Graduate Program in Sociology Department

The M.A. degree in Sociology is a 30-unit program. Most classes are taught in the evening one night a week. Some classes meet twice a week from 4:30-5:45 p.m. Students are admitted to the program "conditionally" while completing any prerequisites as described below.

All of our M.A. students are required to complete four undergraduate sociology prerequisites with a grade of B or better for each. If these courses, or their equivalents, have not been taken, or were completed with a grade lower than B, the courses must be taken and a grade of B or better earned before taking other required courses in the program:

• Social Theory (Soci 101),
• Introduction to Statistics (Soci 102 or other Intro to Statistics course),
• Quantitative Research Methods (Soci 104) and
• SPSS Applications (Soci 103).

Students entering the sociology graduate program are required to demonstrate adequate graduate level writing skills in English. Students' writing skills are evaluated during the first semester of the theory course (Soci 201A). If a student's writing is determined to need substantial improvement, the student will be required to take a writing course in addition to any other prerequisites before becoming Classified in the program. After completing required prerequisites, all students must also complete an advanced theory class (Soci 201A) and an advanced research design class (Soci 200A) with a grade of B or better for each class to achieve Classified status.
As students progress through the set of core courses, they may pursue their specific research interests that culminates in a Master's thesis (Plan A) or a Special Study project (Plan B). Approximately 50 graduate students are in our program at any specific time.

M.A. in Sociology, General

Having achieved classified status, all students are required to take Soci 200B(Research Methods II) and Soci 201B(Sociological Theory II). The remaining courses in the 30-unit program are elective seminars, internships, and a master's thesis or a special project chosen with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.

M.A. in Sociology, Criminology Concentration

All requirements are the same as in the General M.A. program except that the following course work must be completed: Soci 253 (Advanced Criminology), plus two courses chosen from Soci 254 (Deviance and Social Control), Soci 256 (Contemporary Issues in Criminology), and Soci 258 (Advanced Corrections).

For completion of the M.A. degree:

Every student must pass a comprehensive examination in theory and one in research methods.
Plan B (non-thesis) students must also pass comprehensive examinations in two subjects taught by two different professors at SJSU. (Criminology concentration students must pass these exams in two criminology subjects taught by two different instructors).

M.A. Internship Opportunities

M.A. students may choose internships worth up to six units in non-profit, private, or government sectors as well as at community colleges. Students may apply to work on a faculty's project as a research intern. All internships must be approved by the graduate advisor prior to enrollment.

Employment Possibilities:

General M.A. Degree in Sociology: Community college instructor, researcher, data analyst, outreach and recruitment coordinator, counselor, research program director.

M.A. Degree in Sociology with Criminology Concentration: Investigator, victim advocate, juvenile probation officer, adult probation officer, sheriff, community college instructor.

Ph.D. Programs:

Students graduating from the SJSU Sociology M.A. program have been admitted to fine Ph.D. programs throughout the country. Most recently, students have gone on to study at UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Davis, Stanford, Iowa, UCLA, Indiana, Emory, Univ. of Miami, and the Univ. of Texas-Austin.

Applications

Admissions Requirements

Graduate Admissions is a two-step process. You must first be accepted by the University. Once SJSU determines that you meet the requirements for Graduate Admissions, your application is referred to the Sociology Department for additional consideration by the Graduate Committee of the department.For admission to the graduate program we require a

• A GPA of 3.0
• A 2-4 page statement of purpose.
• 2 letters of recommendation.
• And a writing sample.

For details on admission requirements for San Jose State University, consult the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations(GAPE) or contact the graduate admissions specialist for Sociology at (408) 924-5333.

Test Requirements

All graduate applicants whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English, must demonstrate competence in English with a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The department does not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at this time.

Application deadlines:

Fall Semester 2011
Application Deadline: March 18th, 2011
Document Deadline : April 8th, 2011

Spring Semester 2011
Admissions are closed.

To Apply:

Graduate Admissions is a two-step process.

• First, you must apply to the University using the on-line application. Once it is determined that you meet the requirements for SJSU Graduate Admissions, your application will be referred to the Sociology Department for additional consideration by the Graduate Committee of the department.
• Second, send directly to the Sociology Department (1) a 2-4 page statement of purpose, (2) 2 letters of recommendation, and (3) a writing sample. These will be evaluated along with the materials forwarded from Graduate Admissions.

For details on admission requirements for San Jose State University, consult the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations(GAPE) or contact the graduate admissions data specialist for Sociology at (408) 924-3354

Applications to San Jose State University must be submitted electronically. The application is available through CSUMentor which has a link on the GAPE and the Sociology Department websites.

Application codes:

For the M.A. with a Concentration in Criminology: 22091
For the General Sociology M.A.: 22081

Send application materials, including official transcripts, directly to:

Graduate Admissions
Graduate Studies and Research San Jose State University One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192-0025

Send letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and writing sample to:

Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Sociology Department
San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0122
Phone: (408) 924-5320
Email: socio@email.sjsu.edu
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/sociology

Graduate Advisor: Dr. Preston Rudy
Email: preston.rudy@sjsu.edu
Phone: 408-924-5866

Application Process for Master's Degree in Sociology

Admission to the university

Acceptance into the Master's Degree Program at San Jose State University is a two-part process. An applicant must first be admitted to the university and then be accepted into the department.
In order to be admitted to SJSU, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college
2. Have at least a 2.5 grade point average in the last 60 semester/90 quarter units attempted, independent of when the baccalaureate was granted. Lower division courses or courses taken through Open University or Extension (except when concurrently enrolled at SJSU in upper division courses), after obtaining the bachelor's degree will excluded from calculation.

Students wishing to be admitted to the University must follow the instructions supplied by the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations and apply through the CSU Mentor website. Once applications and transcripts are received, the materials will be evaluated by GS & R. The student will not be admitted to the University until the department accepts them. Please be advised that there can be a four to eight week delay from the time the application is submitted on the CSUMentor website until the application material is referred to the Sociology Department.

Admission to the Sociology Department

The department is notified once applicant materials have been evaluated and the materials will be forwarded to the Sociology Department. A graduate committee will determine whether or not a student meets the additional requirements for admittance to the Sociology Department's graduate program.

The Sociology Department requires supplemental materials above and beyond what the University requires in order to evaluate the applications. These should be sent directly to the Department. Additionally, the admission criteria reflect standards that are higher than that of the based admission criteria for graduate study at SJSU.

1. A 3.0 grade point average.
2. Two letters of recommendation from faculty members who know the applicant's potential for graduate school. In certain cases, one letter may be from an employer who can attest to the applicant's ability and potential for graduate work.
3. A 5-10 page writing sample: Preferably a paper written in a sociology course, or in related field. The writing sample should highlight the applicant's writing ability and analytical skills.
4. A Statement of Purpose: This is a 2-4 page (typed, double-spaced) statement of the applicant's purpose for applying to graduate school, their career goals, and areas of interest or specialization.
5. Submit all supporting material to the Sociology Department (letters, statement of purpose, writing sample).

Please note: If you are accepted, we do not defer admissions. In other words, if you do not enroll for the semester you are accepted, you will have to reapply.
For further information or questions, contact the Graduate Advisor, Dr. Preston Rudy (preston.rudy@sjsu.edu; 408-924-5866). Address: Sociology Department, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA 95192-0122.