Sociology, M.A. - COLA, UNH

Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, the Sociology M.A. is pausing admissions to the program. Current students will continue to have access to the same high-quality education and resources until they graduate.

The master's program emphasizes Sociological theory and methods. Some students earn the M.A. to prepare for positions as applied sociologists. Their work often includes field experience. Others view the M.A. degree as preparation for Ph.D. studies. An M.A. thesis or publishable paper describes results from the student's own original research.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the degree requires a minimum of 32 graduate credits.  Students must complete at least 26 credit hours (seven courses) of graduate-­level coursework in sociology. In addition, students must complete 6-10 credits of Master's Thesis work.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will learn to interpret quantitative and qualitative data in a value-neutral way.
• Students will learn to run advanced quantitative analyses.
• Students will learn to communicate effectively in writing from a sociological.
• Students will learn to produce original sociological research.
• Students will learn to deliver effective oral presentations about their sociological research.

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: Currently suspended for admissions
• Spring: N/A
• Summer: N/A
• Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: RI VT ME

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Test Scores: GRE Required

GRE required. Request official test scores to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service. Test scores more than five years old are not acceptable. Student copies and photo copies of scores are not considered official. Our CEEB code is 3918.

For general information about test scores, including waiver requests and current COVID related impacts, please visit our Test Scores webpage.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.