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SOCIOLOGY (APPLIED SOCIOLOGY)

COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.)

 

Purpose

Applied sociology is a growing academic area as social research and theory are increasingly used for planning, development, evaluation and problem solving by organizations and agencies. The purpose of the Southeastern's Master of Science program in Applied Sociology is to:

  1. Teach students how to use the theories and research methods of sociology to solve real world problems.
  2. Train students to utilize the sociological perspective to research, analyze and develop strategies for the effective and efficient functioning of community institutions, organizations and groups of individuals.
  3. Prepare students to deal with contemporary issues of multiculturalism and globalization that condition the problems and solutions with which such professionals will deal.
  4. Prepare students to be able to work with diverse populations and develop a clear understanding of the extent, causes, consequences and potential solutions to the problems of inequality, prejudice and discrimination.

 

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the Master of Science Degree Program in Applied Sociology must meet the following criteria:

  1. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Sociology, Criminal Justice, Social Work or a related social science field.
  2. Satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses: sociological theory, social research methods and elementary social statistics.
  3. GRE Score (Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections only). ETS has changed the GRE scoring methodology, please check with your graduate advisor for details regarding GRE requirements for admission.
  4. Completed application for admission and payment of application fee on file in the Admissions office.

To apply to the Master of Science Degree Program in Applied Sociology students should submit: a letter of intent, an autobiographical essay, a resume or curriculum vita, unofficial copies of all academic work, GRE scores and two letters of recommendation addressed to the Applied Sociology Graduate Coordinator by the deadline indicated on the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice's web page.

 

Requirements for Registering for Class

To register for courses in the M.S. in Applied Sociology curriculum, students must:

  1. Obtain the Graduate Coordinator's written authorization prior to registration each semester. Advising for all graduate courses is mandatory. Only after being advised by the Graduate Coordinator will students be allowed to register in the departmental office.
  2. Have an approved up-to-date degree plan on file with the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.
  3. Be in 'good-standing' (have and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all course work).

 

Degree Plan

To remain in good standing in the Master of Science in Applied Sociology Program, students must:

  1. Obtain the Graduate Coordinator's written approval for an individual degree plan prior to registering for their second semester of graduate course work.
  2. Obtain the Graduate Coordinator's written approval for all changes to the degree plan.

 

Admission to Candidacy

In order to file for Admission to candidacy for the master's degree, students must:

  1. Have achieved regular admission status.
  2. Have completed 12 hours of graduate degree credit at Southeastern with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
  3. Have a degree plan approved by the Graduate Coordinator.
  4. Have the application for admission to candidacy for the master's degree completed and signed by the student and by the Graduate Coordinator and submitted to the office of the Graduate Studies no later than 15 days after the first day of class of the next semester or term in which the student is enrolled.

 

Requirements for the Applied Sociology Degree

To receive the Master of Science (M.S.) in Applied Sociology Degree, students must:

  1. Satisfactorily complete 36 semester hours of graduate course work as outlined below.
      • No more than 6 hours of 500-level course work may be counted toward a degree.
  2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all course work.
      • No grade of "D" or "F" may be counted toward a degree. Any course to be counted toward a degree in which a "D" or "F" is earned must be repeated with a grade of at least "C."
      • No more than 6 hours of "C" grades may be counted toward a degree.
      • Only a grade of "B" or higher in core classes (SOC 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, and 606) will be counted toward a degree. Any core course to be counted toward a degree in which a "C" or lower is earned must be repeated with a grade of at least a "B."
  3. Complete either an Internship or Thesis Option as discussed below.
  4. Be recommended for the degree by the Graduate Faculty Committee.
  5. Meet all requirements for the M.S. in Applied Sociology degree within 6 years of enrolling the M.S. in Applied Sociology program.

 

SOC 601: Complex Organizations 3 hours
SOC 602: Social Stratification and Structured Inequality 3 hours
SOC 603: Applied Social Theory 3 hours
SOC 604: Applied Research Design and Methodology 3 hours
SOC 605: Advanced Statistics for Applied Sociology 3 hours
SOC 606: Evaluation and Assessment 3 hours
Concentration Electives* 12 hours
SOC 701: Field Internship or 770 Thesis Research and Thesis 6 hours
   
Total 36 hours

*Electives must be selected from one area of concentration.

 

Areas of Concentration

Criminal Justice
SOC 620: Applied Criminological Theory
SOC 630: Race, Gender, Class and the Criminal Justice System
SOC 635: Applied Mapping in the Social Sciences
SOC 645: Dimensions of Homicide

 

Globalization and Sustainability
SOC 501: Population
SOC 555: Urban Sociology
SOC 565: Social Change and Globalization
SOC 607: Social Policy
SOC 625: Population Policy
SOC 650: Applied Study Abroad
SOC 655: Applied Environmental Sociology
SOC 660: Participatory Research and Popular Education
SOC 665: Globalization and Social Transformation
The following may be used in any concentration when appropriate and approved by the Graduate Coordinator in the Applied Sociology program:
SOC 500: Independent Study
SOC 595: Special Topics Seminar
SOC 690: Independent Study in Applied Sociology
SOC 698: Special Topics in Applied Sociology

 

Internship Option

The internship involves application of sociological principles to work within an organization, agency, institution, or business setting, depending upon the student's areas of interest. The work is supervised by an Agency Supervisor, the student's Major Professor and an Internship Committee.
Internship Defense

Prior to graduation students choosing the Internship Option must report on their work before a forum of graduate faculty and graduate students. Before being recommended for graduation students must receive approval for their internship work from the Major Professor, Internship Committee members, Graduate Coordinator and the Department Chair.

 

Thesis Option

The thesis is a major work of independent research on an original topic, supervised by the student's Major Professor and Thesis Committee.

Thesis Proposal Defense

Prior to beginning their research students choosing the Thesis Option must defend their research proposal before a forum consisting of the Major Professor and Thesis Committee. Once approved, students may begin their thesis research.

Thesis Defense

Prior to graduation, students choosing the Thesis Option must defend their thesis before a forum of graduate faculty and graduate students. Before being recommended for graduation, students must receive approval for their thesis from the Major Professor, Thesis Committee members, Graduate Coordinator and the Department Chair.

Thesis Style and Binding
The thesis must conform to the format of the most recent edition of The American Sociological Association Manual of Style. Students must submit at least 4 copies of the final approved version of the thesis to the Graduate Coordinator for binding by the Sims Memorial Library.

 

Graduate Faculty

All faculty members in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice who are members of the University Graduate Faculty are members of the department's graduate faculty. They are eligible to teach graduate courses, supervise internships and theses, and serve on Internship and Theses Committees. The University Graduate Council must renew member status for graduate faculty every six years. Temporary graduate faculty status must be renewed annually; adjunct faculty must be renewed each semester.

 

Graduate Coordinator

The Graduate Coordinator is responsible for processing all applicants' application materials and presenting them to the Graduate Faculty Advisory Committee for approval. The Graduate Coordinator serves as the academic advisor for all graduate students, supervises their progress toward the M.S. degree, approves all graduate degree plans, and authorizes all students for registration in courses in the M.S. curriculum. The Graduate Coordinator assigns and supervises the work of all departmental graduate assistants. The Graduate Coordinator serves as the department's representative on the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Graduate Committee and on the University Graduate Council.
Graduate Faculty Advisory Committee

All graduate faculty members in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice shall serve as members of the Graduate Faculty Advisory Committee. The committee must approve all applicants to the program, must approve the awarding of all graduate assistantships, shall determine, after each semester, whether or not each student will be permitted to continue in the M.S. program, and must authorize any changes to the M.S. curriculum.

 

Major Professor

Students in either the Internship or Thesis Option must choose a Major Professor, with the latter's consent, to supervise their work or research and the written products of both. The Major Professor is responsible for supervising the student's work or research activities, coordinating the work of the Internship or Thesis Committee, scheduling and facilitating defenses, and editing and approving the final written product. The Major Professor is also responsible for reporting the student's progress to the Graduate Coordinator.

 

Internship/Thesis Committee

Students in either the Internship or Thesis Option will form a Committee consisting of the Major Professor and two additional members of the graduate faculty. The committee members should be chosen on the basis of their expertise in the field in which the particular student wishes to work or conduct research and must be approved of by the Major Professor and the Graduate Coordinator.

 

Graduate Assistants

The Graduate Faculty Advisory Committee, on the basis of merit, awards graduate assistantships. Graduate assistants are contractual employees who work under the supervision of the Graduate Coordinator and the professor(s) to whom they are assigned.