Sociology graduate program

Candidates for the Master of Arts degree in sociology must satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate School and specific departmental requirements. The program consists of two plans:

Plan A (Thesis Plan)

• Requires 30-semester credits; 18 credits must be completed while in residence
• Students opting for the thesis plan should complete their Master's degree program requirements over a period of four semesters or less, (the program is designed to be completed in two years) and should adhere to the following schedule:
  
  • Form a thesis committee by the beginning of the third semester in the program and complete and obtain approval of the thesis proposal by the end of the third semester in the program
  • Write the thesis during the fourth semester and schedule an oral exam over the thesis and obtain its approval at the end of the fourth semester in the program

Plan B (Non-Thesis Plan)

• Requires 31 semester credits; 18 credits must be completed while in residence
• Students opting for the thesis plan should complete their Master's degree program requirements over a period of four semesters or less, (the program is designed to be completed in two years) and should adhere to the following schedule:
  
  • Schedule to take comprehensive exams at the end of the fourth semester in the program by signing up for one credit of comps during the fourth and final semester. Master's Comprehensive Examinations will consist of three parts:
    • Theory
    • Methods
    • Substantive area in sociology
• The theory exam and the exam on a substantive area within sociology are to be taken in the department on two different days (four hours each exam) within one week
• The methods exam is a take-home exam that must be completed over the course of the following week
• The exam on a substantive area in sociology may be based on a course the student has taken in the department or an area the student has studied under the supervision of a sociology faculty member through independent readings or research
• The substantive areas in sociology include: class structure/stratification; sociology of gender; race and ethnic relations; sociology of the family; the community; religion; collective behavior; conformity and deviance; social psychology; political sociology; bureaucracy and large-scale organizations; work and occupations; industrial sociology; social change; socio-economic development; sociology of law; political economy; Third World studies; and other areas within sociology, as determined by the department.
• All three exams are comprehensive and can cover a wide range of topics and issues. They will be graded based on the following scale: High Pass; Pass; Fail. Students who fail to pass a particular exam may schedule to re-take that exam one more time during the same exam period, but no later than the following semester. All exams are administered by the Director of Graduate Studies, graded by the faculty member(s) submitting the question(s), and reviewed by the Department Chair, for a final decision.

Under both plans, candidates must complete at least 9 credits in 700-level courses.

Plan A and Plan B both require the satisfactory completion of the following graduate-level courses: SOC 703 Proseminar, SOC 705 Theory, SRJS 725 Research Methods (or equivalent) and SOC 706 Statistics (or equivalent). For the most accurate and up-to-date information please visit the course catalog. 

The Department of Sociology also participates in a graduate program leading to the Ph.D. degree in social psychology. This is an interdisciplinary program administered by a social psychology committee. Students interested in this program must have a minimum of 18 credits in either sociology or psychology. Students must meet all the requirements for admission to graduate school and the general requirements for obtaining a doctoral degree at the University. A full year in teaching or research is also required, which students may satisfy by spending a suitable amount of time in teaching or research concurrently with graduate study. For more information, please visit the social psychology graduate program.

The requirements for acceptance as a graduate student in sociology include:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• A grade-point average of 2.75 or higher for four years of undergraduate work
• Undergraduate coursework in sociology or other social science disciplines is preferred; other applicants should contact the Director of Graduate Studies before applying to discuss their potential fit with the program.

Application process

Candidates to the graduate program in sociology need to submit application materials to the Graduate School.

Department of Sociology application requirements

• University of Nevada, Reno graduate application form
• $60 application fee ($95 for international students)
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions
• Three letters of recommendation from former instructors indicating the student’s capability of doing graduate work
• A statement of purpose
• Sample of research or writing (e.g., a term paper)
• Optional: One additional document that speaks to your readiness for graduate studies in sociology, such as a fourth letter of recommendation from a professional source, an additional writing sample like an op-ed or a professional report, or GRE scores
• Review additional requirements for international students

Students admitted to the program with graduate assistantship funding typically receive, at minimum, a 10-hour (.25) GTA for four semesters, although students may also be admitted without funding. Students with GTA funding are required to register for a minimum of six credits each semester and maintain an overall 3.0 GPA. All students with GTA funding are considered residents of Nevada for tuition purposes.

If a student is applying for loans or scholarships through the financial aid office, applications should be submitted prior to February 1st. Otherwise, the deadline for applications for admissions for the fall semester is March 1st and for the spring semester it is October 1st.