MA in Sociology
Admission
In addition to the Graduate School requirements for admission, the department of sociology requires:
- A grade point average of at least 3.000 overall;
- One college algebra course and at least 12 credit hours in social science courses including an introductory sociology course, one social statistics course, one research methods course, and one theory course. Students without these required courses in social statistics and/or theory may be admitted provisionally, but deficiencies must be removed in the first year of graduate study;
- Three letters of reference from professors who are familiar with the student’s undergraduate coursework; and
- A typed, double-spaced statement of purpose (approximately 500 words) articulating the student’s area of research interests and academic/career goals.
Application for admission should be filed with the Graduate School and the sociology department by March 1 for enrollment the following fall. Students applying later may be considered if any openings in the program remain.
Program Requirements
Students pursuing the MA degree in sociology may follow either a thesis or a nonthesis program. Sixty percent of the credit hours in either program must be 700 level or above.
Thesis Program
Students in the thesis program must take a total of 32 credit hours, including:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 860 | Proseminar - Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 811 | Advanced Research: Quantitative Methods | 3 |
| SOC 812 | Advanced Research: Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| SOC 845 | Seminar in Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 875 | Thesis 1 | 3 |
| SOC 876 | Thesis 1 | 3 |
| Select sufficient electives (500-level or above) to total 32 credit hours including: | 14 | |
One 800-level graduate seminar | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 32 | |
- 1
A maximum of 6 thesis credit hours can be counted toward program requirements.
Nonthesis Program
Students in the nonthesis program must take a total of 32 credit hours, including:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 860 | Proseminar - Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 811 | Advanced Research: Quantitative Methods | 3 |
| SOC 812 | Advanced Research: Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| SOC 845 | Seminar in Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Complete 6 credit hours of the following courses: | 6 | |
| Directed Project | ||
| Sociological Practice Internship | ||
| Select sufficient electives (500-level or above) to total 32 credit hours, including: | 14 | |
One 800-level graduate seminar | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 32 | |
Examinations
Students electing the thesis program in sociology must pass an oral defense of the thesis. The maximum number of attempts is two. Any student who does not pass the oral defense on the first attempt may choose to switch to the nonthesis program or to make a second attempt at the oral defense. A student who does not pass the second attempt will be terminated from the program without a degree.
Applied Learning
Students enrolled in the MA in sociology program are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate. For thesis-track students, the requirement can be met by completing a master's thesis and oral defense. For nonthesis-track students, this can be achieved through the completion of the directed project or sociological practice internship.