M.A. in Sociology
The Sociology Department at the University of South Florida offers a M.A. degree in Sociology. Typically requiring two years (four semesters) of full time study, students complete core requirements (Sociological Theory, Research Methods, Statistics) and electives, some of which can be graduate-level classes taken from departments other than Sociology. The capstone experience is a thesis which is an independent empirical research project designed, conducted, and written by the student with the assistance of faculty who are thesis committee members.
Recent thesis research has examined a wide variety of questions such as: What is the relationship between the events of 9/11 and hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims? How do teens attending an elite high school understand the meaning of money? How do child protective service workers help one another manage the overwhelming emotions from their work? How do college students in Taiwan understand the meaning of “anorexia”?
Recent graduates have continued their education in Ph.D. programs including those at University of Massachusetts, University of Illinois, University of Colorado, University of Missouri, University of Florida, University at Albany, Boston College, Rutgers, and Vanderbilt. Others have embarked on professional careers in teaching, research, and administration.