Mar 28, 2024  
Ohio University Graduate Catalog 2013-2015 
    
Ohio University Graduate Catalog 2013-2015 [Archived Catalog]

Sociology


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http://www.ohio.edu/socanth/sociology/graduate/index.html

Program Overview:

The M.A. program in sociology offers prep­eration for advanced graduate training, teaching, and employment in various government and private agencies.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology has a policy document, available upon request, that describes the organization of the M.A. program. Students consult with a faculty committee to design their program, which involves selecting courses and choosing between thesis and nonthesis options. A minimum of 30 hours of graduate coursework is required for the degree, plus examinations, a major paper, or a thesis. While the bulk of the coursework must be done in sociology, students may take a limited number of courses in related fields. The program is flexible and is designed to provide a fundamental grounding in theory and methods while allowing students to pursue specialized interests.  Students are required to complete a professionalization seminar, a sociological theory course, a foundation course in research methods, and either a graduate level statistics or qualitative research methods course. The department has particular strengths in  Crime, deviance, and justice institutions; and social inequalities and social change.  Students should allow for two to four semesters of study to complete the degree. Applications for admission are accepted until six weeks before the beginning of a semester (three months for applications from abroad). Applications for financial awards ordinarily must be completed by March 1. A limited number of Graduate Assistantships and Recruitment stipends are available. For information, contact the chair of the sociology graduate committee.

Admissions Information:

Students applying to the program must have at least 15 semester hours of undergraduate sociology course work, including courses in statistics, research methods, and theory. An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is expected and students must submit Graduate Record Examination scores. International students must submit TOEFL scores. Students are expected to have a TOEFL score of 550 (paper) or 213 (Computer based). Alternatively, a student may submit an IELTS; a score of 6.5 is required for admission. International students must achieve a score of 600 on TOEFL or 8.0 on IELTS for financial aid.

A written statement describing areas of interest and reasons for wanting to study sociology is expected of all applicants. A writing sample such as a term paper is expected to supplement the application. Official transcripts of all academic work must be submitted with the application. Three letters of reference by individuals qualified to evaluate the capability for graduate study are expected. Two of these letters should be from college faculty members.

To pursue a second or dual master’s degree, a student will need to complete an application for the second degree in sociology. There is a fee associated with this application. In addition to the application, the student will need to complete a Dual or Second Masters Degree form. Both the application and form can be obtained from Graduate Student Services. Students enrolled in a Master’s degree program at Ohio University may apply for admission to our program using the Dual Master’s Form. Students enrolled elsewhere must meet admission requirements for initial admission to the program.

Opportunities upon Graduation:


Students who complete the Masters Degree in Sociology have pursued advanced graduate training in social science disciplines and other professional programs. Others have found employment in applied settings in research, professional service in non-profit agencies, management in private and public entities, public policy work, and teaching in two-year institutions.

Electives


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