Compare MA Programs in Sociology in North America 2019

The Kean University Master of Arts in Sociology and Social Justice program prepares students to address inequality based on identity categories such as race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. It is the first of its kind in the state and the region. Social justice is the study of how social advantages and disadvantages are distributed, the relation­ship between social identity and inequality, and the practice of reducing the gap between them at local, national, and global levels. It is a perspective for understanding and for action. The program further seeks to inspire a commitment to democracy and firm principles of egalitarianism and equity that will prepare graduates for positions in research, teaching, public service, business and other positions where they may serve as agents of social change. The program emphasizes the interplay between theoretical and applied approaches in sociology, and provides students with an integrated culminat­ing practicum and master’s thesis experience. Successful graduates from our program will complete a total of 36 credits (including the practicum and the master’s thesis supervision). Our ideal student should have the passion to pursue jus­tice, the ability to argue for those who cannot, the knowledge to understand public issues, the courage to challenge op­pression, and the humanity to bring people together for a noble cause.... [-]

The MA program in the Department of Sociology is a two-year graduate program designed to provide students an intellectually stimulating and vibrant academic environment to enhance their “sociological thinking” through graduate-level coursework and thesis-based research. Each year, we seek to admit a small number of interested, enthusiastic, and qualified students.

Since our cohorts are small, students in our program benefit from close mentorship opportunities with supportive and interested faculty. Students also benefit from flexibility in course offerings and personal attention in designing a program aligned with their individual research interests. Typically, students will require a bachelor’s degree in Sociology to be admitted into the program, but a bachelor’s degree from other cognate disciplines, combined with a planned program of research grounded in sociological inquiry, will also be considered. Applicants are required to contact a potential supervisor prior to applying to the program to ensure suitability of their proposed research and to confirm a willingness on the part of the faculty member to act as their supervisor.... [-]

The Cultural, Social, and Political Thought major in the Master of Arts (MA) program is interdisciplinary within the humanities and social sciences and is based on a cohort learning model that fosters an environment of interdisciplinary engagement and exchange, research, peer mentoring, collaboration among a small group of students, within a team-based learning experience.

The overall academic aims of the major are to emphasize social, cultural, and political thought and to install the intellectual and practical tools to work successfully with community partners and agencies to facilitate social change. Students graduating from the Cultural, Social, and Political Thought major will demonstrate a range of professional skills (e.g., peer review, public presentations, critical thinking) and research competencies. Graduates are capable of producing novel, relevant, and rigorous research that makes significant contributions to interdisciplinary knowledge.... [-]

The Master of Arts (MA) in Sociology – Applied Social Research degree will focus on the application of social theories and research methodologies that assist in understanding and addressing the social problems and challenges of northern and rural communities, including Indigenous communities, in Canada and around the world. The program brings together faculty expertise in Sociology, Health and Populations Studies, Gerontology, Anthropology, Science and Environmental Studies, and Criminology and Criminal Justice. Active involvement in the community, government agency partners, a curriculum of research-intensive courses, and practicum placements will provide you with the theoretical foundations and quantitative and qualitative research skills to undertake applied research, evaluation and policy studies in government, not-for-profit and private organizations. There are three required courses that are the foundation of the degree and include: SOCI 5106 Advanced Sociological Theory; SOCI 5216 Research Design; and either SOCI 5217 Quantitative Analysis or SOCI 5417 Qualitative Analysis. You will be well prepared for more advanced studies in Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology at the doctoral level.... [-]

The MA in applied sociology enables graduates to get a competitive edge by learning assessment, diagnostic, evaluation, and intercultural communication skills, and by gaining important insights into diversity in the workplace and society, all of which many employers seek in their hiring/promoting. Because these skills and knowledge are of great value in virtually every occupational field, this Master’s program has demonstrated appeal in a variety of professional settings. These include, but are not limited to, departments of human resources or research and planning in banking, corporations, education, government, healthcare, insurance, marketing, and community and other nonprofit organizations.... [-]

The Master of Arts in Sociology is designed to provide students with advanced and up-dated instruction in quantitative and qualitative techniques of sociological research, statistics, and theory. Students will develop the advanced professional skills necessary to analyze social issues in applied settings. These skills include research grant writing, program evaluation, impact assessment, and community-based research. Students pursuing the MA in Sociology may specialize in Environment & Social Change & Development, Stratification, Culture & Institutions, or Applied Sociology.

"I change myself, I change the world." -Gloria E. Anzaldua

Founded in 1992 by internationally known trailblazers in the women's spirituality movement, the Women's Spirituality program offers an interdisciplinary, multicultural, decolonial feminist approach to the study of spirituality and religion. Our curriculum incorporates scholarship from women/gender studies, ethnic studies, religious studies, philosophy, religion, and related fields. We are the first Ph.D. granting graduate program in the United States to integrate a study of the sacred feminine with an examination of contemporary social, political, and ecological issues. ... [-]

Anthropology and Social Change is a small, innovative graduate department with a particular focus on activist scholarship, militant research, and social change. Our unique approach to ethnographic research methodology dissolves traditional barriers between research and political activism, between insiders and outsiders, and between researchers and protagonists. Ethnography is a tool for "creating the conditions we describe." We engage in the process of co-research to explore existing alternatives and possibilities for social change.

MA and PhD students learn how to apply the practice of direct action to the research process with the support of talented faculty. We set out to create the conditions we describe when our research begins to embody the values of the world we want to create.... [-]

In the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership program, you will learn the scholarly theories and practical tools to implement institutional changes that promote diversity and foster inclusivity. To be an effective leader in diversity and inclusion, you must understand the social contexts and psychological processes that result in implicit bias, discrimination, and marginalization. Illustration of diverse people with talk bubbles.

Organizations are increasingly creating roles such as chief diversity officers, diversity managers, consultants, educational administrators, human resources, and/or college admissions professionals that can transform their communities. At Tufts, you’ll become the strong, informed, skilled leader that can help create more inclusive organizations.... [-]

The New School is a progressive university in New York City where scholars, artists, and designers come together to challenge convention and create positive change. Founded in 1919, the university consists of Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts, The New School for Social Research, and numerous renowned graduate programs. The New School’s rigorous, multidimensional approach to education gives students the academic freedom to shape their unique, individual paths of study for a complex and rapidly changing world.

The MA in Sociology is a 30-credit program providing students with a thorough grounding in the historical, theoretical, and methodological development of sociology and gives students the tools to apply this knowledge in the world around them.... [-]

The New School is a progressive university in New York City where scholars, artists, and designers come together to challenge convention and create positive change. Founded in 1919, the university consists of Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts, The New School for Social Research, and numerous renowned graduate programs. The New School’s rigorous, multidimensional approach to education gives students the academic freedom to shape their unique, individual paths of study for a complex and rapidly changing world.

The program's core courses will ground you in the history of ideas and in the practice of sustained writing, while you develop an intellectual peer community. From there, you can branch out, taking advantage of the rich offerings and distinguished faculty of The New School. Work with both a faculty advisor and a student advisor to create a robust pathway tailored to your individual needs and academic ambitions. We offer a rich selection of courses with world-class professors who can extend your command of critical theory, the history of ideas, aesthetics, philosophy, politics, anthropology, media theory - wherever your curiosity takes you. Courses are available in both the daytime and the evening to fit into even the busiest schedule.... [-]

The Master of Arts in Sociology program provides a solid grounding in the following three areas of specialization:

All students must satisfactorily complete at least 30 credit hours of graduate course work plus a thesis (SOC 6998 and SOC 6999). The following courses are required for the degree:

Three courses:

Spotting the need for change isn't hard and it is possible to make a difference; all you need is a passion for social change and the skills necessary to put your ideas into action. Leading social change is hard work that requires innovative vision backed by entrepreneurial skills and a deep understanding of the problem at hand. Students pursuing a Master of Arts in Social Innovation (MASI) look critically at the roots of social challenges and injustice, then seek to create real change through bold new responses to poverty, inequality, human rights abuses and humanitarian crises.