newsletter here!
  • The ICPSR is sponsoring a quantitative paper competition for both undergraduate and graduate students.  See their flier here and talk to your professors about preparing a quality paper for submission by January 31, 2010!
  • Congratulations to Dr. Jill McCorkel who was recently tenured and promoted to Associate Professor.  See her homepage here.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Satya Pattnayak, Professor of Sociology & Political Science and Director of the Latin American Studies Program, for receiving a 2-year Title VI U.S. Department of Education Grant in the amount of $173,840.00 to develop a cross-disciplinary and regional focus in Brazilian Studies.  This grant will also introduce a Portuguese language curriculum at Villanova. 

Each year the Department surveys its graduating seniors and alumni to obtain feedback about our program. Following are their perspectives on the Sociology major:

...read more testimonials