Sociology

School/College: College of Letters and Science

Degrees Conferred:

• MA in Sociology

Contents

• Graduate Faculty
• Master of Arts in Sociology
• Courses

Overview

The Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree Program in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers a flexible and varied program of study to students who wish to specialize in one of the discipline's subfields. The program provides students with balanced and comprehensive training in sociological theory, research methodology and social statistics, and has a special focus on urban sociology, social inequality, and the changing character of work, family and age roles.

The master's program was established in 1964 and has annually enrolled 15-25 graduate students. The program's graduates enjoy considerable career success. Some have pursued the Ph.D. degree at major research universities such as University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, UC-Santa Barbara, Notre Dame, University of Texas and SUNY- Albany, while others have found their skills marketable in a wide variety of other fields.

Graduate Faculty

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Professors

Greer, Ann L., Ph.D., Northwestern University

Mathiowetz, Nancy, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Chair

Montgomery, Rhonda, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Velez, William, Ph.D., Yale University

Wilson, Frank H., Jr., Ph.D., University of Michigan

Associate Professors

Bharadwaj, Lakshmi, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Costello, Carrie Yang, Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley

Edari, Ronald, Ph.D., Northwestern University

Frankfort-Nachmias, Chava, Ph.D., University of Oregon

Green, Donald, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Jordan, Jennifer, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

Oliker, Stacey J., Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley

Redding, Kent, Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Assistant Professors

Aneesh, A., Ph.D., Rutgers University

Chang, Kuang-chi, Ph.D., University of Chicago

Chesley, Noelle, Ph.D., Cornell University

Master of Arts in Sociology

Admission

New graduate students are admitted to the MA Program in Sociology only for the fall semester. Completed applications should be received by the department no later than January 15 of the year the applicant intends to start.

Applicants whose grade point averages are below the minimum 2.75 required by the Graduate School may be admitted on probation if there is substantial evidence of their ability to do satisfactory graduate work. Performance during the first semester of enrollment must convince the members of the Graduate Committee of the students' capacity to do graduate work.

In addition to the materials required by the Graduate School for admission, the Department of Sociology requires the following for admission:

1. Three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant's academic background. The Department provides a cover sheet that should accompany all letters of recommendation. The form is signed by both the applicant and the person providing the reference. Letters should be sent to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Sociology, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201.
2. A sample of scholarly writing, a minimum of five pages in length.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) (Institution code: 1473, Department Code: 2102) is required for the following applicants:

• Those who wish to be considered for a Graduate School Fellowship or a Teaching Assistantship.
• Those who received their undergraduate degree from an institution that does not assign an undergraduate GPA.
• Those whose overall undergraduate GPA is less than 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).

Financial Aid

The major source of financial assistance for graduate students in sociology is employment as a teaching assistant. Assistantships are granted every academic year on a competitive basis. To apply for a teaching assistantship, students should complete a Teaching Assistantship Interest Form and submit it to the Director of Graduate Studies. The deadline for receipt of that form is January 15th.

Students with teaching assistantships are usually appointed at 33% of full-time work during their first year. When feasible, the department attempts to appoint 2nd year students at 50%. Tuition is remitted for all teaching assistants with a 33% or higher appointment.

Graduate students also are eligible for fellowships awarded by the Graduate School on a competitive basis. Additional information on the types and availability of fellowships may be obtained directly from the Graduate School.

Advising Procedures

Upon admission, the Director of Graduate Studies will serve as the student's advisor. An interim advisor will be assigned in the student's first semester in residence. The interim advisor assists students in planning their course programs, and in scheduling other degree requirements. When the MA student begins to formulate a topic for a thesis, a master's paper, or MA examination, the student selects a member of the Sociology Graduate faculty as her/his committee chair. This person then becomes the student's main curriculum advisor for the remainder of the time in the program.

Credits and Courses

The MA in Sociology requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits. Thirteen (13) credits are fulfilled by the following required courses:

701 Professional Seminar (1 cr)

715 Systematic Sociological Theory (3 cr)

750 Research Methods in Sociology (3 cr)

760 Advanced Statistical Methods in Sociology (3 cr)

900-level sociology seminar course (3 cr)

The student, in consultation with his/her advisor, will select the remaining 17 elective credits. Up to five credits of Sociol 990, Thesis/Paper, may be taken by students who elect the thesis/paper capstone option.

With permission of the student's advisor, up to six graduate credits may be taken outside the department in courses related to the individual's plan of study. No more than six credits of undergraduate/graduate courses (excluding those previously taken as an undergraduate), taken at the graduate level, may be applied toward meeting degree requirements. No more than six credits in Sociol 999, Reading and Research, may count toward the degree.

Good Standing

To retain good standing in the Department of Sociology, an enrolled graduate student must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and demonstrate progress toward completion of the course and/or thesis requirements each semester.

Thesis, Master's Paper, or the MA Examination Options

The student must write and defend an acceptable thesis, a master's paper, or write an examination in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Sociology.

Thesis or Master's Paper

The thesis or master's paper is intended to be a relatively limited research exercise, focused on a manageable topic. It does not necessarily have to involve original research. It is completed through enrollment in Sociol 990. Acceptable thesis or master's paper options include, but are not limited to, collection of data for hypothesis testing or exploratory research, secondary analysis of available data, theoretical critique, conceptual analysis and library research on a clearly defined problem. In general, students are encouraged to utilize existing data rather than collect new data unless they are confident that they have adequate resources (including time) to collect data sufficient for their purposes.

By the end of the third semester, students should complete a proposal for the MA thesis or paper. The proposal will reflect the formulation of a research problem and the development of a plan for its empirical investigation. Once a proposal is successfully defended, it constitutes an agreement between the student and the M.A. committee.

Students must prepare the thesis or master's paper under the direction of their committee, receive approval that it meets professional standards, and defend it at an oral examination. The master's paper is normally the length of a journal article (about 30 pp.). Students who choose to write a thesis should consult the Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Formatting page. The thesis must be prepared according to these format requirements.

MA Examination

The Master of Arts examination option is based on a bibliography developed by the student in consultation with his/her committee. The bibliography will represent both classical statements and recent debates in at least one area of sociological specialization. Students are encouraged to develop the bibliography by the end of the third semester of residence.

The examination itself will be a set of three questions developed by the MA committee, from which the student must choose two. The student will have two weeks to write a take-home examination. The advisor and two other faculty members will grade the examination. Within two weeks of the completion of the written examination, there will be an oral examination on the same material.

Time Limit

The student must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.

Courses

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Courses numbered 300-699 are Undergraduate/Graduate. Courses numbered 700 and above are Graduate only.

376 Modern Sociological Theory. 3 cr. U/G.

Major theoretical paradigms including functionalism, conflict and dialectical models, exchange theory, symbolic interactionism, and social phenomenology.. Prereq: jr st; Sociol 101 (P) & 375(R); or grad st.

423 Immigration and Incorporation: (Subtitled). 3 cr. U/G.

Institutional, geo-political, demographic, comparative, and social network theoretical perspectives on migration to and incorporation into the United States. Prereq: jr st; 3 cr in Sociol at 200-level or above; addl prereqs may be assigned for specific topics.

440 Sociology of the Family. 3 cr. U/G.

Family patterns and ideologies in relation to broader social structure and culture, sources of variety and change in household, family, and kinship organization. Prereq: jr st; 6 cr in Sociol at 200-level or above.

443 Organizations, Occupations, and Professions. 3 cr. U/G.

Development of occupations and professions in industrial societies. Study of professional concepts, ethical codes, work norms, specialization, recruitment, education, and work roles in an organizational context. Prereq: jr st & Sociol 101(P) or 104(P); or grad st.

444 Sociology of the Body. 3 cr. U/G.

How the body is shaped by social forces. Relationship between the body, identity, and culture, focusing on gender, race/ethnicity, and disability. Prereq: jr st & any Sociol course; or grad st.

448 Sociology of Children and Adolescents. 3 cr. U/G.

Theoretical perspectives and research methods addressing substantive issues in children's and adolescents' lives, including peer cultures, schooling, families, gender, race, class, health, and work. Prereq: jr st & any Sociol course; or grad st.

495 Seminar in Sociology: (Subtitled). 3 cr. U/G.

Intensive study in a selected area of Sociology. Designed to encourage discussion, debate, and critical thinking. Retakable w/chg in topic to 6 cr max. Prereq: jr st; 6 cr 200-level or above Sociol or cons instr.

497 Study Abroad: (Subtitled). 1-12 cr. U/G.

Designed to enroll students in UWM sponsored program before course work level, content, and credits are determined and/or in specially prepared program course work. Retakable w/chg in topic. Prereq: jr st; acceptance for Study Abroad Prog.

610 Reproduction of Minority Communities. 3 cr. U/G.

Analysis of the social, economic, and cultural forces behind the formation and reproduction of minority and disadvantaged communities in the United States. Jointly-offered w/& counts as repeat of Ed Pol 610. Prereq: jr st; any Sociol 100-level course.

700 Proseminar: Sociological Inquiry. 3 cr. G.

Fundamentals of academic and sociological reading, writing, and thinking. Orientation to graduate study, the sociological profession, and the tools of sociological research. Prereq: grad st.

701 Professional Seminar. 1 cr. G.

Fundamentals of academic and sociological reading, writing, and thinking. Orientation to graduate study, the sociological profession, and the tools of sociological research. Prereq: grad st

704 Seminar in Nonprofit Organizations. 3 cr. G.

Overview of structure, functions, and governance of nonprofit organizations. Comparison with government and for-profit organizations. Pol Sci 704, Sociol 704, & Urb Std 704 are jointly offered; they count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st.

715 Systematic Sociological Theory. 3 cr. G.

A general examination of sociological theories, their construction, problems of conceptualization, and methodological requirements. Prereq: grad st.

750 Research Methods in Sociology. 3 cr. G.

Application of scientific methods to the analysis of social phenomena, methodological orientations in sociology, types of research procedure, and nature of sociological variables. Prereq: grad st.

752 Fundamentals of Survey Methodology. 3 cr. G.

Seminar in the principles of survey design that are the basis of standard practices in the field of sociology. Prereq: grad st.

754 Questionnaire Design. 3 cr. G.

Seminar in the design, evaluation, pretesting, ordering, and formatting of questions and questionnaires. Prereq: grad st.

760 Advanced Statistical Methods in Sociology. 3 cr. G.

Review of elementary statistics. Probability theory and its applications. Multivariate analysis. Nonparametric statistical inference. Measurement theory. Selected statistical models for hypothesis testing and theory construction. Prereq: grad st; score of 85 on dept diagnostic examination.

794 Proseminar: The Teaching of Undergraduate Sociology. 0 cr. G.

Designed to prepare and support new teachers of undergraduate Socioloy. Fee for 1 cr assessed. Prereq: grad st.

888 Candidate for Degree. 0 cr. G.

Available for graduate students who must meet minimum credit load requirements. Fee for 1 cr assessed. Prereq: grad st.

901 Seminar: Urban Social Structure. 3 cr. G.

Comprehensive analysis of the emergence and institutionalization of cultural and social patterns in urban settings; and future American urban social structures. Sociol 901 & Urb Std 901 are jointly-offered & count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st.

920 (780) Seminar in Race and Ethnic Relations. 3 cr. G.

Patterns of racial and ethnic differentiation and how they originate and change over time. Prereq: grad st.

927 Seminar in Sociology of Contemporary Institutions: (Subtitled). 3 cr. G.

Analysis of major social institutions in modern societies in terms of status orders, division of labor, normative systems, processes of social change, and conflict. Specific topics and any additional prerequisites announced in Schedule of Classes each time course is offered. Retakable w/chg in topic & cons adviser to 9 cr max. Prereq: grad st.

928 Seminar in Social Organization: (Subtitled). 3 cr. G.

Study of conceptual approaches used in analyzing social organization: social stratification, complex organization, urbanization, small groups in mass society. Specific topics and any additional prerequisites announced in schedule of classes each time course is offered. Retakable w/chg in topic & cons advisor to 9 cr max. Prereq: grad st.

940 Applied Gerontology Capstone I. 1 cr. G.

Professional socialization seminar emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of gerontology and exposing students to professional and library resources for continuing professional development. Sociol 940 and Soc Wrk 940 are jointly offered; they count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st; Nurs 760(P) & Soc Wrk 851(P).

941 Applied Gerontology Capstone II. 1-2 cr. G.

Teamwork applied research project conducted in collaboration with a community-based organization that serves the elderly; presentation of findings to a professional audience. Sociol 941 and Soc Wrk 941 are jointly offered; they count as repeats of one another. Students who intend to prepare a manuscript for publication enroll for 2 crs; all others enroll for 1 cr. Prereq: grad st; Sociol or Soc Wrk 940(P).

942 The Family and Long-Term Care. 3 cr. G.

Seminar on the role of family in providing long term care. Social values, public policies, and consequences for individuals and society. Sociol 942 & Soc Wrk 942 are jointly offered; they count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st.

951 Seminar in Research Methodology. 3 cr. G.

Discussion of selected topics in research design, research methods, statistical analysis, and model construction. Retakable to 9 cr max with cons adviser. Prereq: grad st.

979 Methods of Research and Analysis for Urban Social Institutions I. 3 cr. G.

Seminar on logic, design, and presentation of social science research. Inductive and qualitative methods, theory construction, and ethics and procedures of research in natural settings. Sociol 979 & Urb Std 979 are jointly-offered; they count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st.

982 Methods of Research and Analysis for Urban Social Institutions II. 3 cr. G.

Evaluation of different methods of generating data and their applications to the analysis of public policies and programs. Sociol 982 & Urb Std 982 are jointly offered; they count as repeats of one another. Prereq: grad st; min. score of 85 on dept diagnostic exam.

990 Thesis/Paper. 1-3 cr. G.

- Open only to students completing the thesis/paper capstone. Retakable to 5 cr max. Prereq: grad st in Sociol MA prog; cons major prof.

999 Reading and Research. 1-3 cr. G.

Independent study of a topic selected by a student after consultation with member of graduate faculty. Retakable w/chg in topic to 6 cr max. Prereq: grad st; cons instr.