M.A. Program Curriculum & Requirements
The M.A. program’s intensive year-long curriculum helps students to develop analytical and critical skills in sociology, complete an independent research project, and prepare for a variety of possible futures within or beyond academic sociology.
Coursework
Required and elective coursework helps students to build a solid foundation in sociological theory and methods and to gain familiarity with substantive areas of the discipline. While the required courses are specific to the M.A. program, half of the required coursework is elective and students may take those courses alongside the department’s Ph.D. students. Students may also take courses outside of the department with approval from the program director.
The requirements listed below are specific to the Sociology Department's free-standing MA program and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Students are required to register for two Residence Units and to complete courses totaling at least 30 points with a grade point average of 3.00 or above. The required courses must be taken for a letter grade (20 points total) unless otherwise established by instructors. Electives may be taken for a letter grade, R or Pass/Fail credit. For more information on grading options, please refer to Grading Policy Handbook. We permit students to study part time on a case-by-case basis.
The required courses and points are distributed as follows:
Fall Semester:
- Sociological Theory (4 points)
- Thesis Seminar I (3 points)
- Field Work (1 point)
- Pro-seminar I (1 point)
- Two electives in Sociology or another department with approval from program director (6 or more points)
Spring Semester:
- Methods Workshop (4 points)
- Thesis Seminar II (3 points)
- Field Work II (1 point)
- Pro-seminar II (1 point)
- Two electives in Sociology or another department with approval from program director (6 or more points)
Independent Research and the Master’s Thesis
In addition to coursework, students engage in independent research projects that involve selecting field sites, accessing data sources or collecting original data, articulating research findings, and presenting their work to faculty and peers. The research process culminates in the completion and submission of a master’s thesis.
Students submit the MA thesis proposal within the Thesis Seminar and to their faculty adviser for approval by the end of the first semester. The MA thesis must be completed by the end of the second semester.
Click here for a list of recent master's thesis titles.
Advising
Students benefit from extensive individual advising from department faculty. At the beginning of the program, each student is paired with a faculty advisor with whom they meet throughout the year, and who helps guide them through their independent research. Students also receive support from the program director, additional M.A. faculty, and peers in the Ph.D. program.
Professional Training
Beyond academic requirements, the program’s professionalization seminar or "pro-seminar" features current faculty and scholars in an open forum for career development and for discussing research, public sociology, and topics of interest to the student cohort. The pro-seminar also includes training sessions to build academic and professional skills essential to future careers, including PhD application development, career seminars, ethical conduct of research, the use of software for data analysis, conference presentations, and strategies for publishing articles.