2. Admission priority is given to students with an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Students with grade point averages below 3.0 will be evaluated by the Graduate Director and members of the graduate faculty on the basis of the GRE scores, recommendations from references, and other supporting data submitted by applicants.
3. To be admitted as a regular graduate student, applicants should have completed 24 semester hours in social science (including history), with at least 12 credits in sociology. Undergraduate work in sociology should include a survey of sociological theory, research methods, and statistics. Students who are otherwise qualified for admission but lack this background may be admitted provisionally, with the stipulation that they may be requested to make up an deficiencies specified by the Graduate Program Director.
Because of the diversity in different institutions of higher education, students trained abroad must be judged on an ad hoc basis. Criteria on which this judgment is based include the reputation of the foreign university, the student's academic record and proficiency in English (minimum TOEFL score of 550, 600 preferred), and recommendations from professors. The university requires that foreign students demonstrate guarantees of financial support.
Final action on admission is taken by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies in consultation with the College of Humanities and Sciences and the Department of Sociology.
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Types of Admissions
Students may be admitted to the graduate program under one of the following classifications:
- Prospective candidate for the degree (regular status): Students who meet all requirements for admission to the degree program, and who are recommended by the Department and College, may be admitted as prospective candidates for the degree.
- Provisional status: Students who have not fully met the requirements of the Department may be granted admission with a provisional status as prospective candidates for a degree.
Such students must have as their initial objective the removal of provisional conditions to achieve advancement to regular status. Provisional students who do not meet the necessary continuance standards (within a specified period of time) will be dropped from the program. Provisional admission is a probationary status; the requirements for advancement to regular status are specified in the provisional admission letter. Remedial courses do not count towards a graduate degree. International students must be admitted fully.
- Non-degree status: Students without advanced degree objectives or students who wish to take graduate courses in sociology without formal admission to the degree program are classified as non-degree seeking students. Non-degree seeking students are not exempted from any prerequisites which may be specified for a course. In addition, successful completion of courses as a non-degree seeking student does not necessarily guarantee admission to the M.S. Program. This status serves two groups of students: (a) Those students interested only in enrolling in graduate courses for self-improvement; (b) Those students interested primarily in certification credit without degree objectives either preceding or following a graduate degree program. Students who register as non-degree seeking without the benefit of an advisor must be prepared to document that they have met the admission requirements and prerequisites of the courses for which they enroll and should understand that they may be removed from the courses if not qualified or if the courses are oversubscribed.
Students applying for regular candidate admission status after taking courses as non-degree seeking students will not be allowed to apply more than six credits earned as non-degree seeking students toward the degree if accepted into the program. Satisfactory performance as non-degree seeking students does not assure admission as regular degree-seekingstudents. There is no limit to the number of hours non-degree seeking students can take in pursuing self improvement.
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Application Procedure
Application forms and materials may be downloaded directly from this website. If you would like for them to be mailed, make your request to the School of Graduate Studies, Box 843051, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284-3051. There is a $20 non -refundable application fee which must accompany the application. This fee will not be credited toward tuition payment. Note that all applications must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies at the address above - not directly to the Sociology Department.
Also note that an application cannot be given final consideration until all required credentials have been received. These include the following: (1) two official transcripts, or the equivalent from each college or university previously attended, (2) three letters of recommendation, (3) GRE scores, and (4) a letter of intent for pursuing graduate studies. Non-U.S. citizens must complete the VCU Application for International Admissions.
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Application Deadlines
Applications which reach the university after July 1 for the fall semester and after November 15 for the spring semester may not be processed in time for registration. An applicant whose application materials arrive late may be considered for admission as a non-degree seeking student, but there is no guarantee that the student will be accepted into the degree program. Applications from international students should be submitted by April 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Students seeking a teaching or research assistantship should apply to the program by April 15.
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Financial Aid
A limited number of graduate teaching assistantships and loans are available to qualified students. In addition, research and training grants awarded to individual faculty members serve as other sources of support for graduate students. Work-study options are also available through the University. The Sociology program typically supports 8 -10 teaching assistants per year with stipends and tuition waivers. Selection for these positions is based upon academic merit. All students seeking a teaching assistantship should notify the Graduate Director of Sociology, Dr. Sarah Jane Brubaker at sbrubaker@vcu.edu, in their letter of intent. Applications for all other forms of financial assistance may be obtained from the University Enrollment Services/Financial Aid, Box 3026, 901 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23284-3026.
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