Graduate Studies

Sociology
2024-2025

Please refer to the Sociology graduate program section for information including departmental contact information, a list of graduate faculty members, program description, and course descriptions.

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Master of Arts in Sociology

Requirements for Enrollment
  • A minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA with a minimum 3.25 major GPA OR
  • A minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA with a minimum 3.30 GPA in the last 30 credit hours taken at WIU
  • Clear statement of purpose (2-3 pages)
  • Three academic letters of recommendation
  • Writing sample (7-10 pages)
Integrated Degree Program Description

Students will apply to the Integrated B.A./M.A. program during their junior year and will have accumulated at least 90 semester hours at the end of that year. They will have completed two key requirements for the entrance into the program: SOC 333 Classical Sociological Theory and SOC 324 Social Research Methods II. Nine semester hours at the 400B level may be used to satisfy both the graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Integrated Degree Requirements

I. Core Courses: 12 s.h.

SOC 518 Classical Theory (3)
SOC 519 Contemporary Sociological Theory (3)
SOC 530 Statistical Methods (3)
SOC 531 Quantitative Methods (3)

II. Directed Electives: 12-15 s.h. (dependent on exit option)

SOC 405G/B Sociology of Aging in Rural and Urban America (3)
SOC 410G/B (cross-listed with WS 410G) Women and Poverty (3)
SOC 414G/B Population (3)
SOC 420G/B (cross-listed with AAS 420G and WS 420G) Race, Class and Gender (3)
SOC 424G/B Sociology of Mental Health (3)
SOC 425G/B Juvenile Delinquency (3)
SOC 426G/B Industrial Sociology (3)
SOC 427G/B Sociology of Sexual Identities and Inequalities (3)
SOC 430G/B (cross-listed with WS 430G) Sociology of Women’s Health (3)
SOC 432G/B (cross-listed with POLS 432G) Survey Methods (3)
SOC 435G/B (cross-listed with WS 435G) Women and Crime (3)
SOC 445G/B Sociology of Corporate Crime (3)
SOC 455G/B Sociology of Corrections (3)
SOC 460G/B The Family (3)
SOC 461G/B Educational Sociology (3)
SOC 462G/B Political Sociology (3)
SOC 463G/B Sociology of Law (3)
SOC 464G/B Sociology of Religion (3)
SOC 465G/B Deviance, Crime and Control in Socio-Historical Perspective (3)
SOC 471G/B Urban Sociology (3)
SOC 480G/B Deviance and Disruption in the American Family (3)

In addition, students are permitted to take 3 semester hours of 400G and above level coursework from another department (by approval) as stated in the Graduate Catalog.

III. Select one of the following exit options:

A. Non-Thesis Plan

SOC 699 Sociology Non-Thesis Paper (3)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 30 s.h.

An oral presentation of a paper, which can be based on an area of the student's course work, will be given to the departmental faculty. The paper must be approved by the student's exit option committee, and the paper is to be kept on file in the Department.

B. Internship Plan

SOC 694 Graduate Internship (6)

SOC 698 Internship Presentation (0)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 30 s.h.

The internship site must be approved by the student’s advisor. A written internship report must be approved by the student’s exit option committee, and the report is to be kept on file in the Department.

C. Thesis

SOC 600 Thesis Research (3)

SOC 601 Thesis in Sociology (3)

TOTAL PROGRAM: 30 s.h.

A thesis proposal must be approved by the student's thesis committee before research for the thesis is undertaken. A final oral defense of the thesis is required.