The Department of Sociology and the Bush School of Government and Public Service offer a 5-year (3+2) combined degree program that allows Sociology majors to enter the Bush School at the start of their senior year (typically year four) at Texas A&M University. This enables students to receive their Sociology undergraduate degree (BA) and a Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) graduate degree in five years.
To be considered for the 5-year combined degree program, Sociology students must have a minimum 3.25 GPA and have completed 102 of the 120 hours of course work required to receive a bachelor’s degree. These courses must include all of the specific prerequisites for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, as well as the courses required by the College of Liberal Arts and by Texas A&M University for an undergraduate degree. Interested students are encouraged to contact an academic advisor for more information.
A Bachelor of Arts in Sociology provides a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills needed to address real-world social issues and problems, while allowing students to explore a wide range of social topics and issues. Some courses include hands-on service-learning opportunities in which students connect service and/or research in the community with course material. For sociology majors seeking to enter applied fields, we have a highly praised internship program that offers practical experience in community nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and businesses. To further complement our courses, students accepted into our honors program have opportunities to work one-on-one with professors engaged in sociological research.
The Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) program develops principled leaders for the public and nonprofit sectors, providing students the tools and knowledge they will need in order to perform effectively and ethically in a time when public servants face new and increased challenges.
The MPSA program is fully accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. The curriculum provides students with general knowledge and analytical skills in management, leadership, policy analysis, and research methods. MPSA students have ample opportunities to engage in public service and to develop leadership skills both inside and outside the classroom through interaction with high-level public leaders, real-world consulting projects, student organizations, and the School's Public Service Leadership Program. MPSA graduates leave the Bush School ready to make a difference, whether they choose to work in government, non-profit organizations, or the private sector.
Plan of Study Grid | First Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| ENGL 104 | Composition and Rhetoric 1 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| 3 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Second Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| SOCI 220 | Methods of Social Research 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 18 |
| Spring |
|---|
| SOCI 230 | Classical Sociological Theory 1 | 3 |
| 3 |
| Public Speaking | |
| Communication for Technical Professions | |
| Argumentation and Debate | |
| Writing about Literature | |
| Technical and Professional Writing | |
| 3 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 18 |
| Third Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| SOCI 420 | Advanced Methods of Social Research 1 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 5 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 18 |
| Spring |
|---|
| SOCI 430 | Contemporary Sociological Theory 1 | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 5 | 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| 4 | 1 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Fourth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| BUSH 631 | Quantitative Methods in Public Management I 6 | 3 |
| PSAA 601 | Foundations of Public Service 6 | 3 |
| PSAA 621 | Economic Analysis 6 | 3 |
| PSAA 643 | Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| Spring |
|---|
| PSAA 611 | Public Policy Formation 6 | 3 |
| 6,7 | 3 |
| Quantitative Methods in Public Management II | |
| Quantitative Methods in Public Management II: Policy Analysis Emphasis | |
| Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations | |
| 6,7 | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| Fifth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| PSAA 675 | Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| Spring |
|---|
| PSAA 676 | Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar II | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| 7 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| | Total Semester Credit Hours | 150 |
Graduation requirements include 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a Core category, a college/department requirement, or a free elective can be used to satisfy this requirement. The required 6 hours may be met by courses satisfying other areas of a degree program. See your academic advisor for further information.
No more than 33 hours in sociology may be applied to the major.
Other courses may qualify. Consult the approved list of courses available in the Undergraduate Student Services Office in the College of Arts and Sciences or from departmental advisors. No more than one course may be counted in more than one category.
Please note that university requirements specify that all students must take at least two courses in their major that are designated as fulfilling a writing requirement (W). See the section on general requirements for baccalaureate degrees for more information.
The program includes a total of 168 hours which up to 18 hours may be applied toward both the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and the Master of Public Service Administration.
See the MPSA program in the Graduate and Professional Catalog for the MPSA requirements.
Minor Field of Study
Sociology majors are not required to select a minor field of study. If chosen, the minor must consist of 15-18 hours, with no more than 9 hours taken at a 100- or 200-level. No more than six hours from the minor may be used to fulfill other requirements. A grade of C or higher is required if a course is to be counted in the minor field.
