Introduction

The focus of the program is on sociological practice — applying sociologically informed policies to current social problems confronting the community with developing sensitivity to multicultural, gender, and age differences.

The MA in Sociological Practice includes theory and methods, field experience in human service and criminal justice environments, and applied  research.Solidly grounded in social scientific theory and methods, the program prepares students for a range of careers in which professionals are required to provide needed services to clients and to administer and evaluate programs in human services and criminal justice agencies.

Applied work is sufficiently central to the discipline of sociology that we also accept students with intentions to continue on to a Ph.D. program in sociology. The faculty represent the major sectors of human services – aging and gerontology, the sociology of health and mental health, criminology and juvenile delinquency, social welfare, and family and community studies. They are engaged in and committed to teaching and research in these fields and to having students gain field experience in these areas. In addition, the program is uniquely prepared to offer courses in the study of differences in ethnicity, race, gender, and age and how these qualities may affect values and practices in the human services and criminal justice sectors.