Master's of Arts Degree (M.A.)
The M.A.Graduate Program in Sociology is intended for students who:
- Wish to go on for doctoral degrees and careers in teaching and research after the completion of the M.A.
- Wish the degree as preparation for various occupations.
- Wish to pursue their liberal arts education further in the field of Sociology.
For admission to classified graduate status in the program, the student must possess a Bachelor's degree, including all sociology undergraduate core requirements, or the equivalent. The University requirement for classified status requires Department evaluation and approval. The degree requires a minimum of 30 units of approved graduate courses, plus comprehensive exams or a thesis, as follows.
Core requirements: 12
- SOC 601 Sociological Theory in Historical Perspective 3
- SOC 670 Studies in Contemporary Sociology 3
- SOC 690 Social Research 3
- SOC 691A-F Directed Research 3
Approved graduate courses: 12
- At least 6 units must be in 500 or 600 series in sociology.
- In these 12 units the student should cover at least the remaining elective areas of concentration for the Comprehensive Examination.
Electives:
- 6 units selected from sociology or related fields (selected with advisor approval).
Total requirements: 30 units, plus one of the following:
- Comprehensive Examinations in three areas including sociological theory and sociological research methodology, and one of the following:
- Applied Sociology
- Criminology and Corrections
- Cross-Cultural Studies
- Ethnic Relations
- Medical Sociology
- Organizational Analysis
- Social Change
- Social Psychology
- Social Structure and Institutions
- Sociology of Aging
- Sociology of Gender and Sex
- Sociology of Work
- Applied Sociology
- Thesis. After having completed 15 units (but no more than 24 units) of graduate work, of which at least 9 units are in 500-600 level courses, with a 3.50 GPA in graduate core courses, the student must.
- pass a qualifying examination on Sociological Theory and Methodology.
- satisfactorily complete a thesis (a student must name a thesis advisor and satisfactorily complete an 8-10 page thesis proposal. After reading the porposal, the advisor, in consultation with the Graduate Committee and the Department Chair, will recommend whether the student proceeds to the full thesis.
- Note: The normal path to the master's degree is via comprehensive exams. Only in exceptional cases will the Department recommend writing a thesis.
- pass a qualifying examination on Sociological Theory and Methodology.