Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at MidAmerica Nazarene University strives to train and equip students to face the challenging world of behavioral health, psychology, counseling, sociology, and criminal justice. Our diverse programs and experienced faculty provide numerous opportunities for students to actively engage these disciplines. Specific emphasis on the acquisition of essential knowledge and the development of required skills and dispositions is essential to our core mission.

Our undergraduate programs seek to train students for direct entry into the job market and to successfully compete for further study in graduate programs. Our major areas of study include: Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. As our world shifts due to more technological connection, exposure to diverse people groups, and increased pace of change we emphasize the core attributes of:

• Strong critical thinking skills
• Excellence in writing and verbal communication
• Empathic engagement with human need and suffering
• Flexible knowledge base
• Engaged Christian worldview

Mission Statement

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences educates and develops students to be competent in academic disciplines focused on understanding human behavior, mental processes, social functioning and the institutional structures of society. Specifically, we seek to produce life-long learners who:

1. Have a firm grasp of the knowledge base, methods of inquiry, and scientific developments within particular academic disciplines (major).
2. Are competent to pursue a career and/or graduate studies within a broad range of cultural and institutional contexts.
3. Are capable of discussing their discipline from a Christian faith perspective; able to clearly articulate relevant points of engagement between their faith and learning.
4. Grasp a clear vision of service to humanity through participation in their academic discipline.
5. Embrace the multicultural and multiethnic diversity of our nation and world specifically as it impacts learning and practice in their chosen field of study.

Faculty

Richard Hanson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology; Chair, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Eduardo T. Perez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology 
Natalie E. Eick, Psy.D., Associate Professor of Psychology
Todd C. Hiestand, J.D., Professor of Criminal Justice

Programs

• Criminal Justice, BA
• Psychology, BA
• Sociology, BA

• Addiction Studies, Minor
• Criminal Justice, Minor
• Legal Studies, Minor
• Psychology, Minor
• Social Justice, Minor
• Sociology, Minor