New Applied MA in Sociology as of Fall 2022
The Applied Sociology Master’s (MA) program within the Department of Sociology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers courses at the graduate level to prepare students to apply sociological research skills to current social problems. Many important fields outside of academia are often lacking in critical sociological perspectives and would benefit from the sociological tools and skills gained in this program.
The Applied Sociology MA is designed to prepare students for career opportunities outside of the university that promote transformative change for social equity. The track relies on much of the substantive coursework in the Department of Sociology’s other specialty areas of critical race and ethnic studies, criminology, political economy and globalization, and environment, exploring conceptual overlap between these areas and how they relate to real-world applications, while maintaining a focus on how to foster social change. The only new course is a graduate practicum/action research course, which applies sociological analysis to the internship experience.
Catalog Description
Courses provide foundational knowledge of inequality and combined with critical methodology and sociological analysis. Courses equip students with substantive skills to useful in a variety of social change orientated careers. The concentration thesis is a theoretically- and experientially-informed report of student’s work done based on participation in a practicum experience.
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 30 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Required Courses
SOCI 506 – Sociology and Social Justice (2 hours)
SOCI 511 – Pedagogy and Graduate Instruction (1 hour)
One of the existing foundations courses (3 hours)
• SOCI 503 – Foundations of Environmental Sociology
• SOCI 504 – Foundations of Political Economy
• SOCI 505 – Foundations of Criminology
• SOCI 509 – Critical Race and Sociological Foundations of Race and Ethnicity
2 research methods courses (6 hours)
• SOCI 531 – Research Methods in Sociology (required)
• SOCI 631 – Advanced Quantitative Methods
• SOCI 633 – Survey Design and Analysis
• SOCI 636 – Field Research
Two elective courses (6 hours)
• SOCI 541 – Social Movements
• SOCI 644 – Political Sociology
• SOCI 653 – Law and Society
• Advanced topics class (645, 655, 665, or 695)
• Course in other department (e.g. Public Policy, Social Work, Education, WGS) in consultation with advisor
SOCI 546 Practicum/Action Research (6 hours)
SOCI 500 Thesis (6 hours)
Non-Course Requirements
• When a decision is reached about the thesis topic, the student should consult with the faculty member whose interests most closely match the student’s and with whom the student can establish a strong working relationship and request that the faculty member chair the thesis committee.
• Students must complete all requirements within 6 calendar years of enrollment.