Master of Science in Applied Sociology

 

Faculty


Professors: Donald A. Hicks, Murray J. Leaf, Lawrence J. Redlinger, Richard K. Scotch, Paul Tracy
Associate Professors: Bobby C. Alexander, Philip K. Armour, Bruce Jacobs, Paul Jargowsky
Assistant Professors: Karen Hayslett-McCall, Sheryl Skaggs

Mission Statement

The mission of the M.S. program in Applied Sociology is to teach students theoretical concepts, empirically based knowledge, and research competencies from the discipline of sociology and related fields that will prepare them for employment related to the development, implementation, and assessment of sound social policy, as well as further study in sociology, other social sciences, and related professions. The program objectives are that students completing the program will be able to demonstrate the ability to apply sociological concepts and research findings, particularly those concepts and findings relevant to political economy and social policy; develop basic statistical and evaluation research skills; and develop basic skills in professional communication appropriate to the discipline of sociology.

Objectives

The M.S. in Applied Sociology is designed to prepare students for employment in the non-profit and public sectors, as well as related for-profit settings, by providing training in applied social research, statistics, and program evaluation; sociological theory as it relates to social problems, social policy, and social institutions; and in substantive fields such as health care, education, criminal justice, mental health, social welfare, youth development, and community development. The degree program develops skills and competencies which also can lead to further study in doctoral programs in the Social Sciences, including the doctoral program in Public Policy and Political Economy at U.T.Dallas.

Facilities

Students have access to the computing facilities in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the University�s Computing Center. The School has two computing laboratories which have over 50 computers that are network linked and equipped with major social science software packages, including E-Views, R, Rats, SPSS and STATA. A computerized geographic information system, the Lexis Nexis Database, and WestLaw are also available for student use. The University�s Computing Center provides personal computers and UNIX Workstations. Many important data and reference materials are also available online via the library�s and School�s memberships in numerous organizations.

Prerequisites

There are no required prerequisite courses in sociology for the Applied Sociology program, although prior coursework in social theory, research methods, and social statistics are desirable. Prospective students with concerns about their preparation for the Applied Sociology program are encouraged to consult with the program coordinator.

Degree Requirements

The University�s general degree requirements are discussed here.

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Applied Sociology has three components and requires the completion of 36 semester credit hours: 12 credit hours of core courses in Applied Sociology, 15 credit hours of Applied Sociology guided electives, and 9 credit hours of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) electives. Students must achieve at least a 3.0 grade point average in the Applied Sociology core courses and an overall grade point average of 3.0 to graduate.

Core Courses in Applied Sociology (12 hours):


POEC 5313 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
SOC 6312 Social-Economic Theories
SOC 6350 Social Stratification
SOC 6352 Evaluation Research Methods in the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
Or POEC 5310 Research Design I

Applied Sociology Guided Elective Courses (15 hours):


Any graduate-level courses with a SOC prefix outside of the core may be applied to this requirement. Students may apply other graduate courses from the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences with the permission of the program coordinator.

Social Science Electives (9 hours):


Any graduate-level courses in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences may be applied to this requirement. Students are encouraged to consult with the program coordinator in order to select courses appropriate for their academic and professional career goals.