Vision and Mission Statement

APSU Department of Sociology and Community Development Vision and Mission Statement

The Department of Sociology and Community Development at Austin Peay State University is dedicated to the inspiration and education of students in the discipline of Sociology. Our vision is to encourage our students, our colleagues, and the community we live in to foster a greater awareness and understanding of the social issues and sociological forces that affect us all.

To achieve our Vision, our Mission is to generate knowledge, build stronger communities and promote understanding of social forces. Our commitment is to superior, quality teaching which will propel students into a lifelong search for greater knowledge and understanding of our social world. Our introductory and upper-division courses will encourage students to “think sociologically.” Our students will expand their knowledge and critical thinking, hone analytic skills, and learn to use sociological tools to understand complex social issues, patterns of social structure, and the interplay between biography and history within their program of study and their everyday lives.

Together with our students we aspire to be active contributors to sociological knowledge by engaging in scientific research, using accepted sociological theories and methods. The scope of our research will range from micro-level interaction to macro-level social structure. These results will be shared through our participation in classes, seminars, colloquiums, informal talks, roundtable meetings, and sociological societal annual events. We will also present our findings in various publications including refereed journals and books.

Finally, through our efforts and participation within Austin Peay State University and organizations outside of academia, we will build with our students a sense of community. We will use our understanding of group processes and organizational dynamics to promote a deeper appreciation for the experience and diversity of our society, especially those who may be disenfranchised by the social structures that currently exist. Our goal is to share the importance of respect for the dignity of all humankind.