Funded Masters Programs?

[HopefulSocPhD]

Since my Ph.D. Application season this year isn't going so well thus far, I'm looking into Masters programs in Sociology, preferably those with at least partial funding. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations of these types of programs that I might be able to apply to?

[gingin6789]

My current master's program offers pretty darn good funding opportunities. Feel free to PM me.

[s0ciology1992]

Oh no! I haven't head back yet but I probs won't get in anywhere (I was very selective this time around, and applied to 3 top PhDs, unfortunately). Have you checked out MAPSS? They don't always provide funding, but I've gotten full funding there 2 years ago (I declined). Columbia sociology definitely doesn't provide any MA funding. Those are pretty much the only MA programs at top 20 that I know of. Maybe there's more? 

 

So def check out MAPSS, and call them up maybe? Feel free to PM me as well, maybe I can help you evaluate your statement and such, and see if that's the blocker. 

Edited February 1, 2016 by s0ciology1992

[krispykreme]

MPA and MPP fund pretty darn well too. flexible curriculums that allow many sociology and/or social science-type classes. they are also professional degrees that translate well to jobs if PhD is not the plan later. 

[HopefulSocPhD]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll be looking into these for sure. I already technically applied for the Columbia MA (secondary to Ph.D.) so I guess I'll have to see what happens with that too.

[Paul_SOC]

I believe most of Canadian Masters have funding offered and additional funding opportunities are available through later application, that's why I applied for two Canadian Masters and those programs are quite outstanding~

[macadamia tea]

@Paul_SOC which programs in particular?

 

I will add to the OP, anyone know any decent master's programs that offer funding for international students and have deadlines later than March? I realise that's a pipe dream, but I am staring to pathologise my application since people with profiles that seem similar to mine seem to have offers raining from the sky.

Edited February 4, 2016 by macadamia tea

[HopefulSocPhD]

14 hours ago, macadamia tea said:

@Paul_SOC which programs in particular?

 

I will add to the OP, anyone know any decent master's programs that offer funding for international students and have deadlines later than March? I realise that's a pipe dream, but I am staring to pathologise my application since people with profiles that seem similar to mine seem to have offers raining from the sky.

I agree with you. I wonder what kind of "kiss of death" might have been lurking in my apps. And specific program recommendations would be very helpful!

[soc13]

Just throwing in my two cents here...

If you can get into a fully-funded master's, than sure, go for it.

If you have to spend ANY money on the master's, DON'T DO IT.

Most master's programs are known as money-makers for their departments. With stats like yours, @hopefulsocphd, you shouldn't have any problem gaining admission into a top 25 school. It seems like maybe you're looking for top 5-10, in which case, it's just hard to say why someone with the exact same profile got in, other than noting that we don't know their publication record, interests, etc.

IMHO, it would be more advantageous to spend a year working and refining your statement and writing sample and really tailoring things to programs than it would be to go into any debt for a master's. Of course, I'm biased, as someone who got a master's (albeit in another field, public health) that wasn't funded and regret it every day, especially now that I'm returning for a Ph.D. Sure, it helped me get a good job at a research firm, but not in comparison to making loan payments forever.

I know it sucks to think of going through the process again AND not entering when you want to. Immediately after my MPH, I applied to 2 schools and was soundly rejected. I took two years to work and I'm really glad now that I did so, experience wise.

Anyway, just my two cents. Don't forget that you still have 4 places to hear from!! Keep hope alive

 

[hillary511]

Umass Boston  is funded, though when I got in last year it looked like they wanted me to do some BS stuff like paying for an undergrad class.

[oedipus]

16 hours ago, mm3733 said:

IMHO, it would be more advantageous to spend a year working and refining your statement and writing sample and really tailoring things to programs than it would be to go into any debt for a master's

If you don't get in anywhere, apply for jobs in government or nonprofit research (not so difficult if you live in NYC/LA/SF/Washington/Chicago/Boston, difficult all other places) and work for two years in research. Then apply to PhD programs with professional research experience, and ideally a handful of publications, and a more refined personal statement. Go the professional research route rather than masters. It will make your research better and will help you see how research translates into actual programs or policy, which is something that most applicants straight out of undergrad can't even fathom.

[krispykreme]

15 hours ago, oedipus said:

If you don't get in anywhere, apply for jobs in government or nonprofit research (not so difficult if you live in NYC/LA/SF/Washington/Chicago/Boston, difficult all other places) and work for two years in research. Then apply to PhD programs with professional research experience, and ideally a handful of publications, and a more refined personal statement. Go the professional research route rather than masters. It will make your research better and will help you see how research translates into actual programs or policy, which is something that most applicants straight out of undergrad can't even fathom.

I second this-- i did both the masters and work route and got some good programs though not "Top 10" but id like to think that was more due to my low GPA. ANYWAY, professional work in applied research is a great way to stand out among a sea of applicants. i don't think you need a masters because you have strong stats -- apply more widely next year (so consider 10s, 20s, maybe even 30s)

[MemFac]

The University of Memphis offers funding to MA students - full tuition waiver plus stipend.  I'm on the faculty there.  Our deadline was last week, but it might not be too late to apply.  We have an excellent record of placing students into very good PhD programs who couldn't get into those same programs prior to getting their MA with us (Ohio State, University of Arizona are a couple recent placements).  We pride ourselves on being an excellent little PhD prep program.  Check us out.