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Areas
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Requirements
Research
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You may decide that a Masters degree in sociology is all you wish to pursue for the present. You should seriously consider the excellent M.A. program offered by the Queens College Sociology Department. This specialized M.A. concentrates on applied social research and is described in detail in the Queens College Graduate Bulletin.
The Masters Program in Applied Social Research provides the graduate student with the educational foundation and technical skills necessary to prepare for a professional career in market research, program evaluation, public opinion research, institutional research, or other applied social research field. The program also serves as a stepping stone for those students who wish to gain experience in graduate studies before making the decision to enter a doctoral program.
Students pursue one of several areas of substantive concentration. The Market Research concentration focuses on techniques of market research including market segmentation, sampling design, market demographics, and consumer behavior. Many graduates go on to professional roles in one of the many marketing and advertising firms in the greater New York metropolitan area.
Other substantive concentrations focus on the more social aspects of applied social research, often within a governmental, health care, or institutional environment. Graduate students pursue substantive knowledge in areas such as social stratification, demography, collective behavior, and mass communications. Upon graduation, students apply their knowledge of applied social research in careers that involve providing professional and technical evaluations of programs, policies, and practices.
Graduate students intent upon gaining experience before entering a doctoral program pursue a substantive concentration similar to those interested in program evaluation, but with added emphasis on research, data analysis, and social theory.
Prospective graduate students must have a in hand Bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent) from an accredited college or university by the time they start their graduate studies. A minimum overall B (3.0) average is also required. Applicants do not necessarily need an undergraduate degree in Sociology but should have sufficient coursework in Sociology to successfully complete the program. The department may require additional coursework if it feels the applicant needs further substantive preparation in advance of graduate work. The department also encourages personal visits by potential graduate students to allow them to acquaint themselves with the department, its facilities, programs, and faculty.
In addition to the general requirements imposed by the Masters of Arts degree, the Sociology department requires students to complete 30 hours of coursework. Graduate courses are held evenings to accommodate those students who work part- or full-time. This coursework includes a foundation in social theory and basic statistical skills. The program also requires the completion of a Master's thesis that demonstrates the integration and application of the skills required by the student.
The department maintains several research laboratories for the use of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students. The main computer laboratory consists of 15 networked computers that are connected to the departmental server and UNIX work stations.
Another networked computer research laboratory complete with a color laser printer is available for research exclusively by graduate students and faculty. A CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview) laboratory is also present in the department for large-scale research projects. A multi-media laboratory with video capture and CD-ROM recording facilities is available in Kissena 256.
The department consists of 26 full-time faculty members from the top universities in the country. All of them hold the doctoral degree. Most faculty carry on active research agendas that include topics such as the social stratification of urban areas, films and society, the social impact of digital technology, Jewish culture in America, and workforce diversity. In addition to scholarly publication, faculty research is often reported in national media including the New York Times and network television.
For further information on this program, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Sociology: Dr. Dean Savage (718-997-2829 or 997-2800); or e-mail savage@troll.soc.qc.edu.
To apply, write: Office of Graduate Admissions, Powdermaker 100F, Queens College/CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367-1597; or call 718-997-5200.