The Hesston College Division of Social Science provides an understanding of human social and psychological behavior, an essential component to a liberal arts education. The division promotes personal growth, responsible citizenship, and service to others in the church and the world. It offers exposure to employment settings, introduction to competent professionalism, and courses that are transferable.
Programs of Study click to expand
Criminal and Restorative Justice
What is criminal & restorative justice?
Hesston College’s Criminal and Restorative Justice program is a four-year transfer associate of arts program focused on sociology.
Criminal justice is a system of justice through practices and institutions that upholds social control, discouraging and reducing crime, or responding to those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts.
Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior through healing and rehabilitation. Allows for both offender and victim to be involved in resolving the conflict.
Success factors
Criminal and restorative justice professions require candidates who possess strong oral and written communication skills, good listening skills, and the ability to work with a wide range of diverse populations. Fluency in a second language is also desirable.
Career possibilities
- Social services
- Judiciary and law
- Law enforcement
- Corrections
- Human services for the criminal and the victim
- Forensics
- Paralegal
- Public safety and disaster preparedness
- Security studies
- Technology and cyber crime
- Ministry
- Business
- Education
— Nick Mitchell, class of 2015, criminal justice student at Newman University (Wichita, Kan.)
Majoring in criminal and restorative justice
Students have the opportunity to gain real-world experience through volunteer practicum or internship opportunities.
- Hesston’s Service Learning program offers students plenty of volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
- Academic advisors and the resources in Student Success can help arrange job shadow opportunities, practicums and internships in fields of interest.
- Opportunities to conduct observations in human services, law enforcement, courts and corrections fields.
Criminal and restorative justice curriculum
As a Criminal and Restorative Justice major, you will take a number of foundational classes that are required at most transfer institutions. Students can supplement coursework in the major with courses in business, psychology, anthropology, or sociology.
Course work related to the hard sciences (biology, chemistry, and biochemistry) is necessary for career opportunities in forensics.
Internet security is a rapidly growing area with a wide variety of career opportunities. Supplement course work with computer science and technology courses to gain entry into this field.
Sample curriculum – associate degree in criminal and restorative justice
Sociology
What is sociology?
Sociology is a systematic study of the human society and social interaction. It focuses on how relationships develop and influence social behavior; and how societies develop and change.
Success factors
Sociology helps us to understand who we are, how our behavior and our life chances are shaped by the groups we belong to and the larger society we live in. If you are a curious person, interested in:
- human diversity
- exploring the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society
- searching for solutions to today’s social problems, you will find this area of study not only intrinsically rewarding but also one with great opportunities and prospects.
Career possibilities
Sociology is a dynamic field that will give you a foundation and intellectual tools needed in many different career paths such as policy analysis, city planning, data analysis, public relations, social work, case management, corrections, law enforcement, advocacy, market research, and programming.
— Sam Foxvog, class of 2013
Majoring in sociology
At Hesston College, the courses in our department are offered in a unique student centered learning environment. Classes are small and encourage discussions about current societal trends. Students are taught how to:
- think like social scientists
- collect and use empirical data and sociological theory
- analyze, understand and engage our globalizing world.
Sociology curriculum
At Hesston College, you will be introduced to basic ideas, research methods and sociological theories. This introduction will provide you with time to test your learned skills and interests in these areas while helping you understand how social life is structured and organized. As part of this introduction, you will have the opportunity to do research and to work with people ranging from young children to older adults who experience a variety of social problems.
Sample curriculum – associate degree in sociology
Faculty
Division Goals
- To help students develop a philosophy of service that has real life implications.
- To help students understand power and privilege as a social construct in the United States and the world.
- To encourage ongoing development and assessment of innovative, cutting edge curriculum.
- To create an environment on campus that supports, respects and celebrates diversity.
Courses
- Soc112 Introduction to Social Welfare 3 hours
- Soc122 Religions of the World 3 hours
- Soc123 Urban Life and Culture 3 hours
- Soc201 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 hours
- Soc202 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 3 hours
- Soc203 Introduction to Sociology 3 hours
- Soc207 Sociology of Families 3 hours
- Soc211 Conflict Resolution 1 hour
- Soc215 Social Diversity 3 hours
- Soc320 Social Psychology 3 hours