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The Interdepartmental Graduate Program
The Interdepartmental Graduate Program in sociology offers study and research leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science. Anthropologists, rural sociologists, sociologists, criminologists and other faculty from the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work serve as faculty to the graduate program. The program is administered by a coordinating committee from the Department of Sociology and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Auburn University. There are both thesis and non-thesis options available.
Admission
Studies may start during any term. Admission is based on the applicant's grade point average (GPA) and supporting materials (e.g. letters of recommendation). The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not mandatory, but applicants may submit scores as part of supporting materials. In general, applicants are expected to have the equivalent of a 3.0 or higher overall GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
Master's Degree Requirements
Students admitted to the master's program are required to complete three core courses. Degree tracks include thesis (MS) and non-thesis (MA) options, consisting of 30 and 36 hours, respectively. The remainder of coursework is elective but must be determined in consultation with the student’s faculty advisory committee. Please refer to the program guide for more information.
Required Core Courses
All students take core graduate courses in social theory, social research methods and statistics:
- SOCY 7000 Advanced Sociological Theory
- SOCY 7100 Statistical Analysis of Survey, Aggregate, and Large Data Sources
- RSOC 7700 Methods of Social Research
Students entering the program without a BS or BA degree or requisite coursework in sociology may be required to take additional courses in the core areas, such as theory, methods, and statistics. See the Auburn Bulletin and consult with professors for information on requirements, majors, and courses.
Financial Aid
A variable number of graduate teaching assistantships (GTAs) and graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are available on a competitive basis to support graduate students in the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Sociology. Funding preference is given to students pursuing the thesis option.
GTA positions are associated primarily with the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work in the College of Liberal Arts and involve working with faculty teaching in the undergraduate core curriculum.
GRA positions are associated primarily with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology in the College of Agriculture and involve working with faculty conducting research on a variety of topics dealing with rural development. Contact the individual departments for more information.