Sociology, Master of Arts

Admission

Eligible students possess a baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 and 18 undergraduate credits in sociology or a related social science. International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. 

Competitive assistantships are available for qualified full-time students. Please visit Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships for more information. 

Office of Graduate Admission
718-990-1601
[email protected]

Courses

Based on the expertise of our faculty and the professional needs of our students, our program offers the following options to complete the M.A. The non-thesis options may be completed as a one-year hybrid applied program.

Thesis Option

15-credit core
Nine credits of elective courses
Six credits of SOC 900 Master’s Research

Non-Thesis Option – General

15-credit core
18 credits of elective courses
Comprehensive Examination

Non-Thesis Option – The Global City and Social Justice

15-credit core
12 credits of elective courses within the concentration
Six credits of general elective courses
Comprehensive Examination

Non-Thesis Option – Confronting Inequalities

15-credit core
12 credits of elective courses within the concentration
Six credits of general elective courses
Comprehensive Examination

The required core courses are:

• SOC 127; 127L Statistics for Social Science (Pre-requisite for SOC 300)
• SOC 210 Sociological Theory: Classical
• SOC 212 Sociological Theory: Contemporary
• SOC 300 Social Research: Strategies and Tactics (Pre-requisite for SOC 301)
• SOC 301; 301L Evaluation Research & Data Analysis

Elective courses include:

• CRM 122 Drugs and Society
• SOC 107 Social Deviance
• SOC 115 Sociology of Gender
• SOC 117 Family Violence
• SOC 120 Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 121 Sociology of the Family
• SOC 131 Sociology of Youth
• SOC 170 Social Psychology
• SOC 200 Sociology of Latino/as in the US
• SOC 201 Economic Sociology
• SOC 207 Sociology of Work
• SOC 208 Cultural Studies
• SOC 209 Human Trafficking – Contemporary Slavery
• SOC 217 Gender in a Global Context
• SOC 218 Immigration and Inequality
• SOC 220 Social Construction of Race in the US
• SOC 221 Sociology of News Media
• SOC 223 Urban Sociology
• SOC 228 Sociology of Community
• SOC 234 Global Poverty
• SOC 236 Sociology of Poverty
• SOC 242 Political Sociology
• SOC 243 Social Movements and Social Change
• SOC 244 Social Movements and Globalization
• SOC 245 GIS Applications for Global Development and Social Justice

Courses that apply to The Global City and Social Justice concentration are:

• SOC 217 Gender in a Global Context
• SOC 222 Sociology of the Global City
• SOC 223 Urban Sociology
• SOC 224 Women and The City
• SOC 228 Sociology of Community
• SOC 234 Global Poverty
• SOC 235 Global Inequality
• SOC 244 Social Movements and Globalization
• SOC 260 Inequality and Oppression

Courses that apply to the Confronting Inequalities concentration are:

• CRM 133 Class, Race, and Criminal Justice
• CRM 234 Women and Crime
• SOC 115 Sociology of Gender
• SOC 120 Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 217 Gender in a Global Context
• SOC 218 Immigration and Inequality
• SOC 220 Social Construction of Race in the US
• SOC 234 Global Poverty
• SOC 235 Global Inequality
• SOC 236 Sociology of Poverty
• SOC 243 Social Movements and Social Change
• SOC 244 Social Movements and Globalization
• SOC 246 Political Sociology
• SOC 260 Inequality and Oppression

Other courses may be counted for each one of the concentrations with prior approval of the department chair.  Students interested in the thesis option must obtain chair’s approval.  

Career Outcomes

Graduates from this program have found jobs that allow them to apply their methodological, statistical, and theoretical sociological knowledge. Most graduates work on research-related and service positions in government, public offices, nonprofit organizations, and private institutions, as well as education. In most cases, graduates are devoted to working for underprivileged populations as well as collaborating in the design of public policies and social programs addressing social inequalities. Some M.A. graduates continue with their education by pursuing a doctoral degree in sociology. If you are already working in a related career field, the M.A. degree can help you advance your position or gain a salary increase. Overall, graduates with an M.A. in Sociology report high job satisfaction because of their ability to apply learned skills to their positions and interest in their jobs.

All professionals gain an edge from being able to research and analyze information, and graduates holding an M.A. in Sociology are well-equipped to answer the demand for these skills. Our program at St. John’s is specifically geared toward preparing you for a career in the following diverse fields:

• Public Relations
• Social Service Agencies
• Family Service Agencies
• Federal Investigation
• Higher Education Administration
• Human Resources
• Advertising
• Parole/Probation
• U.S. Customs
• Research Analysis
• Program Evaluation

The program will also prepare you for further study in law, sociology, and social work. Many of our graduates have gone on to pursue doctoral and law degrees at institutions such as Columbia University, Rutgers University, the University of Illinois, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Connecticut, among others. As a master's student in Sociology at St. John's, you may be eligible for pathways to doctoral study. 

Additional Information

For additional information about our program and the field of sociology, please contact the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, St. John Hall, Room 444D, 718-990-6296 or 718-990-5667. You may also visit the websites of the American Sociological Association  and the International Sociological Association.