Graduate Student Handbook - NIUINTRODUCTIONThis handbook is a summary of the major policies and procedures affecting graduate students in the Department of Sociology at Northern Illinois University. Although we have taken care to ensure the accuracy of the Handbook, it is important for students to know that they are also bound by the policies of the Graduate School and the Graduate Catalogue. If there is any inconsistency between this Handbook and the Graduate Catalogue, the policies in the Graduate Catalogue take precedence. The Sociology Department at Northern Illinois University offers graduate- level courses in the discipline of Sociology and provides a venue in which students learn how to conduct original research under the supervision of faculty. The plans of study for the Master of Arts degree have been designed to offer coherent, significant, and rigorous learning experiences that provide a basis for many potential careers or the future pursuit of doctoral degrees. All Master of Arts students receive training in sociological theory and methods. The department also offers a range of courses on substantive topics and issues. It is possible for a student to focus on a variety of areas, depending on faculty specialization (see http: //www. We offer a formal specialization in Criminology. Students interested in pursuing this formal specialization should seek advance approval from the Director of Graduate Studies. Every effort is made to maintain a personal atmosphere for graduate students and faculty. The Chair, the Director of Graduate Studies, and most other faculty are easily accessible and you may contact them with any issues and concerns you are having in the program. Close working relationships with faculty members are encouraged through courses, thesis supervision, conference participation, and graduate assistant activities. Some graduate students conduct original research in collaboration with faculty members, which is highly encouraged. The products of such studies include scholarly papers and presentations at professional conferences. As a department within a state university, tuition and fees are quite reasonable. In addition, department- based teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis.
An assistantship provides a monthly stipend and a tuition waiver scholarship that covers tuition (whether in- state or out- of- state) for the academic year and the preceding or following summer term. An assistantship does not provide payment of the student’s fees, however, and thus these remain the responsibility of students. A number of other assistantships and fellowships are also available through the Graduate School and other departments and programs at the university. ADMISSION TO THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN SOCIOLOGYGeneral Admission Requirements. Sociology majors and persons with other relevant academic backgrounds are eligible for admission to the Sociology graduate program. Before entering the program, an applicant must have attained a bachelor’s degree from a four- year accredited college or university. If the degree work does not include at least one course each in sociological theory, social science research methods, and introductory statistics, these will be considered deficiencies that must be remedied either before beginning the graduate program or during the student’s first term. Course credits taken for purposes of remedying deficiencies will not count toward the master’s degree. The Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Graduate Committee, examines each applicant’s file. Admission to the graduate program is based on the applicant’s undergraduate grade point average, performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), letters of recommendation, statement of career goals, and other evidence of ability to succeed in the program. Ordinarily, the department requires an undergraduate grade point average consistent with the Graduate School requirements. The NIU Sociology Graduate Colloquium is held each year with the financial support of the Graduate School. Graduate students play a significant role in organizing the.The department prefers applicants with a GPA of 3. Graduate School if recommending admission to a student whose undergraduate GPA is below 2. The applicant must also take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The department prefers applicants with a minimum of 1. GRE. Application for admission to the Graduate School is available on the Graduate School website (www. Graduate Record Examination testing dates and locations are available through Educational Testing Service (www. Students- at- Large. NIU- Graduate (Master’s and Doctoral) Programs: Architecture and Landscape Architecture: Design Projects in environmental building and ecological communities: Green. Graduate Programs; Law Program; Colleges and Departments; Academic Opportunities. Engaged Learning; University Honors Program; Study Abroad. The Illinois State University Master's Degree Program in Sociology emphasizes in-depth study of sociological theory, quantitative and qualitative research. A student with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university who has not been accepted by the Graduate School may, with departmental approval, take graduate courses for credit as a student- at- large. No more than nine semester hours of such courses will be applied to the master’s program in Sociology. The prospective student should be aware of the regulations regarding student- at- large status as detailed in the Graduate Catalogue. The Department of Sociology is not obligated to accept a student- at- large for the master’s program, even if he or she has successfully completed graduate courses in Sociology. All students- at- large who intend to take sociology courses must obtain approval from the Director of Graduate Studies and the course instructor. International Students. International students should examine the special instructions for admission in the Graduate Catalogue. Those whose native language is not English should note in particular the requirements concerning the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). English Proficiency. Graduate students whose native language is not English are required to take an examination of their English language skills by the end of the second semester. Those whose skills are deficient or marginal will be required to take and pass the two- course sequences, ENGL 4. ENGL 4. 52, or the single course, ENGL 4. These courses do not carry graduate credit, and are not applied toward the master’s degree. Students should contact the Department of English or the International Student and Faculty Office for the testing schedule. The Director of Graduate Studies. Each entering graduate student must consult with the department’s Director of Graduate Studies. The Director will serve as students’ temporary advisor in their first year in the program, ensuring that students are satisfactorily completing required first- year courses in sociological theory and methods. The Director is available throughout the student’s graduate career at NIU and should be consulted about any question or issue related to the program. Students who wish to receive an assistantship should complete an “Application for Graduate Assistantship” form and submit it to the department by the priority application deadline of February 1. Such funds supplement general- revenue support for assistantships, enabling the department to increase the number of assistantships and/or the amount of the stipends. First- year graduate assistants in good standing (i. GPA of 3. 0 or higher and satisfactory evaluations from their assigned faculty members) may be reappointed as graduate assistants for a second year. However, a student who is not in good standing on the start date of appointment will not be approved for an assistantship. At the end of each semester, the Director of Graduate Studies will ask faculty supervisors to evaluate their assistants’ performance. Unsatisfactory evaluations by faculty supervisors may result in termination of a student’s assistantship. Rights and Responsibilities of Graduate Assistants and Faculty. The graduate- assistant/faculty relationship is a professional, collegial one. Its purpose is to further the education of graduate students and to advance knowledge through original research. Thus, graduate assistants often help faculty members in performing their duties as teachers and scholars. In turn, the work given to graduate assistants by faculty is “on- the- job training” in preparation for their own careers. Assignments given by faculty to assistants must be related to a faculty member’s professional work. Assistants should not be asked to undertake chores of a personal nature as part of their assistantship duties. Substitute Lecturing. Graduate assistants should not be asked to serve routinely as substitute lecturers without the presence of a faculty supervisor. However, faculty occasionally provide voluntary teaching assignments that are designed to provide graduate students with an opportunity for acquiring teaching skills. Faculty should give graduate students sufficient notice of such teaching assignments. Our department encourages faculty to offer these assignments and encourages graduate students to avail themselves of these opportunities. Hours of Work. Generally, graduate assistants should not be expected to be present for work before and after regular hours—i. In addition, in order to allow enough time for their studies and the duties of their graduate assistantships as well as their own studies, full- time graduate assistants (2. GAs. Unutilized hours of an assistant’s work- load in a given week should not carry over to her/his work- load for the following week, especially for those who have split assignments with different faculty. However, because of the uneven flow of academic work (e. Toward the end of a semester, the work schedule of graduate assistants should be adjusted to help them take care of their examinations and other assignments as students. It is strongly urged that the faculty supervisor and graduate assistant discuss such adjustments far enough in advance so that the mutual needs of both may be fulfilled. As GAs may split their 2. Assistants’ Files. Graduate assistants have the right to see the evaluations of their performance by faculty supervisors and to respond in writing to the evaluations. Such responses will be attached to all copies of the graduate students’ evaluations. Any further correspondence, either by the faculty supervisor or the graduate assistant, should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies.
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December 2016
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