The Department of Sociology offers a graduate program leading to a Master of Arts degree in Applied Sociology. Beyond a curriculum appropriate for general applied sociology, the program includes a graduate track in Domestic Violence as well as instruction and opportunity pertaining to the study of deviant behavior, social disorganization, social inequalities, and urban/environmental sociology. A primary focus of the program is the variety of social problems in society with special attention given to the central Florida area and the different community policies that have evolved to confront them. Toward this objective, the program promotes the application of sociological and social psychological knowledge, principles, and research skills in a variety of organizational, community, and institutional settings. Examples of competencies in applied sociology include effective skills in program design and evaluation research; planning, feasibility and needs assessment studies; data management, analysis and presentation; and the application of general systems and social conflict theories to organizational problems, community development and planned change.
Curriculum
Degree-seeking students in the Applied Sociology program may choose either the thesis or a nonthesis course of study. Both options require 30 hours of course work, at least half of which must be at the 6000 level or above. The thesis option is designed for students who plan to enter doctoral programs and is highly recommended for students interested in community college teaching. The nonthesis option is more appropriate for students entering or continuing professional careers following the MA degree.
Total Credit Hours Required:
30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
The Master of Arts degree is conferred when students have fulfilled the requirements of either the thesis or nonthesis option. Students must earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in the program’s core courses. Courses may be retaken to achieve a better grade; however, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their program of study.
By the end of their first nine hours of course work in the program, students should select a permanent faculty adviser and determine their preliminary program of study, either in the thesis or nonthesis track. Students should maintain close contact with their faculty adviser in order to develop a viable program of study and avoid graduation delays.
Required Courses—12 Credit Hours
Students receive an independent learning experience in the core by completing a research study in each of the 12 hours of required courses.
SYA 5625 Proseminar (3 credit hours): Should be taken as early as possible in the program.
SYA 6126 Social Theory (3 credit hours)
SYA 6305 Social Research (3 credit hours)
Elective Courses—12 Credit Hours
Students will select a minimum of 12 credit hours of unrestricted electives in consultation with their faculty adviser. No more than 3 hours may be taken in UCF graduate programs outside the
department. The department’s graduate director must approve all courses taken outside the department prior to enrollment.
A listing and description of courses offered by the Department of Sociology is found in the "Courses" section of the Graduate Catalog Menu.
Under special circumstances, students may enroll in a graduate-level Directed Independent Study course or a Directed Independent Research course to fulfill their nonrestricted elective course requirements. These courses, like most graduate seminars, require written research reports. Enrollment in these courses requires written approval from the student’s adviser. No more than 6 hours of graduate-level courses in Directed Independent Study or Directed Independent Research may be included in a student’s program of study.
Nonthesis students may substitute up to 6 hours of their elective course work by completing a graduate practicum/internship (SYA 6946). The practicum must be approved by the student’s permanent adviser and the department’s graduate program director.
Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours
The thesis option requires a minimum of 6 hours of thesis credit and a successful defense of a thesis. Students may enroll in thesis hours after they have successfully completed the four required courses and their thesis committee has been approved by the department and college.
Students’ permanent faculty adviser will chair their committee, which also will include two additional graduate sociology faculty members in the department. The additional members of the thesis
committee are selected in consultation with the student’s permanent faculty adviser.
When a topic has been selected, students, in conjunction with their permanent adviser, will develop a thesis proposal. Copies of the proposal will be routed to members of their thesis committee and a proposal hearing scheduled. All students must pass a proposal hearing as well as a final oral defense of their thesis. Students who elect to write a thesis should become familiar with the university’s requirements and deadlines for organizing and submitting the thesis.
Thesis (6 credit hours)
Nonthesis Option—6 Credit Hours
The nonthesis option requires that students complete SYA 6657 Program Design and Evaluation and 3 additional hours of elective course work in their area of specialization. The Program Design and Evaluation course (SYA 6657) requires community-oriented research projects to develop research skills in sociology.
SYA 6657 Program Design and Evaluation
Elective (3 credit hours)
Nonthesis students must take and pass a final written examination. The examination will be based on the sociology course work contained in the student’s program of study, which includes the five courses required for the nonthesis option.
Before students may register for the final examination, they must earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in each of the five core courses. The examination will be given once each semester. Students must notify the department’s graduate program director in writing of their intent to take the exam at least one month before the date fixed for the examination. A committee composed of at least three graduate sociology faculty members in the department will supervise the nonthesis examination.
The grading system for the examination is as follows: 1) Pass with Distinction, 2) Pass, 3) Conditional Pass, and 4) Fail. Students who receive a grade of Conditional Pass will be required to complete additional work as determined by the grading committee. Students who fail to pass the examination must retake it at the next scheduled examination period. Failure to pass the examination on the second attempt will result in dismissal from the program. Students who indicate their intent to take the examination but do not take the exam will be awarded a failing grade. A study guide is available to assist students in preparing for the examination.