Many students minor in Public Administration and Policy Analysis and also major or minor in Political Science. Political Science courses can be counted for both.
Government (6 cr.)
Principles (6 cr.)
Functional Areas (6 cr.)
Tools of Analysis (7 cr.)
Learn more about the Public Administration and Policy Analysis Minor on UWSP course catalog.
Peace Studies is a response to the serious problems facing humanity, including war, violence, and oppression. Problems such as these reach well beyond any single academic discipline, and require a sharing of research and analysis across the spectrum of knowledge.
At its core, Peace Studies asks: How do we build and sustain peaceful and just societies? Peace Studies is an opportunity to devote part of your college career to the problems of war, violence, and oppression. More importantly, it is a place to explore what we can do about them. What are our responses to a world hungering for peace and justice? What can we do for the victims of poverty, war, and oppression?
Peace Studies now encompasses the study of nonviolence, social justice, and the root causes of war as well as conflict mediation and transformation, transitional justice, and post-conflict development. “Practitioners” can be found working to limit violence in families and impoverished neighborhoods, helping reconstruct civil society in war-torn regions, and building sustainable communities in the U.S. and overseas. They work for positive social change through non-profit organizations, government agencies, and business firms in jobs such as project coordinators, media specialists, lobbyists, grant writers, counselors, area specialists, and lawyers.
A variety of excellent graduate programs are available. For more information on careers and graduate studies, visit the links at www.peacejusticestudies.org.
A minor in Peace Studies consists of 18 credits:
Sociology is the scientific study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Potential career paths include community and human service; social activism; advocacy and reform; law enforcement and criminal justice; public service and government; teaching and education; and, general business and management.
Sociology is a highly versatile degree, and at UWSP, we focus on the skills and knowledge graduates need in order to improve organizations, communities, and society writ large. Our program emphasizes the career-readiness and professional proficiencies of Applied Sociology. In other words, we take the ideas of sociology and bring them to life through practical applications and experiences.
All Sociology students are required to complete the Applied Sociology Practicum, an opportunity to utilize and apply their course knowledge to hands-on field or research internships. Internships are a type of experiential learning that provide students with both observational and hands-on knowledge to enhance their academic endeavors and increase their ability to perform professionally. The UW-Stevens Point Department of Sociology and Social Work has partnerships with community organizations and agencies across the region and state. Students acquire transformative knowledge to succeed in their careers by completing our Applied Sociology Practicum.
Students are encouraged to explore career options throughout their time at UWSP to understand the abundance of options available with a degree in sociology. Graduates pursue careers in the public and private sectors as well as advanced degrees in graduate school. Entry-level positions for sociology degree majors are common in the public sector and can involve case work, program planning, development and evaluation, agency-based or outreach services, survey research, and statistical analysis. Careers in the private sector can include program consultancy, market research, policy analysis, and others.
A sociology major at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is rooted in 32 credits of coursework that builds analytical skills – through four required core courses – and then applies those skills – through electives that provide a foundation and the Applied Sociology Practicum that emphasizes practical experience.
Required core courses:
Electives:
15 additional Sociology credits. Course descriptions can be found in the course catalog here.
The Applied Sociology Practicum caps off the Completing an internship as your final undergraduate experience and allows for a natural bridge into the professional world and/or graduate school.
ONLINE OPTION
Sociology students may choose our program coursework delivery in person or fully online with instructors who are highly interactive in the remote learning environment.
To connect students to the program, each other, and the university, we have created the SOC-HUB. All students majoring in Sociology have access to the SOC-HUB in Canvas. Students will meet their faculty and find academic, department, campus, and professional resources.
The department sponsors the Sociology and Social Work Organization, a student organization that involves students in extra-curricular activities related to sociology and social work. The organization participates in a wide variety of activities such as hosting speakers and fundraising for cancer research, food drives and numerous other local volunteer activities.
UW-Stevens Point also sponsors a chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta honor society, an organization that acknowledges and promotes excellence in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that will lead to involvement in the human condition.
More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).
Our diverse faculty, with backgrounds from around the U.S. and around the world, has expertise in a wide range of subjects including gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, family, demography, criminology, community studies, environmental sociology, globalization, social inequality, social change, and more. All sociology faculty members hold a Ph.D.
Becoming a professional social worker is a positive step toward a very rewarding career that can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and society as a whole. As a helping profession, social work involves working with people from diverse backgrounds in a variety of situations and across a multitude of practice settings. With a focus on enhancing human well-being, social workers strive to meet the needs of all people and empower those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and/or living in poverty.
The UW-Stevens Point bachelor’s program in social work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Upon graduation, students are eligible to apply for their social work certification through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
The social work curriculum at UWSP’s Stevens Point and Wausau campuses is designed to prepare students for entry-level professional social work as well as graduate study in social work. The UW-Stevens Point social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. All CSWE programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies set forth by the Council on Social Work (CSWE).
The Department of Sociology and Social Work has established relationships with numerous community agencies involving many different client populations in order for students to complete their required social work field placements. Additionally, students may participate in student-led and faculty-mentored research with the opportunity to present at the annual College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium and other venues.
Bachelor’s level social workers are eligible for entry-level employment in a variety of practice areas including child welfare, youth justice, mental health, substance abuse, health care, aging, disability services and criminal justice. Examples of specific job titles include child protective services worker, foster care case manager, aging and disability specialist, crisis counselor, mental health case manager, discharge planner, nursing home social worker and job coach. Students are encouraged to explore career options throughout their time at UWSP to understand the abundance of options available with a degree in social work.
Scholarship selections are determined by the Department of Sociology & Social Work and awarded in the spring. Awards are available for majors and minors who meet particular criteria, including one for participants in a full semester abroad program.
The Department of Sociology and Social Work is committed to helping new students achieve their social work/human services education goals. As a professional degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and consistent with the assessment policies of UW-Stevens Point, the Social Work Program undertakes a detailed, ongoing assessment of student achievement and learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. View student handbook for more details.
All social work students must complete at least 400 hours of field placement in an approved agency and meet in a weekly seminar each semester that they are in their placement. This typically takes place during the student’s senior year and requires a formal application process. Field education is central to the development of competent, humane, knowledgeable, skilled, and effective social workers. It allows opportunities for applying classroom content and experiences to professional situations, developing and evaluating student readiness for professional practice, and developing collaborative partnerships among students, professionals, and university faculty.
ONLINE OPTION
Social work students may choose to enroll in our CSWE-accredited program in person or fully online with instructors who are highly interactive in the remote learning environment.
The department sponsors the Sociology and Social Work Organization, a student organization that involves students in extra-curricular activities related to sociology and social work. Examples of organization activities include fund raising for cancer research, food drives and numerous other local volunteer activities. The Phi Alpha Honor Society provides a closer bond among students of social work and promotes humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work. View more professional organizations.
More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).
The UW-Stevens Point social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation. All CSWE programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies associated with the accreditation standards of CSWE. Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.
Earning a master’s degree in social work (MSW) is an excellent way to advance your knowledge and skill for a career in social work. Doing so opens doors to certain areas of practice that require a master’s degree such as school social work, dialysis social work, and clinical social work. It also tends to increase marketability, pay, and chances of obtaining supervisory and/or administrative positions. Students who earn an undergraduate social work degree are eligible for advanced standing in graduate school, which allows them to bypass the first year of study and complete their MSW in one year at most universities.
Did you know UW-Stevens Point is paving the way for graduate success with our 100% online program? Our team will reach out to you about attending an information session.
UW-Stevens Point social work faculty have a broad range of experience within the field. Our Social Work faculty members hold a MSW/MSSW in social work, and several hold a Ph.D. or DSW in social work. They have expertise in mental health, substance use disorders, hospice and medical social work, school social work, and public child welfare. Students admitted into the social work major will be assigned one of the full-time social work faculty members as an adviser.
Archives: Faculty / Staff Profiles – Faculty / Staff Directory
A minor in sociology is an excellent complement to any major, since knowledge of human behavior, the structures of society, and social justice/inequality, coupled with the skills of analysis, are useful for students in any area of study.
The minor administered by the Department of Sociology and Social Work consists of 18 credits.
Two courses are required:
The remaining credits may be earned in any other courses in sociology. See the course catalog for descriptions.
The Health, Behavior, and Society minor will broaden your understanding of the complex social factors that influence the health of human beings. Courses in the minor examine the social, cultural, psychological, economic, political, and ethical factors affecting health behavior, status and delivery. In addition, this minor will prepare you for graduate training and careers in a number of allied health fields, such as public health and hospital administration, health planning and health education, and environmental and global health.
The Health, Behavior, and Society minor consists of 21 credits. Course descriptions can be found in the course catalog here.
Required Classes – 9 credits
POLI 306 Health Politics and Policies (3 cr.)
SOC 367 Social Epidemiology (3 cr.)
HSW 290 Psychological Aspects of Health (3 cr.) or
PSYC 385 Health Psychology (3 cr.)
Electives – 12 credits
ANTH 380 Medical Anthropology (3 cr.)
ECON 324 Health Economics (3 cr.)
HD 386 Family Health Implications of Resource Management (3 cr.)
HD 465 Grief and Loss (3 cr.)
HIST 206 Medicine in World History (3 cr.)
HSW 310 Communication in Health Care (3 cr.)
HSW 320 Environment, Health, and Technology (3 cr.)
PHIL 302 Ethics and Medicine (3 cr.)
PSYC 290 Psychoactive Drugs and Behavior (3 cr.)
PSYC 351 Abnormal Psychology (3 cr.)
REL 307 Religion and Health (3 cr.)
SW 381 Death, Dying, Grief and Loss (3 cr.)
SW 383 Substance Abuse Disorders: Assessment and Interventions (3 cr.)
SW 385 Social Work and Mental Health (3 cr.)
SOC 306 Social Aspects of Substance Abuse (3 cr.)
SOC 308 Sociology of Medicine (3 cr.)
SOC 368 Sociology of Mental Health (3 cr.)
Contact:
Maggie Bohm-Jordan, Ph.D. , MAS
HBSM Program Coordinator
Associate Professor of Sociology
mbohmjor@uwsp.edu
The Criminal Justice minor prepares students for work in the criminal justice field. It is designed to provide students with the courses needed for a successful career in criminal justice agencies and for graduate work in criminology and criminal justice. A minor in Criminal Justice is useful preparation for a career in police work, corrections, probation/parole, youth justice/programming, counseling, and social services. This minor is administered by the Department of Sociology and Social Work but can be coupled with a variety of majors.
The Criminal Justice minor consists of 22-23 credits. Course descriptions can be found in the course catalog here.
Required Classes – 9 credits
Electives – 9 credits
Applied Requirement options – 4-15 credits
Contact:
Dorothy R. De Boer
Criminal Justice Coordinator
Professor of Sociology
dorothy.deboer@uwsp.edu
The potential for using your geospatial sciences major in private enterprise and government has grown considerably in recent years. This potential is reflected in our stellar placement rates – 93 percent of UW-Stevens Point geospatial sciences majors are hired or enrolled in further education within one year of graduation.
The geospatial science program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point allows students to pursue degrees with specializations in geographic information science and cartography, cultural geography, urban planning and geodesign (the use of geospatial technologies to plan built and natural environments).
Many graduates choose to deepen their knowledge with minor programs in Earth Science, Environmental Geography, Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Science (GISSA), or Urban Planning and Geodesign. Students may also earn a professional certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The Department of Geography and Geology will prepare you for an exciting and meaningful career. Our faculty will instill their knowledge of cartography, geographic information systems, cultural, economic and urban geography, and environmental science. You will hone your expertise in spatial information and the relationship between people, places and the planet.
From the Earth Materials Testing Laboratory to the Map Center and Spatial Analysis computer labs. You will have access to state-of-the-art computer equipment for the facilitation of map production and geographic analyses. Our students are trained in the field with weather and climate studies, palynology, submeter GPS data collection, large scale urban mapping, and much more.
The Department of Geography/Geology has established a program of awards to encourage, reward, and recognize student excellence in the department. Each award includes a certificate and cash award.
Geoscientists locate resources such as potable water, oil, gas and metallic ore deposits, forecast the weather and model climate change, develop land-use plans and geohazard maps, explore Earth’s remote localities as well as other planets and the solar system. The geoscience field is experiencing significant growth in response to an interplay of increasing global consumption and decreasing availability of Earth materials.
Geospatial Sciences students enjoy studying the relationship between people, places, and the planet. Our majors are detectives who try to reveal the past and future of the Earth.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in geospatial sciences often find employment at:
The GeoClub is an informal organization open without restriction to all students interested in the field of geospatial science, geography and geoscience. Gamma Theta Upsilon is an international geographical honor society open to geography students. Prerequisites for regular membership include completion of a minimum of nine credits above the 100 level in geography, a geography grade-point average of a B or higher, and payment of a lifetime membership fee.
Our geospatial sciences majors commonly seek volunteer, part-time, summer, internship or co-op experience in the field. Many consider joining professional organizations such as the American Geographic Society of National Council for Geographic Education. Many join groups that promote natural resources or the environment and pollution control.
Our graduates are in demand. Nationally and regionally, there is a pressing need for professionals educated in GIS and related spatial analysis techniques. Prepare yourself for purposeful work through your courses in the Department of Geography and Geology. Some of our alumni share their career paths!
UWSP Geo faculty have training and interests in cartography, geographic information systems, climatology, geomorphology, hydrology, natural hazards, environmental science, and cultural, economic and urban geography. Meet your professors!
This interdisciplinary minor integrates brain and behavior research and incorporates coursework in psychology and biology. The minor serves students who are interested in traditional neuroscience fields, but also those interested in animal behavior, communicative disorders, and healthcare-related fields.
The Neuroscience and Behavior Minor consists of at least 18 credits. For more information visit the UW-Stevens Point course catalog.
Required Courses: Take all of the following:
PSYC 200: Research Methods in Psychology or HS 360: Research Design for the Health Sciences
PSYC 325: Behavioral Neuroscience
Psychology Courses: Choose at least 6 credits from the following:
PSYC 390: Psychoactive Drugs and Behavior
PSYC 330: Perception
PSYC 333: Animal Cognition
PSYC 375: Learning
PSYC 377: Evolutionary Psychology
PSYC 385: Health Psychology
PSYC 388: Animal Behavior
Biology Courses: Choose at least 6 credits from the following:
BIOL 314: Cell Biology
BIOL 317: Developmental Biology
BIOL 381: Animal Physiology
BIOL 382: Endocrinology of Mammals
BIOL 383: Biology of Reproduction
BIOL 385: Human Physiology
BIOL 388: Animal Behavior
BIOL 390: Neurobiology
Note: PSYC 388 and BIOL 388 are two sections of the same team-taught interdisciplinary course and, therefore, may not be counted twice.
Heather Molenda-Figueira, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
hmolenda@uwsp.edu
The Psychology: Human Services major is designed for students with an interest in psychology who may pursue bachelor’s-level or advanced degree careers in human services-oriented field (e.g., counseling, clinical psychology, school psychology). The human services concentration focuses on developing the knowledge and skills necessary for counseling and behavioral modification.
Diverse training and interest areas in psychology prepare UW-Stevens Point students for a variety of post-graduate pursuits. Psychology graduates possess research and writing skills, problem-solving skills and well-developed, higher-level thinking ability for analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information.
Psychology students find jobs in clinical/counseling psychology, human services, education, service industries, health, and community organizations. About 30 percent go on to advanced training, normally seeking a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology.
A student can work with a professor on directed readings, original experimental or survey research, applied internships, or pursue some other project of special interest. Students interested in graduate school or pursuing a career in psychology are strongly encouraged to take part in one or more of these activities. The Department of Psychology supports nine laboratories and research facilities that are used by faculty and students for their research projects. They are also used for instructional purposes, particularly in the experimental and clinical courses.
High-achieving students are eligible for many significant awards and scholarships thanks to generous support from our alumni, friends, and corporate partners. The Department of Psychology offers six major individual monetary awards and one major scholarship award each spring.
Psychology students are strongly encouraged to work with a professor on directed readings, original experimental or survey research, applied internships or special-interest projects. Senior psychology majors who have taken Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 351) and Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy (PSYC 401) can apply for an internship. Interns receive credit for working at an unpaid placement for six hours a week at various community agencies including school psychology and guidance departments, shelters for abused women, counseling centers, group homes for delinquents or halfway houses for parolees.
Experiential Learning Opportunities in Psychology:
Our graduates become guidance counselors, substance use counselors, clinical psychologists, and crisis intervention coordinators. About 30 percent of our graduates go on to advanced training, normally seeking a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology. Others obtain law or medical degrees.
The Psychology Club is a recognized student organization open to all students. The social club meets at least monthly, and organizes speakers, programs, field trips and other activities of interest to psychology students. Outstanding psychology students are eligible for membership in the UW-Stevens Point Chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi is a recognized student organization whose membership is open to psychology majors and minors. Our students can also join NAMI, offering program resources for students on campus and working on community outreach efforts on behalf of those who are experiencing mental health issues.
More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).
Our biological and cognitive psychology labs include the Animal Lab, Cognition and Attention Laboratory, and the Spindler Memory and Applied Cognition Lab. For clinical and counseling, we utilize the Beck Videotaping Facility, and the Counseling Psychology Laboratory. Finally, for developmental and social psychology labs our students work in the Aging and Development Lab, Social and Environmental Psychology Laboratory, and Gender Development Laboratory. We invite you to contact one of our department faculty to learn more.
The Department of Psychology has 13 full-time faculty members representing the major sub-disciplines of psychology: biological, clinical/counseling, cognitive, developmental, industrial/organizational and social psychology. Meet your professors!
