Program Requirements

Students may choose a thesis program or a non-thesis program. The requirements for each are listed below. All students must take three core courses: 1) SOCI 6312 (Intermediate Social Statistics), 2) SOCI 7210 (Theory Seminar), and 3) SOCI 7320 (Methods of Social Research). Students must earn a minimum grade of "3.0" in each core course.

The Thesis Program

• 30 semester hours of graduate level work, which includes 24-27 hours of course work and a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 6 hours of Sociology 7996 (Thesis).
• At least 24 semester hours of course work must be in sociology.
• Only 6 hours of course work can be at the 6000 level.
• No more than 6 semester hours of Directed Individual Study (SOCI 7912) can be applied to degree requirements.
• The student must pass an oral thesis defense that counts as a comprehensive exam.

The Non-Thesis Program

• 33 semester hours of graduate course work, only 6 hours of which can be at the 6000 level.
• At least 27 semester hours of graduate course work must be in sociology.
• No more than 6 semester hours of Directed Individual Study (SOCI 7912) can be applied to degree requirements.
• The student must pass both oral and written exams in the areas of 1) sociological theory, 2) sociological research methods and statistics, and 3) a substantive area (e.g., sociology of gender, sociology of religion, deviant behavior, stratification, medical sociology, globalization) chosen by the student in conjunction with the graduate coordinator.

For additional information about program requirements and course descriptions.