Program Requirements
The Master of Arts in Sociology; Development Studies program focuses on broad training in development studies related to sociology. The thesis must be on a topic relating to development studies in sociology, and it needs to be approved by the Development Studies programs Coordinating Committee.
Thesis Courses (24 credits)
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SOCI 692 M.A. Thesis 3 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fieldwork and data analysis on the thesis. Progress report to the supervisor.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open only to graduate students registered in the M.A. thesis program of the Sociology Department.
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SOCI 693 M.A. Thesis 4 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fieldwork and data analysis on the thesis. Progress report to the supervisor.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open only to graduate students registered in the M.A. thesis program of the Sociology Department.
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SOCI 694 M.A. Thesis 5 (18 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Completion, submission, and approval of the M.A. Thesis by the committee and the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open only to graduate students registered in the M.A. thesis program of the Sociology Department.
Required Courses (15 credits)
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INTD 657 Development Studies Seminar (3 credits)
Overview
International Development : Special topics in international development studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: le Polain de Waroux, Yann (Fall)
Restriction: Open only to students in the M.A. Development Studies Option.
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SOCI 504 Quantitative Methods 1 (3 credits) *
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : An introduction to basic regression techniques commonly used in the social sciences. Covers the least squares linear regression model in depth and may introduce models for discrete dependent variables as well as the maximum-likelihood approach to statistical inference. Emphasis on the assumptions behind regression models and correct interpretation of results. Assignments will emphasize practical aspects of quantitative analysis.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Clark, Shelley (Fall)
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SOCI 580 Social Research Design and Practice (3 credits) *
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Asking researchable sociological questions and evaluation of different research designs used to answer such questions. Development of cogent research proposals, including data collection procedures. Principles, dynamics, strengths and practical limitations of research designs. Examples from recent publications.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Shor, Eran (Fall)
Restriction: Open to U3 and graduate students
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SOCI 600 Qualitative Research Methods 1 (3 credits) *
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Overview of qualitative research design and modes of data collection, particularly observation, interviewing and focus groups. Students are required to design and undertake their own qualitative research project. Introduction to computerized tools for qualitative data management, transcription and analysis.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Pike, Isabel (Winter)
Restrictions: Permission of instructor. Not open to students who have taken SOCI 540.
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SOCI 652 Current Sociological Theory (3 credits) *
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Examination of works in some major areas of Sociology with a focus on: antecedent thought and research in the area; the internal structure and consistency of these works; the validity of the major claims made; and the implications for future theoretical development and research.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: van den Berg, Axel (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 330
* All students must have taken these courses or take them during the first year of the program. Students granted an exemption from any one or more of these courses by the Graduate Studies Committee must substitute another substantive seminar in its place.
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
6 credits chosen from the following:
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SOCI 502 Sociology of Fertility (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : An upper-level course that will cover the major theories and findings from the social scientific study of fertility behavior. Readings and discussion will focus on the causal linkages between social change and transitions in fertility behavior. We will examine contemporary and historical fertility behavior and transitions across the globe.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction(s): Open to graduate students and final year undergraduates
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SOCI 506 Quantitative Methods 3 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Advanced statistical analyses focusing on advanced methods such as event history analysis and analysis of contingency tables.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 504 or equivalent or permission of instructor.
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SOCI 507 Social Change (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : An examination of the major sociological theories of long term macro social change. Topics include why industrialization began in Europe instead of Asia, the divergence among societies in systems of class, gender, ethnic and racial inequality, and whether industrial society has entered a new post-industrial or post-modern phase.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken SOCI 672. Undergraduates by permission of instructor only.
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SOCI 512 Ethnicity and Public Policy (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Major themes in the theoretical literature on ethnicity. Public policies with direct and indirect implications for inter-ethnic relations will be studied. Policies affecting areas such as language, education, immigration, employment and promotion, multiculturalism and welfare. Examples drawn from several multi-ethnic societies. Political, constitutional, and economic problems associated with these policy initiatives.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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SOCI 513 Social Aspects HIV/AIDS in Africa (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Examination of the social causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Gender inequality, sexual behaviours, marriage systems, migration, and poverty are shaping the pandemic as well as how the pandemic is altering social, demographic and economic conditions across Africa.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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SOCI 519 Gender and Globalization (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Focus on the diverse forces of globalization that impact the lives of men and women. Critical analysis of key theories and concepts implicated in the intersection of globalization processes with gender dynamisms.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Weiner, Elaine (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 270 or permission of instructor.
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SOCI 520 Migration and Immigrant Groups (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Review of the major demographic, economic and sociological theories of internal and international migration. The main emphasis will be on empirical research on migration and immigrant groups.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Soehl, Thomas (Winter)
Prerequisite: 15 credits in the Social Sciences
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SOCI 529 Political Sociology 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Key theories and empirical areas of political sociology. Major works relevant to each theme will be read and analyzed. Topics include: political socialization, the social psychology of political behaviour, class and politics, political organizations, elite studies. A research paper in one of the areas covered will be required.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 330
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SOCI 545 Sociology of Population (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The classic literature of sociology of population. Drawing reciprocal linkages between social and population processes: Historical, family and labour force demography, demographic and fertility transitions, mortality, ethnic and race relations, gender, macro-structural interaction theory, and the relation of population and the environment.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 234 or equivalent
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SOCI 550 Developing Societies (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Comparison of alternative explanations of underdevelopment: the impact of social stratification, relations of domination and subordination between countries, state interference with the market. Alternative strategies of change: revolution, structural adjustment, community development and cooperatives. Students will write and present a research paper, and participate extensively in class discussion.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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SOCI 555 Comparative Historical Sociology (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The analysis of patterns of state and nation-building in historical and comparative perspectives with particular attention being given to methodology.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Undergraduate students require permission of instructor
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SOCI 560 Labour and Globalization (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : The relationship between labour and globalization, focusing on globalization of production, working conditions, national labour responses, and the emergence of transnational campaigns for labour rights and new forms of private regulation.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: SOCI 307 or Permission of Instructor
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SOCI 590 Social Conflict and Violence (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This course examines recent theory and research on the comparative study of social conflict and political violence. Topics covered include the causes and consequences of international wars, state repression, civil violence, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Shor, Eran (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 210
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SOCI 601 Qualitative Research Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Qualitative data interpretation and analysis. Coding, identifying themes and memo-writing. Students conclude their qualitative research project, writing up findings in the form of a publishable-quality paper.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Seminar will be offered once a week, during the Fall term, for a duration of two hours (1x2).
Prerequisite: SOCI 600
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 620 Quantitative Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : This course provides an introduction to generalized linear models for analyzing categorical and correlated data. The main topics include: (1) logistic/probit models (including multinomial logit, logit models for ordinal data) and (2) Extensions to multilevel and panel data analysis. The exposition covers model specification,estimation, hypothesis testing, remedies for violations of statistical assumptions, and interpretation of the results. The emphasis is on applications of these models in social science research, and research articles in sociology are used to illustrate the application of these models and techniques.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: McMahan, Peter (Winter)
Prerequisite: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restriction(s): Premission of instructor.
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SOCI 621 Fixed and Random Effects (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Fixed and random effect regression. Emphasis on longitudinal panel data and hierarchical data.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
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SOCI 622 Event History Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Applied introduction to event history analysis, a set of statistical methods used to analyze changes from one state to another (i.e. transitions) and the effects of independent variables on the timing and likelihood of these transitions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 623 Latent Variable Models (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Latent variable models attempt to explain complex relations between manifest/observed variables by simple relations between these variables and an underlying unobservable or “latent” structure. Topics include both cross-sectional (Latent Class, factor analysis) and longitudinal (Latent Transition/Hidden Markov, Latent Class Growth Analysis, Growth Mixture Models) versions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 504 or equivalent
Restrictions: Permission of instructor.
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SOCI 624 Social Networks (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Social networks from various standpoints, including classical theory, formal models, methods for empirical analysis, and substantive applications.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisites: SOCI 652 or Permission of Instructor
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SOCI 720 Reading in Social Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Supervised readings in social theory supervised by a member of staff. Topics will be chosen to suit individual interests.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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SOCI 730 Reading and Research (3 credits)
Overview
Sociology (Arts) : Supervised readings and research supervised by a memeber of staff. Topics will be chosen to suit individual interests.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
