The Master of Art in Sociology degree program at Marshall Univeristy in Huntington, West Virginia, offers students the opportunity to study the intricacies of social life. The social and analytical skills developed through the sociology program are essential for any job dealing with people and organizations—especially those involving multiethnic and global environments and those requiring breadth and adaptability.
Our M.A. in sociology allows Marshall University students to learn how to negotiate the collaboratively constructed institutions through which our social world works, how social stratification affects opportunities for individuals and groups, how to critically analyze problems inherent in the way we construct society and how to empirically determine the facts we construct into truths.
Humans are social beings and we live in a social environment. Sociology is the scientific discipline that studies that social environment, focusing on human behavior and social interactions of individuals, groups, organizations and whole societies. Sociology is a major that allows students to study her or his interests in the workings of society with minimal disciplinary limits.
Why study sociology at Marshall?
Marshall University, located in West Virginia, is accredited as an institution of higher learning by The Higher Learning Commission. Marshall’s Masters of Sociology program offers excellent preparation for professional careers and advanced degrees in sociology. Our program seeks to ensure that our students develop a solid foundation in the principles, theories, and techniques of analysis in sociology.
While allowing for flexibility to accommodate students’ diverse interests, the curriculum ensures our students are introduced to social theory, learn to employ the basic research methods of the discipline and take courses that provide a good orientation in the discipline both in breadth and depth. Marshall’s sociology program offers diverse faculty, research or applied sociology options, small class sizes and various opportunities for interaction with faculty.
Sociology is also offered as a graduate minor for student who are interested in sociology but are not earning an M.A. in Sociology. A minor in sociology is earned by taking a minimum of six credit-hours in courses at the 500 or 600 level in sociology as approved by the student’s advisor and the graduate program director in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Marshall.
Career Outlook for Sociology Majors
Although it isn’t common to see jobs with “sociologist” in the title, a sociology M.A. is recognized as an excellent credential for a wide variety of occupations, especially careers in the following fields:
A recent study by CareerCast.com ranked sociology as the eighth most appealing job in its analysis of 200 occupations based on job characteristics such as perceived work environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands, security, and stress.
Opportunities
Hands-on Research in Sociology
Our accomplished faculty place a strong emphasis on teaching and mentoring while also striving to maintain an active research agenda. Students learn both qualitative and quantitative research methods and are exposed to a variety of subfields and theoretical perspectives.
Undergraduate and graduate students present research at annual events including the Marshall University College of Liberal Arts (COLA) Research and Creativity Conference.
Honors
Alpha Kappa Delta is the sociology honors society and is open to both undergraduate and graduate students studying sociology at Marshall University. The AKD Chapter at Marshall was established in 1950 and was the first in West Virginia.