Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between the MA and MS Program, and which should I choose?

The MA program requires a Master's Thesis while the MS Program requires Comprehensive Exams. We are currently only accepting MS students, so please select the MS option.

2. How long does it take to complete this program?

2 years, full-time (3 classes per semester)

3. What makes the program attractive for potential students?

• The Master's in Sociology program provides students with a robust education in race, gender, education, oppression, and social inequality.
• We welcome students who earned undergraduate degrees in other majors and wish to transition to sociology, and we help to facilitate that transition through our rigorous and exciting Proseminar course.
• We offer small seminar-style class sizes and provide students with opportunities for experiential learning.
• Our graduates go on to work in the non-profit sector, education, the government, and to earn Ph.D.s
• The program is highly attractive for working students, as the courses are offered in the evening.
• Finally, we create a community of collaboration. Students will engage with a diverse faculty and student body who are passionately committed to examining the world around them, including ongoing injustices.

4. Where does the program currently rank?

Our Master's in Sociology Program made Intelligent.com's list for the best Sociology Degree Programs in 2021. We are proud that our program is number 28 nationwide!

Read the story here: Intelligent.com Announces Best Master's in Sociology Degree Programs for 2021

5. What types of job skills will students learn while going through the program?

Students acquire essential critical thinking, writing, and research skills. In particular, students learn to apply theory to everyday life, complete program evaluations, use and interpret statistics, and code, run, and interpret data in SPSS. In addition, students become CITI certified in research protocols and learn the conventions of poster and oral presentations.

These are some of the jobs that students could qualify for after earning a Master's degree in Sociology:

Social Science Instructor, Public Policy Maker, Substance Abuse Counselor, Human Resources Specialist, Data Analyst, Special Agent, Program Evaluator, Researcher, College Administrator, Professor, Market Research Analyst, Media Planner, Politician, Consultant, Entrepreneur, as well range of careers in research and planning within the Government, for example, with the Department of Justice, the Office of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Census Bureau, etc.

In addition, the average salary for someone earning their MA/MS in Sociology between $60,000-$85,000.

6. Are there any hands-on opportunities for students (i.e. research, academic, internships, career-related, faculty, project spotlight)?

Recent graduate students worked with Dr. Pratt-Harris as interviewers with the Baltimore Police Monitoring Team. They: 

● Administered "Community's Experiences and Perceptions of the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) Survey" to Baltimore city residents.
● Assisted the Principle Investigator with the "Community's Experiences and Perceptions of the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) Survey" under the Baltimore City Consent Decree.
● Assisted with data analysis and report writing including the preliminary findings and the final report.

Watch the news story that describes this work.

Several of our students recently had op-eds published in the Hampton Institute that they wrote as a part of Dr. Asha Layne's Urban Sociology class. Samples:

A Tale of Two Cities: A Struggle to Build Generational Wealth Within Baltimore's Black Community, by Valecia Hanna

The Queer Complex: Being Black and Queer in Baltimore City, by Aliyah Moye'

An Urban Ethnographic Analysis of Baltimore's Lexington Market, by Ahmed Almousa

7. What is the job placement of some of your recent alumni?

2021 Graduates:
Valecia Hanna
Researcher
Department of Health Policy and Management
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Aliyah Moye'
Researcher
Third Sector

Ahmed Almousa
Ph.D. in Sociology student
Portland State University

2020 Graduates:

Alliyah Moore
Ph.D. in Sociology student
Howard University

Kevin Amos
Ph.D. in Sociology student
Howard University

2019 Graduates:

Brelyn Brooks
Fulbright Fellow, Malaysia (2020)
Proposal Coordinator
Cambium Associates

Sabrina Sampson
Research Analyst
Customer Care Measurement and Consulting

Deborah Hargrave
Retention Advisor
Morgan State University

8. Does the department have any Financial Aid options for students?

We support at least 2 students each year through Teaching Assistantships, which not only fund their education but provide valuable training in teaching pedagogy.