Despite our differences, most people have common desires- to get along with others, to be treated equally, and to have fulfilling lives. As a sociology major, you will use scientific methods to study societies and social groups, uncovering how we relate to one another and how we can make peoples’ lives better. By developing strong research and evaluation skills, you'll be prepared for most any kind of community leadership or applied research and evaluation position, whether in the for-profit or nonprofit realm.
Many workplaces seek employees who can design, collect and interpret data to determine best practices. Social program funders are demanding evidence about community needs, preferences, and effective solutions to problems. Our faculty don't just teach about research. We actively engage you in our research projects and in class projects to help you develop these skills.
You may opt to do a research practicum, apply for research assistantships with the Community Research Center, or do a thesis in which you design and conduct your own original research. Some of our graduates who completed the applied research & evaluation concentration are now full-time researchers working for public agencies and private research firms. Others have elected to go on to highly reputed Ph.D. programs.
Research at UIndy has helped me to envision the magnitude of social problems on different levels, to question how privileges and inequalities came to be, and to think conceptually and quantitatively. The expertise I was afforded by professors and the skills I gained are readily applicable and help guide me in my career as I pursue the goal of praxis.
UIndy's Master of Arts in Applied Sociology program provides students with the critical thinking and research skills needed in today's ever changing world. It emphasizes the practical application of social science research in solving contemporary social problems, and helps students develop skills that can be used in a variety of organizations. Our program also provides strong foundation work for PhD programs.
The MA in Sociology program is 36 credit hours. All courses are three credit hours, so the length of the program depends on how many courses you take at a time. The 36-credit-hour total includes both required and elective courses. Part-time or full-time with guidance from an advisor, students choose when and how many classes to take at a time.
The curriculum offers a strong background in social theory and sociological research methods, while concentrations and electives help students apply theory and methods or develop expertise in specific areas. Many courses also promote cross-cultural and global understanding.
Our foundational and elective courses offer opportunities to explore the different areas of the social world sociologists study and the many types of work sociologists do. For example, SOC 575: Applying Sociology brings community leaders of organizations into the classroom to talk about their work and provides opportunities for you to visit their organizations. Directed readings and practicum experiences let you go deeper into research and practice in areas of your choice.
You can choose either a thesis or non-thesis option to complete the program. Both options include 18 credit hours of required courses (including six hours of practicum) and completion of a concentration. The thesis option offers three credit hours each for your thesis proposal and thesis. In the non-thesis option, those six credit hours are completed through elective courses.
You must choose from one of the following applied sociology concentrations:
Most courses meet on weekday evenings on the UIndy campus though sometimes classes will meet off-campus for a field trip or community project.
Classes run on a regular semester schedule. Students can begin the program in August, January, or May. Students must meet or exceed all admission requirements and be accepted into the program before enrolling in classes.
To be considered for UIndy's MA in Applied Sociology program, you must meet these requirements:
To apply, please submit the following items:
The application deadline for Semester I is July 15 and for Semester II is Nov. 1. Applications are accepted after these dates and will be considered for available openings in the program.
Undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees in sociology are very different. Undergraduate classes spend a lot of time helping you develop your sociological imagination, learning about research, and writing and talking about the things you read and professors tell you. As a graduate student, you will spend more time learning about how to produce the kinds of research you read about as an undergraduate. This means spending time learning how to design, conduct, interpret, and write up a study; as well as reading and discussing existing sociological work.
You definitely don’t need to have majored in sociology to apply to our program, many of our students didn’t. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent for an international applicant) from an accredited college or university.
Yes, you absolutely can! The Applied Research concentration has 9 hours of electives, which can be the classes from the Teaching Sociology or Community Leadership concentration. Similarly, the Community Leadership concentration requires 9 hours of electives, which can come from the Teaching Sociology or Applied Research concentration. The Teaching Sociology concentration should be paired with the Applied Research or Community Leadership, rather than pursued on its own. We also recommend choosing a primary concentration to focus on and completing a second concentration if possible.
No. Students in the Applied Research concentration are required to do either a thesis or a research practicum. Students in the community leadership concentration are welcome to do a thesis or research practicum, but are by no means required to. If interested, please chat with the graduate director about this.
You are welcome (but in no way required) to contact individual professors to ask about their research interests and plans before you apply. But unlike some disciplines, you are not admitted to work with a specific professor and you do not need their permission or encouragement to apply. It is best to apply because you want to learn about sociology. Our department is small enough that you’ll get to know all our faculty. Only students in the Applied Research concentration are required to do a thesis or research practicum (although other students are welcome to do these, as well).
No. Our program does not require GRE score
Of course, higher grades are better, but students need a minimum of a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA).
Recommendation letters should come from people who can tell us about your research or scholarly ability, as well as sociological interest or passion. These people might include your senior thesis advisor, a professor of a course on methods or statistics, or boss at a research-related job. If you do not have three people in these categories – and most people don’t – then also ask professors of courses in which you performed well. The most important thing is that recommenders know you well. At least one of your recommendation letters needs to come from a professor, though.
International applicants for whom English is not their first language, or who did not attend an English-speaking university must submit their scores from one of the following English proficiency exams - TOEFL (79), IELTS (6.5), Duolingo English Exam (110), or PTE Academic (53) - as well as their certified transcripts. Please see the information for international graduate applicants page to learn more.
Yes, we would love to meet you! Our graduate director is happy to set up a meeting with you or arrange for you to visit a class.
We do not typically offer our graduate courses online. Courses are usually held Monday-Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:50 pm.
Yes, many, if not most of our students work while completing our MA degree. Courses are held Monday - Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:50 pm.
We're located in Good Hall 219. Good Hall is on the corner of Otterbein Ave. and E. Hanna Ave. If you're visiting us, you can park in the parking lot for Good Hall after 3 pm. The parking lot is accessible from Windermire St. off of Otterbein Ave. Street parking is also available on Otterbein. If you're visiting during the day, please let us know and we'll arrange a visitors parking permit for you. Visitor parking is usually located across Hanna near the campus center. Details will be provided with your permit.
Yes, we have a graduate assistantship as well as research assistantships through our Community Research Center (CRC). Please contact the graduate program director for more information.
Current program costs can be found on the Financial Aid page.
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As a business owner and organizational leader, I have the opportunity to mentor and influence numerous employees and others with whom I come in contact. The understanding of social systems, classical and contemporary theory, social research methods, and especially community leadership has made me a better communicator, able to reach people where they are and in a way that they understand.
1400 East Hanna Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46227
Main: 317-788-3368
Admissions: 317-788-3216
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The University of Indianapolis ("UIndy") admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at UIndy. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Additional non-discrimination policy information is available at uindy.edu/admissions/non-discrimination-policy.