Students seeking admission to the M.A. program in the Department of Sociology must meet all the requirements for admission to the NIU Graduate School. In addition to the standard requirements for graduate admission, the master’s program requires degree-seeking applicants to submit the following materials:
Baccalaureate Field: A B.A./B.S. from Sociology or related field is required. Course work in sociological theory and methods is required. Students without the course requirements in theory and methods will be advised by the graduate advisor on how to obtain these before enrollment.
Unofficial Transcripts: A B.A./B.S. transcript is required by the graduate school. International students should review additional information about transcripts.
Grade Point Average: At least 3.0/4.00 cumulative GPA (or equivalent) is required.
Official Test Scores: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) not required for admission. International students should review additional information about test scores.
Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation are required from individuals who can speak to your ability to be successful in the completion of a graduate-level degree program. The individuals who submit a letter for you should be individuals who have an academic relationship with you.
Personal Statement: Your required personal statement should outline your preparation for graduate study in your chosen field, as well as your goals for graduate school and beyond. In the statement, also explain why you believe the Sociology program at NIU can best help you meet your goals.
Resume/CV: Copy of current resume/CV in a pdf format indicating your professional or volunteer experience is optional.
Deadlines: Applications are accepted only for the Fall semester (August) enrollment. Priority consideration for funding is February 1. If funding is not needed, application dates are May 1 for international students living abroad and July 1 for applicants residing in the U.S.
Requirements
The Department of Sociology has reserved seats in the M.A. program exclusively for University Honors students majoring in Sociology at NIU. To take advantage of this admission program, students must graduate with a Sociology undergraduate degree and must complete University Honors requirements. Conditional upon sufficient available funding, competitive Graduate Assistantships with tuition remission and stipends may be available for well-qualified University Honors students.
Graduate courses are classified into six fields: theory; research methods and statistics; social organization and institutions; social psychology; race, gender, and social inequality; and criminology.
Students must earn an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher and a minimum grade of B- in SOCI 670, SOCI 671, SOCI 674, SOCI 676, and SOCI 677.
The M.A. degree requires the successful completion of 33 credits, including 6 credits of a capstone experience: either SOCI 602 (Internship) or SOCI 699 (Thesis). Students who intend to complete the internship capstone must pass a comprehensive examination in sociological theory and research methods.
No more than 12 semester hours in 500-level graduate courses may be included in the student’s program for the master’s degree.
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.
Check departmental information for any additional requirements.
Students must take 6 semester hours in this course.
Four elective courses in one or two of the following areas: theory; research methods and statistics; social organization and institutions; social psychology; race, gender, and social inequality; criminology; or another area approved by the graduate advisor (12).
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