Courses

The Department offers a two year post graduate programme leading to the Master of Arts (MA) degree. It consists of eight courses. Four of these are compulsory and taken up in the first year by the MA Part I students. They cover the theoretical foundations of Sociology and Anthropology, and familiarize the student with the structure of Indian society and the paradigm of development. The other four courses taken up in MA Part II - are optional and chosen out of thirteen courses offered, covering a range of specializations. Examinations are held at the end of each year. MA Part II has an internal evaluation component carrying one fourth of the total marks allotted for the examination.

This system is being phased out in favour of a credit and semester based system which comes into operation from June 2008. In the year 2008 - 2009, the two courses will run concurrently, Ma Part 2 through the former and MA Part 1 through the latter system.

MA Sociology through credit and semester system is being introduced from July 2008 onwards.

MA  Sociology (Honours) through Credit based Semester system 
(Download Form)    (Poster)

The University Dept. of Sociology, Mumbai University is happy to announce that it has started a new MA programme from the academic year 2008. This is the MA Sociology (Honours) programme, based on credit and semester system, offering several innovative courses. 

This system, as is well known, will enable students to get exposure to a wider range of courses than before. It will also be compatible with the pattern in universities elsewhere in the country and abroad, enabling greater flexibility and choice for students.   It is a rigorous programme but the benefits are also higher. 

The existing MA Sociology programme with year end exams will not be available in the Department. It will however continue at the University’s Institute of Distance Education and colleges which currently offer the programme.

DURATION OF THE COURSE

MA Sociology (Honours) is a 2 year programme, consisting of 4 semesters with several course options. The duration of each semester is 15 weeks, with 12 weeks of classes, one week each for the mid semester and end semester examinations, and one week is kept as margin.  The semesters follow the Academic year of the university and  run between  June/July  and    March / April, with 3 breaks during Diwali and Christmas and the Summer vacation respectively. Exact dates will be announced shortly.    

WHEN DO WE START

The first semester classes will commence on July 15.  In case the BA results have not been declared by then, classes will commence within 10 days of the declaration of results.

CORE AND ELECTIVE COURSES

Students will have to opt for a combination of courses totaling 72 credits over two years. They will have to acquire 72 credits to qualify for the degree of M.A.  Sociology Honours,  36 of which shall be obtained from core courses (ie compulsory)   while the other 36 shall have to be obtained from the electives. Below is the list of courses for all the four Semesters all of which carry 4 credits each.  

Semester One

CORE COURSES
Classical Sociological Theory
Understanding Contemporary Indian Society 

ELECTIVE COURSES (any 2)  

Gender & Society 
Population & Society
Religion and Society

Semester  Two

CORE COURSES
Perspectives on Indian Society
Classical Perspectives on Cultural Anthropology
Methodologies of Social Research 

ELECTIVE COURSES (any 2)

Industry, Labour and Globalization
Family & Kinship
Media and Society
Social Movements
Sociology of Urbanization

Semester  Three

CORE COURSES
Contemporary Sociological Theories 
Sociology  of  Development   

ELECTIVE COURSES (any 2)

State, Civil Society and Human Rights
Environment and Society
Agrarian Structure and Change
Sociology of  the Informal Sector
Dissertation

Semester Four

CORE COURSES
Contemporary Anthropological Theories
Sociology of Globalization 

ELECTIVE COURSES (any 3]

Science, Technology and Society     
Caste, class and marginalization
Perspectives on Feminism
Sociology of Tourism
Sociology of Indian Diaspora
 A case study of Mumbai

EXAMINATIONS

All credits for the core courses shall have to be obtained by appearing for one mid-semester examinations and one end-semester examination. Credits for the elective courses shall have to be obtained by appearing for one mid semester, one end semester and internal assessment.  The internal assessment component will carry 20% marks and will be in the form of a  written assignment each to be combined with a presentation.   

A student must secure a minimum of 40% marks (mid-semester plus end-semester examination) in a given course in order to obtain the number of credits assigned to that course.   A student failing in a course will be allowed to keep terms and proceed to the next semester provided  he/she has failed in not more than two subjects in that semester. 

 A student who has passed in all the core courses and the required number of elective courses and obtained no less than 72 credits shall be deemed to have obtained the Master’s Degree in Sociology. 

The total performance within a semester and the continuous performance from the second semester onwards shall be indicated by a Grade Point Average , weighted average marks , cumulative grade point average  and overall weighted percentage marks  and the overall percentage marks  respectively, calculated as per standard practice.   

A student having less than 75% attendance for lectures held in a given course will not be allowed to appear for the end-semester examination and shall be deemed to have failed in that course.

WHO CAN APPLY

All graduates (BA, BSc, BCom) of recognized universities may apply. Those who have appeared for the final examination and are awaiting the results may also apply. Forms can be collected from the Accounts Section of the University of Mumbai, 2^nd floor, Mahatma Jotirao Phule Bhavan, Kalina Campus for a sum of Rs. 100 or downloaded from the University website. Forms should be submitted in person/by post/by email to the Dept. of Sociology. In case the application has been downloaded from the website, it should be submitted to the Department along with  a DD for Rs.100 in the name of ………………….. Last date for receipt of applications is July 4, 2009.   

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION 

All applicants will be interviewed. A written entrance test will be held for those students who have a B.A.in any other subject other then Sociology  on July 6, 2009 from 11.30 am – 1 pm. Passing the test is a must for being eligible for admission. Performance in the tests as well as the Bachelor’s degree examination will be considered for admission.  

Fee Structure 

Tution Fees                                                                       Rs.1000

PG Registration Fees                                                         Rs.  800

PG Registration Form Fees                                                 Rs.    15

Application Form Fees                                                       Rs.    50

Caution Money Deposit                                                     Rs.    10

Library Fees                                                                      Rs.  200

Others                         

Fee Structure for foreign students:

Tution Fees                                                                              Rs.5000

PG Registration Fees                                                                Rs.5000

PG Registration Form Fees                                                      Rs.    15

Application Form Fees                                                             Rs.    50

Caution Money Deposit                                                            Rs.    10

Library Fees                                                                             Rs.  400