Sociology MA Programs

[rachel1234]

Hi Everyone,

I have a BA in history and have been out of school and working for about 5 years, and I am planning to get my Phd in sociology. My grades are good, but I don't have a good writing sample and I think my GRE math scores will be low. I've decided to look at MA programs for now because I don't think I would be competitive for Phd programs.

Most of the PhD programs I was looking at don't offer MA's. Does anyone have suggestions for good sociology MA programs? My interests are mostly focused on education, conflict, and social movements in Latin America, and in comparative and historical sociology.

One more question. My other option would be to do an interdisciplinary MA at Indiana University (I live in Bloomington), either in comparative and international education or Latin American studies, and get a minor in sociology. Would this be helpful in getting into Phd programs, or am I better off going with a sociology MA?

Thank you!

[SocViv]

Given that you have pretty specific interests, I don't think you need to waste your time or money on an MA. Since you live right near a university, you've got way more options than just what you mention. I suggest you e-mail a professor at IU who's researching a topic you're interested in, and see if you can set up a meeting with him or her to discuss your options. They'll probably suggest you take a course or two so you can get a good writing sample and recommendation (and network), and the only thing you can do to raise your GRE math score is to practice.

Many Sociology PhD students did not do their undergraduate work in Sociology (myself included), and it's a field that has a lot of overlap with other areas so you're not at a disadvantage if that wasn't your undergraduate major. That said, if you do decide you really want to spend the time and money on an MA, it won't matter what discipline it's in as long as the program you're applying to for the PhD is a good fit for what you want to study.

I would add though, as someone who was out of school for about 5 years and did the MA first, the MA probably won't help you get a job in the event that you don't get into a PhD program at the end of it. Just think about it when you're considering giving up your steady income for MA debt, especially in this economy.

[rachel1234]

Thanks for your response. I am hearing from most people that an MA is probably not worth it. I guess I just need to get some Phd applications in this year and see what happens.

[Lev Bronstein]

I generally agree with socviv, but don't completely dismiss an MA. You could build stronger relationships for letters, gain a better grasp of the discipline and literature, and probably take a quantitative methods course which might offset your GRE worries. And of course, successful sociology coursework at IU would look good. From looking at lists of grad students, an MA seems to bolster a so-so phd applicant. My professors have agreed (I'm thinking about it too). But, on the other hand, MA programs might have also weeded out the people that didn't want to or couldn't do a phd program. But that isn't so bad. I guess it depends on your specific application/profile. And if they are funded. It might be worth the $200 or so to apply to a few of them. But you should really talk to faculty about this.