Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Graduate Program

Graduate Faculty

The General Thesis option provides students with general knowledge in the discipline of sociology and the opportunity to develop more specialized knowledge and skills through guided electives. Culminating with a thesis, this degree option prepares students for advanced study leading to the Ph.D. degree in sociology, teaching at the community college level and careers in various agencies and organizations. The Applied Sociology option requires students to complete an Internship Placement Report. This degree option prepares students for leadership and evaluative positions in governmental and private non-profit sector organizations.

Program Admission Requirements:

1. Submit scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Scores of at least 400 on the verbal and quantitative sections preferred.
2. A 3.0 overall undergraduate grade point average.
3. An undergraduate major or minor in sociology. In lieu of this requirement, students who majored and minored in related subjects (social work, psychology, criminal justice) and who complete at least three courses in sociology may be admitted under the condition that they enroll in and complete, with at least a grade of B, two upper-level undergraduate courses.
4. Three letters of recommendation.

Applicants who are weak in one area may still be admitted if they have high credentials in other areas (e.g., an undergraduate major in sociology with a GPA above 3.0 for both the major and for all coursework). All application materials should be on file in the Graduate Office six weeks before the beginning of the term in which the student plans to begin study.

GENERAL THESIS OPTION

Thesis Option Requirements

All students selecting the thesis option must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, 21 of which must be in sociology.

Students enrolled in the thesis option may take 18-21 credit hours of electives. This offers a high degree of choice and personalized study, culminating in a thesis that can be oriented toward the student's special area of interest. Other than the courses offered by the department, students may consult with the Graduate Coordinator and take up to nine hours of graduate study outside Sociology/Anthropology to gain knowledge and expertise in related fields of study (psychology, public health, management, criminal justice, etc.). Students may enroll in up to three Independent Study courses (9 credit hours maximum), although the department recommends that students take no more than two (6 credit hours total). Those students who are deemed to have had insufficient coursework in sociology at the undergraduate level may be required to take between one and three "5xx7" courses before enrolling in the required courses.

Students, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator, shall select an advisory committee (a chair and two other members) by the time they have completed 18 credit hours. Students must formally submit a Committee Form to the Graduate School. Before students actually begin the work on their thesis research, they must prepare and present to the department's graduate faculty a Thesis Prospectus. Students will defend the Prospectus before their chosen committee; after gaining approval, they may enroll in SOAA 5960 Thesis. Once a student has completed their thesis to the satisfaction of their committee, a thesis defense will be scheduled.

A written comprehensive exam is also required to successfully complete the degree program. The exam includes questions regarding knowledge of sociological theory, research methods, and other areas of primary knowledge in sociology.

APPLIED SOCIOLOGY OPTION

All students selecting the non-thesis option must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours, 27 of which must be in sociology.  

Any exceptions to these “core” courses must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and the student's advisory committee chair. As with the thesis option, those students deemed to have had insufficient coursework in sociology at the undergraduate level may be required to enroll in one to three "5xx7" courses.

The special feature of the applied sociology concentration is the Supervised Internship (SOAA 5850, 6 credit hours). Students, in conjunction with the Graduate Coordinator and their advisory committee, will select an appropriate placement in an agency or organization in which they will work, under supervision, for a total of 280-300 hours (approximately 20 hours per week over one semester or 10 hours per week over two semesters). The culmination of the applied sociology concentration is an analytical report based on the student's internship experience and knowledge gained from previous coursework, for which they receive three credits by taking Internship Placement Report (SOAA 5870). Students interested in the applied sociology concentration should indicate so in their first semester of study and a screening interview will be conducted by the second semester. As with the thesis option, a written comprehensive exam is required to successfully complete the degree program.

For further information, please contact Dr. Leslie McCallister, the Graduate Studies Coordinator.

UNIVERSITY CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Based on requirements of the Tennessee Board of Regents, graduate students may not take more than 30 percent of their coursework below the 5000 credit level. For students in either degree option this essentially means that no more than nine hours (three courses) of their graduate study may be composed of "5xx7" courses. Students must be careful of this rule, especially those who must take 5xx7 courses to make up for deficiencies in their undergraduate study. As noted earlier, it is also a rule of the ETSU Graduate School that no student may have more than three Independent Study courses (nine credit hours).

INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology encourages students to enroll in graduate courses offered in other departments that are appropriate to their program of study. Students should discuss these out-of-the-department courses with either the Graduate Coordinator or with the chair of their committee.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

A number of graduate assistantships and tuition scholarships are available in the department and elsewhere on campus. The department usually offers teaching and research assistantships and tuition scholarships. Please contact Graduate Admissions for information about completing an ETSU application and the Office of Financial Aid  for questions about additional scholarships, grants, and loans, including opportunities available for minority students.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES

Pi Gamma Mu, the international honor society in social science, recognizes good scholarship and actively promotes it through enriching activities, service projects, a scholarship program, a lectureship program and the publication of a quarterly journal, "International Social Science Review." Tennessee Eta Chapter of ETSU was founded in 1968 and has more that one thousand members. Pi Gamma Mu is open to upperclassmen/graduate students of the upper 35% of their class with at least 20 semester hours of social sciences maintaining a minimum 3.0 average overall. Faculty sponsorship of Pi Gamma Mu resides in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

REGULAR COURSE OFFERINGS

In addition, we offer a variety of other courses throughout the year as deemed appropriate.

Please check our complete listing of Graduate Courses.