洪堡州立大學

Our Masters program is unique, with an explicit focus on Public Sociology. Public Sociology takes sociological knowledge and skills beyond the confines of the academy into the communities where these resources are much needed. In other words, we teach students to translate their work for the non-academic world and impact communities.

Our students focus on both Teaching and Practicing Sociology, while developing capacities to build socially just communities inside and outside the classroom. Our program is a good fit for students who would like to build a career without needing a PhD (e.g. leading a non-profit, managing a government agency, or teach at a Community College). Our program also provides great preparation for students who plan to pursue a doctorate: many of our alumni have earned PhDs and work at colleges and universities across the country.

In the Teaching Sociology emphasis, students learn cutting-edge pedagogical practices, and receive both hands-on experience and close mentorship. This is great preparation for teaching at a community college, facilitating and leading groups, designing educational materials, or securing a teaching assistantship in a PhD program.

In the Practicing Sociology emphasis, students develop into well-trained and valuable applied sociologists. They build their skills through classes, a 240-hour placement with a community partner, paid research opportunities, and their thesis/capstone work. The emphasis in Practicing Sociology prepares students for professional positions in research, business, government, non-profits organizations and activist organizations.

All our students develop advanced skills in qualitative and quantitative research, frameworks (theory) needed for complex analytical thinking and problem solving, advanced professional communication skills including writing, speaking, and presentations, and equity minded orientations to create a just and inclusive communities and workplaces. Either emphasis is appropriate for students who wish to continue their graduate study in a Ph.D. program.

Students accepted into the Public Sociology Master's Program generally have a strong foundation in sociological/social theory, research methods, and statistics (SPSS preferred, but not required). If you have not taken those courses, there is a chance you could be conditionally admitted, but you would be required to take one or more courses before you could enroll in graduate courses to ensure you are adequately prepared to succeed in the program.