Dec 05, 2025  
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

Sociology, M.A.


Return to: 3520 Department of Sociology  

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Sociology has the following requirements:

  1. Students applying for the M.A. only program from a baccalaureate program:
    • Applicants must submit three (3) letters of recommendation from faculty personally acquainted with the applicant’s academic achievements.
    • Applicants must submit a sample of their written scholarly work (e.g., their term/research paper).  

Degree Requirements


Applied Masters Only Program


The M.A. Only Program is a minimum 30 credit hour degree program beyond the Bachelor’s degree (Minimum 24 credit hours of course work and 6 credit hours of internship or capstone paper). If a student needs to take SOCI 3010: Social Statistics, SOCI 3020: Research Methods, and/or SOCI 3030: Sociological Theory (or their equivalents, as determined by the Director of Graduate Studies), these courses must be taken as non-credit prerequisites for SOCI 8010 , SOCI 8020 , and SOCI 8030 . The M.A.-Only Program consists of a Master’s Core (1), Master’s Electives (2), and Other Master’s Requirements (3).

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 6 hours (2 courses) of advanced data analysis may be taken in a related field or fields with approval of graduate director.

NOTES:

  1. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (“B”) or better and must receive a grade of “B” or better in each of the required core courses or advanced methods courses (SOCI 8010, 8020,8030, 9010, 8342, 9020, 9030). If a student receives a lower grade in a required course, the student must repeat the course the very next time the course is offered to rectify the grade.
  2. The total number of hours must include a minimum of 25 hours in sociology in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University.

Master’s Required 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.

Master’s Elective Course Work (9 Hours minimum)


Students will take one course (3 credit hours) from each of the following areas listed below:

Advanced Data Analysis or Data Collection (3 Hours)

One elective should be in an advanced data analysis or data collection method either in Sociology or another department with permission from the Graduate Director such as:

Substantive or Methodological Elective (6 Hours minimum)

Two additional electives of your choice from either the Substantive Sociology courses or the Advanced Methods courses.

At least one elective should be in a substantive area such as:

Master’s Capstone Internship (6 Hours)


Capstone Internship Project


  • Non-Thesis Selection Form

Capstone Final Project


  • Capstone Paper
  • Non-Thesis Capstone Approval Form