"I am so happy that you have found our department’s website. The Department of Social Sciences is home to over 350 students and 27 full-time faculty. The department offers six Bachelor of Arts programs, two graduate programs, and numerous certificates and minors. We offer BA degrees in Criminal Justice; Health, Society, and Policy; Nonprofit Leadership and Administration; Political Science; Sociology; and an accredited BSW program. We also offer two graduate degrees, a Master of Arts in Intelligence and Studies and a NASPAA-accredited Master of Public Administration program.
While we have diverse programs, they all share the common focus on teaching skills that empower our students to contribute to a better society. We teach these skills through active learning, experiential learning, and opportunities to participate in study abroad. Our department’s faculty are active researchers publishing in the top journals of their academic disciplines. They bring their research into the classroom to benefit the learning of our students.
Our department offers a wide array of learning opportunities and events. Many of our students participate in study away and study abroad programs. One of the most successful is our department’s Model United Nations program, where students visit the UN headquarters in New York City. Students have the opportunity to participate in internships to gain work experience at organizations. The department also offers numerous career-related events in partnership with AU’s Career Services to help our students advance their social sciences careers.
Our offices are on the second and third floors of Allgood Hall. Our majors have access to a computer lab. Please reach out to us to learn more about our programs and people. I hope you will join one of our majors and better our communities, states, and nations."
Criminal Justice
Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor
Dr. Kim Davies, Pamplin Dean, Professor
Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Professor
Ric Goolsby, JD, Adjunct Instructor
Richard Goolsby, JD, Adjunct Instructor
Dr. Candace Griffith, Associate Professor
Paula Owens, Adjunct Instructor
Dr. Todd Powell-Williams, Professor
Health, Society, and Policy
Dr. Elizabeth Culatta, Assistant Professor
Dr. Andrew Goss, Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy, Professor
Dr. Pamela Hayward, Department of Communication, Professor
Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor
Dr. Wendy Turner, Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy, Professor
Nonprofit Leadership and Administration
Valerie Cato, Department of English and World Languages, Senior Lecturer
Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Professor
Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor
Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor
Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor
Political Science
Dr. Craig Albert, MAISS Director, Professor
Dr. Christos Bourdouvalis, Professor Emeritus and Adjunct Instructor
Dr. Giancarlo Gonzalez, Lecturer
Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor
Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor
Dr. John "Jay" Heslen, Associate Professor
Nadia Jilani-Hyler, Senior Lecturer
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, Professor
Dr. Wesley Meares, MPA Director, Associate Professor
Chris Mezzetti, Adjunct Instructor
Dr. Rhucha Samudra, Assistant Professor
Dr. Paolo Spadoni, Associate Professor
Dr. Raymond Whiting, AVP of Curriculum and Instructional Innovation and Professor
Sociology
Dr. Dustin Avent-Holt, CSSR Director, Professor
Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor
Dr. Elizabeth Culatta, Associate Professor
Dr. Kim Davies, Pamplin Dean, Professor
Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor
Dr. Melissa Powell-Williams, Professor
Social Work
Penny Alderman, Senior Lecturer
Thomas Dorn, Adjunct Instructor
Shannon Dunavan, Adjunct Instructor
Morgan Fields, BSW Director, Lecturer
Master of Public Administration
Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor
Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Associate Professor
Dr. Emily Boykin, Assistant Professor
Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor
Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, Professor
Dr. Wesley Meares, MPA Director, Professor
Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies (MAISS)
