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 Sociology Program 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 application process, please contact the Sociology Program: http://www.westga.edu/sociology.

Program Requirements

The core courses for the Master’s program consist of nine hours in theory, research methodology, and statistics.

Students accepted into the program may choose between three tracks: Thesis, Applied, and Mid Career.  Under either plan, students must complete a minimum of 30 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	Thesis	Applied	Mid-Career
Core Courses	9 hours	9 hours	9 hours
Elective Courses	15 hours	12 hours	15 hours
Thesis Preparation	3 hours	N/A	N/A
Thesis	3 hours	N/A	N/A
Internship	N/A	3 hours	N/A
Additional Research Methods	N/A	3 hours	3 hours
Total Hours	30 hours	30 hours	30 hours
Final Project	Thesis	Internship Project	Applied 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