M.A. in Sociology

Program Description | Admission | Degree Requirements | Courses

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Sociology is designed to provide students with advanced and up-dated instruction in quantitative and qualitative techniques of sociological research, statistics, and theory. Students will develop the advanced professional skills necessary to analyze social issues in applied settings. These skills include research grant writing, program evaluation, impact assessment, and community-based research.

Admissions

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in Sociology must submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

Graduate Application
Application fee
Official transcripts from the baccalaureate degree granting institution (minimum 3.0 overall GPA)
Official GRE scores. Under certain circumstances, we will consider waiving the GRE requirement. A written request justifying the waiver (e.g., existing Masters degree, etc. ) must accompany the application
Two letters of recommendation
Essay detailing interest in the program.

A holistic review of each student’s application file will be completed on a competitive basis.

Note: Admission to the MA Program in Sociology is competitive and the number of available positions is limited. Because of this, only degree seeking students are accepted into this program.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Sociology requires a minimum of 36 hours of graduate credit, 27 of which must be in Sociology and must be in courses numbered 5000. M.A. candidates in Sociology are expected to develop the advanced professional skills necessary to analyze social issues in applied settings. These skills include research grant writing, program evaluation, impact assessment, and community-based research.

Students can select between a Thesis Option and a Non-Thesis Option.

Requirements

Thesis Option (36 semester hours):

Minimum of 18 hours of core graduate course work

Must complete 15 hours of Core Requirements including SOCI 6098 and SOCI 6099
Must complete 3 hours of the Applied Core Requirements

Minimum of 18 credit hours of Sociology Electives

Non-Thesis Options (36 semester hours):

Minimum of 12 hours of core graduate course work

Must complete 9 hours of Core Requirements
Must complete 3 hours of Applied Core Requirements

Minimum of 24 hours of Sociology Electives

Required Courses

Students pursuing a Master's Degree in Sociology must take the following core courses:

Seminar in Sociological Theory (SOCI 5310)
Seminar in Sociological Research (SOCI 5312)
Social Statistics (SOCI 5314)
Thesis Proposal/Practicum (SOCI 6098)*
Thesis (SOCI 6099)*

Students must also take at least one among the remaining applied core courses:

Research Proposal Writing in the Social Sciences (SOCI 5378)
Social Impact Assessment & Program Evaluation (SOCI 5380)
Applied Research Methods (SOCI 5376)
Qualitative Research Methods (SOCI 5313)

*Courses SOCI 6098 and SOCI 6099 are only required for students who choose the thesis option MA Degree Plan.

Degree Plan 1 - M.A. in Sociology - Thesis Option

Item	Requirement	Options	Hours Required
1	Specified Courses	Choose all* from:* SOCI 5314 <SOC 543> Social Statistics SOCI 5312 <SOC 567> Seminar in Sociological Research SOCI 5310 <SOC 585> Seminar in Sociological Theory SOCI 6098 <SOC 698> Thesis Practicum (Professional Paper) SOCI 6099 <SOC 699> Thesis	15
2	Applied Core Electives	Choose one from: SOCI 5376 <SOC 532> Applied Research Methods SOCI 5378 <SOC 568> Techniques of Research Proposal Writing in the Social Sciences SOCI 5380 <SOC 577> Social Impact Assessment and Program Evaluation SOCI 5313 Qualitative Research Methods	3
3	SOCI Electives	Choose at least four* from:* SOCI 5320 <SOC 576> Sociology of Community SOCI 5351 <SOC 564> Seminar in Environmental Sociology SOCI 5322 <SOC 537> Seminar in Medical Sociology SOCI 5353 <SOC 565> Seminar in Race and Ethnic Studies SOCI 5355 <SOC 582> Seminar in Social Inequality SOCI 5337 <SOC 587> Gender and Society SOCI 5324 <SOC 589> Seminar in Social Change and Development SOCI 5331 <SOC 572> Sociology of the Family	12
4	Other Electives	Choose two* from:* Graduate Courses¹	6
TOTAL			36

Notes:

¹	Courses must be approved by the Graduate Advisor.

Degree Plan 2 - M.A. in Sociology - Non-Thesis Option

Item	Requirement	Options	Hours Required
1	Specified Courses	Choose all* from:* SOCI 5314 <SOC 543> Social Statistics SOCI 5312 <SOC 567> Seminar in Sociological Research SOCI 5310 <SOC 585> Seminar in Sociological Theory	9
2	Applied Core Electives	Choose one from: SOCI 5376 <SOC 532> Applied Research Methods SOCI 5378 <SOC 568> Techniques of Research Proposal Writing in the Social Sciences SOCI 5380 <SOC 577> Social Impact Assessment and Program Evaluation	3
3	SOCI Electives	Choose at least six* from:* SOCI 5320 <SOC 576> Sociology of Community SOCI 5351 <SOC 564> Seminar in Environmental Sociology SOCI 5322 <SOC 537> Seminar in Medical Sociology SOCI 5353 <SOC 565> Seminar in Race and Ethnic Studies SOCI 5355 <SOC 582> Seminar in Social Inequality SOCI 5337 <SOC 587> Gender and Society SOCI 5324 <SOC 589> Seminar in Social Change and Development SOCI 5331 <SOC 572> Sociology of the Family	18
4	Other Electives	Choose two* from:* Graduate Courses¹	6
TOTAL			36