- Applicants apply to the CSU and to the M.A. in Sociological Practice at CSUSM through
the CalState Apply system. Click on the tab for Graduate Programs and then click on, “Apply for Fall 2021”.
- As part of your application you will choose the CSU graduate programs to which you
want to apply. For our program, first click on Cal State San Marcos under the drop-down
menu for campus. Then click on Master of Arts in Sociological Practice and you will
see the MASP application and required attachments in Box 4 of the application (program
materials).
The CSU Apply application requires that you answer questions about personal information
(Box 1), academic history (Box 2), and supporting information--experiences (Box 3).
Note that when you enter your former /current college names you need to spell them
out fully in order to see them in the dropdown menu—e.g., California State University
San Marcos, not CSUSM. There are help menus on CSU Apply to aid you with any questions
you have and you can email representatives as well with questions. Start these first
three sections weeks before you need to in the event that you have any challenges
filling them out.
Please note that in the Other Information section under the Personal Information box
it asks if you have a Social Security number. Note that it is not necessary to have
one or to be documented in order to attend graduate school in California. The CSU
requests this information for some of their own requirements.
When you fill out the Supporting Information box, they ask you to provide a list of
experiences. You can mark the box, "I am not adding any experiences." (But if you
are applying to more than one program and one of them wants this, you will need to
add some experiences to this box.
Similarly, you do not need to submit GRE scores for our program, but if you are applying
to multiple programs and one of them requires your scores, you should upload them
in the standardized test section of the academic history box. You should click “I
am not adding any standardized tests” if you are not adding the GRE to your package.
In terms of the transcript entry section, you will see the following directions: Graduate
and Credential Applicants: Only enter courses that are in-progress or planned. Select
“I am Not Adding Any College Transcripts” if you don’t have in-progress or planned
coursework.
Also note that the CSU charges $70 for each graduate program to which you apply.
- For the supplemental MASP application (Box 4, Program Materials) you will be asked
to provide the contact information for your letter of recommendation writers, answers
to our questions about your interest in the program and program fit, a statement of
purpose, a writing sample, and official transcripts from non-CSUSM undergraduate institutions
and unofficial transcripts from all colleges you attended (including CSUSM).
Statement of Purpose: We ask you to provide us with a narrative that tells the admissions committee about
your personal biography, your educational journey, and your research interests as
they relate to the MASP program. We recommend 500 words or less and be sure to include
your full name on this document. You will add the Statement of Purpose under the tab
that says Statement of Purpose on the Documents page.
Recommendations: We ask you to provide the names, professional contact information and email addresses
for the three people (a minimum of two must be from former or current professors)
who have agreed to write you a letter of recommendation for graduate school. It is
recommended that you waive your right to see this recommendation by checking the box
on this page. After you complete this page, your letter writers will receive a link
in their email where they can submit their letters. Be sure to write a message to
your potential letter writers on the letter of rec page, telling them that the letter
is due on March 1, 2021.
Questions: In addition to the letters, we ask you to answer questions related to your interest
and fit for our graduate program. The CSU has set the blank answer boxes to use a
character count of 9999 characters. (You can see character counts under the word count
function on your word processing program, e.g., under Tools in Word) The questions
address your future goals, social justice awareness, research and community experience,
and previous academic work. You can see them on the attachment at the bottom of this
webpage.
Writing Sample: Your writing sample should be scholarly (and include in-text citations and references)
and demonstrate your promise as a graduate student in Sociological Practice. We are
looking for the ways in which you engage with literature and demonstrate critical
thinking skills. Your polished writing sample can be a revised class paper or your
own original paper. You will add your writing sample under the tab labeled Writing
Sample in Documents.
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