The Department offers a program of study leading to the Master of Arts degree.  Most students take between 18 and 24 months to complete the program.  Students also have the option of completing the program in twelve months but should discuss this with the Graduate Coordinator upon arrival.

The M.A. program offers students a choice of two alternate programs:

1. SOCY 901and SOCY 902 and two term-length graduate courses normally to be taken in the first two terms of the program, and a thesis (SOCY 899)  weighted at one-half of the total program which must be successfully defended. The thesis normally does not exceed 25,000 words and is scheduled to be undertaken after the course work is completed.
2. SOCY 901and SOCY 902 and nd four term-length courses normally to be taken in the first two terms of the program, plus an essay (SOCY 898)  of between 10,000 and 12,000 words, weighted at one-quarter of the total program, which is normally to be undertaken after the course work is completed.
   
   The essay is intended to demonstrate the capacity for critical and analytical research by reflecting the state of scholarship in a given area.  The essay will be marked by the supervisor and by a second reader.  The second reader will be a member of the Department, chosen by the Supervisor in consultation with the Head of the Department.