SOCIO-MA - Sociology (MA)
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Program Overview
Coterminal Master of Arts in Sociology
The Sociology coterminal MA program is open to Stanford undergraduates in any major. The program is flexible, and self-designed. With early, and careful planning, students may be able to complete the coterminal master's degree in sociology by the end of their senior year or within one or two additional quarters following. Please contact the coterm student services officer for information about the program.
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this Bulletin. Coterminal Master's Degrees describes university requirements for the coterminal master’s degree . Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the master’s degree.
After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request a transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy the requirements for the master’s degree. Transferring courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case-by-case basis.
Students may transfer relevant units from their undergraduate careers. Courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken before the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The university requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The university also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Master of Arts in Sociology for Current Stanford Graduate Students
The MA degree in Sociology is available to current PhD candidates in Sociology and to students in advanced degree programs (PhD, JD, MD) from other Stanford departments and schools.
Students who wish to engage in more in-depth study on a specific topic may focus on coursework within an area of study, such as Poverty and Inequality, Social Psychology, Organizations and the Economy, or Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration.
Sociology PhDs may receive their MA in their second or third year of graduate study. Interested students from other degree programs should visit the Sociology department website.
Admissions Information
Coterm Application Information
To apply for a coterm degree, undergraduates must meet eligibility requirements set by the Registrar’s Office and the Sociology department. General requirements for coterm applications include completing at least 120 units and six non-summer quarters at Stanford. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in previous undergraduate work is required, but not sufficient, for admission. It is also highly recommended that applicants complete at least one Sociology course at the 100 level with a grade of B or better. The admissions decision is a holistic one that carefully considers the student's statement of purpose and letters of recommendation.
The department accepts applications once a year; the application deadline is January 22, 2026 for spring quarter enrollment. There are no exceptions to this deadline. All application materials are submitted online. The GRE is not required for a Sociology master’s program application.
Please note: The department does not fund coterminal MA students.
To apply for admission to the Sociology coterminal MA program, students must submit the following:
The Application for Admission to Coterminal Master’s Program (available online in mid-September).
Statement of purpose: limited to 2 pages, double-spaced. Applicants should outline reasons for pursuing the MA in Sociology, including career aspirations, plans for additional advanced degrees, or other aspects of their academic experiences that may aid the admissions committee in evaluating their motivation for graduate study. Students interested in a research-intensive curriculum should also describe their specific research interests and plans to complete an original research project, a research apprenticeship with Sociology faculty, or both.
Preliminary Program Proposal for Master’s Degree: this form should be uploaded to the online application. At least 45 units of coursework relevant to the degree program must be specified. Example 2025-2026 academic year proposals appear under the Degree Requirements.
Current unofficial undergraduate transcript.
Two letters of recommendation from Stanford faculty familiar with the student’s academic work. Additional letters from teaching assistants, employers, or other individuals are accepted as supplemental materials but are not required. Letters from Sociology faculty or department affiliates are highly recommended, especially for students with GPAs at or near the minimum requirement.
Master of Arts in Sociology for Current Stanford Graduate Students Application Information
Although formal application to the MA program is not required, applicants from outside of the Sociology department must submit:
Graduate Authorization Petition form, available electronically through Axess
Program Proposal for an MA form available for download from the Registrar’s Office website, submitted to Sociology Graduate Student Services Manager
One page double-spaced statement of purpose submitted to Sociology Graduate Student Services Manager.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Coterminal MA Program Requirements
Coterminal MA students are required to take 45 unduplicated units of coursework for their graduate career. All units for the coterminal MA must be taken at or above the 100 level; and at least 23 units must be at the 200 level or above.
Students who wish to take courses outside the department must seek approval in advance. Coterminal master’s students are limited to five units from other Social Sciences departments (Anthropology, Communications, Economics, Political Science and Psychology). Up to five units can be taken as an independent study or directed reading (course Coterminal MA individual study) with a faculty member appointed in Sociology, but no more than 12 units of coursework across the 290 series (including SOC 291, SOC 292) can be counted toward the degree.
Students may transfer relevant units from their undergraduate careers. Courses taken during or after the first quarter of the sophomore year are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career; the timing of the first graduate quarter is not a factor. No courses taken before the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements. See the Registrar’s Office for additional information on course transfer policies. All units applied to the coterminal master’s degree must be taken for a letter grade, and an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better is required for the degree. Courses transferred to the graduate career can not longer count toward the BA.
All coterminal students must take course Classics of Modern Social Theory and course Foundations of Social Research (or their 100-level counterparts if taken previously as a Sociology BA). These introductory theory and methods courses are essential to graduate training in the social sciences. Enrollment in course Junior Seminar: Preparation for Research, course Capstone Research Seminar, and course Introduction to Data Analysis is strongly encouraged. Together, these courses provide skills for research opportunities within the department and in academic or professional careers.
The Department of Sociology provides a research-intensive curriculum to a limited number of coterminal Master’s students each year. It is highly recommended that students interested in a research-focused experience have completed SOC 180A/280A and SOC 202, or be enrolled, at the time of application to the coterminal Master’s program. Applicants should indicate interest in their statement of purpose and describe their specific research question or topic. Upon acceptance, research-track students will submit their research proposal to the coterm director for approval. Student in the research track can count up to 18 units across the SOC 290 series (SOC 290, 291, and 292) toward the Coterm MA.
Coterm Advising: Coterminal MA students should meet with the student services officer to discuss a program proposal then submit the proposal to the coterm director for approval. Revised program proposals, which outline the courses to be completed for the master’s degree, must be submitted before the student’s second graduate quarter starts - typically by the end of August.
The Department of Sociology is committed to providing academic advising to support the scholarly and professional development of all coterminal master’s students. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee. The Sociology Coterm Director guides students in critical areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways. The Sociology student services officer is also available to assist coterminal students in navigating policies and degree requirements. Students actively contribute to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for knowing and adhering to university and departmental policies, standards, and requirements for coterminal students.
See Coterminal Master's Degrees for university coterminal degree program rules and application forms. See the Department of Sociology website for additional information regarding the Sociology coterminal MA and how to apply.
Standard Coterminal MA Coursework | (2025-2026) |
Units |
|---|---|---|
SOC 214 | Economic Sociology | 4 |
SOC 242 | Sociology of Gender | 4 |
SOC 246A | Ethnographies of Race, Crime, and Justice | 4-5 |
SOC 255 | The Changing American Family | 5 |
SOC 270 | Classics of Modern Social Theory | 4 |
SOC 280A | Foundations of Social Research | 4 |
SOC 280B | Introduction to Data Analysis | 4 |
SOC 290 | Coterminal MA Independent Study | 4 |
SOC 378 | Seminar on Institutional Theory and World Society | 3-5 |
Outside department | 5 | |
Previously taken Sociology Coursework | 3 |
Research-focused Coterminal MA Coursework | (2025-2026) |
Units |
|---|---|---|
SOC 202 | Junior Seminar: Preparation for Research | 5 |
SOC 246A | Ethnographies of Race, Crime, and Justice | 4-5 |
SOC 270 | Classics of Modern Social Theory | 4 |
SOC 280A | Foundations of Social Research | 4 |
SOC 280B | Introduction to Data Analysis | 4 |
SOC 291 | Coterminal MA Directed Research | 3-9 |
SOC 292 | Coterminal MA Research Apprenticeship | 2-9 |
Substantive Sociology Coursework | 12 |
For the M.A. degree, students must complete a minimum of 45 units of Sociology coursework with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better.
Of these units, 30 units must be taken in courses taught by faculty appointed in the Sociology department.
Students may petition to use the remaining 15 units as flex units for courses not offered by faculty appointed in Sociology but are highly relevant to the discipline.
Five of these flex units can be taken as an independent study or directed reading with a faculty member appointed in Sociology.
All flex units applied to courses not taught by faculty appointed in Sociology must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
All courses must be taken for a letter grade when possible. Workshops and colloquium do not count toward the MA.
A thesis is not required, but many students work closely with a Sociology faculty advisor to develop a publishable paper.
There is no teaching requirement for the MA in Sociology.
Graduate Degrees lists university requirements for the MA degree.