Sociology Graduate Program

The mission of the sociology graduate program is to prepare students for advanced academic training, for university teaching careers, or for professional careers that allow them to apply their advanced sociological training.  The program facilitates students gaining the sophisticated theoretical, methodological, and analytical skills with which to examine sociological research questions.  All courses in the curriculum focus on building these skills to a level in which the student is able to independently engage in research informed by a sociological perspective.

Program

Thirty credit hours, including thesis work, are required to earn a Master of Arts degree in Sociology.  The core curriculum consists of required courses in sociological inquiry, sociological theory, research design, and statistical methods.  Students also are required to take two seminars centered on exploring a scholarly area in sociology in greater depth.  A professional development seminar and two other courses round out the required coursework.  The final step in the program is the completion of a thesis (at least 4 credits).  Students can also plan their coursework in such a way that they can earn a cognate (specialization in a given area of 7 - 9 credits).