MS candidates in Rural Sociology are expected to develop foundational understandings of rural sociology, research methods and statistics, and a general awareness of basic substantive, theoretical and methodological issues of topics relevant to rural sociology (such as demography, food and agricultural systems, environment and natural resources, community and community development, or international development).
Requirements for MS students include the following:
- RSOC 502 "Use of Theory in Rural Sociology"
- RSOC 513 "Research Methods in Rural Social Sciences"
- Two graduate-level (500 and above) statistics courses (selected in consultation with the graduate program coordinator and the student’s advisor)
- RSOC 516 "Change in Rural Society" or RSOC 517 "International Social Change"
- 2 credits of RSOC 590 "Colloquium" [this is a 1-credit course to be taken the first two semesters in the program]
- Two additional 3-credit graduate-level (500 and above) courses in Rural Sociology
- RSOC 600 "Research Thesis Credits" [6 credits required; typically taken in the 2nd year of study]
Substitutions for any of these courses require prior consultation with and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. A minimum of 36 total graduate level credits (400 level or above) are required for the MS degree. All MS graduate students are required to have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for graduation. See policy GCAC-215 regarding limits on the total number of research credits that can be assigned quality grades in a student's program.
MS students devise a plan of study in close consultation with their advisor, both to ensure they meet the above requirements and to craft a tailored curriculum that addresses the student’s academic background and interests and advances their career goals. A minor is possible but not required.
MS students will have a final oral examination of their thesis that is administered by their MS committee. The thesis should reflect original research in the field of rural sociology. Under the guidance of the advisor, a written draft of the complete thesis will be submitted to the committee two weeks in advance of the exam. The MS thesis exam is generally preceded by a brief (i.e., 15-20 minute) presentation on the thesis research that is open to all members of the department. The actual exam is conducted privately by the committee after the presentation.
It is expected that MS students on a half-time assistantship will complete the degree in 4 semesters, not including summers. All requirements for a master's degree (including successful defense of the thesis) must be met within eight years of admission to the program. Additional information about the Master’s Degree requirements can be found online.
