MA, Sociology

Degree Program Summary:

The Graduate Program in Sociology is directed primarily toward students whose ultimate goal is to receive a Ph.D. The Master of Arts degree is designed as a preparation for the Ph.D., so we do not have separate M.A. and Ph.D. curricula. Instead, students complete their M.A. en route to the Ph.D. degree. All students entering the program receive strong basic training in research methods, theory, and analytic techniques, as well as instruction in several major substantive areas. Students are expected to complete the M.A. degree in two years, after which time they are reviewed for official entry into the Ph.D. program. Work toward the Ph.D. involves coursework and intensive study in one of the department’s five areas of concentration, completion of written and oral comprehensive exams, and completion of a dissertation.

The doctoral program in the Department of Sociology is located at the University of Georgia in Athens. UGA is consistently ranked as one of the top 20 public institutions in the United States and thus offers students a wide variety of resources needed for a successful graduate career. The department offers students training that ready them for careers in teaching and research. All students receive preparation in sociological theory, research methods, statistics, and teaching sociology. In addition, our faculty offers specific course instruction and one-on-one training in a variety of areas within sociology which include:

Crime, law, and deviance
Family, Life Course, and Aging
Gender and inequality
Latin American society
Medical Sociology, physical and mental health
Politics, culture, and social change
Racial and Ethnic Relations
Social psychology
Work, occupations, and organizations

Our department features nationally prominent faculty whose research is routinely published in the top journals in sociology. As a result of our strong research record, and a favorable faculty-to-student ratio, we have a history of successful student-faculty research collaboration. Because our objective is to train students for jobs in academic and/or research settings, we also offer numerous opportunities for professional socialization. The first year in the program, students attend a weekly pro-seminar that introduces them to the world of academic sociology, covering topics from troubleshooting in the classroom to how to write articles for publication. In the final two years of the program, students attend an informal job market seminar in which they develop the materials and hone skills necessary to compete in the academic job market.