The faculty and staff of the Department welcome you to our web site. The Department is comprised of three undergraduate and two graduate programs and is the largest department in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences with over 500 students. The Criminal Justice program is the fifth  largest major at Valdosta State University. The Department offers our students course work in the varying disciplines which are high caliber, rigorous, and demanding. Students are provided with the skills and knowledge necessary for numerous professions as well as advanced studies. Internships and study abroad course offerings are available regionally, nationally and  internationally. The major in   Criminal Justice is offered on campus & fully online.  The online major in Criminal Justice was recognized by Online U as one of the top 25 online Criminal Justice majors in the United States (#13). In  February 2018,  the online  Criminal Justice program was also ranked #17 out of 50 University Criminal Justice  programs by Online Relations. The minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies is housed within the Department. The Sociology & Criminal Justice programs also offer minors. Criminal Justice students may also complete the minor in Forensic Accounting.

The faculty of the Department are experts in their respective disciplines and are passionately engaged in teaching excellence, highly active in quality research and scholarship, and provide service to the profession and the community. The faculty has been recognized for their professional expertise. Dr. Thomas Hochschild was recognized by the University for his teaching and was awarded the  University’s Excellence in Teaching award (2016); Dr. Kathleen Lowney(retired) was awarded the University’s Excellence in Teaching award (2011-2012, 2017) and Dr. Rudy Prine was recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences as the Outstanding Advisor for the Department and the College (2011-2012) and the Outstanding Alumnus (2016). Professors are actively involved with students research projects and various organizations and clubs on campus.

With its diverse program offerings and passionate faculty, the Department is uniquely positioned to creatively address contemporary and future issues facing a global society. Our setting in southern Georgia provides a quality environment with which to accomplish the educational goals of our students. I invite you to tour our web site and the campus at Valdosta State University. You will soon learn, like many other students, that there is much happening within the Department for anyone interested in a professional career in the respective programs.

Darrell L. Ross, Ph.D.
Professor and Department Head
Dept. of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminal Justice
Director of the Center for Applied Social Sciences (CASS)