Bachelor of Art in Sociology to Master of Arts in Sociology Fast Track
About This Program
Bachelor of Art in Sociology to Master of Arts in Sociology Fast Track allows outstanding undergraduate students in sociology at UT Arlington to take up to three graduate seminars in sociology that will earn credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree in Sociology. It is designed to encourage high standards of performance, to facilitate the transition from undergraduate to graduate study, and to reduce time needed to complete the MA.
Students who successfully complete the fast track program will be admitted automatically to graduate studies to continue their graduate work in the Sociology MA once the bachelor’s degree is awarded. They will not be required to complete an additional application for admission to graduate studies, supply letters of recommendation, or pay an application fee. An undergraduate student completing the maximum of nine graduate hours with a grade of B or better would be admitted to the Sociology MA Program with only five additional courses and a thesis remaining to complete the requirements for the thesis option (requirements for other degree tracks will vary).
Associated Programs
For detailed information about the programs associated with this Fast Track, refer to their individual degree pages.
Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate students can apply to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology by completing a fast track application form available from the Sociology academic advisor. Students will be notified by the Department of their acceptance into the fast track program.
UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION
1. The student must be within 30 hours of completing a BA in Sociology at UTA.
2. The student must have completed 30 hours of coursework at UTA.
3. The student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all coursework at all schools and an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all coursework completed at UTA.
4. Before entering the fast track, students must have already taken at least two additional 3000-4000 level sociology courses with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
5. Before entering the fast track, students must also have completed four required core courses in the Sociology major with a GPA of at least 3.5: SOCI 1311, SOCI 3352 or SOCI 4306, SOCI 3362, SOCI 3372 or SOCI 3373.
PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
A student may gain provisional admission if, by the semester in which application is made, they have already completed three required Sociology courses (listed above) with a GPA of at least 3.66 in those courses, and with a fourth required course to be completed in the semester of application. All other requirements above must be met.
Provisional admission will be changed to unconditional admission upon satisfactory completion of remaining requirements. Students failing to meet all requirements at the end of their semester of application will be removed from the fast track program. Any credits earned prior to removal from the program will be applied to the undergraduate degree only. Provisionally admitted students who have been removed from the program may subsequently apply to graduate programs via the normal application process, paying all fees and meeting all relevant admission criteria.
DENIAL
Students who do not meet the requirements set out shall be denied admission to the fast track program. They may still apply to the graduate program through the regular application process.
GOOD STANDING
In the fast track program, students will choose to enroll in up to three sociology graduate electives, selected with the advice and approval of the Sociology Graduate Advisor. To remain in the fast track program, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and must earn grades of B or better in all fast track-approved courses that will be used to satisfy undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Students must enroll in at least two sociology graduate courses and earn a B or better in all graduate courses taken prior to receiving their bachelor’s degree. If a student does not complete the two graduate courses or fails to make adequate grades, she or he will be unable to continue in the fast track program but, if the courses are completed with a passing grade, will still receive credit toward their undergraduate degree requirements.
Students who, at any time, do not meet these requirements will be obliged to leave the fast track program. If a student opts out or does not meet the requirements of the fast track program, any graduate credits earned will be applied only to the undergraduate degree, and none of the other benefits of participation in the fast track program will apply. Additionally, graduate courses already taken for undergraduate credit may not be repeated for graduate credit. Students may still apply to the Sociology MA Program via the normal application process, paying all fees and meeting all relevant admission criteria.
A fast track student in good standing may skip one Fall or Spring semester (and contiguous summer) after being awarded the BA degree before continuing in the MA program. Further delay will result in losing fast track status, after which the regular application process for admission must be followed and no graduate credits will be retained.
Curriculum
| BA Foundations | ||
| General Core Requirements | 42 | |
| College of Liberal Arts Core | ||
| UNIV 1131 | STUDENT SUCCESS | 1 |
| or SOCI 1200 | PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES | |
| Select 1441 and 1442 in the same modern or classical language | 8 | |
| Sociology BA Specialization | ||
| SOCI 1311 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 1 | 3 |
| SOCI 3352 | APPLIED STATISTICS FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH 1 | 3 |
| or SOCI 4306 | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS | |
| SOCI 3362 | SOCIAL RESEARCH 1 | 3 |
| SOCI 3372 | SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY 1 | 3 |
| or SOCI 3373 | SOCIAL THEORY THROUGH POPULAR CULTURE | |
| Select at least 15 hours in SOCI courses numbered below 5000 1 | 15 | |
| Select up to 9 hours in 5000 level SOCI courses (will also count toward MA) | 9 | |
| Select one course in Anthropology | 3 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select courses sufficient to complete undergraduate degree. | 30 | |
| Sociology MA | ||
| Complete Thesis, Thesis Substitute, or Non-Thesis requirements per catalog. | 21-30 | |
| Total Hours | 141-150 | |
- 1
Admission to the fast track will be based on grades in these courses. See admissions requirements.
SUGGESTED PLAN OF STUDY SOCIOLOGY BA TO MA FAST TRACK
This recommended sequence serves as a general guide; students should consult with their sociology academic advisor to develop an individualized plan. Please note that the actual availability and scheduling of courses may vary by semester, and students should review updates each term to ensure they meet degree requirements in a timely manner.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Communication | 3 | Communication | 3 |
| Language 1441 | 4 | Language 1442 | 4 |
| Mathematics | 3 | U.S. History (part 2) | 3 |
| U.S. History (part 1) | 3 | Component Area Option | 3 |
| SOCI 1200 or UNIV 1131 | 2 | SOCI 1311 | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Government/Political Science | 3 | Government/Political Science | 3 |
| Life & Physical Science | 3 | Life & Physical Science | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 | Creative Arts | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| Component Area Option | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| SOCI 3352 or 4306 | 3 | SOCI 3362 | 3 |
| SOCI 3372 or 3373 | 3 | 3000/4000-level SOCI Elective | 3 |
| 3000/4000-level SOCI Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | 3000/4000-level Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| 5000-level SOCI Elective | 3 | 5000-level SOCI Elective | 3 |
| 3000/4000-level Elective | 3 | 5000-level SOCI Elective | 3 |
| 3000/4000-level SOCI Elective | 3 | 3000/4000-level SOCI Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| SOCI 5301 | 3 | SOCI 5698 (or Non-Thesis, Thesis-Substitute Option per catalog) | 6 |
| SOCI 5303 | 3 | ||
| SOCI 5304 | 3 | ||
| 5000-level SOCI Elective | 3 | ||
| 5000-level SOCI Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 6 | ||
| Total Hours: 142 | |||