Master of Science (M.S.) in Sociology

Total Credit Hours: 30          Degree Format: Traditional

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, & Criminal Justice offers the Master of Science degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Applied Sociology.

The Sociology program emphasizes the learning of applied sociology to improve people's lives and to resolve social problems. Our program, which can be completed in eighteen months, will teach you, for instance, how to analyze actual organizations, conduct evaluation research, and improve group effectiveness. "Sense making" is a skill which you will develop through courses and the required field experience which gives you the opportunity to practice sociology in applied settings under supervision.

Our students develop a sociological toolkit that they can take with them after graduation, to use on the job, while volunteering, and in their personal relationships.

Program Coordinator: Dr. Anne Price, email: SociologyMS@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5491

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, & Criminal Justice Website

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice (SACJ) - Sociology Program Page

ADMISSION DEADLINES

• Fall Semester: July 15
• Spring Semester: November 15
• Summer Semester: April 15

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Online Graduate Application

• Application Fee (credit or debit card and e-checks accepted)
• Apply Online

Official transcript from your bachelor's degree-granting school and from any graduate coursework.

• Transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at VSU will be obtained by the Graduate School
• Must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.50 on 4.0 scale calculated on all attempted coursework.
• See Important Program Information for additional prerequisites

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) OR Millers Analogies Test (MAT) 

• Minimum GRE Requirements:
  • 800 combined verbal and quantitative scores.
  • If taken July 2011 or later: 286 combined verbal and quantitative scores.
• Minimum MAT Requirement: 389
• Scores are waived for Spring 22 and Summer 22 semester.  The department is in the process of removing this requirement permanently.

Sample of Written Work

• A copy of a sample of written work submitted for credit in an upper-division or graduate-level course in Sociology or current major field.
• If a sample of written work that was submitted for credit is not available, then the applicant should contact the program coordinator for instructions on writing a personal goal statement to substitute for the sample of written work. This goal statement should describe reasons why the applicant wishes to pursue graduate study in Sociology at VSU and should be submitted directly to the Graduate School as part of the admission file.

Two Recommendations

• General Recommendation Form Required
• Please enter the name and email of your recommenders as you complete the application. They should receive an email inviting them to compelte the recommendation after that. If they do not receive the email (or find it in their spam folder), they may submit their recommendation as an email attachment to gradschool@valdosta.edu. The General Recommendation Form can be used if the email from the online recommendation system does not arrive.
• Letters must be accompanied by the required form or submitted through the online recommendation system.

VSU Medical Form 

• The form must be completed and signed by the student/applicant.
• This form must be received prior to enrollment, NOT prior to admission.
• Applicants who are currently enrolled, and those who attended VSU in the past, are not required to resubmit the Medical Form

Unless otherwise indicated above, all required documents must be received on or before the admission deadline for your file to be reviewed. It is the applicant's responsibility to allow adequate time for document delivery and to en-sure receipt of documents. Please allow at least 7-10 days for delivery by mail.

IMPORTANT PROGRAM INFORMATION

• An undergraduate degree in sociology is not required, however, students without an undergraduate degree in sociology should show evidence of successful completion of an undergraduate sociological theory course, an undergraduate statistics course, and an undergraduate social science research methods course, including training in SPSS (The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS 

International applicants must meet all admission criteria and documentation requirements as defined by the program, however, additional documentation may be required.  Please review the information below for specific information and guidelines.

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Exam – Applicants whose first language is not English (based on country of citizenship) must submit official scores on the TOEFL exam. International applicants whose first language is not English but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
• Certificate of Finances- The Certificate of Finance is required of any applicant requiring a student visa to enter the United States to complete his or her studies. This document is considered a part of the application for admission and applications will not be reviewed without this document.  Applicants who do not require an I-20 student visa to complete their studies are exempt from this requirement.
• Evaluation of International Transcripts - Applicants who have completed coursework at an institution outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course evaluation of the coursework.  This transcript evaluation must be completed by an international education credentials evaluation service such as Josef Silny, ECE, etc.  The transcript evaluation does not replace the transcript requirement. Official transcripts are still required.

ADMISSION CLASSIFICATION

• Regular Status
• Probationary Status

HAVE QUESTIONS?

• Call Us: 229-333-5694 
• Email Us: gradschool@valdosta.edu 
• Visit Us: Converse Hall (Main Campus), Third Floor, Suite 3100

For additional program details contact the Program Coordinator: Dr. Anne Price, email: SociologyMS@valdosta.edu, phone: 229-333-5491.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
2. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
3. To receive a Master of Science degree with a major in sociology, students must successfully complete the core requirements and develop competence in an area of sociological practice, as outlined below.
4. Students must  pass a written comprehensive examination.
5. Students must fulfill the application of knowledge requirement, which is achieved by successfully completing six credit hours of SOCI 7800 Sociological Practice.

Graduation Requirements Page - Sociology Program

RETENTION, DISMISSAL, & READMISSION POLICIES

1. A 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. No grade below “C” will be credited toward the M.S. degree with a major in sociology.
2. Students will be dismissed from the M.S. program if they accumulate three or more academic deficiency points. A grade of “C” (while it will be credited toward the M.S. degree) equals one deficiency point. A grade of “D” (which will not be credited toward the M.S. degree) equals two deficiency points. A grade of “F,” “U,”or “WF” (none of which will be credited toward the M.S. degree) equals three deficiency points.
3. A student must apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. A student must wait a minimum of two semesters before applying for readmission. If the student has deficiencies in core courses (SOCI 7011, 7012, 7021, 7022, or 7050), the student must retake only those core courses that have deficiencies until the number of deficiency points is fewer than or equal to two. If the student has deficiencies in elective hours (whether sociology courses or courses from any other program), the student shall take only SOCI electives until the number of deficiency points is fewer than three. No elective hours outside of sociology will be accepted to make up deficiency points.
4. No more than 6 semester hours of academic work may be transferred from another institution into a master’s-level graduate program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old at the time of admission unless otherwise approved by the program.
5. After admission, courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of degree completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements or admission to doctoral candidacy requirements unless otherwise indicated by individual program requirements.