SOCIOLOGY

www.bsu.edu/sociology

North Quadrangle 205, 765-285-5977

PROGRAM

The master of arts (MA) in sociology is designed to prepare students for professional employment or doctoral study in sociology at other universities

MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY

Admission requirements

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and present evidence of preparation to do work in sociology.

Degree requirements

The master of arts in sociology requires 33 hours. Students must complete a 15-hour core of required courses. To complete the remaining 18 hours, students will choose one of the following options, depending on their needs and backgrounds: thesis, institutional research certificate, teaching certificate, or directed electives in methods and statistics. The research methodology course requirement is met by SOC 681.

PREFIX NO SHORT TITLE CR HRS

Core requirements, 15 hours

SOC 600 Soc Inquiry 3

603 Readings 3

681 Survey 3

682 Statistics 3

684 Data Analys 3

Complete one option

Thesis option, 18 hours

THES 698 Thesis (1-6) 6

Electives 12

———

33 hrs

Institutional research certificate
option, 18 hours

ID 602 Instit Res 3

SOC 588 Field Exp (1-3) 3

Electives 12

———

33 hrs

Certificate in college and university
teaching option, 18 hours

EDHI 609 Prep Prof 3

610 Isu High Ed 3

ID 601 Teach Prac 3

6 hours from

EDAC 634 Adlt Learner (3)

635 Tchg Adlts (3)

699 Internship (2-6)

EDFON 610 Wmn Gndr Ed (3)

EDHI 611 Tch Cur H Ed (3)

613 Adm Fin H Ed (3)

640 Comm Col (3)

EDTEC 660 Instr Design (3)

690 Practicum (2-4) 6

Electives 3

———

33 hrs

Directed electives in methods and
statistics option, 18 hours

6 hours from

COMM 602 Quan Resrch (3)

605 Qual Resrch (3)

EDPSY 645 Nonpar Stats (3)

EDSTU 660 Ethno Res Ed (3)

697 Grantmnshp (3)

GEOG 544 Adv GIS Anly (3)

HSC 670 Rsearch Tech (3)

PSYSC 680 Res Meth Psy (3)

equivalent courses to be

determined with advisor 6

Electives 12

———

33 hrs

Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available each year to students who have maintained a minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0. There is a stipend, and part of the tuition is waived. Graduate assistants should plan for and expect assistantships to begin in the fall semester and end at the close of the spring semester. Renewal of the assistantship for a second year is available.

SOCIOLOGY (SOC)

502 Sociological Theory. (3) Focuses on sociological theories of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The investigation includes the intellectual and cultural backgrounds from which theories developed.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 402.

520 Social Inequality. (3) Examines causes and consequences of social class, status, and mobility in the United States and other countries.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 320.

521 Racial and Cultural Minorities in the United States. (3) Examines the causes of prejudice and discrimination toward minorities in the United States, minority group experiences, and proposals for reducing prejudice and discrimination.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 421.

522 Social Trends in Contemporary Societies. (3) Analysis of social trends in contemporary societies.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 422.

523 Industrial and Post-Industrial Society. (3) Examines the social effects of the Industrial Revolution and Post-Modernity, the continuing importance of technological change, social structures of industrial organizations, and expansion of the service and health sectors.

527 Sociology of World Religions. (3) Study of the relationship between society and religion.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 427.

528 Globalization and Third-World Societies. (3) Examines developmental and globalization trends in third-world societies. The effects of industrialization, mass media, population growth, rapid urbanization, and pressures from other societies are also examined.

531 Social Gerontology. (3) Examines the effects of social and cultural factors of the aging process including an analysis of policies and programs designed to meet the needs of older adults.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 431.

537 Global Inequality. (3) Examines social inequalities linked to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and other conditions occurring worldwide.

541 Social Change. (3) Analyzes social movements and resistance to these movements.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 441.

570 Population and Demography. (3) Investigates contemporary demographic patterns and their implications for the future. Issues of composition, distribution, and growth of human populations are addressed.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 470.

572 Urban Dynamics and Problems. (3) Examines the historic functions and institutional dynamics of the city with special reference to contemporary urban problems, including issues of community diversity and solidarity.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 472.

574 Seminar on Middletown Studies. (3) Focuses on two works by the Lynds, “Middletown” and “Middletown in Transition,” and more recent studies about Muncie, Indiana. Includes participation in a continuing sociological project.

580 Sociological Research Design. (3) Examines the basic principles of conducting and analyzing sociological research.

Not open to students who have credit in SOC 380.

583 Evaluation and Qualitative Research. (3) Examines the nature of evaluation and qualitative research methodology. Provides experience in proposal writing as well as evaluation design and implementation.

588 Internship 3: Field Experience. (1-3) Unpaid supervised field experience in a business, industrial, governmental, educational, or other setting. Supervision will be jointly provided by sociology faculty and employers.

Prerequisite: permission of the sociology internship coordinator and the department chairperson.

A total of 6 hours of credit may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term.

590 Independent Study in Sociology. (1-3) Topics to be chosen and investigated in consultation with an instructor possessing special competence in the subject involved.

Prerequisite: permission of the department chairperson.

A total of 6 hours of credit may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term.

600 Sociological Inquiry. (3) Examines the nature of sociology, types of research data, and the formulation and reporting of sociological research. Focuses on the preparation of research proposals.

603 Readings in Sociological Theory. (3) Focuses on the reading and in-depth study of significant contemporary sociological works.

Prerequisite: SOC 502 or equivalent.

644 Family and Gender. (3) Comparative perspectives on the historical transformations that have influenced family and gender relationships are considered. Cultural variations will be evaluated as they relate to social problems and policy initiatives.

664 Advanced Seminar in Social Gerontology. (3) Examines the sociological components of aging as an increasingly significant social phenomenon in contemporary American society.

Prerequisite: SOC 531 or equivalent.

669 Internship 2: Paid Field Work. (3) Paid supervised field experience in a public agency or business setting. Training involves data analysis, evaluation research, and implementation of agency programs under the supervision of the employer and the department.

Prerequisite: permission of the department chairperson.

A total of 6 hours of credit may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term.

681 Survey Research Methods. (3) Provides practical knowledge on how to develop and conduct surveys.

682 Social Statistics. (3) Calculation, application, and interpretation of statistics used in social and behavioral sciences.

684 Advanced Sociological Data Analysis. (3) Selection and use of advanced statistical techniques for analyzing sociological data. Topics include multiple regression and other multivariate models.

Prerequisite: SOC 682.

699 Seminar in Selected Topics in Sociology. (3) Explores selected topics relevant to the discipline of sociology providing a critical evaluation from a variety of perspectives. May be repeated for different topics.

A total of 18 hours of credit may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term.