MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES)
|
MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES) |
| Admission to Programs | Program |
| Written English Proficiency Requirement | Thesis |
| Advancement to Candidacy | Examinations |
Students
must:
•
complete the
aptitude sections of the Graduate Record Examination
•
complete a
minimum of 24 upper division units of undergraduate study in the social and
behavioral sciences with a 3.0 grade point average
•
identify a
core objective in pursuing a program of interdisciplinary study at the graduate
level so that the graduate adviser may help to plan a coherent degree program
In
exceptional cases, students who do not meet these criteria may be conditionally
admitted subject to the approval of the departmental graduate advisers. These
faculty members have final authority to determine the admissibility of students
to this program in terms of all factors relevant to success in graduate study.
With this in mind, applicants should send the following items to the graduate
coordinator by May 1st for Fall semester admission October
1st for Spring semester
admission:
•
Report of
G.R.E. aptitude scores
•
Complete
transcripts
•
Department
Application (.pdf format) consisting of:
·
Statement of reasons describing core topic or theme, and a sample
curriculum pursuant thereto, academic and/or career goals and relation between
past employment and proposed graduate program;
·
Summary of all past course work and grades categorized by academic level
and area;
·
Two letters of academic and/or professional recommendation; and
·
Applicant Information Sheet.
It
should be noted that domestic
applicants and international
applicants must file an application for admission to
the university and that none of the above items are substitutes for the
materials directly required by the university Admissions Office.
After
the student has completed between nine (9) and fifteen (15) units of work toward
the degree, the graduate adviser will assist in choosing a two- or three- member
faculty committee. This committee will normally include at least one member of
the Social Science, Interdisciplinary Studies Program and at least one member
from the faculty of a specialized discipline who has an interest in the core
topic around which the student plans the degree program. The full committee is
responsible for guiding and supervising the student's graduate study.
Written
English Proficiency Requirement
Level
One: completed by written work in S S 710. Level Two: completed by written work
in S.S. 800
Before filing the Graduate Approved Program (GAP) students must have successfully completed at least nine units of course work including S S 710. Students must file their GAP before enrollment in S S 800.
Except for S S 600, 650, and 698, all upper division and graduate courses offered by all departments within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, as well as certain courses offered elsewhere in the university, may be considered as potentially applicable to the student's program. At least one half of all units included on the GAP must be earned in graduate-level courses. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Program | Units | |
| S S 710 | Interdisciplinarity in the Social Sciences | 3 |
| S S 800 | Seminar in Interdisciplinary Applications | 3 |
| Graduate seminars in each of 2 social science disciplines relevant to focus of student's program | 6 | |
| An advanced course in research methods and techniques | 3 | |
| Additional upper division/graduate courses in 2 or more disciplines selected in consultation with adviser which are relevant to the topic or problem of student's program focus. | 15 | |
| S S 898 | Master's Thesis | 3 |
| Minimum total | 33 | |
| and Master's Comprehensive Written Examination | ||
Thesis. The student is expected to select his/her thesis topic with the help of his/her faculty committee and file the thesis topic form as soon as possible but prior to enrollment in S S 800. Though filing a thesis topic form is required prior to enrollment in the thesis course (S S 898), the filing is a totally separate act from enrollment or registration in the course. The thesis proposal should be detailed enough to present a clear idea of the nature of the research effort. The thesis should be a serious effort to analyze an aspect of the problem or topic around which the student is focusing his/her program. Its primary objective is to serve as a training experience in gathering, evaluating and manipulating data within an interdisciplinary frame of reference. The completed thesis must be read and approved by at least a two-member committee, the chair of which must be a member of the social science faculty.
Examinations. The candidate will take a six-hour
written examination after completing 24 units of course work and before
enrolling for the thesis. Each member of the candidate's three-person committee
will prepare questions designed to take the candidate approximately two hours to
complete. The chair of the committee, who must be a member of the social science
faculty, is responsible for coordinating the administration of the examination.
The examination will cover knowledge of theory and method in the social
sciences, both disciplinary and interdisciplinary, and substantive knowledge
relevant to the individualized program of courses taken by the student. The
candidate must pass all three segments of the examination as evaluated by the
committee members. In the event of failure, the committee may at its discretion
invite the student to take part or all of the examination a second time, but
this may only be done once.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please send an e-mail
to:
cip@sfsu.edu
Last Updated 03/09/04 01:31 PM