Department of Sociology

Admissions | Sociology M.S. Non-Thesis

Graduate training in Sociology prioritizes community engagement and policy-relevant research focused on improving people’s daily lives and society more broadly. Students focus on the integration of theory with a variety of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to study the dynamics of social interactions and structures.

The Non-Thesis Master’s program requires coursework providing advanced training in qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as in theory and substantive areas. This degree is for students seeking to work in applied research or other positions requiring Master’s-level qualifications. This is not an appropriate track for students who may ultimately wish to pursue a Ph.D. 

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Admissions Requirements

  • Meet PSU minimum requirements
  • Applicants for the graduate degree are normally expected to have a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
  • Applicants with other majors must have completed courses in sociological theory, research methods, and statistics, or their equivalents.

Deadlines

This program only admits students once a year for fall term: June 1st

Application portal opens Jan. 6th to June 1st of each year.

Application Materials

Below is the list of the information and materials you will need to provide as part of your application. We recommend preparing these materials in advance of submitting your application.

  • Statement of Purpose: Submit an approximately 1,000 word statement of purpose, including all the following elements that are relevant to your experience: 
    • Academic and/or life experiences that motivate your interest in sociology; 
    • Reasons for pursuing graduate study in sociology; 
    • Ultimate career goals once you obtain your terminal degree; 
    • Prior academic experiences that have prepared you to do graduate level work in sociology; 
    • Research experience, including research in courses, research assistantships, research presentations, and publications (if any); 
    • Teaching experience, including teaching assistantships and community-based teaching (if any); 
    • Service experience, including volunteer work on campus, in the discipline of sociology, and in the community (if any); 
    • Areas of interest within sociology and possible areas of focus for your own research; 
    • Reasons for choosing PSU sociology.
  • Writing Sample: Please attach one recent written scholarly piece. This can be a paper written for a course, an excerpt from your thesis, or an academic publication. 30 pages maximum.
  • CV or Resume: The department requires you to upload an curriculum vitae or resume.
  • References: Submit contact information for at least three people who are qualified to assess your promise as a graduate student. Prospective students who do not have three faculty recommenders may request letters from professional contacts (e.g. collaborators, colleagues, supervisors) who can speak to the applicant's skills and experiences relevant for graduate work. Portland State University will contact your references and provide them with instructions for submitting recommendation forms.
  • Copies of transcripts only from schools where a bachelor’s degree was awarded and/or graduate-level coursework was completed.
  • Proof of English Language Proficiency (if applicable)
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Frequently Asked Questions

Sociology M.S. Non-Thesis: Application portal opens Jan. 6th to June 1st

No.

We are currently unable to provide fee waivers, though you may qualify for a fee waiver through the PSU Graduate School. For more information, go to https://www.pdx.edu/admissions/fee-deferral

Yes! Students must complete an internal application to be accepted into the B+M pathway into the Non-Thesis M.S. program.  See more information at https://www.pdx.edu/sociology/bachelors-masters-sociology-degree. When you formally apply in the final term of your undergraduate program, you will apply to the program Sociology, M.S. – Bachelor’s plus Master’s. B+M students can apply up to 20 credits of graduate coursework to both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, which allows students to complete the M.S. degree in as little as one year after completing the Bachelor’s degree. Note that if you think you may want to pursue a Ph.D. at any point in the future, you should apply to the Ph.D. program instead.

Yes! In the online application system, apply to the program Sociology, M.S. – Non-Thesis. Note that if you think you may want to pursue a Ph.D. at any point in the future, you should apply to the Ph.D. program instead.

A student in the Non-Thesis M.S. program can request to change to the Ph.D. program. This request will require careful review by the graduate committee and consultation with other faculty members. If a student is permitted to change to the Ph.D. program, they would need to complete all the M.S.-level requirements for the Ph.D. program, including a thesis and six terms of Professionalization Seminar, prior to completing the process to request to continue from the M.S. to the Ph.D. Approval to change programs is separate from approval to continue on from the M.S. to the Ph.D. Students who may want to pursue a Ph.D. (at PSU or elsewhere) at any point in the future should pursue the Ph.D. program rather than the Non-Thesis M.S. program.

Every effort will be made to extend offers of employment within the sociology department to students in the Ph.D. program who request funding. Students in the Non-Thesis M.S. program are not eligible for funding from the sociology department but may be employed at PSU outside the department.

The availability of graduate employment in the department will vary depending on university and departmental budgets. There are three options for employment in the sociology department: Graduate Teaching Assistantship; Graduate Teaching Assistantship as Instructor of Record; and Graduate Research Assistantship. There are a number of other possible teaching and research relationships both within and external to the department (e.g., hourly research work, summer research funding) which are not covered by these designations and agreements