A primary focus of the program is the variety of social problems in society. 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.
Degree seeking students in the Applied Sociology Program may elect to follow either a thesis or a non-thesis course of study. The thesis option is typically designed for students who plan to enter doctoral programs. The non-thesis option is more appropriate for students entering or continuing professional careers following the MA degree.
The degree of Master of Arts is conferred when students have fulfilled the requirements for either the thesis or non-thesis option. Both options require 30 hours of course work.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
12 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- 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 Should be taken as early as possible in the program.
- Complete the following:
- SYA5625 - ProSeminar (3)
- SYA6126 - Social Theory (3)
- SYA6305 - Quantitative Social Research Methods (3)
- SYA6455 - Research Analysis (3)
Elective Courses
12 Total Credits
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following types of courses: Students will select a minimum of 12 credit hours of unrestricted electives in consultation with their faculty advisor. 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. 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 deliverables. Enrollment in these courses requires written approval from the student's advisor and graduate director. 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.
ThesisNonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: 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, college, and Graduate Studies. The 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.
Nonthesis Option- Complete all of the following
- The nonthesis option requires that students complete SYA 6657 - Program Design and Evaluation and 3 additional hours of SYA 6918 - Directed Research, SYA 6946 - Internship or Practicum, SYA 6909 - Research Report, or SYA 6908 - Directed Independent Studies. Both the Program Design and Evaluation course (SYA 6657) and "directed research or internship" courses require community-oriented research projects to develop research skills in sociology.
- Complete the following:
- SYA6657 - Program Design and Evaluation (3)
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: SYA 6918 Directed Research 3 Credit Hours SYA 6946 Internship or Practicum 3 Credit Hours SYA 6909 Research Report 3 Credit Hours SYA 6908 Directed Independent Studies 3 Credit Hours
Applied Project- Nonthesis students must complete an applied project. The nature and implementation of each project will be determined by the student and their advisor. Before students may begin the applied project, they must earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or better in each of the five core courses. An Applied Project evaluated by a three-person committee consists of: A 1-2 page proposal describing what the project and the final product will entail. A final product approved and evaluated by the committee. A brief statement submitted with the final product indicating how the project is sociologically grounded. The grading system for the project is Pass/No Pass. Students who receive a grade of Pass will be allowed to graduate assuming all other requirements are met.
Equipment Fee
0 Total Credits
- Full-time students in the Applied Sociology MA program pay a $39 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled. Part-time students pay $19.50 per semester.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- As with all graduate programs, independent learning is an important component in the Applied Sociology master's program. Students will demonstrate independent learning through research seminars and the thesis (thesis students only).
Grand Total Credits: 30
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
