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Handbook

Sociology Graduate MA Program

Introduction

The Graduate MA Program at the University of Houston is designed to offer career preparation for students who seek to use their sociological training in applied settings and students who plan to continue their studies through the Ph.D.  Both career tracks provide students with conceptualization, communication, and quantification skills desired by employers and by doctoral programs.  The department offers students the opportunity to work closely with recognized research faculty who are committed to the education of their graduate students. The Department of Sociology and the University of Houston are recognized for quality research and teaching.  The University of Houston is a Carnegie Tier One Research Institution that has played a central role in the life of the city and state.  Faculty have national and international reputations as respected scholars.

The Department of Sociology has twelve full-time sociology faculty who conduct research on topics including social inequality, education, law, health, work, demography, social psychology, the body, and culture. Additionally, faculty provide a full complement of social science research methodologies—Quantitative, Demographic, Qualitative, Experimental, Geographic Information Systems, and Visual, as well as participating in mixed method studies. Faculty members have received support for their research from various sources including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Poverty Center, and the National Science Foundation, as well as local foundations and agencies.

The Sociology graduate program began in the Fall of 1957 and offers a Master of Arts degree. Approximately 20 students are actively enrolled in the Sociology graduate program, receiving training in sociological theory, qualitative methods, and quantitative methods.

Graduate students from our program have been accepted in top-ranked Ph.D. programs as well as in non-academic positions in public institutions and private organizations. Students have entered PhD programs throughout the country, including the University of California (Los Angeles), University of California (Santa Barbara), University of California (Riverside), University of Colorado (Boulder), University of Georgia, University of Texas (Austin), Rice University, Rutgers University, Vanderbilt University, University of Nebraska, CUNY, and others. In addition, our students have accepted positions at Baylor College of Medicine, Harris County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Authority, Harris County Family Courts, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, NASA, Children's Protective Services, Houston Community College (and other area community college systems), Houston Independent School District, UT Health Center,  and other organizations.

General Requirement for M.A. Degree

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The Department of Sociology considers the Master’s degree to be: (1) training in preparation for a Ph.D. program, or (2) a professional degree in applied sociology. In order to accomplish these goals, the department offers both a thesis and an applied internship track for the Master of Arts degree. This program provides wide latitude for students aspiring to develop a sociological background. Students are strongly advised to discuss the selection of the thesis or internship program options with their Graduate Advisor and committee Chair to ensure that their selection is well aligned with their career goals. Students can expect to complete a total of 36 graduate hours in either track (thesis or internship) in order to receive an Master’s degree. Most Master’s courses are offered in the evening to allow students to participate at funded Teaching Assistants or in other employment while pursuing their Master’ degree.

Required Courses: The Department of Sociology requires that students complete 15 hours of core courses, which include Sociological Theory (SOC 6300), Proseminar (SOC 6302), Social Statistics (SOC 6304), Quantitative Methods (SOC 6306), and Qualitative Research Methods (SOC 6311). It is recommended, although not required, that students have completed introductory undergraduate courses in statistics, theory, and research methods prior to applying to the program or enrolling in these required core courses. A student may not enroll in thesis hours or internship hours until all five core courses have been successfully completed.

Electives: Students must complete 15 hours of elective courses for the M.A. degree. The elective hours may be chosen from any of the 6000-level courses offered in the Department of Sociology. Under certain circumstances no more than three (3) hours of electives may be taken outside of the Department of Sociology. In order for these elective hours to count towards the sociology master’s degree, students must obtain prior consent from the Sociology Graduate Committee. A request for such approval must be made by a graduate petition form and the submission of relevant documentation. The approved petition form must be kept in the student’ graduate file.

Special Problems: (SOC 6398) Three (3) credit hours of an independent readings course in sociology may be allowed toward the elective credits. The Special Problems course cannot be used to develop the literature review for the thesis or internship paper, but must produce a separate final work product. Students seeking to take an independent study course and have it count towards their sociology master’s degree must obtain consent from the Sociology Graduate Committee. To be enrolled in any special problems course, students must: acquire permission from a faculty member who will be supervising the course, provide a detailed reading list, specify the work product to be produced, complete the University's General Petition form, and obtain required approval signatures. The approved petition will be kept in the student’s graduate file.

4000 Level Courses: No Department of Sociology undergraduate level courses (4000 or below) will apply toward a Master's degree. Courses in other departments at the 4000 level may apply only if the department in which the course is taken allows graduate credit for the specific course within its own department.

Transfer Credit: Up to nine (9) hours of sociology graduate courses undertaken at other institutions may be considered for transfer credit toward the Master’s degree. In order to obtain approval for transfer credit, students must petition the Sociology Graduate Committee and provide a syllabus and grade earned for the requested course/s. The student must have earned a grade of B or higher for the course and the student must have taken the course within the past five (5) years. The decision to accept the transfer credit is subject to the Sociology Graduate Committee’s evaluation.

Academic Standards: In order to graduate, the University requires graduate students to maintain at least a B (3.0) grade point average. However, in the event that students receive four grades of C+ or below, they will automatically be dropped from the program. The Department of Sociology further requires that students must receive a grade of B- or better in each of the required graduate Sociology core courses (Soc 6300, Soc 6302, Soc 6304, Soc 6306, and Soc 6311). In addition, the average grade for these five core courses must be a B (3.0) or better. Upon receiving a grade below B- in a required core course, the student may petition the Sociology Graduate Committee to retake that course. The approval of the petition is subject to the Sociology Graduate Committee’s evaluation. A student is entitled to only one such petition in his/her tenure in the Sociology Master’s  program. The petition must be submitted no later than two weeks from the date of the release of grades.

Advisement: Generally, during the first 18 hours taken as a graduate student in the Department of Sociology, the departmental Graduate Advisor will advise students. In addition, all graduate students are required to meet with the Graduate Advisor at least once during each semester that they are enrolled in the program. Students will have a hold placed on their record and will be unable to enroll for the following semester if they have not met with the Graduate Advisor.

No later than upon the completion of 18 hours of coursework, each student selects from the faculty either a thesis committee Chair or an internship committee Chair with a specialty in the student's area of interest. Then, in consultation with their committee Chair, the student will request a second reader from the department faculty and an outside member.  A thesis or internship committee appointment form must be submitted to the Graduate Advisor and must be kept in the graduate student’s file. The committee Chair will serve as the student's thesis/internship director and will counsel the student concerning course work and direct the student in the completion of either the thesis or the internship paper. Faculty members have the right to refuse to serve as a student's committee Chair. Students have the right to change their Chair by petitioning the Sociology Graduate Committee. The departmental Graduate Advisor must also be informed in writing of selection and change of Chairs. In addition, if a student switches between the thesis and internship tracks, the Graduate Advisor must be informed in writing of the change.

Enrollment Requirements: There is no continuous enrollment policy at UH or in the Department of Sociology. However, students who have not enrolled for two consecutive semesters will need to reactivate their status by submitting a general petition to the Sociology Graduate Committee. It is recommended that a student who foresees a long absence should petition the Sociology Graduate Committee for a leave of absence or receive a medical withdrawal. If a student is enrolled full-time and maintains academic progress, he/she may finish in a minimum of 2 years. However, according to UH policy, the student has up to 5 years to complete the degree. If a student does not finish within a 5 year period from the date that they entered the program, he/she must petition the Sociology Graduate Committee for a waiver of the 5-year rule. Permission to waive the 5-year rule is based on the evaluation of the Graduate Committee, the College, and the Graduate School. Approval of such a petition will include stipulations and time restrictions.

M.A. Thesis Program

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This program is specifically designed for students who wish to undertake individual research leading to the development of a thesis. The thesis track option is typically selected when a student intends to pursue a doctoral program and/or when a student wishes to develop his or her research skills through investigating an original research question with broad implications for policy or for the discipline.

Requirements for this program include 15 hours of required core courses and 6 hours of thesis. In addition to these specific requirements, students must have a minimum of 15 semester hours of electives at the graduate level.

  1. SOC 6300 (Seminar in Sociological Theory) 3 hrs
  2. SOC 6302 (Proseminar) 3 hrs
  3. SOC 6304 (Social Statistics) 3 hrs
  4. SOC 6306 (Seminar in Quantitative Methods) 3 hrs
  5. SOC 6311 (Seminar in Qualitative Research Methods) 3 hrs
  6. SOC 6399 (Master's Thesis) 3 hrs min
  7. SOC 7399 (Master's Thesis) 3 hrs min
  8. Electives (6000 Level) 15 hrs

(Total) 36 hrs

All graduate students in Sociology who are endeavoring to earn an M.A. under the thesis track must complete a thesis and its defense prior to graduation. It is strongly recommended that students begin a thesis as soon as they have completed the five required core courses.

Thesis Committee

  • In order to be enrolled in thesis hours and begin thesis work, students must have successfully completed all five core courses. In order to be enrolled in Soc 6399: Thesis, each student must submit a thesis committee appointment form to the Graduate Advisor no later than the end of the term just prior to the term during which thesis enrollment is requested. All thesis committees will consist of a minimum of three (3) faculty members. Two of these faculty members must come from the Sociology faculty at the University of Houston, one of which will serve as the Thesis Committee Chair. The third member must be selected from faculty outside the Department of Sociology. Faculty members have the right to decline thesis committee duty.
  • When forming a committee, the student should first select a Chair. Before approaching a faculty member to serve as Chair, a student should have developed a tentative research question or set of research questions. The student should draw upon course readings and external books and articles, as well as discussions with faculty members, to develop their tentative research question(s). Once a Chair is selected, the student must ensure that a Committee Appointment form is completed with at least the Chair’s signature. This form can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor and will be kept in the student’s file. Only with the submission of a signed Committee Appointment form will the student be enrolled in SOC 6399: Thesis.
  • The student will then work with the Chair to solidify the research question and the basic research plan. Once agreement has been reached, the student should then contact other prospective committee members who can contribute toward the chosen substantive topic and/or research methodology to invite them to serve on the committee.
  • After selecting the remaining members of the committee, students are required to complete the College of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts Thesis Committee Appointment form by obtaining the remaining committee members’ signatures. This form must be signed by the Committee Chair and committee members and must be in the student’s graduate file.

Thesis Process

  • In order to make the best academic progress, a student must defend a thesis proposal no later than the first month of being enrolled in Soc 6399. If ready and with the approval of the thesis committee, a student may also defend a proposal any time after the completion of the core courses and before the start of SOC 6399. At the very least, a student must defend a thesis proposal during Soc 6399 if they are to be enrolled in Soc 7399 in the following term.
  • The student will work with the Chair to develop a thesis proposal. This proposal should include an introduction and research question, a literature review, a detailed methodology that includes research instruments, a proposed timeline for completion of the thesis, and references. In developing this proposal, the student should reference the Department of Sociology Master’s  Thesis Guidelines.
    • The student will submit a complete draft of the thesis proposal to the Chair for review. The student will then work with the Chair to develop and finalize the proposal that will be submitted to the full Committee. The student should expect to complete several stages of revision of their work prior to the Chair’s final approval of the thesis proposal and, therefore, should plan their time accordingly.
  • The student will submit the final approved draft of the thesis proposal to the full Committee and schedule an oral thesis proposal defense that includes all committee members.
    • The Committee members will review the proposal prior to the defense and request the student to respond to any lingering questions or issues during the proposal defense.
    • The Committee will then determine whether the submitted proposal qualifies as an adequate thesis project. If the Committee views the proposal as unsatisfactory, then the student must rework the proposal until it meets the committee's expectations.
    • It is understood that the approved proposal shall constitute a contract binding upon both the student and his/her committee. Any change in the research design necessitates the mutual approval of the student and the Committee and, if relevant, the CPHS.
  • After the student has received the Committee's approval on the submitted proposal, the student will begin thesis research. Students are strongly encouraged to work closely with their Committee at all times. This will ensure a minimal amount of repetitive and wasted effort.
  • If the thesis involves obtaining data from human subjects, it is the responsibility of the student to apply for human subjects approval from the Committee for Protection of Human Subjects in the Division of Research.  The student should not apply for CPHS approval prior to the successful defense of the student’s thesis proposal. The CPHS deadlines are strictly enforced, therefore students should review the upcoming CPHS meeting schedule in order to prepare their applications by the appropriate deadlines. The student should reference  CPHS information on scheduled application deadlines and application review process.
  • The student will work with the Committee Chair to collect and analyze data and to develop their written thesis. The written thesis should adhere to the M.A. Thesis Guidelines in content and structure. The student should expect to complete several stages of revision of their work prior to the Chair's final approval of the thesis and should plan their time accordingly. The student should reference the Time Table Guidelines to determine when they must submit a complete draft of their thesis to their Chair in order to allow sufficient time for revisions and approval by the Chair.
  • Once the thesis draft has been approved by the Chair, the student will deliver the manuscript to the full Committee. With approval from the full Committee, the student will schedule a defense time convenient to the student and Committee members. Students should refer to the Time Table Guidelines when setting a date for the defense.
  • The oral defense of the thesis is to be conducted by the Committee and is open to all faculty and students who desire to attend. At least one week in advance of the scheduled defense, the student must provide a copy of the announcement indicating the date, time, location, and title of the thesis, plus an abstract of the thesis to the Graduate Advisor. The Graduate Advisor will distribute the announcement to faculty and graduate students through email, and the student must post the announcement around the department.
  • During the defense, the thesis Committee will evaluate the thesis and may indicate to the student any weaknesses that require correction. If the Committee deems the thesis satisfactorily completed, the student will prepare one finalized copy of the thesis required by the Department. Students should obtain the Guidelines for Thesis formatting and submitting from the Graduate Advisor and from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences website.  Note that the thesis must be successfully defended and ready for binding approximately two weeks before the last day of classes in the semester of intended graduation. Students must also upload a copy of their thesis to the UH Library website as directed by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

M.A. Internship Program.

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This program is specifically designed for students who wish to develop their research and writing skills through conducting an applied project. An internship is often viewed as providing training for immediate entry into the labor force. In the internship, a student learns to apply sociological knowledge and research skills to program evaluation and development, the daily operations of a program or agency, or clinical intervention. The internship project itself can vary in content dependent on the organization’s needs and the student’s interests, and could include research such as program evaluation or a needs assessment; development of a research instrument, tool, or product; policy analysis or critical literature review; or other approved project that utilizes sociological theory and/or research skills in an applied setting.

Requirements for this program include 15 hours of core courses and 6 hours of internship coursework. In addition to these specific requirements, students must have a minimum of 15 semester hours of electives at the graduate level. During the internship coursework, students will complete approximately 300 hours working in a community agency or organization and will develop an internship paper that applies sociological theory and/or research methods toward addressing a question relevant to their chosen organization.

  1. SOC 6300 (Seminar in Sociological Theory) 3 hrs
  2. SOC 6302 (Proseminar) 3 hrs
  3. SOC 6304 (Social Statistics) 3 hrs
  4. SOC 6306 (Seminar in Quantitative Methods) 3 hrs
  5. SOC 6311 (Seminar in Qualitative Research Methods) 3 hrs
  6. SOC 7395 (Internship) 3 hrs min
  7. SOC 7396 (Internship) 3 hrs min
  8. Electives (6000 Level) 15 hrs

(Total) 36 hrs

In order to be enrolled in SOC 7395: Internship hours and begin internship work, students should have successfully completed all five core courses.In addition, to be enrolled in SOC 7395, each student must submit an internship committee appointment and agreement form to the Graduate Advisor no later than the end of the term just prior to the term during which internship enrollment is requested. The form can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor.

All graduate students in Sociology who are endeavoring to earn an M.A. under the internship track must complete internship hours and the internship paper and its defense prior to graduation. It is strongly recommended that students begin the internship as soon as they have completed the five required core courses.

Internships usually extend over two semesters, with the expectation that the student will spend approximately 20 hours each week in the internship setting, i.e. a total of at least 300 hours during a one semester time period. Over the course of the two semesters, the student engages in a project relevant to the organization that applies the student’s training in sociological theory and methods. The student then prepares an internship paper based upon the project. In the second semester, the student submits the internship paper to the committee and engages in an oral defense.

 Internship Location, Committee, and Agreement

A student who wishes to complete an internship must first select an internship site, form a committee, and develop a tentative plan for the internship project. This tentative plan, summarized in the Internship Agreement, must be on file with the Graduate Advisor prior to enrolling in internship hours. The process of completing these steps is as follows:

  • To select an internship location, the student should begin by reviewing the internship locations described in internship papers from former students; reviewing agencies or organizations in the Houston area that fit the student’s interests; and engaging in discussions with one or more Department faculty members.
    • The student will need to select an internship site within which they can complete approximately 300 hours of work. Based upon the needs of the internship organization, these hours might or might not include the project that the student develops for their final internship paper. When selecting an internship location, a student should give preference to internship experiences that will incorporate their project into the requested internship tasks. In lieu of this option, students should select internships that develop employment-relevant skills, such as written and oral communication skills and research skills.
  • Only after the student has generated a short list of possible internship locations should the student ask a faculty member to serve as the Internship Committee Chair. Faculty members have the right to decline internship committee duty.
  • Working with the Chair, the student will finalize the internship location. The student must secure the willingness of a field supervisor from the internship site that will have regular contact with the student and provide ongoing feedback to the student about his/her performance. The Chair and the field supervisor from the internship organization will work with the student to develop plans regarding the work to be conducted and preliminary plans for the project that will be the subject of the final internship paper.
    • This work and preliminary plan will be summarized in the Internship Agreement form. Copies of the internship agreement form can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor. It is important that the student, faculty supervisor, and field supervisor clearly understand and mutually agree to the terms of the Internship Agreement.
    • The Internship Agreement reflects an understanding about tentative project plans, but does not indicate the Committee’s approval of the proposed project terms. As detailed under “Internship Process,” a student must defend a full proposal of their internship project during their first internship semester.
    • The Internship Agreement must be completed and signed prior to being enrolled in internship hours.
  • Once the internship location and proposed project is determined, the student should ask a second faculty member from the Department of Sociology to serve on the Committee. The final Internship Committee consists of a minimum of three (3) members. Two of these members must come from the Sociology faculty at the University of Houston, one of which will serve as the Internship Committee Chair. The third member is the field supervisor from the internship organization.  Faculty members have the right to decline to participate on an internship committee.

Internship Process

  • During the first internship semester, the student will complete 300 hours working for the internship organization. The work completed will be in accordance with the Internship Agreement between the student, Chair, and field supervisor.
  • In addition, the student will develop and defend their internship project proposal no later than the middle of their first internship semester. After spending some time working at the internship, the student’s understanding of the organization and their project plans will solidify. Students are then expected to develop a project proposal that summarizes the project, including all of the following sections if applicable: an introduction and a statement of the organizational problem, a literature review as it relates to that problem, a detailed methodology that includes research instruments if applicable, a proposed timeline for completion of the internship project, and references. In developing this proposal, the student should reference the Department of Sociology’s Internship Paper Guidelines.
    • The student will submit a complete draft of the internship proposal to the Chair for review. The student will then work with the Chair to develop and finalize the proposal that will be submitted to the full Committee. The student should expect to complete several stages of revision of their work prior to the Chair’s final approval of the internship proposal and should plan their time accordingly.
    • If the student’s internship project involves research with human subjects, the research should fall into one or more of the “exempt” categories for human subjects approval. Typically, a student’s work does not constitute “research with human subjects” if it is conducted for, and approved by, an agency and is for program evaluation, quality assurance, or marketing purposes. The student and Chair must verify that the proposed research falls within the exempt category before proceeding.  For an exemption to apply, the research cannot be published.
  • The student will submit the final approved draft of the internship proposal to the full Committee and schedule an oral proposal defense that includes all committee members.
    • The Committee members will review the proposal prior to the defense and request the student to respond to any lingering questions or issues during the proposal defense.
    • The Committee will then determine whether the submitted proposal qualifies as an adequate internship project. If the Committee views the proposal as unsatisfactory, then the student must rework the proposal until it meets the committee's expectations.
    • It is understood that the approved proposal shall constitute a contract binding upon both the student and his/her committee. Changes in the project necessitate the mutual approval of the student and the Committee.
  • After the student has received the Committee's approval on the submitted proposal, the student will begin work on the internship project. Students are strongly encouraged to work closely with their Committee at all times. This will ensure a minimal amount of repetitive and wasted effort.
  • The student will work with the Committee Chair to conduct the project tasks and to develop their written internship paper. The written internship paper should adhere to the M.A. Internship Paper Guidelines in content and structure, incorporating the elements applicable to the student’s project. The student should expect to complete several stages of revision of their work prior to the Chair's final approval of the internship paper and should plan their time accordingly. The student should reference the Time Table Guidelines to determine when they must submit a complete draft of their internship paper to their Chair in order to allow sufficient time for revisions and approval by the Chair.
  • Once the internship paper has been approved by the Chair, the student will deliver the internship paper to the full Committee. With approval from the full Committee, the student will schedule a defense time convenient to the student and Committee members. Students should refer to the Time Table Guidelines when setting a date for the defense.
  • The oral defense of the internship paper is to be conducted by the Committee and is open to all faculty and students who desire to attend. At least one week in advance of the scheduled defense, the student must provide a copy of the announcement indicating the date, time, location, and title of the internship paper, plus an abstract, to the Graduate Advisor. The Graduate Advisor will distribute the announcement to faculty and graduate students through email, and the student must post the announcement around the department. During the defense, the Committee will evaluate the internship paper and may indicate to the student any weaknesses that require correction. If the Committee deems the internship paper satisfactorily completed, the student will prepare one finalized copy of the internship paper required by the Department for binding. Report format and binding information can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor. Note that the internship report must be successfully defended, ready for binding, approximately one week before the end of classes in the semester of intended graduation.

Graduate Assistantships

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The Department of Sociology offers a number of research and teaching assistantships each year. These positions are available to both returning and incoming graduate students. The awarding of these positions is competitive and is based upon grade-point average, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and prior experience. Students interested in competing for these positions should obtain and complete the necessary forms from the Sociology Department Graduate Advisor.

Both research and teaching assistantships are offered on a semester basis and are available during the Fall and Spring semesters. A smaller number of summer teaching and research assistantships may be available and will be announced each Spring semester.

Teaching assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Advanced students are encouraged to seek other forms of financial assistance, such as paid internships or research assistantships. It is the Department's policy not to award a teaching assistantship for more than two years, with priority given to first year applicants.

Applications for Fall teaching assistantships must be completed and received by the Department of Sociology no later than April 1 and Spring assistantships must be completed no later than November 1. Applications received later than these dates cannot be guaranteed consideration.
The semester teaching assistantship program carries a stipend as is determined by the University.

The State of Texas mandates that students on teaching or research assistantships must register during the regular academic year for a minimum of nine (9) credit hours of course work per semester. With approval, an exception to the nine credit hours requirement can be made during the last term of the student’s graduate career. Such exceptions can only be made once in a student’s graduate career.

Teaching Assistantships

TAs are assigned to one or more faculty members who will direct and coordinate the TA's activities. These TAs can expect to monitor and grade exams, grade papers and do assorted other work for the department and individual faculty. Some TAs may teach laboratory sections of the research methods or statistics courses. In addition, some TAs may be assigned to the undergraduate data lab. All TAs, regardless of assignment, can expect to work an average of 20 hours per week.

TAs must adhere to the practices set out in the Department’s TA Manual in order to maintain good standing to retain their current position and to be eligible for reappointment.

Research Assistantships

Students who are awarded research assistantships are assigned to one or more faculty members who are engaged in a particular research project. Research assistantships are highly competitive.  The research assistant will be familiarized with the project and be expected to partake in the ongoing work of the project. The specific tasks required of the assistant will depend upon the nature of the project, the division of labor as defined by the project's director, and the student's abilities.

Other Sources of Financial Aid

Students who are unable to acquire an assistantship through the Department of Sociology or who are unable to meet their financial obligations on the assistantship stipend may seek alternative or additional financial aid through the Scholarship and Financial Aid Office. The Scholarship and Financial Aid Office directs the entire campus financial aid program for both graduate and undergraduate students. The types of aid and services provided include grants, loans, scholarships, and short-term loans.

Graduate students who have specific questions concerning financial matters, tuition waivers, loans, residency status, etc., are advised to read carefully the appropriate sections of the Graduate Catalog available on the UH Graduate School website. Students who do not receive an assistantship and desire to obtain financial support should remain in close contact with the Graduate Advisor and the Graduate Committee of the Department of Sociology. By maintaining academic standards and remaining in contact with the Graduate Advisor and the Committee, students will increase their chances of obtaining mid-year assistantships when they become available or other sources of aid that may open up throughout the academic year.

Werlin Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Joseph S. and Rosella H. Werlin Memorial Scholarship Fund provides a one-time award of $100 to sociology graduate students. In addition, this fund provides students with a one-time $150 award for thesis or internship binding. Requests for Werlin funds should be made in writing to the Graduate Committee. Information on the travel grants and binding can be obtained from the Graduate Advisor. 

Department Travel Funds

In addition to the $100 from the Werlin Memorial Scholarship Fund, students can request supplemental travel awards from the Department. The amount of these funds is determined on annual basis. Requests should be made to the Graduate Committee.

Research Funds

Graduate students in the Department of Sociology are eligible to apply for small research grants of up to $250 after the completion of their first year in the program and making significant progress towards formulating their thesis or internship project. The funds are intended for research expenses including, but not limited to, the following: participant incentives, travel for data collection, transcribing, or software or hardware needs. The student should reference the Department of Sociology Graduate Student Research Grants guidelines for application procedures.

Procedures for Graduation

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Application for Graduation

Master's students must apply for graduation; Graduate degrees are not awarded automatically upon completion of scholastic work. Application should be filed early (no later than the date specified in the University's academic calendar) during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Application for graduation is made online through the student’s myUH account.

Course Enrollment

Students completing the program (either thesis or internship) must enroll in both Sociology 6399 and 7399 (thesis) or 7395 and 7396 (internship) in succession.

General Provisions

General provisions and regulations for graduate school are found in the most current Graduate Catalog. The most current Graduate Catalog can be obtained through the UH Graduate School.

Catalog

Students are entitled to graduate under degree provisions of the catalog in effect at the time of their first completed semester of enrollment, with the following exceptions:

  1. A catalog more than 10 years old shall not be used.
  2. If the program is interrupted for more than one year (for other than involuntary military service), a graduate student will be governed by the catalog of re-entrance.
  3. If a change of program is made from one college to another in the University, the student will be governed by the degree requirements in effect at the time of the change.

Right to Petition

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Graduate students who believe they have been unfairly dealt with or who maintain other grievances that pertain to their graduate career and the operations of the Sociology Department may petition in writing one or more of the following: Graduate Committee, Chair of the Department, and/or the Sociology Faculty-at-Large. For additional information on the graduate student academic grievance policy, refer to the CLASS website at http://www.uh.edu/class/students/graduate/academics-planning/policies-procedures/index.php .

Department of Sociology Graduate Courses

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The following is a complete list of the graduate courses offered by the Department of Sociology.

*SOC 6300: Seminar in Sociological Theory (3 credits)
*SOC 6302: Proseminar (3 credits)
*SOC 6304: Social Statistics (3 credits)
*SOC 6306: Seminar in Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
*SOC 6311: Seminar in Qualitative Sociological Methods (3 credits)
  SOC 6312: Seminar in the Sociology of Work and Occupations (3 credits)
  SOC 6325: Seminar in Minority Groups (3 credits)
  SOC 6330: Seminar in Social Psychology (3credits)
  SOC 6341: Seminar in Formal Organizations (3 credits)
  SOC 6350: Seminar in the Sociology of the Body (3 credits)
  SOC 6351: Seminar in Social Stratification (3 credits)
  SOC 6352: Seminar in Population (3 credits)  
  SOC 6360: Seminar in the Sociology of Urban Education (3 credits)
  SOC 6362: Seminar in Social Change (3 credits)
  SOC 6363: Seminar Theories of Social Deviance (3 credits)
  SOC 6375: Seminar in the Sociology of Law (3 credits)
  SOC 6380: Seminar in Medical Care (3 credits)
  SOC 6385: Seminar in the Sociology of Religion (3 credits)
  SOC 6390: Seminar in the Sociology of Gender (3 credits)
  SOC 6391: Seminar in the Sexuality and Society
  SOC 6397: Selected Topics in Sociology and Social Psychology (3 credits)
  SOC 6398: Special Problems (3 credits) - A reading course supervised by approved faculty member
**SOC 6399-7399: Thesis (3 credits each)
***SOC 7395-7396: Sociological Internship (3 credits each)

* These courses are required of all graduate students. Students are advised to take these courses as soon as possible.
** Both sections of the thesis series 6399/7399 are required of all students in the Master's program with thesis.
*** Both sections of this series 7395/7396 are required of all students in the Master's program with internship.