Sociology, M.A.

The Master of Arts degree in Sociology prepares students for advanced graduate studies in the social sciences and for professional careers in a variety of settings including federal, state, and local government agencies; not-for-profit organizations, community service groups; market research firms; and social service organizations. Coursework incorporates classical and contemporary theoretical perspectives, analysis of cutting edge empirical research, and training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Students can take coursework and specialize in the following areas: community development, social inequality, social psychology, health, urban sociology, environment, comparative sociology, sociology of family, sociology of religion, and social movements.

Admission

The Department of Sociology considers the quality of an application to the M.A. program in its entirety. Applicants will be considered on a competitive basis and thus simply completing an application does not guarantee admission to the program. To apply to the program, a student is ordinarily expected to have a bachelors degree in sociology or a related discipline from an accredited academic institution. Applicants to the Sociology M.A. program must have:

- A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0

- A 750-word personal statement, which includes the applicant’s relevant academic and/or professional background and reasons for seeking the degree

- Three letters of recommendation

- A current resume or curriculum vitae

Applicants may be admitted provisionally and considered for regular admission.

To apply or to learn additional information about the applicant process, please consult the “Admissions” tab on the following website: https://www.westga.edu/academics/coss/sociology/program_page.php?program_id=58.

Program Requirements

The core courses for the Master’s program consist of nine hours in theory, research methodology, and statistics. To satisfy the theory requirement, students must take SOCI 6305  or another 6000-level theory course approved by the department’s director of graduate studies. To satisfy the research methodology requirement, students must take SOCI 6013  or SOCI 6613 . To satisfy the statistics requirement, students must take SOCI 6003  or another graduate level statistics course approved by the department’s director of graduate studies. Students who have not taken an undergraduate theory course in sociology must enroll in SOCI 5053  prior to enrolling in SOCI 6003  

Students accepted into the program may choose either Plan I (Thesis) or Plan II (Applied Track). Under Plans I and II students must complete 21 hours of elective course work beyond the core requirements. Under Plan I students must also take three hours of Thesis Preparation (SOCI 6882 ), and three hours of thesis work (SOCI 6999 ). A thesis is required under Plan I. Under Plan II students must register for 3 credit hours of additional research methods coursework and 3 credit hours of Internship (SOCI 6286 ). Courses that will satisfy the methods requirement include: SOCI 6660 , SOCI 6613 , and SOCI 6275 . Graduate research methods courses in other departments can be taken to fulfill this requirement with approval from the graduate advisor. Students opting for the Applied Track must constitute a three-member committee to approve and oversee the completion of a major initiative associated with their internship. Under either plan, students must complete a minimum of 36 hours, one-half of which must be at the 6000-level. A total of six hours may be selected from courses outside the Master’s program in Sociology.

Requirements	Plan I	Plan II
Core Courses	9 hours	9 hours
Elective Courses	21 hours	21 hours
Thesis Preparation	3 hours	N/A
Thesis	3 hours	N/A
Internship	N/A	3 hours
Additional Research Methods	N/A	3 hours
Total Hours	36 hours	36 hours
Final Project	Thesis	Internship Project

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this degree program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a mastery of communicating in writing how sociology contributes to an understanding of social reality
• Demonstrate a mastery of sociological theories  
• Demonstrate a mastery of methodological approaches within sociology
• Demonstrate a mastery of the diversity in society