Applied Sociology (MA) — A Five-Year Accelerated Combined BA/MA Program

An accelerated five-year BA and MA program is also available for eligible UMass Boston undergraduate students interested in applied sociology. By entering this program students can earn both a bachelor’s degree in their field of interest and a master’s degree in applied sociology in less time than earning these degrees separately would require. Students are accepted into the full-time master’s degree program in their junior year, begin taking graduate courses in their senior year, and complete the requirements in the fifth year. On completion of all requirements, students will be awarded both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Students who do not complete the entire program, or do not have the required GPA to be awarded an MA degree, may choose to apply appropriate earned credits toward the bachelor’s degree. This program consists of 140 credits (104 undergraduate and 36 graduate level credits or their equivalents) which can be completed in five years. Students, however, may carry less than a full course load and complete the program at a slower rate.

Admission Requirements

Students should apply to this program when they have taken at least three courses in sociology but no later than the second semester of their junior year. Applicants must have a minimum 3.00 overall grade point average. However, conditional admission may be granted to students with a lower GPA upon the recommendation of the graduate program director. Conditional status will be reassessed no later than the completion of twelve credit hours. A grade point average of 3.00 or better in courses completed is required for removal of conditional status. Admission decisions follow the same procedures and standards used to evaluate graduate applicants to the MA program. However, the GRE is not required (though it may be submitted as additional data).