Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Search Close Search
Give
Toggle Menu

M.S. and Ph.D. Minor

About the M.S. and Ph.D. minor

All students in the M.S. or Ph.D. graduate minor program must meet the requirements of the Graduate College in addition to the requirements of the sociology program. Specific requirements of the graduate minor can be found below.

Theory (3 cr)

  • 1 course in sociological theory: Soc 506 (3 cr) Classical Sociological TheoryORSoc 607 (3 cr) Contemporary Sociological Theory

Methods (3 cr)

  • Soc 511 (3 cr) Research Methodology for the Social Sciences

Electives (6 cr)

  • 2 three-credit graduate-level courses in Sociology

Thesis and Other Requirements

  • Sociology graduate faculty member on POS Committee
  • Final oral exam must test for sociological content

TOTAL = 12 semester credits minimum

Theory (3 cr)

  • 1 course in sociological theory:Soc 506 (3 cr) Classical Sociological TheoryORSoc 607 (3 cr) Contemporary Sociological Theory

Methods (6 cr)

  •  Soc 511 (3 cr) Research Methodology for the Social Sciences
  • 1 course in advanced methods: Soc 512 (3 cr) Applied Multivariate StatisticsORSoc 513 (3 cr) Qualitative Research Methods

Electives (6 cr)

  •  2 three-credit graduate-level courses in sociology

Dissertation and Other Requirements

  • Sociology graduate faculty member on POS Committee
  • Preliminary and Final oral exam must test for sociological content

TOTAL = 15 semester credits minimum

Sociology Graduate Program Policies for Minors

  • Take one preliminary oral exam (Ph.D.) and one final exam (M.S. and Ph.D.) that incorporates disciplinary questions from the minor.
  • A required course may be waived for students who have taken a similar course at the graduate level at ISU or elsewhere (B or better). Decisions about waiving a required course will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students must submit the syllabus for the course for review by the DOGE and faculty in that research area.
  • Graduate-level courses from other institutions (B or better) may be applied toward electives with permission of the POS committee and DOGE. Graduate College Policy on Courses on Program of Study (POS)
  • With POS-committee approval, graduate students will be permitted to use undergraduate classes from both within and outside of their majors toward the POS (B or better).
  • Up to 9 credits from 300- and 400-level courses at ISU (not undergraduate classes from other institutions) may applied toward their POS, with a maximum of 3 credits at the 300 level (must receive B or better).
  • If a 300-level class is used, it must be from outside of the student’s major (psych, econ, etc.).
  • Expired courses (over 7 years old) must be approved by the Graduate College (see expired courses petition form).

Sociology Graduate Student Evaluation

All graduate students in sociology will be reviewed yearly by the faculty. After the review, the student will receive a letter as to whether progress and performance in the program is satisfactory or not. If not, the student will receive specific information from the faculty as to how to remediate the issue(s). If a problem is not rectified in accordance with the faculty’s recommendation, the student may be dismissed from the program.

Petitioning Procedures

Students may request a waiver of any of the procedures, rules, and regulations described in this document and appeal decisions based on these procedures, rules, and regulations. Such requests are to be submitted to the DOGE and department chair and should take the form of a written document that presents the student’s rationale for requesting the waiver or appealing a decision, accompanied by an evaluation of the request by the student’s advisor or major professor. The DOGE and chair will examine the issue, seek advice from departmental committees as necessary, and make the final decision. These petitions will be approved only under highly extenuating circumstances.

Resources