Department Chair:  Laura Hecht

Program Coordinator:  William E. Wagner, III

Program Office:  Dorothy Donahoe Hall, AA207

Telephone:  (661) 654-2206

email:  wwagner@csub.edu

Website:  www.csub.edu/GradStudies/soc.html

Faculty:  D. Anderson-Facile, R. Dugan, A. Kebede, V. Kohli, D. McMillin (FERP), E. Molina, K. Nyberg, J. Ross (FERP), G. Santos, R. Shirer, W. Wagner III

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Program Description

The Master of Arts in Sociology program is an advanced study of human social relations.  It requires in depth study of institutional, structural, and historical patterns that govern human social behavior.  The scope of study at the graduate level includes micro, macro, and global perspectives.  The program is designed for students seeking career advancement, pursuing a career in community college teaching, or preparation for doctoral program.  For that reason, the program offers three options or “tracks”:  a Thesis Option, a Teaching Option, and a Special Project Option.  The program of study is enhanced by opportunities for qualified students to work on campus as a Research Assistant in the Applied Research Center, as Teaching Assistants in the Department or in area community colleges, or work in the community via Internship programs.

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Requirements for Master of Arts in

Sociology

The MA in Sociology program has common admission and continuation requirements for all graduate students in the program, but different requirements for course work, advancement to candidacy, and graduation, depending on the graduating option chosen by each student.

Requirements for Admission

Admission to the Master of Arts in Sociology program requires that the following minimum criteria be met:

1.   Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

2.   GPA of 2.5 overall and 3.0 in the major and 1400 combined score in the three areas on the GRE test, with no less than 450 in any one test area.

3.   A satisfactory TOEFL score (a minimum of 550) or 213 on the new conversion scale for International students.

4.   In lieu of the minimum score requirements listed in item 2. above, a student may petition the Sociology Graduate Program Coordinator for an exception.

Persons seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Sociology program must complete two separate applications:

1.   Apply through the Office of Admissions and Records for admission to the University; this application for general admission at the post-baccalaureate level will be processed by the university.  Applications are available online (www.csub.edu).  Admission to post-baccalaureate study by the University does not constitute acceptance into the Sociology MA Program.  It does, however, permit students to take selected courses as unclassified post-baccalaureate students and to begin the process.

2.   Apply to the department for admission as a graduate student for the Master of Arts in Sociology.  Applications are available online (www.csub.edu/Sociology/).  The following materials must accompany the departmental application:

      a.   Formal letter of intent.

      b.   Three Student Recommendations (Form B).

      c.   Example of writing ability (published paper, conference paper, term paper, etc.).

      d.   Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores.  (A student may petition the Sociology Graduate Program Coordinator for an exception.)

      e.   Completed Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) or ENGL 310 or equivalent from another university.

Admission is for enrollment beginning in the Fall Quarter.  Completed applications to the MA in Sociology program are due by May 1.  Completed applications to the University must be on file by that date, as well.  The Sociology Graduate Program Coordinator, with the advice of the faculty, will consider all completed applications received by May 1, and notify the candidate of her/his admission status before May 31.  For any exception to the application deadline or enrollment quarter, you may petition the Sociology Graduate Program Coordinator.

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Student Classifications

Classified Standing - Students who meet the admissions requirements (above) will be admitted as Classified Graduate Students.

Conditionally Classified Standing - Students may seek to be Conditionally Classified (a requirement for financial aid) by consulting with the Sociology Graduate Coordinator and demonstrating a commitment to work toward an MA in Sociology.  Generally, students found in this classification will have applied for the Sociology MA Program and will have been admitted to the Program with conditions, such as taking certain courses or examinations.  Upon completion of such conditions, students will be administratively advanced by the Graduate Program Coordinator to Classified status.

Advancement to Candidacy - Advancement to Candidacy requires the following:

1.     Classified status.

2.     Completion of 25-quarter units of graduate work at CSUB applied toward the MA in Sociology, all of which are at the 500-level or above and with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

3.     A Thesis Proposal approved by the Thesis Committee and filed with the Department; or a Project Proposal approved by the student’s committee and filed with the Department; or an approved proposal for the Teaching Track Option.

Graduate Advisor - It is the student’s responsibility, in consultation with the appropriate faculty members, to choose a graduate advisor, choose an MA track or fields of study, and organize a thesis or examination committee leading to Advancement to Candidacy.

Academic Advising - Until an advisor is selected, the Graduate Program Coordinator will serve as interim advisor.  Upon admission, however, the student should select an advisor as soon as possible.  Failure to select an advisor may result in the Graduate Program Coordinator assigning the student an advisor.

Transfer of Credit - Students may transfer up to 13.5-quarter units (9 semester units) of credit from another school.  A student may apply, with the approval of his/her graduate advisor, up to 10-quarter units of credit taken at CSUB while an Unclassified Post-baccalaureate Student.

Continuation - Continuation in the program is dependent upon the following:

1.   The maintenance of a GPA of 3.0 or higher for all graduate work at CSUB.

2.   Achieving no grade less than a “C” (2.0) in any course applied to the MA in Sociology, and no more than one course with a grade of “C” (2.0) will be accepted toward the MA in Sociology.

3.   Continuous enrollment (being registered for credit-bearing study for three out of four consecutive academic quarters).  Students who have not completed all requirements for the thesis must register every quarter.

4.   Students failing to meet these stipulations may be dropped from the program.  To re-enter, a student will be required to apply for re-admission to the program.

5.   Prior to completion of 20 units, a student must complete the following:

      a.   Select an advisor, form a committee (of at least three faculty members), and file the completed and approved “Declaration of Committee” form (www.csub.edu/Sociology/) with the Department.

      b.   File an approved “Requirements and Plan of Study” (www.csub.edu/Sociology/) with the Department.

6.   Graduate students who have completed all required coursework for their master’s degree, but still need additional time to complete their thesis may maintain “continuous enrollment” by registering for SOC 700 through Extended University.

Graduation - Only classified students who have met the following requirements are eligible for graduation.

1.   Completion of the requirements listed in the Plan of Study.

2.   GPA of 3.0 or better in graduate work at CSUB applied toward the MA in Sociology.  No more than one course with a grade of “C” (2.0) will be accepted toward the MA in Sociology.

3.   Completion of all culminating experience requirements as stipulated under the Thesis or Non-Thesis options, below.

4.   All requirements for the MA in Sociology must be completed before the student may participate in graduation ceremonies.

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MA Programs in Sociology

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers three tracks for the MA in Sociology: the Thesis Option, the Teaching Option, and the Special Project Option.  Three courses are required of all Masters students (BEHS 500 Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral Sciences; BEHS 501 Advanced Research Design and Analysis; and SOC 502 Advanced Sociological Theory) with the remaining units being comprised of course work established in the Plan of Study developed by the student and his/her committee.  Only five independent study units can be applied to the student’s Plan of Study.

Research for the master’s thesis or project that involves data from/about human subjects may be required to be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects Research (IRB/HSR).  For additional details, see page 362.

Requirements for the MA in Sociology-Thesis Option (45 Total Units)

Required Course Work (15 Units)

BEHS 500 Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral

Sciences

BEHS 501 Advanced Research Design and Analysis

SOC 502 Advanced Sociological Theory

Elective Course Work (21 Units)

These units, 10 of which must be at the 500-level and the remaining at the 400-level or above, will be selected based on the advice and recommendation of the student’s advisor and faculty committee.

Thesis Experience (SOC 695) (9 Units)

May be taken over several quarters and must be devoted to the following sequential activities:

1.   Write and submit a thesis prospectus for Thesis Committee approval.  This prospectus must include thesis objectives, proposed literature review, proposed methodology, and predicted findings.

2.   Once the prospectus is approved, thesis work up to and including the successful defense of the thesis.

Requirements for the MA in Sociology-Teaching Option (50 Total Units)

Required Course Work (25 Units)

BEHS 500 Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral

Sciences

BEHS 501 Advanced Research Design and Analysis

SOC 502 Advanced Sociological Theory

SOC 597 Special Issues in Teaching Sociology

SOC 598 Directed Study in Teaching Sociology

SOC 693 Culminating Experience in Teaching

Sociology

In addition, all students will be required to serve as a teaching assistant for a lower division sociology class at CSUB for which they will not earn any academic credit.

Elective Coursework (25 Units)

These units, 10 of which must be at the 500-level or above, will be selected based on the advice and recommendation of the student’s advisor and faculty committee.

Culminating Experience in Teaching Sociology (SOC 693) (4 Units)

Students must prepare and satisfactorily complete the following:

1.   Detailed syllabi for two sociology classes, one of which must be an introductory sociology class and the other a course agreed upon with the student’s advisor.

2.   A detailed list of books and reading materials that could be used in the two classes above.

3.   A detailed outline of tests, paper topics and guidelines, homework exercises and other items by which students that are enrolled in the above mentioned classes might be evaluated.

4.   A research paper on a topic of relevance to the elective class.

5.   A sample class lecture on the same topic open to faculty and students-at-large.

Requirements for the MA in Sociology-Special Project Option (50 Total Units)

Required Course Work (20 units)

BEHS 500 Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral

Sciences

BEHS 501 Advanced Research Design and Analysis

SOC 502 Advanced Sociological Theory

SOC 694 Culminating Experience in Special Projects

Elective Course Work (30 units)

These units, 15 of which must be at the 500-level or above, must be approved by the student’s advisor and faculty committee.

Culminating Experience

There are two ways to meet the culminating experience requirement for the MA in Sociology - Special Project Option, both of which occur by taking for credit, no-credit SOC 694 Culminating Experience in Special Projects, under the supervision of the student’s advisor and faculty committee:

Agency-Based Project

a.   Submit for approval to the student’s faculty committee a prospectus for the Proposed Project, which shall include a description of the intended project, its objectives, methods that will be used, the scholarly literature that will be consulted, and the timetable proposed for all stages of the project.

b.   Present and defend a Final Report on the project to the student’s faculty committee in a meeting open to faculty and students-at-large.

Mastery of Two Areas of Sociology

a.   Submit for approval to the student’s faculty committee a prospectus for two area papers, which shall include the identification of the two areas of sociology for which the student intends to demonstrate mastery.  Two lists of proposed readings, and a timetable for the preparation, writing, and submission of each area paper.

b.   Examination of student on each area by his/her faculty committee in a meeting open to the faculty and students-at-large.

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BEHS 500 Quantitative Methods in the Behavioral Sciences (5)

(For course description, see listing under “Interdisciplinary Courses.”)  [F]

BEHS 501 Advanced Research Design and

Analysis (5)

(For course description, see listing under “Interdisciplinary Courses.”)  [W]

SOC 502 Advanced Sociological Theory (5)

Examination of current sociological theorizing, including contemporary formulations of classical theory and new theoretical innovations and applications.  Introduction to theory construction and formal theoretical expressions.  Prerequisite:  SOC 301 and SOC 302 or equivalents.  [S]

SOC 506 The Modern World‑System (5)

Advanced seminar on the structural processes, history, current condition, and future trends of the five-century-old modern world-system.  Topics include a discussion on what constitutes historical social systems, the origins and expansion of the modern world-system, cycles of hegemony and economic expansion, the core, semiperiphery and periphery, the interstate system, the interenterprise system, the global transformations of the post-world-war period, and the role and impact of the antisystemic movements over the last three centuries.  [W]

SOC 512 Advanced Social Psychology (5)

An exploration of theory and research concerning factors that influence individual social behavior.  Focuses on the construction of meaning and how meanings inform action, the reciprocal nature of relationships between individuals and larger social structures.  [S]

SOC 524 Seminar on Deviance (5)

Provides an in-depth examination of the theories advanced to explain social deviance.  Discussion will center on the structure and logic of these theories as explanations of deviance, on an analysis and critique of the empirical research designed to test each theory, on the gaps in the research literature, and on the types of research that will further test the adequacy of each theory.  The linkages and interconnections between each of the theories considered in the seminar will also be discussed.  Prerequisite:  SOC 324.  [F]

SOC 527 Advanced Theories of Race, Nation, and Ethnicity (5)

Advanced seminar on the theories of race, nation, and ethnicity, and their effectiveness in understanding the historical transformations of peoplehood in the modern world-system up to the present time.  The approach will be global and interdisciplinary, comparing and contrasting selected cases.  [W]

SOC 564 Seminar on Family (5)

An analysis of the family as it appears in different social class and ethnic groups in the United States.  Specific attention will be given to Latino, African-American, and Asian families.  Demographic trends in household composition, divorce, remarriage, immigration, and fertility and the impact of these trends on the family will be addressed.  Some consideration may also be given to family systems in other countries.  The intent of the course is to provide a critical and informed look at the family and its sociological significance as a central social institution.  [W]

SOC 565 Seminar on Sex and Gender (5)

In this seminar we treat gender as a social relationship of privilege and oppression.  We begin by analyzing the construction of gender as a social/political category.  We pay attention to the ways in which gender inequality is created, sustained, and changed through cultural and institutional practices.  We analyze the links between gender, class, and race, and we explore how social locations in these multiple systems of privilege and oppression shape women’s and men’s experiences of gender.  The seminar carries a heavy reading load and students are expected to participate in seminar discussions.  [Variable Quarters]

SOC 571 Seminar on Gender, Race, and Labor (5)

In this seminar we analyze the role of women and men in productive (paid) and reproductive (unpaid) labor.  The seminar begins with a historical overview of the relationship between labor markets, wages, and gender ideology.  We then analyze work in a contemporary context.  Topics include but are not limited to an exploration of:  (a) the double day of paid and unpaid work; (b) the wage gap; (c) protective legislation; (d) economic restructuring and the feminization of the labor market; and, (3) women’s resistance to labor exploitation.  Through this seminar, we examine how race, ethnicity, and social class influences women’s experiences of productive and reproductive labor.  This seminar carries a heavy reading load, and students are expected to participate in seminar discussions.  [Variable quarters]

SOC 577 Advanced Topics in Sociology (1-5)

Exploration at an advanced level of selected topics in sociology.  May be repeated for different course content.  [By Petition]

SOC 597 Special Issues in Teaching Sociology (1)

This is a practicum course designed to prepare students to teach sociology.  Topics covered include managing large classes, facilitating small group discussions, encouraging in-class presentations, incorporating technology in the classroom, selecting films, teaching about non-western societies, and teaching sensitive topics.  [By Petition]

SOC 598 Directed Study in Teaching Sociology (5)

This is a practicum course to be conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor from a college or university in CSUB’s service region.  Weekly meetings with faculty sponsor and supervised experience which may include administering and developing examinations, course development, discussion group leadership, selected lectures, and in-depth directed readings of relevant topics.  Prerequisite:  SOC 597 and consent of instructor, who will serve as sponsor, and approval by Chair of Department of Sociology and Anthropology.  [By Petition]

SOC 693 Culminating Experience in Teaching Sociology (4)

Students who have completed all other prerequisites for the MA in Sociology - Teaching Option must culminate their graduate program by taking and passing this course.  Upon satisfactorily preparing, completing, and presenting the following tasks to the student’s faculty committee, the student will be granted the MA in Sociology:  a detailed syllabus for two sociology classes, one of which must be an introductory sociology and the other should be in a substantive area of the student’s choosing; a detailed list of books and reading materials that should be used in these two classes; a detailed outline of tests, paper topics and guidelines, homework exercises and other items by which students who are enrolled in the these classes might be evaluated; a critical literature review on a topic of relevance to the elective class; and, finally, deliver a sample class lecture to the faculty committee on the same topic in a session open to faculty and students-at-large.  Offered on a credit, no-credit basis only.  [By Petition]

SOC 694 Culminating Experience in Special Projects (5)

Students who have completed all other prerequisites for the MA in Sociology - Special Projects Option must culminate their graduate program by taking and passing this course.  There are two ways of passing this course:  (a) by performing an agency-based project or (b) by demonstrating mastery of two areas of sociology.  Upon satisfactorily preparing, completing, and presenting the tasks associated with either type of special project to the student’s faculty committee, the student will be granted the MA in Sociology.  Offered on a credit, no-credit basis only.  [By Petition]

SOC 695 Master’s Thesis in Sociology (1-9)

[By Petition]

SOC 699 Individual Graduate Study (1-5)

Investigation of an approved project leading to a written report.  Project selected in conference with professor in area of major interest.  Regular meetings to be arranged with professor.  [By Petition]