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The Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work prepares students for careers in social work and social services, community relations, policy analysis, government, law enforcement, community corrections, prison and jail programs, juvenile corrections and youth services, court operations, victim advocacy, private security, legal professions, and many more.
"When you go to a criminal justice professor, you're going to someone who is already well-versed in the field; you're going to someone who has already served as a county prosecutor, a judge ... not only are you getting the knowledge you need for your future career, you're also getting a mentor."– Titi Sharpe shares his story.
Alumni in arts, humanities, and social sciences are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in sociology and criminal justice fields (NACE)
Noteworthy dpeartment area Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
Students in this program will learn fundamental facts about how the criminal justice system operates in the United States, how and why criminality varies across people and places in the US and around the world, and policies intended to reduce crime and/or punish perpetrators.
View academic program requirements and course descriptions in the University Course Catalog:
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The Bachelor of Social Work at William Paterson is an interdisciplinary degree program comprised of 10 required social work courses as well as courses in sociology and public health. The program culminates with a 400-hour internship experience during the fall and spring semesters of the senior year.
Students in the general sociology program will learn about patterns in social behavior and a variety of possible explanations for those patterns. There will be particular focus on inequalities by race, gender and social class.
Students minoring in CCJ learn about the basics of the criminal justice system and about theories that help explain why crime varies over time and place. They also can choose from a variety of electives about policing, corrections, forensic social psychology, and more.
A minor in sociology helps undergraduates become effective citizens, with the ability to grapple with such issues as multiculturalism, inequality, and globalization. By integrating these key concepts, students become capable of critical inquiry and civic engagement.
Students in our Sociology, Criminal justice, and Social work programs have many opportunities to learn and develop outside the classroom, such as engaging with community groups and organizations, attending special presentations and expert panels, conducting research with professors, and presenting at conferences. They also develop connections and work with industry professionals through a wide array of internships. Students can earn selection in Alpha Phi Sigma, the criminal justice honor society, as well as join extracurricular activities including the Sociology/Criminal Justice Club, among others.
In our Sociology, Criminal justice, and Social Work programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including :
Graduates of our programs have job opportunities in a wide array of areas such as health and social services, business and non-profit organizations, community work, corrections, colleges and universities, publishing, computer work, public relations, and federal, state, and local government, and law enforcement, among many others. Many also go on to attend graduate school.
Our professors are proud practitioners in their fields and love to share their expertise beyond the classroom. Mentorship is at the core of our department, and it’s our goal that every student work directly with a faculty member to expand their knowledge and worldview.
criminology and criminal justice and psychology double major, currently pursuing a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling.
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
As more working parents juggle the demands of employment, childcare, and elder care, faculty research at William Paterson University is helping to clarify how those pressures affect mental health—and why some parents experience greater strain than others.
Deniz Yucel, professor of sociology at William Paterson University, co-authored research that takes a distinctive approach to understanding psychological well-being among employed parents. Rather than examining caregiving demands as a single burden, the study distinguishes among different caregiving situations and considers how strongly parents identify with their professional roles.
Using data from a national sample of employed parents in the United States, Yucel and her co-author examined caregiving across three groups: parents caring for typical children, those caring for children with special needs or medical fragility, and those caring for both a child and an elder—often referred to as the “sandwich generation.”
What makes the research especially impactful, Yucel notes, is its focus on work-role salience—the degree to which individuals prioritize their work identity relative to their family role—and how that orientation shapes mental health outcomes.
“We found that this factor—work-role salience—strongly shapes how caregiving demands relate to mental health outcomes, with notable differences by gender,” Yucel explains. “Women who place greater significance on their professional role than their family role are more likely to suffer pronounced psychological consequences.”
Persistent societal expectations that women should take on most caregiving responsibilities can intensify this strain, particularly for those who are deeply invested in their careers, Yucel adds.
The study also found clear differences across caregiving groups. Parents with typical childcare responsibilities reported the lowest levels of psychological distress. Parents in the sandwich generation experienced the highest distress, followed closely by those caring for children with exceptional needs.
These findings carry growing significance as workforce and demographic trends continue to shift. More than 72 percent of married U.S. mothers were in the labor force as of 2023, and the U.S. population age 65 and older continues to grow rapidly. As a result, more than half of Americans in their forties are now part of the sandwich generation, according to the study.
“Many working parents today, particularly mothers, are facing far more pressure to balance childcare, elder care, and employment demands than previous generations in the U.S.,” Yucel says. “Paying closer attention to the unique experiences of these workers is critically important.”
Yucel notes that employers can play a meaningful role by expanding supports such as remote work options, paid caregiver leave for both child and elder care, and counseling resources tailored to caregivers.
Her research reflects William Paterson University’s ongoing commitment to faculty scholarship that addresses pressing social and workforce issues, offering insights for employers, policymakers, and families navigating increasingly complex caregiving responsibilities.
The study, “Extra Caregiving Demands, Work-Role Salience, and Psychological Distress Among Employed Parents,” appears in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.
