MA

Sociology and Criminology

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Key facts

  • Program
    Master's
  • Duration
    2 years
  • Program
    On campus
  • Pace
    Full-time
  • Annual tuition fee
    20,155USD
  • Start date
    Jan, Aug

Program overview

What the University of North Carolina Wilmington says about their program:

A Passion for Public Service, Skills to Address Social Problems and Issues.

Apply theory to the analysis of substantive topics

Use research methods to address formal questions or hypotheses

Present a clear and well-written analysis of a criminological or sociological issue

Communicate at a scholarly and professional level

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Admission requirements

Undergraduate academic requirements

To be considered for admission to UNCW, first-year applicants must:

  • Have graduated from high school (secondary school)
  • Present an A/B average and/or a 2.8 GPA on a US 4.0 scale, or equivalent
  • Meet minimum course/program specific requirements

Postgraduate academic requirements

To be eligible for admission for graduate study at the University of North Carolina Wilmington applicants must:

  • Regionally Accredited Bachelor's Degree

    Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in this country or its equivalent in a foreign institution (as evaluated course-by-course through a NACES approved credit evaluation service) by the first official day of classes for the term of the application.

  • Grade Point Average

    Have a strong overall academic record with a B average or better in the basic courses prerequisite to the area of proposed graduate study. Provisional admission may be considered by some programs. Contact the program coordinator for additional information regarding their acceptance policy.

  • Additional Requirements

    Meet any additional admission requirement(s) as outlined by the graduate program.

English requirements

  • TOEFL iBT

    Minimum score of 71

  • TOEFL Essential

    Minimum score of 8 on the Internet-based exam

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

    Minimum score of 6.0 on the academic module

  • DuolingoEnglish Test (DET)

    Minimum score of 95

  • Pearson PTE

    Minimum score 54

  • iTEP Academic

    Minimum score of 3.7 on iTEP Academic Plus

Please note that scores older than two (2) years will not be accepted.

English proficiency waivers

  • SAT-I Critical Reading sub-section score of 490 or higher (first-year students only). Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency.
  • ACT Reading sub-section score of 20 or higher (first-year students only). Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency.
  • A student successfully completes Level 4 in UNCW's ELC program. Level 4 participants must maintain a 2.67 GPA and have an attendance rate above 80% while in the ELC program.
  • Completion of two college-level courses in English composition at a U.S. college or university with a grade of B or higher (for transfer students only).

English is the applicant's native language: List of countries that students are exempt of an English examination: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada (all provinces, except Quebec), Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Malta, Marshall Island, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales), Zambia, Zimbabwe

Entry requirements

  • GRE/GMAT/MAT test scores are required for some Master's programs.

Please keep in mind that while GRE/GMAT/MAT are not required for all graduate applicants, it is recommended for applicants with an overall cumulative bachelor’s GPA of less than 3.0.

Documents required

  • Application fee
  • Essay & Short Answer
  • An official transcript, translated into English (translation must be certified), of grades from secondary school.
  • Transcripts from schools outside the US must be original or certified true copies, with original signatures on all transcripts and English translations. A certified true copy is one that bears an original signature of the registrar or other designated school official, an original impression of the institution's seal, or signature/seal of the examining board
  • Foreign transcripts may be sent directly from a certified translation service or from secondary school
  • If you completed secondary school in a country where a secondary school leaving examination (GCE, GCSE, CXC, French Baccalaureate, Abitur, etc.) is administered, you must provide an original or certified true copy of the results or expected results.
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Fees and funding

Financing a UNCW education may seem like a challenging responsibility, so the University tries to be accessible to all who are granted admission. UNCW meets this through need-blind admissions and through financial aid.

Financial assistance from UNCW for international students is extremely limited, since the out-of-state tuition at UNCW is lower than at many comparable institutions. As such, it is urged that international students look for outside sources of funding to help lower costs.

Fee information

  • Undergraduate tuition

    US$20,016 per year

  • Graduate tuition

    US$20,155 per year

Funding

Undergraduate International Student Scholarship

  • Amount

    $2,000 one time award

  • Requirements

    Any incoming undergraduate degree-seeking international student needing F-1 visa sponsorship (excluding TABSA) is automatically awarded $2,000 USD at the time of admission if they have a 3.5 GPA or higher, on a U.S. 4.0 scale for their first academic year of attendance (fall & spring semester.)

Distinguished Merit Scholarship

  • Amount

    $5,000 per academic year

  • Requirements

    The Distinguished Merit Scholarship is a $5,000 renewable award for undergraduate students who have demonstrated elite academic ability and exceptional personal achievement throughout high school. Consideration for this award is based on the student’s UNCW application; no additional action is required to be considered.

Global Student Ambassador Scholarship

Amount: $2,000, split up to $1,000 each semester for one year (fall & spring semesters). Requirements:

  • Only current international students on an F-1 visa are eligible to apply.
  • To be eligible students must be on track to be full-time current students for the upcoming academic year.
  • Students must commit to one academic year of involvement/interaction with OISS and international students.
  • Students who receive this award will serve as a Global Student Ambassador for the following academic year (fall & spring semester).
  • In order to maintain the scholarship throughout the year, ambassadors have to fulfill ALL of their responsibilities. Otherwise, the scholarship will be suspended.
  • Scholarship recipients must attend Ambassador Orientation before the spring semester ends.

Global Student Ambassador Scholarship Application process:

  • Complete a separate application
  • Submit a one-page essay on how you feel you could support incoming international students
  • Submit 2 references
  • All documents should be sent to [email protected]
  • Interviews will conducted in April
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Visa requirements for the University of North Carolina Wilmington

Many international students will require a visa to study in the US, and this is a vital step of your study abroad journey. Make sure you understand the requirements you may need to meet before applying.