The Fast Track Program allows outstanding undergraduate students in sociology at UT Arlington to take up to three graduate seminars in sociology that will earn credit toward both the Bachelor’s degree and the Master’s degree in Sociology.  It is designed to encourage high standards of performance, to facilitate the transition from undergraduate to graduate study, and to reduce time needed to complete the MA.  

Interested undergraduate students should apply for the Fast Track Program when they are within 30 hours of completing the Bachelor’s degree.  

To qualify, students must have completed at least 30 hours at UTA with a GPA of 3.0 in all courses and 3.25 in the last 30 hours.  Before entering the Fast Track, students must also have completed the four required courses in the Sociology major with a GPA of at least 3.5, or three of the four with a GPA of 3.66 or more (the four required courses are Introduction to Sociology, Social Statistics, Sociological Theory, and Social Research).  Additionally, they must have already taken at least two elective sociology courses with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.  

Students who successfully complete the Fast Track Program will be admitted automatically to Graduate Studies to continue their graduate work in the Sociology MA Program once the Bachelor’s degree is awarded.  They will not be required to take the GRE, complete an additional application for admission to Graduate Studies, supply letters of recommendation, or pay an application fee.  An undergraduate student completing the maximum of nine graduate hours would be admitted to the Sociology MA Program with only five additional courses and a thesis remaining to complete the requirements for the thesis option.  

To remain in the Fast Track Program, students must receive no grade lower than a B in any graduate seminars taken as an undergraduate, selected with the advice and approval of the Sociology Graduate Advisor.  Undergraduate students who do not maintain grades of B or A in the graduate courses taken will be unable to continue in the Fast Track Program but, if the courses are completed passing, will still receive credit toward their undergraduate degree requirements.  Students originally denied entry into the Fast Track Program, discontinued after provisional admission, subsequently dropped or opting out are still welcome to apply to the Sociology MA Program in the usual way and will be considered without prejudice.  

For an application form or to obtain more details about this program, contact LaDorna McGee, the Sociology Undergraduate Advisor, at ladorna@uta.edu or Dr. Heather Jacobson, the Director of Graduate Studies, at jacobson@uta.edu.