Social Sciences – Master of Arts

Requirements for Admission

1. General admission to graduate study and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5.
2. Completion of an undergraduate major or minor in geography, government or political science, history, social studies teaching, sociology, paralegal studies, women's studies, psychology, anthropology, economics, international studies or allied discipline. All applicants are required to submit official transcripts showing relevant coursework and grades received.
3. Admissions index of at least 781, where the index is calculated by multiplying composite GRE score by undergraduate GPA. Alternatively, a minimum LSAT score of 140 will be accepted.
4. Two letters of recommendation are required, and at least one should be from a professional familiar with the applicant's academic ability. Also, applicants must submit a one-page (single-spaced) statement outlining their career goals and objectives as they relate to the program.
5. Upon discretion of the admissions committee, conditional admission may be granted to applicants with otherwise strong credentials whose undergraduate GPA or GRE/LSAT scores are slightly below regular admission requirements for the program. Students are eligible for full admission if they achieve a 3.25 GPA after 12 hours of coursework in the program. General admission to graduate study is still required in any case of provisional admission to the program.
6. International students must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of 525 is required for program admission. International students are required by INS regulations to be enrolled in a minimum of six hours of on-campus classroom courses each semester.
7. Application materials must be submitted by July 24 for fall semester admission and November 23 for spring semester admission, and April 23 for summer semester admission.

Maintaining Enrollment in the Program

For program enrollment, students are expected to maintain an appropriate level of academic performance and keep a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to graduate. Any student receiving two "Cs" (or below) will be placed on probation. If a student on probation receives a third grade of "C" or below, he or she will be dismissed from the program. Student progress will be monitored by a graduate committee consisting of four graduate faculty members.

Competencies for the Master of Arts in Social Sciences

Upon successful completion, M.A. in Social Sciences students are expected to:

1. Demonstrate familiarity with social science theories, concepts, issues, and their application, especially within the disciplines of geography, history and sociology.
2. Apply discipline-specific concepts to real-world scenarios in ways that show critical understanding of social issues.

Assessments for the Master of Arts in Social Sciences

1. In each class in the program, students are expected to achieve a minimum grade of "B"; thereby, maintaining a minimum program GPA of 3.0.
2. Selected student competencies will be assessed in each course of the student's program.
3. Students pursuing a non-thesis master's degree must pass written and oral exit exams. Passing for the written exam is considered to be 70 percent or higher; and for the oral exam, it is by agreement of the majority of the committee.
4. Thesis-option students must complete and orally defend a thesis as evidence of satisfactory application of social science theory and method, research design, data interpretation, and written and oral communication skills.

Program Requirements: Master of Arts in Social Sciences - Non-thesis

Required Core

ISS 604	Interdisciplinary Social Science	3
ISS 650	Social Thought and Theory	3
ISS 617	Globalization	3
ISS 633	Special Topics in Regional Studies	3
ISS 651	Gender	3
ISS 652	Race	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Non-thesis Concentration

Social Sciences electives

	Social Sciences electives
Total Credit Hours:		15

Electives: (IGEO, IHIS, ISOC or other Social Science course 600-level or above that is not part of the required core. Courses that focus on reviewing basic concepts and pedagogy (like GEO 680 - Geography for Teachers, or HST 680 - History for Teachers) will not be accepted for elective credit.

Pass written and oral Exit Exam

Program Requirements: Master of Arts in Social Sciences - Thesis

Required Core

ISS 604	Interdisciplinary Social Science	3
ISS 650	Social Thought and Theory	3
ISS 617	Globalization	3
ISS 633	Special Topics in Regional Studies	3
ISS 651	Gender	3
ISS 652	Race	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Thesis Concentration

Research Methods:

SOC 655	Qualitative Research for the Social Sciences	3
SOC 615	Sociological Research	3
RAPP 611	Spatial Analysis	3
Total Credit Hours:		3

Social Sciences electives

	Electives	6
Total Credit Hours:		6

Any IGEO, IHIS, ISOC or other Social Science course 600-level or above that is not part of the required core). These are courses that focus on reviewing basic concepts and pedagogy (like GEO 680 - Geography for Teachers, or HST 680 - History for Teachers) will not be accepted for elective credit.

Thesis Research

Select one group:

Group 1:

ISS 699A	Thesis I	3
ISS 699B	Thesis II	3

Group 2:

IGEO 699A	Thesis I	3
IGEO 699B	Thesis II	3

Group 3:

IHIS 699A	Thesis I	3
IHIS 699B	Thesis II	3
	or
SOC 699	Thesis	6
Total Credit Hours:		6

Successful defense of thesis

Total Credit Hours: 33