Upcoming Events

Student and faculty are cordially invited to any and all of the Sociology Research Circle presentations listed below. Refreshments will be provided.

M-T-W 5 to 5:45 p.m.	Graduate Sociology Social Hours coffee, tea, light refreshments	Raubinger Hall 4th floor lounge
Sunday, 10/21 1 to 3 p.m.	Graduate Open House Learn firsthand about our M.A. Program	University Commons Ballroom

Department Activities and Programs

The Department sponsors several activities each year for faculty and majors. These events are designed to provide a relaxed atmosphere in which faculty and students can get together outside the classroom. Sometimes a presentation is made by students,  faculty, or outside speakers, followed by discussion. Recent programs have included:

"The Value of a Sociology Degree for your Future," Phil Kasinitz, President of the Eastern Sociological Society, 2006-2007

"Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage: Preventing Hate Crimes on Campus and in Society," by Jack Levin, ESS Distinguished Lecturer, 2004-2005

"The Crisis of Historicity (from Nietzsche to the Philosophical Discourses of Postmodernity) by Daniel Bensaïd, University of Paris-VIII (Saint-Denis);

"Dominant and Sub-Dominant People of Power," by Charles V. Willie, Harvard University;

"Gaining People, Losing Ground," by Werner Fornos, Executive Director of the Population Institute, Washington, DC;

"Minorities in Poland" by Wieslaw Oleksy, Director of Postgraduate Studies at the North American Studies Center in Lodz, Poland;

"New Directions in Health Care" by Judith Barr, research specialist for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of NY;

"Multiculturalism and Ethnicity in Europe" by Mario Martiniello (Director of the Center on Ethnicity and Migration, Senior Research Associate of the National Fund for Scientific Research, and Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liege, Belgium).

The Department also funds travel, food, and lodging for selected students to attend the annual meetings of the Eastern Sociological Society and/or American Sociological Association. Special activities through the Sociology Club are also scheduled throughout the academic year.

Back to Top

Awards and Honors

Alpha Kappa Delta is the international sociology honor society that is dedicated to the ideal of Anthropon Katamanthanein Diakonesein or "To investigate humanity for the purpose of service." The purpose of AKD is to promote an interest in the study of sociology, research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvement in the human condition.

To be invited to join, students must be meet the following requirements:

• Be an officially declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology  within an official university academic program.
• Be at least a junior;
• Maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in sociology courses taken at William Paterson prior to initiation;
• Complete at least four regular courses in sociology prior to initiation.

Each year, early in the spring semester, the Department identifies eligible students and sends them an invitation to join. The induction ceremony takes place at an annual installation dinner late in the spring semester attended by the students, their family and/or friends, department faculty, and college administrators. Inductees receive an AKD Handbook and a one year subscription to Sociological Inquiry, the society's scholarly journal. With the international name recognition of AKD as a non secret, democratic society honoring high achievers, students are encouraged to include their membership on their resumes.

The Paul P. Vouras Sociology Award is given each year at the AKD Installation Dinner to an attendee whose scholastic achievement surpasses all others. Named after a former William Paterson professor emeritus of geography who was always been a good friend of the Department and remains so in our memories, this award is in the form of a practical, long-lasting gift.

The Outstanding Senior in Sociology Award is given each year to a graduating sociology major whose academic achievement and contributions to the college community are outstanding. The recipient, selected by the sociology faculty, receives this award at the Awards Assembly.

Dialogue is a newsletter published each semester by the William Paterson University Sociology Department that contains information about student, faculty, alumni, and department achievements and events, both past and present.

Sociogram is a journal published by the William Paterson University Sociology Department that contains outstanding papers written by our students. A faculty editorial board selects the papers from those nominated by department faculty. Sociogram is published annually.

Back to Top