About The Department | Program Degree Requirements| Application Procedures| Akron Area Info| F.A.Q.

The department at the University of Akron has 14 tenure-track faculty members. In addition, students in our joint program take classes from and work with faculty members in the sociology department at Kent State University. We pride ourselves on having a collegial department and joint program. Our faculty specialize in the areas of inequality, social psychology, medical sociology/mental health, and criminology/deviance.  Faculty routinely publish articles in major sociological journals, books and chapters, are actively involved in professional conferences and have held a number of elected national and regional offices. Members of our faculty have been recognized for excellence in teaching through student evaluations and by receiving more “outstanding teacher” awards than any other department in the university. 

Currently we have approximately 30 graduate students enrolled in the program.  About ¾ of these students are full-time and are fully funded by the program as either teaching or research assistants.  There is a strong mentorship program to help students move through the program successfully and in a way that meets their personal and professional goals. Our alumni teach at four-year colleges and research universities, hold positions in research centers across the country and are also working in positions related to policy planning and assessment in major community agencies, businesses, government, and hospitals. 

We, along with The University of Akron, do not discriminate against any individual because of age, color, creed, handicap, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  As a department, we are committed to fostering a learning environment that will support the academic achievement of any student we admit.  We encourage applications from students from many different backgrounds and are proud to say that, as a department, we are becoming increasingly diversified in terms of both faculty and graduate students. 

Our department is a supportive academic community enjoyed by students and faculty alike that provides an active professional and social environment.  There is a strong supportive graduate student culture and our students, supported by departmental resources, are dedicated and active members of Alpha Kappa Delta.   AKD, along with the department, sponsors a number of “brown bags” during the year where faculty and students present papers (either in progress or completed) as well as other types of presentations related to professional development. Some brown bags, usually organized by the AKD student members, focus on professional development topics of particular relevance to current students. A favorable faculty-to-student ratio permits an emphasis on individualized instruction and student-faculty collaboration in research activities. Students are strongly encouraged to engage in research and scholarship and to share the results of their efforts with other social scientists through presentations at professional meetings and by publishing their work. 

Our faculty and students have come together on a number of presentations and publications.  Click here for some examples of recent collaborations.

The University of Akron
Department of Sociology
Olin Hall 247
Akron, OH 44325-1905
(330) 972-7481