Concentrations
Students may select a wide array of electives to shape the M.A. program in Social Sciences and Globalization to meet their individual professional and academic goals. Below are the three concentrations that students use to organize their program. Students will apply and be accepted into one of the concentrations. If students would like to take courses that do not currently appear under one of the tracks below, please consult with your adviser and/or the program coordinator to determine if the course can be incorporated into the student's electives that will apply toward graduation.
- Track A (Disciplinary Concentration)
- Track B (Applied Social Science Concentration)
- Track C (Thematic Concentration)
In addition to the tracks suggested above, students should consult with their advisers and/or the program coordinator to determine if specific methods, skills, or additional qualifications and/or experiences might be appropriate to the student's specific professional and/or academic goals. Below are some opportunities students may consider in consultation with an advisor.
Learn a second and/or third language
While not required for this program, students are strongly encouraged learn to read, speak, and conduct research in a second language. Please remember that many Ph.D. programs require that students pass exams in a second and sometimes a third language. Many areas of research require an ability to read in another language. Many M.A. programs require at least a second language. Many B.A. programs require at least two years of a second language. Consult with your adviser to identify the most important second and/or third language for your own professional aspirations and research interests.
Methods/Skills
Students should consider ways to develop their specific skills related to their track and professional goals that go beyond the basic requirements of the program. This may involve taking courses designed to teach methods in a discipline or it may involve seeking additional training outside of the college and/or university. Below are merely some courses that may be useful to consider when designing your course of study in consultation with your adviser.
The following are courses that may assist you with developing discipline-specific research skills and methods:
- Community-Engaged Research Methods, ANTH 4601
- Arch Theory and Methods, ANTH 4001
- Intermediate Microeconomics, ECON 4100
- Intermediate Macroeconomics, ECON 4200
- Quantitative Methods in Economics, ECON 4400
- Mixed Methods Research, ECON 4525
- Introduction to Econometrics, ECON 4300
- Tools of Economic Analysis, ECON 3500
- Field Methods in Geography, GEOG 3004
- Intro to GIS and Cartography, GEOG 2250
- Advanced GIS, GEOG 3710
- Advanced Public and Oral History, HIST 6230
- Research Seminar in History, HIST 5850
- Research Methods for Political Science, PSCI 5920
- Qualitative Analysis and Field Research, SOC 3010
- Quantitative Analysis and Survey Research, SOC 3070
- Statistics, MATH 1202, 2265
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Calculus, MATH 2210
Training programs beyond CSUSB:
There are a variety of ways to obtain professional training beyond the regular coursework. The following are examples. If you are interested, consult with your adviser about options that might be best for your professional interests.
Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR)
ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research
Internships
Contact specific departments to learn about internship courses and requirements.