Master of Arts in Sociology
Graduate Director -
Office: Liberal Arts Building, Room 359
Phone: 208.282.4947
The Sociology Graduate
The graduate of a sociology program typically has a balanced perspective of self and of society. As a result, the graduate has the versatility for understanding the pressing issues of our times and for offering both theoretically and pragmatically acceptable solutions to them. From the early stages of the student's academic career, emphasis is placed on educating each student to utilize sociological precepts in various employment opportunities.
It is within this framework that the graduate of the sociology master's program has many opportunities working for various public and private agencies. Specifically, a graduate may work in the fields of personnel management, corrections and probation, environment, and recreation, and in research facilities in a number of related fields. Some recent graduates are employed as researchers in law enforcement, corrections, community service agencies, local and state government as well as teaching.
While many M.A, graduates find advanced positions in the above occupations, some continue advanced kinds of research as Ph.D. students. Their successes are a positive reflection of the sincere efforts of the Idaho State University Sociology faculty.
Admission to Program
In addition to the criteria for admission to the Graduate School, students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0) for all upper division credits taken as an undergraduate, or the permission of the Graduate Director to apply. All applicants with a GPA lower than 3.5 must take the GRE and score a minimum of the 40th percentile in one of the three sections if the GRE. Three letters of recommendation must accompany the application.
Prerequisites to Program
For full admission to the graduate program in sociology, the student must have completed the following courses or their equivalents.
- SOC 101 - Intro to Sociology
- SOC 207 - Social Statistics
- SOC 206 - Social Science Research Methods
- SOC 301/403 - Social Theory
Plan of Study
Required Courses (15-18 credits)
- SOC 502 - Proseminar
- SOC 508 - Advanced Sociological Statistics
- If SOC 408 was taken as an undergraduate, 3 credit hours of electives will be substituted for SOC 508.
- SOC 600 - Comparative Sociological Theories
- SOC 603 - Seminar: Topics in Methods
- SOC 650 - Thesis (minimum 6 credits)
Sociology Electives (15-18 credits)
- SOC 503 - Contemporary Sociological Theory
- SOC 513 - Mind, Self and Society
- SOC 531 - Criminology
- SOC 562 - Social Stratification
- SOC 567 - Community Networking
- SOC 582 - Independent Problems
- SOC 591 - Seminar
- Selected topics, e.g. Environmental Sociology, War and Peace, Crime and Corrections, Sociology of Sport, The American Family and TV, Elite Crime, Sex Crimes against People.
- SOC 601 - Sociological Theories
- Selected topics in Theory.
- SOC 605 - Social Organization
- Selected topics of social organization.
- SOC 607 - Social Differentiation
- e.g. Global Racial Formation.
- SOC 613 - Social Behavior
- Themes as collective behavior, social psychology, deviance, ethnography, and neo-positivistic approaches to behavioral analysis.
- SOC 615 - Social Institutions
- e.g. Medicine and Society, History of Social Institutions.
- SOC 620 - Seminar
- Philosophy of Social Science.
- SOC 621 - Seminar
- e.g. Sociology of Everyday Life, Buddhist Social Theory.
- SOC 649 - Independent Studies
The sociology electives may be selected from 500 and 600 level courses in Sociology or other graduate courses approved by the sociology graduate director. A minimum of 15 credits must be 600 level courses.
A minimum of 33 credits is required.
In addition to the required courses and 15-18 credits of elective courses, students must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination, thesis proposal presentation and oral defense of the completed thesis.