Sociology and Social Studies
Graduate Co-ordinator: Henry Chow, PhD
Department Description
The department has particular strengths in the following general areas: sociology of environment, development and sustainability; social justice; sociology of knowledge, science and technology; social science methodology and quantitative and qualitative social research techniques; gender and women's studies; rural sociology; sociology of food and agriculture; political economy; Marxist and critical theory; political sociology; Canadian studies; and social history. As well, the department maintains a commitment to a strong interdisciplinary social science program which can draw on the resources of other departments and academic areas.
The department offers a graduate program leading to the MA degree in Sociology or in Social Studies. Successful applicants for entrance to the Master's program will be advised and supervised in their work by a committee of faculty. The department offers a PhD degree in Sociology or in Social Studies on a special case basis.
Thesis based MA Program Description
In addition to theory and methods courses, the graduate program of Sociology and Social Studies offers students the possibility of taking courses in three areas of concentration: environment and development, social justice, and knowledge, science and technology. Students will be allowed to mix and match, or follow just one stream according to their interests and goals.
All MA candidates in Sociology and Social Studies are required to take 4 three credit hour courses and to take SOC/SOST 800 twice. For MA candidates in Sociology, two of these courses must be SOC 802 and SOC 804. The balance of the program consists of at least 18 credit hours of thesis research.
Courses
Course descriptions and offerings
Successful candidates for admission may pursue the MA degree in Sociology if they have a BA Honours degree or equivalent in Sociology.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Credit Hours |
| SOC 802 | 3 credit hours |
| SOC 804 | 3 credit hours |
| 2 SOC 8XX or approved 8XX approved social sciences | 6 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| SOC 901 (Thesis Research) | 18 credit hours |
| Total | 30 credit hours |
The MA program in Social Studies is an interdisciplinary program that provides the candidate with the opportunity to develop a program bridging two or more social science disciplines. Students with a variety of social science backgrounds may be eligible for this program. Students interested in this program should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Credit Hours |
| Any 4 8XX approved social science | 12 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| SOST 901 (Thesis Research) | 18 credit hours |
| Total | 30 credit hours |
The program requires the completion of 30 credit hours in courses, including 9 credit hours of required cores courses. The remaining courses (21 credit hours) are selected from two or more of the social sciences, or approved courses in graduate programs other than the social sciences. A Program Advisor is assigned to assist students in developing a program of courses. The proposed program will be submitted to the Department's Graduate Program Committee for approval.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Credit Hours |
| SOST 801 | 3 credit hours |
| One 8xx social science theory course (list below) | 3 credit hours |
| One 8xx social science methods course (list below) | 3 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| SOC/SOST 800 (Seminar) | 0 credit hours |
| 7 - 8xx social sciences or other approved courses | 21 credit hours |
| Total | 30 credit hours |
Social Science Theory Courses:
ANTH 808, ECON 802, GEOG 822, GEOG 834, HIST 800, INDG 800, JS 801, PSCI 812, PSCI 813, PSCI 814, PSYC 800, PSYC 820, RLST 802, SOPT 800, SOPT 801, SOC 802, SOC 803, SOC 806, WGST 800
Social Science Methods Courses:
ANTH 853, ECON 830, GEOG 805, HIST 900, PSYC 801, PSYC 802, RLST 810, SOC 804, SOC 805
Courses outside of prescribed list may be approved by the academic unit.
Courses from other faculties, schools and programs:
In addition to courses from the social sciences, courses in other faculties, schools and programs whose subject matter is significantly based on, or closely aligned to, the social sciences may be included in a student’s program. The following faculties, schools and programs contain such courses: Business Administration, Education, Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy, Journalism, Justice and Police Studies, Kinesiology and Health Studies, and Social Work. The selection and inclusion of such courses must be approved by the student’s advisor, the Department’s Graduate Program Committee, and the Arts Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies).
The social sciences include: Anthropology, Economics, Geography and Environmental Studies, History, Justice Studies, Politics and International Studies, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology and Social Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Reading Courses: A maximum of five reading courses are permitted. Each of these must be approved by the student's Program Advisor and the instructor of the course. Reading courses will only be approved when a course can be made that such courses are of key importance to the student's program.
Integrated Courses: Students are reminded that if they received credit for a integrated course (a combined senior undergraduate and graduate course) during their undergraduate programs, they may not take the course again for credit at the graduate level. An exception is seminar format courses (SOC 404/804), which may be repeated, but the method of grading at the graduate level will be as Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.