2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health
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Faculty
Chair
Bambi L. Chapin
Associate Chair
Aubrey L. Jackson
Professor
Sarah Chard
B.A., Bryn Mawr College, 1991; M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 1995; Ph.D., 2001
John G. Schumacher
B.S., John Carroll University, 1986; M.A., Bowling Green State University, 1994; M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 1997; Ph.D., 2000
Takashi Yamashita
B.A., Tokyo Gakugei University, 2003; M.A., M.A., Ball State University, 2007; Ph.D., Miami University, 2011; M.P.H., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2017
Associate Professor
Bambi L. Chapin
B.A., University of Virginia, 1988; M.A., University of California, San Diego, 1998; Ph.D., 2003
Aubrey L. Jackson
B.A., Rice University, 2005; M.A., Ohio State University, 2008; Ph.D., 2013
Andrea L. Kalfoglou
B.A., University of Virginia, 1991; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1999
Arielle Kuperberg
B.A., Hunter College, CUNY, 2004; M.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2006; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2010
Christine A. Mair
B.A., University of Florida, 2005; M.S., North Carolina State University, 2007; Ph.D., 2011
Dena T. Smith
B.A., Goucher College, 2003; M.A., Rutgers University, 2006; Ph.D., 2011
Brian Soller
B.A., Saint Mary’s College of California, 2005; M.A., California State University, East Bay, 2008; Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 2013
Brandy H. Wallace
B.S., University of Alabama, 1998; M.A., 2001; M.S., Florida State University, 2003; Ph.D., 2006
Assistant Professor
Jun Chu
B.S., University of Maryland, College Park, 2013, M.P.H., 2017; Ph.D., 2022
Mercedez D. Dunn-Gallier
B.A., Spelman College, 2013; M.P.H., University of Michigan, 2016; M.A., 2017; Ph.D., 2021
Camee Maddox-Wingfield
B.S., Towson University, 2008; M.A., University of Florida, 2010; Ph.D., 2015
Sameera S. Nayak
B.A., University of California Los Angeles, 2014; M.A., Columbia University, Teachers College, 2017; Ph.D., Northeastern University, 2022
Senior Lecturer
Katie K. Birger
B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1994; M.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2013
Lecturer
Nicholas S. Welcome
B.A., Plattsburgh State University of New York, 2003; M.A., San Diego State University, 2006; Ph.D., University of California, Riverside, 2013
Anthropology Core Faculty
Bambi Chapin
Sarah Chard
Camee Maddox-Wingfield
Nicholas S. Welcome, Director, Undergraduate Program in Anthropology
Public Health Core Faculty
Katie Birger, Director, Undergraduate Program in Public Health
Jun Chu
Meryl Cozart
Andrea Kalfoglou
Sameera S. Nayak
Sociology Core Faculty
Mercedez D. Dunn
Aubrey L. Jackson
Arielle Kuperberg
Christine A. Mair
John Schumacher
Dena Smith, Director, Graduate Program in Sociology
Brian Soller, Director, Undergraduate Program in Sociology
Brandy H. Wallace
The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health (SAPH) is home to undergraduate programs in sociology, anthropology, and public health. Each undergraduate program offers both a major and a minor. The department also offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate certificate in the Social Dimensions of Health. In addition, at the graduate level, the department houses a master’s in Applied Sociology and post-baccalaureate certificates in Applied Social Research Methods, the Nonprofit Sector, and the Social Dimensions of Health. An accelerated bachelor’s/master’s is available, as well as special options for double majors in sociology and anthropology, sociology and psychology, sociology and social work, and public health and social work. The department collaborates with three outstanding Ph.D. programs: Gerontology (GERO), Public Policy (PUBL) and Language, Literacy & Culture (LLC). SAPH also house the Center for Health, Equity, & Aging (CHEA), a research center that supports faculty and student research.
Throughout these programs, the department emphasizes three core areas: health and aging in society; diversity, gender, and culture; and applied social science research. Consistent with UMBC’s goals, the department focuses its core strengths to 1. provide a distinctive undergrad experience, 2. support the development of graduate education, and 3. conduct faculty research that contributes to both undergraduate and graduate education.
Career and Academic Paths
Upon graduation, students with a Cultural Anthropology, B.A. are well prepared to obtain employment in an increasingly diverse workforce, pursue graduate and professional training, and engage effectively in a complex world. They have embarked on careers in a wide range of government, non-profit, and private sector settings. This includes employment in social service and development organizations, market research firms, and international business. Graduates with an anthropology degree are especially well suited for positions that involve human interaction, problem solving, and communication, and where an understanding of diversity is beneficial. An anthropology major also provides a strong foundation for those intending to pursue graduate studies or degrees in medicine and public health, social work, education, museum studies, business, international studies, public policy, and human services. Students who plan to engage in anthropology professionally generally continue to graduate school, entering M.A. and Ph.D. programs in anthropology around the country. The Anthropology Minor is designed for majors in other disciplines who wish to add an individually tailored set of anthropology courses to their undergraduate degree.
Upon completion of the Public Health, B.A. , students are prepared for careers in long-term care; hospitals; federal, state and community health agencies and other health-related organizations. After graduation public health majors have found employment with such organizations as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Blue-Cross/BlueShield, the University of Maryland Medical Center, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maxim Healthcare and Mercy Hospital. Students also have gone on to graduate study at The Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, College Park, George Washington University, Harvard University, University of North Carolina, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Yale. The Public Health Minor is designed for majors in other disciplines who wish to add a study of public health to their other major. Students are permitted to take all available classes except the six-credit internship to fulfill the requirements of the minor. Minors can also consider entrance into a number of bachelors/masters accelerated programs at UMBC.
The Sociology, B.A. provides a general overview of sociology for students who plan to enter the labor force after graduation and for those planning graduate study. The department has double majors that combine sociology and social work, sociology and anthropology, and sociology and psychology, as well as a combined social work major/sociology minor. These programs enable students to complete both majors with fewer credits than are required for each major separately. The Sociology Minor is designed for majors in other disciplines who wish to add a study of social behavior to their other major. Students interested in pursuing the Master of Arts in Applied Sociology offered by the department should consider the combined B.A./M.A. program described below.
The undergraduate major in sociology provides a well established and widely accepted path to careers and professional education in the human services. It is frequently the major of individuals employed in local, state, and federal governments and in non-profit organizations. It typically provides appropriate preparation for many professional programs, including law, public health, health services administration, urban and regional planning, social work, human-services administration, human resources management, advertising, public administration, and public policy. An undergraduate major in sociology is also appropriate preparation for research and policy-oriented graduate programs in sociology, public policy, health services research, criminology, demography, and other disciplines that study social behavior.
Academic Advising
Academic advising is conducted by a dedicated team of faculty and staff who are committed to each student’s academic success. Advisors are available to assist students in developing an academic pathway towards graduation, as well as to discuss post graduate education and career options. A student’s post-baccalaureate plans for either graduate education or immediate employment are important influences on his or her overall academic program and course selections. With these considerations in mind, early and continuous contact should be established with a program advisor.
Students must meet with their advisors each semester during advanced registration to review their progress toward fulfilling major and university requirements, but students are also encouraged to meet with their advisor at any point during the semester.
For more information about the program’s advising process or for general questions regarding the SAPH program, please refer to the department website.
Undergraduate Social Dimensions of Health (SDOH) Certificate
The 15-credit Social Dimensions of Health Certificate involves three required courses (9 credits) in which students analyze the sociocultural forces informing health and illness experiences and the structure and operation of health care and public health systems. Students also complete two electives (6 credits) from selected sociology, anthropology, or public health courses that provide additional training on the social dimensions of health and illness.
Double Majors
The department offers four double majors: public health/social work, sociology/anthropology, sociology/psychology, and sociology/social work. Information about the double majors can be found on the department website.
Honors Programs
SAPH offers majors with honors in the Cultural Anthropology, B.A. and Sociology, B.A. designed for students with strong academic records who want to conduct a substantial independent research project, culminating in a thesis, during their final year in the major. Students considering graduate school are particularly encouraged to pursue this option. Interested students should discuss this with their advisors as early as possible. Information describing the requirements for the major with honors is available on the department website.
Accelerated B.A./Master’s Programs
SAPH offers a Master of Arts in Applied Sociology, an accelerated bachelor’s/master’s, and two post-baccalaureate certificates in Social Dimensions of Health and Applied Social Research Methods. These programs offer students training in the practical side of sociology, including the various methodologies and key substantive areas of the field. The program has core strengths in the sociology of health, illness, and medicine; aging and the life course; inequality, gender; criminology, and applied research methods. Courses prepare students for careers as research analysts in federal and state agencies, research organizations, and nonprofit organizations. The program also prepares students for doctoral-level coursework. The master’s in applied sociology requires students to complete 30 credits, including a capstone project. The accelerated bachelor’s/master’s program for undergraduate students allows students to take up to 9 graduate credits to apply toward the master’s degree. The 12-credit post-baccalaureate certificates can be completed as part of the master’s degree, or separately. Admission requirements and deadlines are published on the department website.
Evening and Part Time Options
Evening courses are offered occasionally, but generally, no more than one to three evening courses are offered in a single semester. Required core courses are almost always offered during daytime hours only.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health students wishing to undertake individual research projects can do so in independent study courses with faculty members of their choice. Students in sociology and anthropology may also apply to undertake honors thesis research. Public Health students are required to complete an internship as part of their regular course of study. Sociology internships are available through SOCY 396 , which is offered in cooperation with The Shriver Center. SAPH students may also earn credit for a research practicum assisting in ongoing faculty-led projects (ANTH 490 /PBHL 490 /SOCY 490 ). Students can discuss these options with their academic advisor.
The university offers multiple opportunities for study abroad. Students seeking further information should contact the Study Abroad Office. Students interested in study abroad also should meet with their advisor to discuss their plans and their pathway for the completion of the major requirements.
Student Organizations
Majors and minors in Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health are encouraged to participate in student-led organizations.
The Public Health program is home to three student organizations. The Public Health Council of Majors is open to all students who wish to network and participate in volunteer activities related to public health. Executive board members must be Public Health majors. The American Mock World Health Organization (AMWHO) participates in global public health debates and round-tables, including academic debate competitions in Maryland and across the US. Hearts for the Homeless (H4H) is a national service organization that trains students to provide health screenings to underserved populations. The UMBC chapter regularly works with housing insecure populations in Baltimore City.
Membership in the Council of Majors is open to all declared majors. The council meets throughout the academic year.
The Council of Majors sponsors the Anthropology Club, which is open to majors and non-majors alike. Club activities have included a brown-bag lunch film series and discussion, field trips to local museums and events, sessions on the graduate school application process and internship opportunities, and potlucks that showcase food traditions from around the world. Interested students should contact the Anthropology Club faculty advisor for more information.
Sociology Society is an undergraduate student organization focused on promoting sociological scholarship and providing opportunities to engage with sociology outside the classroom alongside others interested in the field. Sociology Society is open to all undergraduate students regardless of major or GPA. This organization will host guest speakers like graduate students, professors, or career sociologists, discuss popular media with a sociological lens, hold open-floor discussions, share opportunities for scholarships and internships, and more.
Lambda Alpha
Lambda Alpha is the national collegiate honor society for Anthropology, and UMBC belongs to the Beta Chapter. The purpose of the society is to encourage and stimulate scholarship and research in Anthropology by recognizing and honoring superior achievement in the discipline among students, faculty and other persons engaged in the study of Anthropology. For further details and membership requirements please consult the department website. The induction ceremony is held each year during the Spring semester.
Alpha Kappa Delta
The International Honor Society for Sociology is Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), and UMBC belongs to the IOTA Chapter. The purpose of the society is to encourage and stimulate scholarship and research in Sociology by recognizing and honoring superior achievement in the discipline. For further details consult the department website. The induction ceremony is held in May of each year.
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