Sociology - Inequality and Social Justice

Academic Eligibility

First-year students: To be eligible for admission, freshman students must have met/be on track to meet all upper/senior secondary school requirements with the equivalent of a 2.5 GPA to be automatically considered for admission to undergraduate programs.

Transfer students: Transfer students must have graduated from secondary school and completed at least 12 university-level credits (1 semester) with the equivalent of a 2.0 GPA.

UM Undergraduate Admissions uses a 4.0 unweighted scale to determine GPA. If your school does not calculate GPA, we will calculate it for you when we evaluate your academic records. 

Documents for Admission

Secondary school students/graduates: Please submit academic transcripts/mark sheets for grades 9-12 and secondary school leaving certificates, exam results or diplomas showing secondary school completion (if applicable)

Students who have completed at least one semester (12 U.S. credits) of university or post-secondary study: university transcript/mark sheets/exam results listing all courses, grades and credits/hours and diplomas/graduation certificates (if applicable). Students who qualify for transfer do not need to submit secondary school documents.

English translations: All documents not originally issued in English must also be accompanied by word-for-word English translations. You, the applicant, can make the translations yourself.

Admission consideration for international applicants can proceed with unofficial documents. Unofficial documents are photocopies or scans of original academic documents submitted to University of Montana directly by you, the student. Unofficial documents can be uploaded to your admission portal.

Experiential learning in the sociology degree program

Inequality and social justice are real-world phenomena that must be studied using data, theory and hands-on learning. Our robust internship program and faculty-led research opportunities give students experience that prepares them for a career path in sociology-related fields.

Internships for sociology majors

Our internship program is a win-win for both students and local organizations. Students gain practical experience and credits, while organizations benefit from the energy and expertise of sociology students.

Many students have interned at such local organizations as Partnership Health of Missoula, Women's Resource Center at UM, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Missoula Food Bank, YWCA's GUTS (Girls Using Their Strengths) Program, the Flagship Program and the Poverello Center.

Undergraduate research experiences for sociology majors

What are the causes of inequality and how can we help change it? How can social justice be achieved? These are important questions that require intensive research, which is an integral part of the UM sociology degree program.

Students in this program learn about several methods of collecting and analyzing data, and design and conduct their own sociological projects examining an aspect of inequality of their choosing.

Sociology faculty also have a long and enthusiastic tradition of conducting research for, and providing service to, a wide variety of local and statewide organizations, including the Montana Board of Crime Control, Salish Kootenai College, the Montana Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission and the Montana District of U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.

Career development in the sociology degree program

Students in the inequality and social justice concentration are challenged to sharpen their analytical and critical thinking skills throughout their time at UM. With these skills in their toolbox, they can better assess inequalities and solutions, which helps make them stellar job candidates.

Of course, you'll be taught by the best, as all faculty have Ph.D.s in sociology. Many have won prestigious teaching and mentoring awards in recent years, including the Cox Educational Excellence Award and William Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching Across the Curriculum, UM's Outstanding Faculty Advising Award, and the Missoulian newspaper's Best UM Professor Award.

1. Complete an online application
2. Pay the application fee
3. Submit required application documents

• English language proficiency requirements
• Academic records
• Financial information
• Copy of passport
• Transfer form (for transfer students only) 

You can also download our International Admissions Checklist to help you submit all required materials.