The Master of Arts in Social Science

Course Requirements for the Master's Degree: 30 units

Continuous enrollment is required. A maximum of 9 semester units of transfer and/or CSU Chico Open University course work may be applied toward the degree. Graduate Time Limit: All requirements for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree. See "Graduate Education" in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements.

Students select either the Option in General Social Science or the Option in Social Science Education within the MA in Social Science.

The Option in General Social Science is designed for professionals having unique curricular needs within the behavioral and social sciences. It offers optimal flexibility in designing an individualized program specializing in an area related to behavioral and social sciences. The student can pursue a specific interdisciplinary theme, topic, or problem. The student is responsible for designing the course of study in conjunction with the graduate advisory committee and subject to the approval of the Graduate Coordinator.

The Option in Social Science Education is primarily designed to serve teachers in elementary and secondary education by expanding their knowledge of history, social science, and international studies subject matter and to broaden their teaching methodology.

Prerequisites for Admission to Conditionally Classified Status:

1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in "Admission to Master's Degree Programs" in the University Catalog.

2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Studies.

3. An acceptable baccalaureate from an accredited institution, or an equivalent approved by the Office of Graduate Studies. If the applicant's previous work is deficient in the social sceinces, the applicant may be required to take some prerequisite courses as appropriate to the program of study.

Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. Completion of at least one of the following: (a) A grade point average of 3.25 or better in the last 60 units of course work taken. (b) A cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0. (c) A Miller Analogies Test raw score of 50 or more. (d) A minimum combined score of 800 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination.

2. Recent completion of a research methods course appropriate to the program of study (consult Graduate Coordinator) with a grade of B or better. For the Option in Social Science Education, completion of SOSC 651 or HIST 693, with a grade of B or better, is required.

3. Formation of the graduate advisory committee, composed of at least two faculty from at least two appropriate departments, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

4. Development of an approved program in consultation with the graduate advisory committee and the Graduate Coordinator, including a statement describing the student's interest in the special program being proposed, previous academic training, other relevant experience, and a description of the particular theme, topic, or problem the student proposes to study. For the Option in General Social Science, the Graduate Coordinators from the departments involved in the program must also sign the program concept. If the relevant departments do not have graduate programs, the Department Chairs must sign the program concept.

Advancement to Candidacy:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

The student must have classified graduate standing and must have completed at least 9 units of the proposed program at the University.

Requirements for the MA in Social Science:

Completion of all requirements as established by the Social Science graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate Studies, to include:

1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 30 units of 400/500/600-level courses as follows:

For the Option in General Social Science:

3 units selected from:

ANTH 483 Field Methods in Ethnography 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or permission of instructor.
ANTH 484 Archaeological Site Surveying 3.0 F2
ANTH 485 Formal Methods for Anthro 3.0 SP
HIST 492 Archival Research Seminar 3.0 FS
POLS 631 Seminar: Research Methods 3.0 SP
PSYC 600 Research and Evaluation Meth 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: PSYC 364 or equivalent, faculty permission.
SOCI 410 Qualitative Research Methods 4.0 FA
Prerequisites: SOCI 310 and SOCI 315 (or other statistics course by permission of instructor).
SOCI 411 Quantitative Research Methods 4.0 SP
Prerequisites: SOCI 310 and SOCI 315 (or other statistics course by permission of instructor).

The student is responsible for designing the rest of the course of study in conjunction with the graduate advisory committee and subject to the approval of the Graduate Coordinator. A minimum of 18 units must be taken in the social sciences, including course work from at least two disciplines. The program of study must reflect a specific interdisciplinary theme, topic, or problem.

For the Option in Social Science Education:

3 units required:

EDMA 610 Intro to Inquiry in Education 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Experience using computers, faculty permission.

3 units selected from:

ANTH 483 Field Methods in Ethnography 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or permission of instructor.
ANTH 484 Archaeological Site Surveying 3.0 F2
ANTH 485 Formal Methods for Anthro 3.0 SP
EDMA 611 Research Seminar in Education 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: EDMA 610, faculty permission.
HIST 492 Archival Research Seminar 3.0 FS
POLS 631 Seminar: Research Methods 3.0 SP
PSYC 600 Research and Evaluation Meth 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: PSYC 364 or equivalent, faculty permission.
SOCI 410 Qualitative Research Methods 4.0 FA
Prerequisites: SOCI 310 and SOCI 315 (or other statistics course by permission of instructor).
SOCI 411 Quantitative Research Methods 4.0 SP
Prerequisites: SOCI 310 and SOCI 315 (or other statistics course by permission of instructor).

6-12 units selected from:

HIST 693 History Social Sci for Tchrs 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
SOSC 651 Topics in International Stud 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

3-6 units selected from:

HIST 699T Master's Thesis 1.0 -6.0 FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
SOSC 699T Master's Thesis 1.0 -6.0 FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

6-15 units selected from:

AAST 370 Asian Immigrtn: Wrld Perspec 3.0 Inq Eth
AIST 457 American Indian/Federal Law 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

This course is also offered as POLS 457.

ANTH 432 Anthropology of Religion 3.0 Inq
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or RELS 480 or instructor's permission.
ANTH 482 Laboratory Methods Archaeology 3.0 S2
ANTH 600 Core Seminar in Anthropology 3.0 FA
ANTH 602 Seminar in Archaeology 3.0 SP
ANTH 603 Seminar in Cultural Anthro 3.0 SP
CHST 459 Chicanos/Latinos: Cross-Cult 3.0 Inq
Prerequisites: CHST 157 or SOCI 100.

This course is also offered as SOCI 459.

ECON 470 International Economics 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: ECON 301.
ECON 490 Economic Education 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 102.
GEOG 430 Geodemography 3.0 SP
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
GEOG 602 Seminar in Physical Geography 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
GEOG 603 Seminar in Human Geography 3.0 FA
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
HIST 620 Grad Seminar: European History 3.0 FA
HIST 630 Grad Sem: United States Hist 3.0 SP
HIST 680 Grad Sem: Latin Amer History 3.0 Inq
HIST 690 Historiography 3.0 Inq
HIST 697 Independent Study 1.0 -3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
POLS 601 Seminar: State and Local Govt 3.0 FA
POLS 621 Seminar: American Politics 3.0 FA

Note: Or other American politics seminar.

POLS 641 Sem: International Relations 3.0 FA
POLS 671 Seminar: American National Gov 3.0 FS

Note: Or other national government seminar.

SOCI 441 Sociology of World Affairs 3.0 FS WP
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, SOCI 300, SOCI 310, senior standing.
SOCI 456 Teaching Holocaust & Genocide 3.0 Inq

This course is also offered as MJIS 556.

SOSC 697 Independent Study 1.0 -3.0 FS
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

For both Options: (a) At least 18 units taken in the social sciences. (b) At least 18 units required for the degree at the 600 level. (c) Not more than 9 semester units of transfer and/or extension credit (correspondence courses and U.C. extension course work are not acceptable). (d) Not more than 15 units taken before admission to classified status. (e) At least 9 units completed after advancement to candidacy. (f) Not more than a total of 10 units of Independent Study (697) and Master's Thesis (699) or Master's Project (699); not more than 6 units of either Master's Thesis (699) or Master's Project (699), nor more than 6 units of Independent Study (697).

2. Completion and final approval of a thesis or terminal project as specified by the student's graduate advisory committee and the Graduate Coordinator, followed by the completion of a comprehensive examination (written or oral) in the field of study.

3. Approval by the Social Science Graduate Coordinator and the Graduate Coordinators Committee on behalf of the faculty of the University.

Graduate Literacy Requirement:

Writing proficiency is a graduation requirement.

Social Science majors will demonstrate their writing competence through submitting an acceptable statement of their interest and experience (see "Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status" above).

Graduate Grading Requirements:

All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Independent Study - 597/697, Comprehensive Examination - 696, Master's Project - 699P, and Master's Thesis - 699T) must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (400/500-level courses), AB/No Credit (600-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit grades may be used on the approved program (including 597/697, 696, 699P, 699T and courses outside the major). While grading standards are determined by individual programs and instructors, it is also the policy of the University that unsatisfactory grades may be given when work fails to reflect achievement of the high standards, including high writing standards, expected of students pursuing graduate study.

Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in each of the following three categories: all course work taken at any accredited institution subsequent to admission to the master's program; all course work taken at CSU, Chico subsequent to admission to the program; and all courses on the approved master's degree program.

For this program, grades lower than B- are unacceptable. For this program, Internship courses (689) will be graded Credit/No Credit only.

Graduate Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory each semester for all Social Science majors. Consult the Graduate Coordinator for specifics.