Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree with a standing equivalent to a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0. The degree may be either in Sociology - in which case it should be equivalent to the Honours B.A. degree at McGill - or it may be in another relevant social science. In the latter case, applicants may be required to take some additional Sociology courses to fill gaps in their background.
The strength of an applicant's academic record is of primary importance in consideration of an applicant's dossier. For a detailed description of courses open to graduates and undergraduates, and of preparation required of McGill University honours students, candidates should consult the Undergraduate Programs Calendar.
All applicants are asked to submit two letters of recommendation and two certified copies of their university-level grades along with an example of their written work. Applicants who have received a Master's degree at a university other than McGill should submit a copy of their thesis or evidence of equivalent research experience with their application for admission. The applicant's dossier must be completed by January 15th to be considered for the McGill Awards Competition and the internal Teaching Assistantship competition. PLEASE NOTE THAT ADMISSIONS ARE NOT MANAGED BY INDIVIDUAL PROFESSORS BUT BY A COMMITTEE.
Applicants not registered at Canadian universities must submit with their applications the results of the Verbal and Quantitative aptitude tests of the Graduate Record Examination. Canadian students are also encouraged to submit the results of this test with their application. Arrangements to take the Graduate Record Examination should be made directly with the Educational Testing Service by visiting their website at http://www.gre.org/ttindex.html. For information on whether The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also required please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply/prepare/requirements/proficiency. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL exam is 567 on the paper-based test or 86 on the internet-based test (a minimum score of 20 in each of the 4 component scores). International students can also contact international [dot] students [at] mcgill [dot] ca (International Student Services) at 514-398-4349 for more information, or visit their website, https://home.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/.
Candidates who lack sufficient preparation in the social sciences, but whose academic record justifies consideration for eventual admission to the Master's graduate program, must register for a qualifying year during which they are required to take courses to broaden their knowledge of sociology. Candidates must achieve a final mark of at least a B in these courses and an average in ll courses of at least B+; in general, they must, in the opinion of the Department, have achieved sufficient preparation in the subject matter of sociology before they will be allowed to proceed with graduate work. All candidates are expected to have taken courses in statistics, research methods and sociological theory at the undergraduate level.
Any prospective students are encouraged to contact faculty members that they may wish to work with to ascertain that they will be available and not on leave during the time at which they wish to study. If need be, they may feel free to contact the Chair of the Graduate Admissions Committee to guide them.
The program of study is designed to give students an advanced understanding of a major field in sociology, of current methods of sociological research, and of some principal theoretic issues in the discipline. Three terms of residence study is the minimum requirement for a Master's degree.
MA in Medical Sociology
The program is open to students with a social sciences, health professions or health sciences background. It is interdisciplinary in nature and includes required courses offered by both participating departments as well as a research thesis based on original research. For additional information concerning this program, please consult the Social Studies of Medicine website, http://www.mcgill.ca/ssom/.