Students interested in applying to the Sociology MA program in the Department of Sociology at Western Michigan University must meet the following criteria for admission:
- Complete 24 semester hours in undergraduate social science, with at least 15 semester hours in sociology, including courses in theory and research methods. If you do not have the requisite hours of undergraduate sociology courses you may be required to make up deficiencies as a condition of matriculation.
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in undergraduate sociology courses.
As part of the application, interested students are required to submit the following materials as part of their application:
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Personal Statement-outlining why they are choosing this program, their research interests, and the faculty they see themselves working with.
- Previous Written Work-students should select an independently written (no coauthors) work they completed prior to their application as part of their previous degree(s).
- Official Transcripts-transcripts from all previous institutions.
- Three Letters of Recommendation-letters should be from academic or professional sources.
- TOEFL or equivalent English language proficiency scores (international applicants only)
Application
Domestic applicants
Applicants are asked to include some program-specific information, with a summary for these requirements for the Master of Arts in Sociology found here. Applicants are encouraged to bookmark this information for quick reference while working through the graduate application process.
International applicants
Thank you for your interest in applying to this graduate program.
Words from some of our master's students:
"My research interests include criminology, the sociology of animals, gender, and quantitative methods. My most recent work examines the mental health of inmates at the Clark County Jail, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and the hegemonic structure of all-male acapella groups." —Katherine B.
"I am the coordinator of the WMU Wrongful Conviction Program, a WMU extension of a non-profit organization which seeks to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals through post-conviction DNA testing. My other interests include online self-disclosure, and social capital formation accrual in online contexts. I graduated from Lake Superior State University with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Geography." —Ryan C.