Department of Criminal Justice Studies & Sociology
Experiences & Opportunities
Inside-Out Prison Exchange® Courses
Every year, the The Department of Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology coordinates one Inside-Out Prison Exchange® course. These unique courses are taught by Westminster professors and combine traditional college students with incarcerated students in prison settings. The transformative experience offers you the opportunity to confront social stigmas and to engage in academic discourse across social differences.
Internships
Internships and other professional work experiences provide a meaningful real-world component to your education and your resume. Internships can also lead to valuable networking opportunities and can even lead to full-time employment after graduation.
Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology majors have interned with several agencies and organizations, including Boys and Girls' Clubs, Boardman Police Department, Shenango on the Green, Excel K-9 Services, Fresh Marketplace, Cray Youth and Family Services, and U.S. Marshals Service.
Learn more about internships and the other opportunities available through our Office of Professional Development & Community Engagement .
Learn more about Criminal Justice Studies & Sociology internships
Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research
The Drinko Center supports student research and creative work in all majors and at all academic levels. Drinko provides financial grants that support student projects or travel to national conferences.
The Center also organizes the Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration (URAC), a day-long event showcasing the collaborative work between Westminster faculty and students.
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is a life-changing educational experience for many of our students. Our Office of Global Engagement developed different kinds of study abroad opportunities, designed to meet varying curricular and economic situations.
We offer traditional semester-long, individual study abroad opportunities in more than 30 countries. Also, students can elect to take short-term study abroad opportunities, such as a May travel course, or a Study Tour, which is a travel experience tied to a regular on-campus course or co-curricular program.
Professional Networking Symposium
Open to all majors, the Professional Networking Symposium is an annual event designed to help students and young alumni better understand potential paths after graduation, including career and graduate school options.
The Symposium includes a career fair, breakout sessions and the opportunity to learn to network. Sessions are designed to address specific topics and interests and are moderated by experienced professionals.
Honors Program
Westminster College’s Honors Program believes that the life of the mind is best cultivated when students take what they have learned in the classroom and go out into the world. That’s why our program builds international travel into its sequence of interdisciplinary, global honors seminars with a trip to Greece.
The curriculum gives you the opportunity to learn about human history and nature from multiple perspectives, while also supporting the development of strong leadership, communication, and writing skills. It will also connect you to a vibrant community of students from across campus who are excited about learning.
Center for the Environment
The mission of the Center for the Environment is to connect people with each other and the natural world. CfE strives to create an understanding of the dynamic relationships among society, our environment, and the economy. Students from all majors benefit from the Center’s programming and resources, which are designed to foster critical thinking, creative expression, data collection and analysis, ethical judgements, entrepreneurial endeavors, and human wellbeing.
CfE initiatives include the Westminster Bee Company, a student-led business that hand-bottles and sells the honey produced in the almost 30 beehives that make up the Westminster College apiary.
Westminster Entrepreneurship Center (WEC)
WEC offers students in any major the opportunity to be exposed to concept creation, innovation of ideas and business ownership strategies. These activities are nurtured through practiced entrepreneurial exposures, state-of-the-art facilities, leadership collaboration, dynamic entrepreneurial engagements, competitions and events designed to offer students an unparalleled exposure to real world practical experiences.
Student Organizations & Honor Societies
Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology)
The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies has a chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the International Sociology Honorary Society. The organization exists to “promote excellence in scholarship 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” (AKD Handbook, 2001-02). Being a member of AKD potentially offers such benefits as travel assistance to sociology conferences, competitions and awards for sociological research, small grants for graduate study in sociology and funds for on-campus symposia and workshops.
Alpha Phi Sigma (Criminal Justice)
Alpha Phi Sigma is a national honor society for Criminal Justice. For students to become a part of Alpha Phi Sigma they must be enrolled at Westminster College as undergraduates with a major or minor in Criminal Justice or a related field. They must have a 3.2 GPA and be in the top 35% of their class. Alpha Phi Sigma works to recognize and promote scholarly achievement of students active in the field of Criminal Justice. Graduates enrolled in Criminal Justice programs or related fields with a 3.4 GPA and or who rank in the top 25% of their class may also join Alpha Phi Sigma. All members must pay National and Chapter dues.
SCION
SCION stands for Sociology - Criminal Justice Studies - Interest - Opportunities - News and it began its charter at Westminster in 1975. The purpose of SCION is to give students an opportunity to become more familiar with social issues facing the world today. With no prerequisites for membership, SCION is open to all students.
Student Government Association
Westminster’s SGA functions in the same manner as the United States Congress and the executive branch of the U.S. government. The executive branch includes the student body president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and an appointed cabinet. The legislative branch consists of senators who are elected each year based on class standing to represent the students in the College community. Senators work with the administration and faculty of the College to determine the policies and concerns of Westminster.
Student Pre-Law Society
The aim of the Westminster Student Pre-Law Association is to provide support and a forum for students interested in attending law school and pursuing a career in the law. The main focus of the group is to provide information concerning options available in a legal career, the process of applying to and choosing a law school, and the kinds of undergraduate coursework and experience that provide the best preparation for law school. Membership is open to any Westminster student (full- or part-time) who has an interest in the legal profession and wishes to become better informed and enhance her/his qualifications for law school.