Certificate Programs

Certificate Programs

Undergraduate Certificates

Civics in WEST and Sociology

The Civics Certificate in WEST & Sociology advances critical thinking about race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and other socio-cultural hierarchies by focusing on dynamic relationships between the U.S. Government and marginalized populations within American society. The Civics Certificate in WEST & Sociology encourages a broader understanding of citizenship, democracy, obligations, participation, protest, and social justice. The Civics Certificate in WEST & Sociology helps, in part, to fulfill our vision that students develop and refine skills to shape a collective future in which equity and justice prevail.


Criminology and Justice Studies

This certificate provides undergraduate-level sociology students with a greater understanding of an array of aspects of the criminal justice system, highlighting the impact of law and society, corrections systems, and structures of deviance in the social order. This certificate is beneficial for enhancing future career options with law enforcement, state and community action, and social service organizations. It is also beneficial for students who are applying to law schools, social work programs, and graduate programs.


Disability Studies

For undergraduate students wishing to develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, the College of Education and College of Letters, Arts and Sciences offer a certificate of specialization. Completion of the certificate provides evidence of specialized study, which can be beneficial for enhancing future career options and interests. The certificate is useful for careers in the private sector and educational institutions, including social work, graduate and professional schools, community action organizations, and social services.


Family and Child Studies

This certificate provides undergraduate-level students with a greater understanding of the social dimensions of childhood and family, highlighting how dynamics of diversity and inequality shape childhood and families. The certificate will explore the family as a social institution, including the historical development and contemporary cross-cultural analysis with an emphasis on the contemporary American family. This certificate can be beneficial for enhancing career options with mental health organizations, local and international family intervention programs, community action, and social service organizations. It is also potentially beneficial for students who are interested in social work programs or applying to graduate and professional schools.


Social Dimensions of Health and Health Care

This certificate provides undergraduate-level sociology students with a greater understanding of the social dimensions of health and health care. Stereotypes, stigma, and social construction of body image and the “worthiness” of people and diseases for medical, financial, and political intervention are central. This certificate is beneficial for enhancing career options with disaster response agencies, mental health organizations, and community action and social service organizations. It is also beneficial for students who are applying to graduate and professional schools, social work programs, and governmental organizations.


Sociology of Diversity

The Sociology Department has a strong emphasis on diversity and inequality issues, highlighting race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. For sociology majors, minors, and other students wishing to concentrate in these areas, we offer a certificate of specialization that is marketable to a wide variety of employers and educational institutions, including social work, graduate and professional schools, community action organizations, and social services. 


Graduate Certificates

Sociology of Diversity

The Graduate Faculty of the Sociology Department place a strong emphasis on diversity and inequality issues in their research, highlighting race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, and class.

For sociology graduate students wishing to concentrate in these areas, we offer a graduate certificate of specialization. Completion of the certificate provides evidence of specialized study, which can be beneficial for enhancing future career options and interests. The certificate is useful for students planning careers in the private sector and educational institutions, including social work, graduate and professional schools, community action organizations, and social services.


Advanced Research Methods in Sociology

This course of study certificate trains master's-level sociologists in a range of sociological research methods. Completion of the certificate provides evidence of competence in tools of quantitative and qualitative research methodology, which can be beneficial for enhancing future career options.


Disability Studies

For graduate students wishing to develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, we offer a graduate certificate of specialization.

Completion of this course of study certificate provides evidence of specialized study, which can be beneficial for enhancing future career options and interests. The certificate is useful for students planning careers in the private sector and for educational institutions, including social work, graduate and professional schools, community action organizations, and social services.


Teaching Sociology

This course of study certificate consists of a three-semester sequence of courses designed to prepare graduate students in sociology to teach at the university level.