Anyone here done grad study in sociology ?

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I may get an M.A.. Anyway what do you have to say regarding your experiences?

Right now I have 3 more courses to finish my Grad Cert in Applied Stats.

Also will prob get an M.A. in Geography.

I just completed my doctoral program in sociology. I earned an M.S in sociology prior to that. My experiences were good in general. What were you interested in knowing?

I'm not sure what I'm going to major in, but sociology has been interesting me for a while. If you major in sociology, do you need to take a lot of statistics? I took a semester of statistics during my senior year in high school, and that was a disaster.

It depends. Typically, you have to take some statistics, though this can vary from program to program. There tends to be a bit of a methodological split between qualitative and quantitative researchers. Quantoids, like me, focus on research using statistical analysis, while qualitative researchers tend to use ethnographic studies, historical analysis, and other non-statistically demanding processes. However, most programs will require you to at least pass a minimal amount of statistical instruction. On the upside, I earned a C in my undergraduate Stats class, and aced my graduate-level stats courses. It helps that they are taught as tools to support sociological research, rather than in a numerical vacuum, as most math classes are.

sorry for the late reply.

career experiences?
Do you teach?
Describe the difficulty of your masters level courses.
What was your education/work background before grad school?

I have thought of going into a social research degree instead of sociology.
Specifically here:

http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/socio/grad.html

Would seem to be more job oriented.

I volunteered for a year with AmeriCorps, teaching basic computer usage to neighborhood adults. After that, I spent a year working at a convenience store, and a third year working as a rehabilitation counselor with the mentally ill. It was after job that I entered graduate school.



Not at present, although I've been the instructor for two courses, and worked for two years as a teaching assistant for faculty before teaching my own class. My department made a good effort to prepare us for teaching, including an early course that focuses on basic skills for doing so.



It can depend. In statistics, we learned ordinary least squares regression analysis, logistical regression analysis, and similar technical models. Content-oriented classes typically require 4-5 professional journal articles be read, and students usually rotate responsibility for leading class discussion of these articles.



I held a B.A. in Sociology and Religion. You've already seen my work experience at the time.




I agree that it seems that way. I would suggest finding out from the department what their placement rates are. How many of their graduates get a job straight out of graduate school, and where are they hired? Most schools track this kind of information.

thanks for the advice. I will ask about the placement rates. What are you up to now? Can you describe sociological research that you had undertaken as a student and any research now?

I study a subfield of social psychology known as personality and social structure. In essence, I look at how social processes and organization shape personality characteristics, and the consequences this has for physical and mental health. I look primarily at health outcomes like physical disability, depressive symptoms, psychiatric disorders, alcohol abuse and dependence, and drug abuse and dependence. I recently was hired to take on a related job that is not research-oriented per se, but involves translating statistical methods and measures to non-specialists.