Sociology, MA

• SOC 585 Sociological Theory (Fall A)
• SOC 586 Capstone 1 (Fall B, Spring B, Summer A)
• SOC 587 Capstone 2 (Spring A, Summer B)

View brief descriptions of SOC MA courses.

• SOC 500 Research Methods (Fall B)

• SOC 501 Social Statistics (Spring B)
• SOC 598 Diversity and Society (Summer A)
• SOC 598 Leadership and Social Justice (Fall A)
• SOC 598 Marriage and Family Relationships (Spring A)
• SOC 598 Social Change and Adjustment (Summer B)

• SOC 588 Capstone 3 (Fall B, Spring a, Spring B, Summer B)

The Online Master's degree in Sociology includes three capstone courses that must be taken in sequence, ending with a non-thesis, applied culminating experience. Each part of the Capstone experience allows for some customization to fit individual students' professional and academic needs and interests. Ultimately, this culminating experience will provide students with a deeper understanding of family and human development, as well as professional competencies and insights.

The capstone experience consists of the following parts:

• Capstone Project Part I: Professional Development. Capstone Project I allows students to explore and begin to specify their professional goals and means of obtaining those goals. This process of professional exploration and goal specification will help ensure that, together, the student and student's capstone instructor can craft personalized Capstone Projects and experiences that maximize the student's potential of obtaining their goals.
• Capstone Project Part II: Exploration/Specialization. Capstone Project II allows students to delve into their area(s) of interest, developing a greater depth and understanding of topics that influence children, youth, and families, and that further the student's academic and professional goals. Students develop and enhance their writing, research, and presentation skills through various assignments.
• Capstone Project Part III: Application. Capstone Project III is the culminating experience for the master's program and is taken in a student's last session of the program. This is the point at which students apply what they have learned through their coursework. Once again, the emphasis is on a personalized and useful experience for the students. In consultation with a capstone instructor, the student will fashion a field experience plan that allows the student to gain real-world experience related to family and human development. Activities that fulfill the field experience requirement are vast and varied, often limited only by a student's creativity. Capstone Project III also includes an in-depth investigative paper option . As part of Capstone Project III, students will be required to complete one of the following activities, in addition to coursework that focuses on the application of what has been studied throughout the program:
  
  
• 40 hours of field experience. Field experience hours are typically be obtained by working with a single agency, organization, or project. Examples of field experience may include volunteering with community organizations, completing advocacy or policy work, or starting a non-profit entrepreneurial venture that fills a particular community/societal need. The 40 hours of fieldwork must be completed during the actual 6 - 7.5 week Capstone III course because the fieldwork correlates with the weekly assignments given in class.
  
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• In-depth investigative paper (40 page minimum). Students will create an in-depth written report that informs the reader of the current state of research, future research directions, and/or identify problems and solutions related to children, youth, and families. Students will be assigned a capstone 3 paper mentor who will work with them throughout the writing process. Note - this is not a thesis.