The Master of Science degree in Sociology is designed to prepare graduates with the skills necessary to enter the professional workforce as sociologists or to pursue further study at the doctoral level. Students have the opportunity to acquire a knowledge base in sociological methods, theory and in areas of growing community concern, including health, aging, religion, socioeconomic development, gender issues, and race and ethnic relations. They will have the necessary research skills to define social issues and problems, select data collection techniques, establish appropriate analysis methods, develop statistical reports, and undertake policy analyses for businesses, governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. 

Admission

Students applying for unconditional admission must satisfy University-wide and College-wide graduate admission requirements and be recommended for admission by the Graduate Program Committee of the Department of Sociology. Applicants must have completed 18 semester credit hours of undergraduate courses, 12 of which must be at the upper-division level in sociology or related areas, including a course in research methods or statistics.  Applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of undergraduate and graduate work.  

Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be considered for conditional admission. Conditional applicants must submit indicators of preparation for graduate study, such as completion of additional undergraduate coursework to remove deficiencies, completion of 9 or more semester credit hours of graduate courses, and the achievement of a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. An applicant not eligible for either unconditional or conditional admission may be recommended for admission as a special graduate student (or a non-degree-seeking student). This does not guarantee subsequent admission as a degree-seeking graduate student; such students must reapply for degree-seeking status.  Other admission requirements include submission of a personal statement indicating your interest and goals in studying sociology, three letters of recommendation from references who can speak to your qualifications for the graduate program, and an academic writing sample.  For more information on each of these requirements, see ‘Admissions and Requirements’ in the drop menu. 

Application Deadlines

Deadlines for Fall admission are July 1 for domestic/permanent resident applicants and April 1 for international applicants.

Spring admission deadlines are November 1 for domestic/permanent resident applicants and September 15 for international applicants.

Summer admission deadlines are April 15 for domestic/permanent resident applicants and February 15 for international applicants.

Degree Requirements

The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove deficiencies, is 36.  This includes 9 semester credit hours of core courses, including:  SOC-5003 (Sociological Theory), SOC-5063 (Research Design), and either SOC-5073 (Quantitative Research Methods) OR SOC-5033 (Qualitative Research Methods); 21 semester credit hours of prescribed electives from the remaining sociology courses listed in the catalog [3 credit hours may be an approved non-sociology course]; and  6 semester credit hours of Internship or Thesis. 

Degree candidates must complete the following requirements:

A: 9 semester credit hours of core courses:

• SOC 5003 Sociological Theory
• SOC 5063 Research Design
• SOC 5073 Quantitative Research Methods; OR SOC 5033 Qualitative Research Methods

B: 18 semester credit hours of prescribed electives from the following courses:

• SOC 5033 Qualitative Research Methods (if not taken under section A above)
• SOC 5043 Evaluation Research
• SOC 5053 Professionalization Seminar
• SOC 5073 Quantitative Research Methods (if not taken under section A above)
• SOC 5083 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
• SOC 5123 Family Contexts and Social Change
• SOC 5133 Sociology of Health and Health Care
• SOC 5143 Demography and Community Trends
• SOC 5173 Religion, Health and Mortality
• SOC 5203 Social Stratification
• SOC 5213 Race and Ethnic Relations
• SOC 5223 Mexican Americans: Community, Culture, and Class
• SOC 5233 Sociology of Gender
• SOC 5253 Border Studies
• SOC 5263 Cultural Studies
• SOC 5323 Sociology of Childhood
• SOC 5333 Language and Society
• SOC 5343 Education and Reproduction of Inequality
• SOC 5353 Crime and Delinquency
• SOC 5363 Theory Building and Methods
• SOC 5403 Social Movements
• SOC 5423 Social Psychology
• SOC 6043 Immigration and Society
• SOC 6063 Health and Health Disparities
• SOC 6143 Sociology of Religion
• SOC 6903 Topics in Advanced Sociology
• SOC 6973 Special Problems*

*This has included such classes as How to Publish in Sociology; Political Sociology, and Public Sociology

C: 3 semester credit hours of additional electives in sociology or other approved discipline(s)

D: 6 semester credit hours of Internship or Thesis:

• Internship option. Students may participate in an internship (the nonthesis option) after completion of 18 semester credit hours.  Internships offer work-oriented experiences in local organizational settings where the principles, theories, concepts, and methods of the discipline can be applied. A research paper under the supervision of assigned faculty is required.
• Thesis option. Students may select the thesis option after they have completed 24 semester credit hours.

E: Comprehensive examination. Degree candidates are required to pass a written comprehensive examination. The examination is scheduled after a student has completed at least 18 semester credit hours including all core courses in the program.  Registration for SOC 6961 Comprehensive Examination is only required if the student is not registered for any other course in the semester he or she is taking the comprehensive examination.

Graduate Student Handbook

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More Information

For more information, contact:

Joanne Ford-Robertson, Graduate Advisor of Record
Master of Science in Sociology Program
Phone: 210-458-6239
Email: joanne.fordrobertson@utsa.edu

UTSA Department of Sociology
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX  78249

You may also visit UTSA’s Graduate School web site.