Introduction
We are one of the largest departments within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. We offer a variety of programmes. These include:-

• Diploma in Crime Prevention and management
• Diploma in Disaster Management
• Bachelor of Arts
• Master of Arts (Sociology)
• Master of Arts (Community Development)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

While the MA programmes are available at the Main Campus, they are also available as evening and weekend programmes in the City Campus, and soon they will be available in the other campuses.

In addition, we service many other schools and departments of the university through students who take levels 100 and 200 units. Some of these include:- Department of Community Resource Mobilisation; Department of Psychology; Department of Foods, Nutrition & Dietetics; Department of Mathematics; School of Engineering; and School of Medicine, just to mention some.

Entry requirements
Bachelor of Arts Programme has a university entry requirement of a C+ in the KCSE  examinations and for one to do sociology as one of the subjects in the BA programme, there is a departmental requirement of at least a C+ in Mathematics at KCSE.

Study Mode and Duration
The courses are available for full time and part time students and also through open learning. The modes of delivery include lectures, tutorials, seminars, projects/dissertations and theses. For open learning students, modules written by specialists in the various areas are available. Our degree courses take 4 academic years while diploma courses take 4 semesters. However BA students who take a trimester may complete their studies within three calendar years.

External Links
The Department has several linkages with external universities and agencies. With the University of Ottawa, the university runs a summer programme where students are exposed to development issues in developing communities. Also, the department has a link with Georgia State University, Institute of Gerontology since 2003 through which a Diploma in Gerontology course has been launched, and joint conferences and researches have been undertaken. The link has also facilitated book donations. In addition, the department is also in liaison with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Research Activities
Both faculty and postgraduate students are continuously carrying out research in various topical areas and in the various sub-disciplines of sociology, including medical sociology, environmental sociology, rural and urban sociology, community development, social policy, entrepreneurship, drug abuse and rehabilitation, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, disaster management, crime prevention, and gender relations.

In addition, various members of staff are involved in multidisciplinary research such as:

1. Community resource mobilization
2. Livelihoods systems
3. Social and child protection
4. Fish Farming
5. Corporate Social Responsibility
6. Agriculture and Food Security
7. Ageing
8. Safe Injection Initiatives
9. Media in Kenya
10. HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse

Academic Staff and Specializations
The department has 1 Professor, 4 Senior Lecturers, 8 Lecturers and 3 tutorial Fellows. In terms of staff strength there are 12 Ph.D and 4 Masters holders. The faculty are published and research in the in the following areas of specialization: Research Methods, Community Development, Sociology of Education, Industrial Sociology, Gender and Development, Food security, Theory, Research and Industry, Demography, Education, Gerontology, Medical Sociology, Political Sociology, among others.

Specialty and Branding
The department offers a unique blend of specialty in Community Development, Criminology, Medical Sociology, Rural Sociology, Urban Sociology, Industrial Sociology and Social Demography. In addition, the department offers unique professional courses in Crime and Disaster Management as well as Disaster Management. The department is among the first in the region to offer a Diploma in Gerontology.

Moreover, the department also has a strong social theory and research orientation thereby producing students who are well grounded in theoretical and research methodological issues. The students are thus able to apply such skills and knowledge to address the challenges of society.

With a view to remaining ever relevant, the department recently reviewed both its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and is in the process of developing new courses and programmes such as:

o    BA (Sociology)
o    BA (Criminology)
o     MA (Criminology Post Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Development
o    B.A. in Social Work
o    B.A. in Gerontology
o    Diploma in Community Development

Further, the department has an active Sociology Club with a membership of 60 undergraduate students which is coordinated by an academic member of staff. The club provides a forum for students to link with communities, industry, government and civil society through seminars, community service and various symposia.