The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.

The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.

The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.

The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.

Purpose: This program prepares students to communicate proficiently in American Sign Language, including both expressive and receptive skills. The ASL Career Studies Certificate will improve the students' marketability in a wide range of positions where it is necessary to possess effective communication between hearing and Deaf persons. These fields include careers such as teaching, health and social service occupations, and public safety positions. Many people already holding positions in these areas would enhance their ability to perform their current jobs by expanding the range of people with whom they can communicate. The ASL Career Studies Certificate also fulfils all of the prerequisite requirements for our other programs of study. Many students complete the ASL CSC and then go on to enroll in either the Interpreting A.A.S. or Deaf Studies A.S. curriculum.

Purpose: This program is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in criminal justice, criminology, or related fields.

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for those who seek employment in the field of Cybersecurity (information assurance), for those who are presently in IT or a security field and who desire to increase their knowledge and update their skills, and for those who must augment their abilities in other fields with knowledge and skills in information security. The curriculum is mapped to the NSA/DHS Knowledge Units necessary for NOVA's designation as a Center of Academic Excellence.

Purpose This curriculum is designed for students seeking licensure in K-12 Special Education Adapted Curriculum or K-12 Special Education General Curriculum. This curriculum prepares students to transfer to any four-year college or university teacher preparation program. Courses in this degree are designed to satisfy some of the endorsement and professional course requirements of a Virginia teaching license. In EDU 200, students will identify the endorsement (content) courses they need to earn a teaching license. Students should meet with a Teacher Education faculty member or Education Field Placement Coordinator and Advising Specialist to select the correct courses for their area of licensure. EDU 200 and EDU 204 both require 20-hour field placements in a K-12 public school. Students will be required to complete a background check before being placed in the schools. Students with criminal records should consult with the Teacher Education Field Placement Coordinator before enrolling in the courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the VCLA after completing ENG 111, ENG 112, Eng-literature course, and CST 100 or 110.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed for persons who seek entry-level employment as clinical data coding specialists in healthcare organizations by providing them with knowledge in anatomy and medical terminology, skill development in ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT coding classification systems, database management, and clinical data abstracting processes, prospective payment systems, and reimbursement strategies. Clinical data coding specialists are in demand across the spectrum of healthcare organizations including hospitals, physician offices, insurance companies, managed care organizations, contracting groups, and accounting firms. Graduates of the certificate program are eligible to take one of two national certifying examinations administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), or Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Office setting (CCS-P).

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for persons who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in information technology.

Purpose: This program is designed for students who plan to transfer to a college or university for a Bachelor of Arts in Art History.

Criminology explores social structure and social processes in relation to crime, criminality, and punishment. The Criminology major provides students with an understanding of crime from both a structural and individual perspective. Students will develop skills to critically analyze both lived experiences and social factors associated with crime. Students will deconstruct their knowledge of crime from how we define crime to understanding the experiences of various groups within the criminal justice system. Students will study how human behavior is regulated and the societal responses to law violations with a particular eye to power relations. They will study criminological theories and the empirical evidence used to support and critique them.

Students will gain conceptual and research skills and be able to apply them to specific social institutions such as policing, courts, and corrections. The criminology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied fields. The major provides a liberal arts background for careers in law enforcement (local and federal), courts, corrections, victim advocacy, case management, juvenile correctional and diversion programs, data analysis, and graduate school.

Sociology and anthropology involve the systematic study of social life and culture in order to understand the causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists and anthropologists study the structure and processes of nonindustrialized and industrialized societies in the United States and around the world. They examine how culture, social structures (groups, organizations, and communities) and social institutions (family, education, religion, etc.) affect human attitudes, actions, and life-chances. Sociology and anthropology combine scientific and humanistic perspectives.

Drawing upon various theoretical perspectives, sociologists and anthropologists study such areas as culture, socialization, crime, deviance, inequality, health and illness, family patterns, law, social change and race, and ethnic relations. Combining theoretical perspectives with empirical research allows students an opportunity to develop new insights into their own lives as well as the forces that shape everyday life in society.

The sociology/anthropology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied research careers. It offers an essential liberal arts background for many careers and professions, including public service and administration, communications and public relations, law, business, medicine, journalism, arts management, environmental science, and other professions. The department offers both a major and minor in sociology and anthropology. Our faculty are also centrally involved in the Colleges programs in Black Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Environmental Studies, and International Studies. Most courses count for one or more of the C21 requirements.

The theoretical and methodological courses in the curriculum provide intensive instruction in the application of sociological and anthropological theory and methodology. The theoretical courses provide an intensive examination of the various sociological and anthropological perspectives on human social behavior and on the social systems we create. They evaluate the different ways these perspectives gather and use evidence to make inference about the world in which we live. The department also offers extensive instruction and experience in research design and methodology including courses in quantitative research methods, qualitative and survey methodologies, social statistics, and computer approaches in social research.

The department offers many other opportunities for interested students to engage in research and practice outside of the classroom. The field study and internship programs provide opportunities for application of the theoretical and methodological principles learned in the classroom. These programs encourage students to explore careers that may interest them and gain valuable experience toward employment after college.

The grade point average for coursework comprising the major or minor, must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C-.

Sociology and anthropology involve the systematic study of social life and culture in order to understand the causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists and anthropologists study the structure and processes of nonindustrialized and industrialized societies in the United States and around the world. They examine how culture, social structures (groups, organizations, and communities) and social institutions (family, education, religion, etc.) affect human attitudes, actions, and life-chances. Sociology and anthropology combine scientific and humanistic perspectives.

Drawing upon various theoretical perspectives, sociologists and anthropologists study such areas as culture, socialization, crime, deviance, inequality, health and illness, family patterns, law, social change and race, and ethnic relations. Combining theoretical perspectives with empirical research allows students an opportunity to develop new insights into their own lives as well as the forces that shape everyday life in society.

The sociology/anthropology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied research careers. It offers an essential liberal arts background for many careers and professions, including public service and administration, communications and public relations, law, business, medicine, journalism, arts management, environmental science, and other professions. The department offers both a major and minor in sociology and anthropology. Our faculty are also centrally involved in the Colleges programs in Black Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Environmental Studies, and International Studies. Most courses count for one or more of the C21 requirements.

The theoretical and methodological courses in the curriculum provide intensive instruction in the application of sociological and anthropological theory and methodology. The theoretical courses provide an intensive examination of the various sociological and anthropological perspectives on human social behavior and on the social systems we create. They evaluate the different ways these perspectives gather and use evidence to make inference about the world in which we live. The department also offers extensive instruction and experience in research design and methodology including courses in quantitative research methods, qualitative and survey methodologies, social statistics, and computer approaches in social research.

The department offers many other opportunities for interested students to engage in research and practice outside of the classroom. The field study and internship programs provide opportunities for application of the theoretical and methodological principles learned in the classroom. These programs encourage students to explore careers that may interest them and gain valuable experience toward employment after college.

The grade point average for coursework comprising the major or minor, must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C-.

Criminology explores social structure and social processes in relation to crime, criminality, and punishment. The Criminology major provides students with an understanding of crime from both a structural and individual perspective. Students will develop skills to critically analyze both lived experiences and social factors associated with crime. Students will deconstruct their knowledge of crime from how we define crime to understanding the experiences of various groups within the criminal justice system. Students will study how human behavior is regulated and the societal responses to law violations with a particular eye to power relations. They will study criminological theories and the empirical evidence used to support and critique them.

Students will gain conceptual and research skills and be able to apply them to specific social institutions such as policing, courts, and corrections. The criminology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied fields. The major provides a liberal arts background for careers in law enforcement (local and federal), courts, corrections, victim advocacy, case management, juvenile correctional and diversion programs, data analysis, and graduate school.