Master of Arts in Sociology

Advisor:
Susan Caulfield,
Room 2509, Sangren Hall

The Master of Arts in Sociology is designed to give students an advanced understanding of the significant factors and processes of human society; to further the preparation of those planning to teach in secondary or higher education; to prepare students for doctoral study in sociology; and to provide professional training for a variety of occupational opportunities in government, industry, education, research organizations, social agencies, and correctional systems. Each student’s program is prepared individually in consultation with a graduate advisor.

Admission Requirements

Twenty-four semester hours in undergraduate social sciences, with at least fifteen semester hours in sociology, including courses in theory and research methods.
Grade-point average of 3.0 or better in undergraduate sociology courses.
If these requirements have not been met, the student may be required to complete additional course work as a condition of admission.
Applicants must supply a biographical statement, GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional sources to the Graduate Admissions Committee, Department of Sociology.

Financial Assistance

A number of departmental, University, and governmental assistantships, fellowships, and associateships are available to qualified students. Educational opportunities and part-time employment may be available through the facilities of the Leonard C. Kercher Center for Social Research. Research through the Center includes studies of education, mental illness, marital roles, race relations, group dynamics, deviant behavior, comparative institutions, and numerous other topics. Graduate students frequently participate in these studies.

Additional information and application forms may be obtained from the department.

Program Requirements

1. Complete at least thirty-six graduate credit hours

Selected in consultation with the student’s master’s committee. At least twenty-four hours, including SOC 700 Master’s Thesis, must be in sociology; up to nine hours may be in an approved cognate area.

One additional research methods course in sociology, and SOC 7000 are required of all master’s students.

SOC 6000 - Proseminar in Sociology Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 6020 - Classical Sociological Theory Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 6030 - Contemporary Theory: Culture, Social Action, and Society Credits: 3 hrs.
or
SOC 6040 - Contemporary Theory: Agency, Interaction, and Structure Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 6060 - Research Design and Data Collection I Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 6070 - Logic and Analysis of Social Research I Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 6210 - Logic and Analysis of Social Research II Credits: 3 hrs.
SOC 7000 - Master’s Thesis Credits: 6 hrs.

2. Maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all course work.

3. Complete an original thesis, using approved methods for investigation of a sociological topic.

Six hours of credit are given for the thesis.