10.1. Demography
The Rural Sociology graduate program participates in the multidisciplinary dual-title graduate programs in demography. Interested students are able to earn a dual-title master's and/or doctoral degree in Rural Sociology and Demography. Dual-title students take additional required courses in demographic theory and methods that fall into four categories: disciplinary survey courses, demographic methods, seminars in demographic processes; and elective courses in population studies. The full description of the dual-title program, including all course offerings in the affiliated departments, is available online. Faculty in Rural Sociology currently offer multiple courses that qualify for the Demography program: RSOC 530 (poverty and inequality), RSOC 525 (population and development), RSOC 516 (Rural Social Change), among others. These courses are appropriate for all rural sociology students with substantive interest in these areas, not just dual-degree demography students. These courses are also intended to prepare students for comprehensive exams in the demography concentration area.
10.2. Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society (TREES)
The Rural Sociology graduate program participates in the dual-title graduate program in Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society (TREES). Interested students are able to earn a dual-title master's and/or doctoral degree in Rural Sociology and TREES. The TREES program prepares student researchers to understand and use methods, theories, and technologies for addressing contemporary natural resource and societal challenges. Information on this program, including information on how to apply and requirements, can be found online.
10.3. International Agriculture and Development (INTAD)
The Rural Sociology graduate program participates in both the MS and PhD dual title programs in International Agriculture and Development (INTAD). INTAD enables students from various College of Agricultural Sciences graduate programs to develop expertise and skills, as well as acquire practical experience in international agriculture and development, in a context that also supports and draws on professional identification with the primary discipline. Faculty in Rural Sociology provide intellectual and administrative leadership to INTAD, including offering courses that fulfill program requirements and electives, including RSOC 517 (International Social Change) and RSOC 508 (Sociology of Food and Agriculture). At the core of the program is the course INTAD 820: International Agricultural Development Seminar. Each seminar session is led by professors from different departments with multiple international experiences and expertise in subject matter and process skills. The focus of this course changes annually to reflect issues in the global arena and faculty interests and expertise. A dissertation on an international agriculture and development topic is required of all students in the dual title program. Further information about the program's requirements and opportunities can be found online.
10.4. Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – WGSS
The Rural Sociology program participates in both the MS and PhD dual degree programs in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS). WGSS provides a context in which students can learn to synthesize knowledge within and across disciplinary boundaries. In addition, a dual-title degree program provides students with an opportunity for increased work within a pedagogical framework that encourages an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. For more information on this dual-degree, visit their website. Course requirements for the dual-title program in Women's Studies may be found on their website. Required courses provide critical feminist theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical training. The program requires specified core courses and electives, which should be chosen in consultation with the advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies in Women's Studies.
