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  Nov 22, 2009
 
 
    
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[ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Arts in Sociology

Applicants for admission to the program should have a background equivalent to 3 semester hours in sociological theory, sociological methods, and statistics. Students with deficiencies in these areas may be required to take appropriate course work to remove these deficiencies as soon as possible after enrollment. Students admitted to these programs with stipulated deficiencies will be informed by the graduate adviser of the courses that must be taken.

Graduate courses are classified into six fields: theory, research methods and statistics, social organization and institutions, social psychology, sociology of health and aging, and criminology. The specific classification of courses by field can be obtained from the sociology office.

Students must earn an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher and a grade of A or B in SOCI 675, SOCI 676, and either SOCI 670 or SOCI 671.

The M.A. degree can be earned by the successful completion of either a thesis or a non-thesis option in the program. Students planning to pursue the doctorate should enroll in the thesis option. Students planning to enter or resume careers at the master’s degree level should enroll in the non-thesis option. All new master’s students are required to consult with the departmental graduate adviser before being admitted to courses.

No more than 12 semester hours in 500-level graduate courses may be included in the student’s program for the master’s degree with a thesis option, and no more than 15 hours in 500-level graduate courses may be included in the student’s program for the master’s degree with a non-thesis option.

The total credit from courses taken for graduate credit at other accredited institutions that are accepted in transfer plus credit earned at NIU as a student-at-large may not exceed 9 semester hours.

To meet the comprehensive examination requirement the student must pass a written examination in sociological theory and research methods. The examination is offered at least twice a year and is required of both thesis and non-thesis students.

Thesis Option

The thesis option is designed primarily for pre-doctoral students or for those desiring a traditional liberal arts master’s degree. Students pursuing the thesis option will be required to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours either in the track in general sociology or in the specialization in criminology.

General Sociology

  • Four courses in one of the following areas: theory, research methods and statistics, social organization and institutions, social psychology, sociology of health and aging, criminology, or another area approved by the graduate adviser (12).

Specialization in Criminology

  • Two electives in criminology selected from graduate offerings in consultation with the graduate adviser (6)

Non-Thesis Option

The non-thesis option is designed for those students who expect to follow careers that do not require the doctorate. Students pursuing the non-thesis option will be required to complete a minimum of 36 semester hours including 6 semester hours of SOCI 602, Internship, a set of core courses (12 semester hours), an applied sequence (6 semester hours), and the track in general sociology or the specialization in criminology (12).

At the discretion of the department, the requirement for SOCI 602 may be waived if a student has had appropriate professional experience. In such cases, SOCI 602 will be replaced by 6 semester hours of electives chosen in consultation with the graduate adviser.

Core Courses

Applied Sequence

The applied sequence is a set of courses thought to have particular relevance for types of employment appropriate for master’s-level sociology graduates and is intended to complement a traditional sociological education, not to replace a professional degree in another field. The applied sequence consists of a set of two courses in one of the following areas: public health applications, quantitative methods, applied social research, organizational analysis, community programs and development, social policy analysis, modeling skills, budgeting and planning, or a specially designed applied sequence approved in advance by the graduate adviser.

General Sociology

Four courses in one of the following areas: theory, research methods and statistics, social organization and institutions, social psychology, sociology of health and aging, criminology, or another area approved by the graduate advisor (12).

Specialization in Criminology

  • Two criminology elective courses selected from graduate offerings in consultation with the graduate adviser (6)

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