Degree Requirements And Admissions

Program Requirements 

A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credits is required for the master’s degree. Many students are able to complete the program in two semesters plus a summer (that is, a calendar year). Others may take longer, as provision must be made not only for course work but also for the master's thesis, comprehensive examinations, or applied/policy project.

Students must take 30 hours of graduate-level sociology courses:

1. 9 of the 30 hours must include SOC 6160 (Theory), SOC 6540 (Methods), and either SOC 6010 (Qualitative Methods) or SOC 5500 (Data Analysis)
   
   
2. 12 of the 30 hours must be either 5000-level dual-listed courses or 6000-level graduate seminars (which include SOC 6910: Seminar in Teaching)
   
   
3. The other 9 hours can be:

• additional work in 5000-level dual-listed Sociology graduate courses and/or 6000-level seminars;
  
  
• SOC 5930 (Readings: 1-6 hours); SOC 5931 (Research Problems: 1-6 hours); SOC 6920 (Practicum: 1-6 hours); SOC 6931 (Independent Study: 1-6 hours); SOC 6950 (Thesis: 1-6 hours)
  

Candidates are expected to demonstrate competence at the master's level in sociological theory and research methods, and to show proficiency in their chosen areas of concentration through a thesis, comprehensive exam, or applied/policy project.

Admissions Requirements

The department is quite flexible in evaluating undergraduate experience. However, requirements include a minimum of 20 hours in sociology (with a g.p.a. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) including courses in statistics, methods, and theory. Applicants must have earned an overall g.p.a. of at least 3.0.   Applicants must submit GRE scores; there is no minimum threshold for GRE scores. To apply, a completed application for admission and transcripts of all academic work must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Student Services. In addition, applicants must submit directly to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology a written statement describing areas of interest and reasons for wanting to study sociology, a writing sample such as a term paper, and letters of reference from three persons qualified to evaluate capability for graduate study in sociology (at least two letters should come from college instructors). International students whose native language is not English must also submit Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) scores.

Deadlines for Admission

• February 15: Fall Deadline for consideration for funding
• March 15: Fall Deadline (no department funding)
• October 15: Spring Deadline (no department funding)
  

Deadlines are for complete application files, which means that all information and documents requested must be submitted by the deadline, including written statement, writing sample, all transcripts, GRE score, TOEFL (for international applicants), and letters of recommendation. Further information about admission requirements is available in the online graduate catalog.

Contact Information

Prospective students seeking information on application procedures should send an e-mail to Department Administrator Ann Bennett. Further questions about the program may be directed to Dr. Debra Henderson, Graduate Director.

Online Application

Apply online at the Graduate Studies admissions website.