Educational Background
His choice of school was Indiana State University. He needed his expenses to be minimal and Indiana State was the cheapest school he'd applied for. Initially, Dr. Akers had intended on becoming a high school teacher. Why? Frankly, it was because that was the only profession he had encountered that required a college education. In fact, he had a contract to become a high school teacher and cross country coach after obtaining his bachelor's degree in secondary education. It was also during his time at Indiana State that he was exposed to Sociology and developed a strong interest in it. All of his elective coursework was taken in the field of Sociology. (citation)
B.S. Secondary Education - 1960
B.S. Secondary Education - 1960
At the last moment, he was convinced by a professor to go to graduate school at Kent State rather than taking the high school teaching position. While at Kent State, he met Professor Oscar Richie. Professor Richie was the lone criminologist on the campus at the time. It was through his interaction with Professor Richie that he really developed his love of Criminology. (citation)
M.A., Department of Sociology, Kent State University, 1961
M.A., Department of Sociology, Kent State University, 1961
Dr. Akers conducted his doctorate studies at the University of Kentucky. There wasn't a long process of deciding on where he would attend for his doctorate. UK was close to home and he felt comfortable there. He met Professor Richard Quinney, a noted criminologist in his own right, while at UK. Quinney would become his dissertation adviser, as well as a close personal friend. The time that they spent together was heavily influential in his studies.
Professor Quinney had studied occupational crime and Dr. Akers took a deep interest to the topic. His doctoral thesis focused on doctors and people in the pharmaceutical industry. After reviewing cases of criminal activity by doctors and big-pharma, he looked into the licensing process and laws. He found a very incestuous relationship where the laws that govern doctors and pharmaceuticals were often written by those who were meant to be governed. It was the issue of political conflict that he and Quinney shared a deep interest in. (citation)
Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Kentucky, 1966.
Professor Quinney had studied occupational crime and Dr. Akers took a deep interest to the topic. His doctoral thesis focused on doctors and people in the pharmaceutical industry. After reviewing cases of criminal activity by doctors and big-pharma, he looked into the licensing process and laws. He found a very incestuous relationship where the laws that govern doctors and pharmaceuticals were often written by those who were meant to be governed. It was the issue of political conflict that he and Quinney shared a deep interest in. (citation)
Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Kentucky, 1966.
Dr. Akers is currently teaching at the University of Florida. A Google search revealed that he averages a 3.1 out of 5 on ratemyprofessors.com. Some of the discussion on his class lectures was rather entertaining.