Sociology, M.A.-Ph.D.

Minimum of ninety semester credit hours (52 semester hours of course work and at least 38 semester hours of non-course work) beyond the Baccalaureate degree, consisting of a Master’s Core (1), Master’s Electives (2), Other Master’s Requirements (3), Doctoral Core (4), Doctoral Specialty Core (5), Doctoral Electives (6), and Other Doctoral Requirements (7).

Degree Requirements

Master’s Seminar Course (3 hours)

SOCI 8000 - Proseminar in Sociology 3 Credit Hours

Master’s Required Core Courses (13 Hours)

SOCI 8010 - Intermediate Sociological Statistics 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8020 - Research Methodology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8030 - Sociological Theory I 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 9010 - Multivariate Sociological Data Analysis 4 Credit Hours

Master’s Elective Course Work (9 Hours)

Students with post-Bachelor’s degree course work from other accredited institutions may petition to transfer up to 6 hours (2 courses) of course work towards the M.A. degree following petition to, and approval by, the departmental Director of Graduate Studies. With the approval of the departmental Director of Graduate Studies, up to 3 hours (1 course) may be taken in a related field or fields and/or up to 3 hours of SOCI 8970 - Directed Reading may be taken.

Master’s Thesis Hours (6 Hours)

SOCI 8999 - Thesis Research 1 to 18 Credit Hours (at least 6)

Master’s Milestones

Master’s Thesis Committee
Master’s Thesis Prospectus

Master’s Final Project

Format Approval (thesis manuscript)
Thesis (Oral) Defense

Doctoral Core Courses (15 Hours)

Students must receive a grade of B or better in each of the required core courses. If a student receives a grade below a B in a required course, the student must repeat the course the very next time the course is offered to rectify the grade.

Required Core Courses (9 Hours)

SOCI 8342 - Qualitative Methods in Sociology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 9020 - Advanced Research Methodology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 9030 - Sociological Theory II 3 Credit Hours

Select Two Additional Core Courses (6 Hours):

SOCI 8102 - Life Course Sociology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 9230 - Sociology of Health & Illness 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8156 - Sexuality and Society 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8216 - Gender and Society 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8212 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8226 - Urban Sociology 3 Credit Hours

Doctoral Elective Course Work (15 Hours)

With the approval of the departmental Director of Graduate Studies, up to 3 hours (1 course) may be taken in a related field and/or up to 3 hours of SOCI 8970 - Directed Reading may be taken.

SOCI 9230 - Sociology of Health & Illness 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 9000 - Teaching Sociology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8238 - Critical Race Theory 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8212 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8216 - Gender and Society 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8226 - Urban Sociology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8102 - Life Course Sociology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8122 - Death, Dying, and Loss 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 8126 - Health Disparities 3 Credit Hours

Doctoral Dissertation Hours (32 Hours)

Students must complete at least (32) credit hours of

SOCI 8999 - Thesis Research 1 to 18 Credit Hours

Doctoral Milestones

Students who entered Fall 2021 and after:
- Portfolio Committee
- Written Portfolio
Dissertation Committee
Dissertation Prospectus

Doctoral Final Project

Format Approval (dissertation manuscript)
Dissertation (Oral) Defense

NOTES

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (“B”) or better. Students may not earn two or more grades of “C” or lower in graduate Sociology courses. Students who fail to meet either of these requirements will be scholastically terminated from the Sociology graduate program.
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (“B”) or higher and must receive a grade of B or higher in each of the required core courses (SOCI 8010, 8020,8030, 9010, 8342, 9020, 9030). If a student receives a grade below a B in a required course, the student must repeat the course the very next time the course is offered to rectify the grade.
Graduate assistants are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours each for the fall/spring semesters and 9 credit hours for the summer semester. These credit hours will consist of courses required for the prescribed program of study, as well as additional hours of the courses outlined in the notes below.
Students must register for SOCI 8999 or SOCI 9999 while they are appointed as a GRA, GTA, and/or GLA.
Students who are appointed as a GTA B must successfully complete SOCI 9000 - Teaching Sociology and SOCI 9001 - Teaching Internship prior to their appointment.
SOCI 9001 Teaching Internship hours cannot be applied to the sixty-three hour program of study for the Ph.D.
Students must take 3 hours of SOCI 8000 in the Fall semester of their first year in the Joint M.A./Ph.D. Program.