Sociology Bachelor’s + Master’s Pathway FAQs
You are eligible to complete the initial application if you:
- Are a declared WSU Sociology major or minor
- Have Junior or senior standing
- Have Completed (or are enrolled in) SOC 101/102, SOC 310, SOC 317, (Exceptions to this requirement are routinely given to students double-majoring in Criminal Justice, Human Development or Psychology and have passed CRM_J 311, HD 310, or PSYCH 312 respectively) and SOC 321 (exceptions to this requirement are routinely given to students double-majoring in Criminal Justice or Psychology and whom have passed CRM_J 321 or PSYCH 311 respectively).
- Have a 3.5 GPA for WSU Sociology courses and a 3.3 WSU GPA
- Have completed an advising appointment with Frank Hill or Laurie Torkelson and they have confirmed you meet the criteria to apply
No. You do not need to take the GREs in order to be accepted into the B+M program at WSU.
You would typically begin enrolling in graduate level courses during your 4th year of undergraduate study. You are allowed to count 6 graduate-level credits towards your Bachelor’s degree.
- Years 1-3: 90 credits (average of 5 courses per term for 6 terms) including WSU requirements: https://daesa.wsu.edu/wsu-graduation-requirements/ .
- Year 4: 30 credits (24 undergraduate, 6 graduate) bringing the total to the 120 needed for a Bachelor’s degree. The 6 graduate credits earned will also count toward the Master’s degree.
- Year 5: 25 graduate credits, bringing the total to 31 graduate credits for the Master’s degree
Applications are accepted April 1-15.
Yes, but we strongly prefer that faculty support comes from at least one faculty teaching sociology courses at WSU.
For the year of study in which you are still an undergraduate, you will pay undergraduate rates for any graduate-level courses you take. After you complete your bachelor’s degree, you will pay graduate rates. Full details on graduate rates and fees can be found here: https://financialaid.wsu.edu/tuition-and-expenses/
You can apply for financial aid for graduate classes in the same way that you would for undergraduate studies. The WSU Department of Sociology is currently unable to offer financial support for B+M students.
Once in the program, students must remain in accordance with the following: All courses numbered 500 must receive a grade of B or better; All undergraduate classes must receive a grade of C or better; Maintain a 3.3 or higher WSU institutional GPA; Achieve a 3.0 or higher GPA each academic term after admission to the B+M; Resolve any incomplete courses within 1 term.
Your earned graduate-level credits will still count toward your bachelor’s degree, though you will need to meet with an advisor to determine how best to use any completed 500-level courses towards your degree requirements.
WSU offers both Master’s (MA) and PhD degrees (students interested in a PhD should not apply for the B+M). In the Master’s program, you will complete coursework in theory, research methods, and your areas of interest. The Master’s typically takes two years beyond your Bachelor’s (as little as one year with B+M). With a Master’s degree, you can apply for research positions that require advanced skills and experience. In the PhD program, you complete advanced coursework, cultivate advanced skills in qualitative and/or quantitative methods, develop expertise in your areas of interest, publish articles in peer-reviewed journals, and complete an additional original research project for your PhD dissertation. The PhD typically takes three to five years after completing a Master’s degree. With a PhD, you can apply to be a faculty member at a college or university or work as a lead researcher in the public or private sector.
Only currently enrolled Pullman based WSU sociology majors are eligible for this program since it uses graduate-level credits in place of upper-division undergraduate courses.
Only currently enrolled Pullman based WSU sociology majors are eligible for this program since it uses graduate-level credits in place of upper-division undergraduate courses.
Year 1
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Creative & Professional Arts [ARTS] | 3 |
| ENGLISH 101 [WRTG] | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning [QUAN] | 3 |
| SOC 101 [SSCI] | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if necessary, or Elective | 4 |
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Communication [COMM] or Written Communication [WRTG] | 3 |
| HISTORY 105 [ROOT] | 3 |
| Humanities [HUM] | 3 |
| Foreign Language, if necessary, and/or Electives | 5 |
Year 2
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Biological Sciences [BSCI] with lab or SCIENCE 101 [SCI] (see Footnote 1) | 4 |
| Creative & Professional Arts [ARTS], Humanities [HUM], or Social Sciences [SSCI] | 3 |
| Diversity [DIVR] | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Physical Sciences [PSCI] with lab or SCIENCE 102 [SCI] (see Footnote 1) | 4 |
| SOC Elective (see Footnote 2) | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Complete Writing Portfolio |
Year 3
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Concentration Elective (see Footnote 3) | 3 |
| SOC 310 [M] | 3 |
| SOC 317 | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| SOC Electives (see Footnote 2) | 3 |
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| Concentration Elective (see Footnote 3) | 3 |
| SOC 321 | 4 |
| SOC Electives (see Footnote 2) | 6 |
Year 4
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| 300-400-level Concentration Elective (see Footnote 3) | 3 |
| SOC Elective (see Footnote 2) | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Course | Credits/Hours |
|---|---|
| SOC 495 [CAPS] [M], or 497 [CAPS] [M] | 3 |
| 300-400-level Concentration Elective (see Footnote 3) | 3 |
| 300-400-level Electives | 9 |
Footnotes
- Footnote 1: To meet University and College of Arts and Sciences requirements, students must take a [BSCI] course with lab and [PSCI] course with lab or SCIENCE 101 [SCI] and SCIENCE 102 [SCI]. SCIENCE 101 [SCI] is offered Fall semester and is a prerequisite for SCIENCE 102 [SCI]. SCIENCE 102 [SCI] is offered Spring semester.
- Footnote 2: SOC Electives (15 credits): Any SOC course except required SOC courses and SOC 320. Must include sufficient 300-400-level courses to meet University Requirement of 40 credits of Upper Division coursework.
- Footnote 3: Concentration Electives (12 credits): At least 6 credits must be at the 300-400 level. Students are encouraged to select a concentration area that best furthers their career objectives. Concentration areas include: Work and Family (SOC 251, 340, 351, 384, 390); Crime, Deviance, and Control (SOC 360, 361, 362, 364, 368, 461); Sustainable Societies (SOC 332, 334, 335, 336, 430, 474); and Related Fields (COM 101, 410, 440, 464, 470, COMSOC 230, 321, 421, COMSTRAT 312, 380, CPT S 401, I BUS 380, MGMT 301, MIL SCI 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402, MKTG 360, SOE 110, 312, and any AMER ST, ANTH, ASIA, CES, CRM J, ECONS, H D, HISTORY, HONORS, PHIL, POL S, PSYCH, and WOMEN ST courses). Students may not use the 12-credit concentration areas to fulfill the 15 credits of sociology electives required in the major.
