Program Overview

Program Overview

Our graduate program recognizes that many sociologists seek to both understand social problems and identify viable solutions for responsible social change.

Building on this philosophy, our program seeks to bridge basic and applied research in an intellectual environment that fosters critical thinking about topics such as race, health care, the environment, economic inequality, gender and family issues. Our goal is to develop well-trained sociologists capable of initiating changes in settings including social service agencies, nonprofits, the military or businesses.

The thesis, internship, and practicum options are all designed to provide students with a strong core of theory, research methods and social statistics courses. The thesis option prepares students for further academic research, while the internship and practicum options equip students with research skills they can use to survey clients, assess programs and carry out evidence-based work. Students are encouraged to discuss the options with sociology faculty members, who offer a wide spectrum of expertise and are dedicated mentors.

The goals of both the on-campus and online degree options are to provide students with:

• • a sophisticated understanding of sociological concepts and theories,

  • facility in the use of sociological research methods and,

  • the ability to apply sociological methods and theory to their current or desired areas of professional interest.

All students must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours, as approved, with an overall GPA of 3.0 or above.

Thesis

During the second year of the program, students who choose to complete a thesis will develop and publicly defend their M.S. thesis under the guidance of a thesis committee including three faculty members: (1) the thesis advisor, who must be a member of the Sociology Department, and (2) two committee members, one of whom must be from outside the department. For more information on the curriculum for the Thesis Option in the Master of Science in Sociology, please visit the VCU Graduate Bulletin.

Internship

The internship is intended as a professional experience in a field of interest to the student. For most students, it will be a first professional experience. A student currently employed in an appropriate organization may propose to intern in that position, provided the appropriate opportunities are available for integrating sociological theories and/or methodologies with ongoing professional activities.

Practicum

A practicum in sociology is a learning experience through practice. That is, you will train to use relevant data analysis skills combined with academic inquiry to construct a product that is useful to the student in their chosen field. The successful completion of a practicum in sociology may also enhance the student’s employment credentials as the student will be able to concretely demonstrate that they possess skills that employers in the knowledge economy find valuable.

Digital Sociology Concentration

Students interested in earning their MS online should be aware that all online courses focus on the study of digital sociology. More information will be found on the Digital Sociology home page. Students in the Digital Sociology Concentration complete the same curricular requirements as do on-campus students (see the VCU Graduate Bulletin for details). However, all courses are offered fully online, and students are not required to come to the VCU campus at any time during their studies. Students who wish to participate in the Digital Sociology Concentration should enroll in the program at the beginning of their graduate work and remain in the program until completion of the degree.

Students interested in enrolling the Digital Sociology Concentration should apply to the VCU Sociology M.S. program on the VCU Graduate Admissions website. Prospective students should indicate their interest in the Digital Sociology Concentration on the application form and in their essay/personal statement. Admitted students will be given an orientation to the technologies and processes used in the program. Emphasis is on use of open (free) technologies and minimal equipment.

Electronic Learning Portfolios

In addition to fulfilling the necessary program requirements, students will be expected to create an electronic learning portfolio (ELP) that will not only serve to document their progress over the course of the curriculum, the process of reflecting on one's learning serves to strengthen and deepen the learning experience. In addition, upon graduation, students will be able to use their ELP to help showcase their strengths, skills and relevant learning experiences in the job market.