About the Department
We are committed to providing a strong social science education to our students. We emphasize training in the knowledge and analytical skills necessary for successful careers and informed citizenship. We strive to offer our students a challenging curriculum by providing effective advising, faculty instructional support, a research orientation, and opportunities to apply sociological imagination to the real social world.
Faculty members' areas of expertise represent diverse topics within the field of sociology. These include criminology, economic inequality, gender and sexuality, work and family, immigration and migration, qualitative and quantitative research methods, race and ethnicity, social organization, social psychology, social theory, and urban sociology.
Vision and Values
Sociology is the scientific study of society and social behavior. Criminology focuses specifically on the structural, individual and cultural causes and consequences of crime. The Department of Sociology and Criminology at NIU teaches courses and conducts research on a variety of topics, including inequality, health, race and ethnicity, crime, politics, religion, social movements, sexuality and gender. We are committed to examining these issues by applying the principles of evidence-based social science. We value both quantitative and qualitative approaches. We encourage open and respectful consideration of diverse viewpoints on complex and often controversial social issues.
We strive for excellence in our teaching, research, and learning. Working together, we aspire to confront challenges faced by difficult social issues and develop potential solutions to those challenges. In doing so, we hope to prepare students for career success and improve the well-being of individuals and our communities.
We welcome and support students and faculty from a wide range of backgrounds. We expect that students and faculty treat each other fairly, with respect and mutual understanding, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, religious or political affiliation.
