College of Arts & Sciences

M.A.-Only Program

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants with Bachelor's degrees in Sociology (or related fields) who do not intend to seek a doctoral degree.

1. Submit scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination.
   
   Although an undergraduate major in sociology is not required, applicants should have completed undergraduate courses in social research methods and social statistics. Applicants seeking the Master of Arts degree who have not completed these courses can complete them at another school, apply for and complete them in postbaccalaureate status at Georgia State University, or complete them during their first semester of the M.A. program.
    
   
2. Complete the supplementary application form.
3. Submit two (2) letters of recommendation, preferrably from faculty personally acquainted with the applicant's academic achievements.
4. Submit a sample of written scholarly work (e.g. a term or research paper).
   

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The M.A.-Only Program is a 36 credit hour degree program beyond the Bachelor's degree (24 credit hours of course work and 12 credit hours of non-course work including thesis proposal hours and thesis research hours) with at least 30 hours of study in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University. 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 (A), Master's Electives (B), and Other Master's Requirements (C).

A. Master's Core Course Work (12 hours):
Soci 8000: Proseminar in Sociology (3)
Soci 8010: Intermediate Social Statistics (3)
Soci 8020: Research Methodology (3)
Soci 8030: Sociological Theory I (3)

B. Master's Elective Course Work (12 hours or 4 courses):
Students with post-Bachelor's degree course work from other accredited (non-online) 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 and the Office of Graduate Studies of the College of Arts and Sciences. With the approval of the departmental Director of Graduate Studies, up to 3 hours (one course) may be taken in a related field or fields and/or up to 3 hours of Soci 8970: Directed Readings may be taken.

C. Other Master's Requirements (12 hours of non-course work):
Soci 8998: Thesis Proposal (3)
A thesis proposal and oral defense.
Soci 8999: Thesis Research (9)
A thesis and oral defense.

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 courses. 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 30 hours in sociology, 24 hours of which must have been earned in regularly scheduled courses in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University.
3. Students must register for Soci 8990: Research Practicum (3-9 hours) and Soci 8991: Teaching Practicum (3-9 hours) while they are appointed as a Graduate Assistant.
4. Students must take 2 hours of Soci 8000 in the Fall semester and 2 hours of Soci 8000 in the Spring semester of their first year in the M.A.-Only Program.