Accelerated Bachelor/ Masters of Arts in Applied Sociology
About the Program | Program Information | | Admission Requirements | Application Requirements | Outcomes | Contact Us
UMass Boston's Accelerated Bachelor/Master of Arts in Applied Sociology program is designed for qualified third-year UMass Boston students who want to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in as little as five years.
About the Program
The MA program in Applied Sociology offers students an innovative and challenging curriculum in applied research. Students graduate with skills and expertise that are required by many research and administrative positions and doctoral programs. Core courses provide a foundation in the theories and methods used by applied sociologists. Additional courses allow students to develop substantive expertise and research skills.
The Accelerated Bachelor/Masters of Arts in Applied Sociology is for students who:
- Want to develop the skills for a social service or research-related careers in health care, criminal justice, substance abuse, public affairs and urban planning, business, law, or education
- Are thinking about pursuing a PhD in Sociology or a related field
- Want to earn a graduate degree in less time than it would take to get separate bachelor's and master's degrees
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Program Information
- Take graduate courses as an undergraduate student, and your tuition and financial aid will apply towards your graduate credits while you're still an undergraduate student.
- Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) students are eligible for graduate assistantships upon completion of their undergraduate program.
- Students typically receive half of an assistantship (9 hours of work as a TA, a 50% tuition waiver, and a stipend).
- Complete the BA/MA with a minimum of 140 credits rather than the minimum 157 required if the programs are done separately (37 credits are required for all MA degree recipients).
- Keep your status as an undergraduate student until you fully complete your undergraduate program (120 credits and all major and general education requirements); then become a master's student.
- 17 credits of graduate courses can count towards undergraduate general elective credits. Credits earned from MA courses cannot be used to meet BA requirements for your major.
- Upon completion of all undergraduate requirements, you will be awarded a bachelor's degree; upon completion of all graduate requirements, you'll be awarded your master's degree.
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Admission Requirements
- Apply to the program when you have completed approximately 60 to 75 undergraduate credits (with at least 30 credits completed at UMass Boston), but no later than the second semester of junior year.
- Completed undergraduate coursework must include introduction to sociology, sociological theory, and sociological research methods regardless of your undergraduate major. These courses may be taken during your senior year.
- If not a sociology major, at least 18 credits must be in undergraduate sociology or another social science field (i.e. psychology, anthropology) related to program objectives.
- You must have already taken and passed the UMass Boston Writing Proficiency Examination.
- You must have a minimum 3.2 overall undergraduate grade point average.
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Application Requirements
- Deadlines: March 1 for Fall admission; October 1 for Spring admission
- Online application found at Graduate Applications
- GPA minimum: 3.2
- GRE is NOT required
- A personal statement (1,200 words) on academic and career interests in applied sociology, including your desired area of specialization
- Two (2) letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member) from individuals acquainted with your interests and who are qualified to evaluate your potential for sustained graduate study in applied sociology
- An academic writing sample from a course in sociology or a related field
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Outcomes
Alumni have gone on to leadership positions in policy development, health care, community development, veteran services, criminal justice, social service agencies, research firms, government and nonprofit agencies, higher education, and think tanks.
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Contact Us
Want to learn more? Download the Accelerated Master's in Applied Sociology fact sheet. You can also send us an email to [email protected] or schedule a time to meet with the Graduate Program Coordinator here.
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