Standards for

                          Applied and Clinical Sociology Programs

                                            at the Master’s Level

                                      Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology

                                                                 (Rev. June 2003)

 

 

In this document, the Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (CACS) presents standards for applied and clinical sociology programs at the master’s level.  This document is to be used by the applicant program, in conjunction with the Guidelines for Completing the Self Study Report to facilitate the Self Study process and to prepare the Self Study Report.   The Policies and Procedures document and the Review Process Manual are to be used by the applicant Program, in conjunction with these Standards, to prepare for the Site Visit. 

 

Sociological practice is the general term that encompasses both applied sociology and clinical sociology. Members of the Commission recognize that, currently, training and education in applied and clinical sociology occurs in many different types of institutions and may be called by many different names.  Therefore, in this document, the term Program is used to mean any of these training modes, whether they are traditional sociology departments, parts of broader degrees, or in multidisciplinary settings.  While the assumption of this document is that most of the training will occur in a university or college setting, it is also acknowledged that this may vary.  Therefore the term "institution" is broadly meant to be the college/university or other organizational unit which houses the clinical or applied sociology training program. 

 

In the sections that follow, introductory comments summarize the content of the section and are followed by the standards.  Italicized information summarizes Commission thinking about a particular issue. Selected terms are defined in the Glossary at the end of this document.

 

1.0     PRECONDITIONS FOR REVIEW

            Programs in sociological practice applying for accreditation review at a master’s degree level are requested to meet a number of preconditions.  Programs must demonstrate and explain in their self-study documentation how they meet these preconditions.  If a Program does not meet these preconditions in a strictly literal sense, but it meets the spirit of these provisions, the Program may petition the Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (CACS) for special consideration. 

 

1.1        The Institution

            The institution in which the Program is housed shall meet the following criteria: 

 

1.1.1    It shall be accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or by its successor organization.

 

1.1.2    It shall have no policies or procedures that violate or contradict the ethical standards of the profession. 

 

1.1.3    It shall have policies and procedures for accommodation of student and faculty grievance, and the Program shall use procedures available in the larger institution.  This information shall be distributed to the faculty and students of the Program.

 

1.1.4    It shall have policies, procedures and activities that are nondiscriminatory.

            At a minimum, they shall conform to the principles of nondiscrimination with regard to race, ethnicity, creed, age, sexual orientation, disabilities, and marital status.

 

1.1.5    It shall have appropriate policies and procedures for maintaining the confidentiality of student records.  These policies shall be consistent with applicable laws.

 

1.2        The Program

            While the Program may be housed in a variety of administrative structures or units, it is important that it be identified as sociological practice, applied sociology, or clinical sociology. As a precondition for review, the Program shall have authority, responsibility, and resources to determine and meet its goals and objectives and to maintain the program over time.

 

1.2.1    The Program shall have an established governance and administrative structure ensuring its authority and responsibility for decision-making with respect to goal setting, program planning, assessing and documenting program outcomes, and achieving specified goals.

 

1.2.2    The Program shall have resources sufficient to ensure its continued operation.

            Resources shall be sufficient to ensure the retention of a well-qualified faculty and professional staff, the maintenance of library resources, ongoing expenses of the practice component, including field experiences, and the effective operation of facilities.  These factors shall be examined within the context of the resources of the institution.

 

1.2.3    The formal title(s) of the Program(s) shall contain any combination of the words sociological practice, applied sociology, or clinical sociology.

            In such situations where the Program name cannot include the words applied sociology, clinical sociology, or sociological practice, this standard may be waived.  In such instances, the Program shall demonstrate its identification with applied sociology, clinical sociology or sociological practice through course titles, literature distributed to students, or other documentation acceptable to the Commission.

 

 

1.2.4    The Program shall have been in operation for at least two years and the department or unit in which the Program is housed shall have at least three (3) full-time faculty members, one of whom shall be the director/coordinator of the Program. The majority of the full-time faculty shall have graduate degrees in sociology or closely related fields.

 

            The Program shall have enrolled students for at least 2 years and shall have been s recognized, through the institution's literature, at the time of application.

 

 

1.2.5    The Program shall be housed within an institution that grants a master’s degree.

 

2.0     PROGRAMMATIC STRUCTURE

            The Program shall have a mission statement that clearly articulates its vision as a program in sociological practice with the programmatic structures to support and reflect that mission.  The Program's mission shall be reflected in: a) its goals and objectives, b) its administrative and organizational structures, c) the services it provides to its students, d) its faculty characteristics and professional development, and e) the nature of its public and professional services.

 

2.1        Goals and Objectives           

            The Program shall clearly articulate its philosophy and vision as a program in sociological practice, applied sociology, or clinical sociology.  It shall have a mission statement that is translated into a set of program goals and objectives and an associated curriculum of study. The student learning outcomes attached to the Program's goals and objectives shall be quantitatively and/or qualitatively measurable.

 

2.1.1    The Program shall have statements of goals and objectives that clearly identify and reflect both the underlying philosophy and more concrete ways the Program defines sociological practice.  

 

2.1.2    The Program shall provide for a learning environment in which the Program's goals and objectives can be achieved.

 

2.2       Administrative and Organizational Structure

            The Program shall accurately reflect its characteristics and the nature of its offerings in public documents.  It shall maintain ongoing relationships with sociological practitioners.

 

2.2.1    Programs shall establish and maintain close, reciprocal, and ongoing relationships with sociological practitioners and practitioner associations.

            As part of the ongoing relationships with other programs, departmental or program membership in the Society for Applied Sociology and/or in the Sociological Practice Association is required.

 

 

2.2.2    The current institutional catalogue or bulletin shall accurately describe the academic unit and the program(s) offered, including admission criteria, minimum Program requirements, matriculation requirements, opportunities for supervised experiential learning, and financial aid information.

 

2.2.3    The Program shall have access to resources to support practice, teaching, research, and experiential learning for students (e.g., field placements, internships, practica).

            This is interpreted to mean that the Program has direct access to or control over resources including, but not  limited to:

            a) data analysis and word processing capabilities;

            b) statistical consultation and computer assistance for ongoing research and data analysis activities;

            c) clerical support;

            d) administrative support to assist the Program in securing resources for sociological practice activities, including supervised experiential learning for students; and

            e) professional, technical, and financial support for faculty and curriculum development and assessment.

 

2.2.4    The Program shall have access to library facilities and resources that are appropriate for scholarly inquiry, research, and practice by Program faculty and students.  The Program shall have access to historical and current scholarly materials relevant to sociological practice including the Journal of Applied Sociology, and Sociological Practice as well as copies of the Clinical Sociology Review  from the years 1982 to 1998 (Volumes 1-16).

 

2.2.5    The Program shall maintain on file, for five years, syllabi for all courses taught that include, at a minimum, course objectives (learning outcomes), course content, course assignments, and mechanisms used to evaluate the progress of students in the course.

 

2.2.6    Accurate and comprehensive information about the Program shall be provided to prospective and enrolled students.

            This Program information includes, but is not limited to:

            a) career information, including information about the job placements of alumni of the program;

            b) Program requirements, prerequisites, and offerings, including appropriate courses offered through other departments;

            c) student learning outcomes and assessment processes;

            d) admission processes and procedures;

            e) if applicable, additional cost of the Program to the student;

            f) course registration, including information about frequency of course offerings;

            g) student financial aid;

            h) withdrawal and dismissal polices and procedures; and

            i) accreditation status of the Program.

 

 

2.3       The Students

            The Program shall maintain accurate and timely information about students' progress in the Program.  Support services available to the student (e.g., through the institution) shall include Program and career advisement and employment assistance.

 

2.3.1    The Program shall clearly articulate criteria and implement processes for student admission. For applicants who do not have an undergraduate major in sociology, the Program shall clearly articulate and implement a process for evaluating the knowledge and skill level of the applicant and determining the need for taking course prerequisites prior to admission into the master’s Program.

 

2.3.2    An advisor shall be assigned to each student during enrollment in the Program.  The advisor shall assist the student to develop a plan of study.

            Generally, the planned program of study identifies how the student learning outcomes will be met and assessed.  It shall include the following:

            a) student learning outcomes for the Program;

            b) curricular experiences required to meet learning outcomes (this shall include core requirements along with specialized and elective curricular requirements, as appropriate);

            c) supervised practice experience requirements; and

            d) methods of assessing achievement of learning outcomes.

 

 

2.3.3    An up-to-date file on each student shall be kept. 

            This file shall include, but is not limited to, documentation of student progress, including such items as:

            a) a plan of study;

            b) academic record/transcript;

            c) documents related to the internships;

            d) if applicable, documents related to thesis progress (e.g., proposal, administrative forms).

 

 

2.3.3.1 At the time of the accreditation review, the Program shall provide:

            a) examples of  students' work;

            b) critical assessment of the those students’ work; and

            c) examples of work related to the practice experience.

 

 

2.3.4    Students shall receive advisement in making career decisions and in seeking employment following completion of their degree program.

 

2.4       The Faculty and Staff

            The Program's goals and objectives shall be supported and advanced by: a) the quality, composition, and size of the faculty and staff, and b) the nature of the Program's curricular, scholarly, outreach, and community service endeavors.

 

2.4.1        The department or unit in which the Program is housed shall have at least three (3) full-time faculty members, one of whom shall be the director/coordinator of the Program.

 

2.4.2    The director/coordinator of the Program shall be a full-time member of the faculty.  This director/coordinator is responsible for the coordination of the Program, and is the one to whom inquiries regarding the overall Program are addressed. The director/coordinator shall have:

a)      a doctoral degree in sociology;

In situations where the director's/coordinator’s doctoral degree is NOT in sociology this requirement may be waived. In such cases, the Program shall document how the work of the director/coordinator is essentially sociological. 

b)      documented experience in sociological practice, applied sociology, or clinical sociology;

c)      membership(s) in the Sociological Practice Association and/or Society for Applied Sociology;

In cases where the department or unit in which the Program is housed has a director/coordinator for all MA programs, the Program must document the availability of faculty with documented experience in sociological practice and membership in the Sociological Practice Association and/or the Society for Applied Sociology.

            d)   sufficient time to adequately fulfill the administrative duties associated with the program.

            Because programs will vary in size, institutional context, and designation of an MA coordinator, the time needed for administrative duties will vary.  A Program shall document the administrative tasks, the time required for their completion, and the adequacy of the personnel and time to complete these tasks. 

 

2.4.3    Program faculty shall have:

            a)   an advanced degree in sociology or other closely related field;    

            b)   documented experience in sociological practice, applied sociology, clinical sociology, or related fields;

            c)   individual membership(s) in appropriate professional associations. 

            Membership in the Sociological Practice Association and/or the Society for Applied Sociology is encouraged.

 

 

2.4.4    Program faculty shall be assigned to provide classroom instruction only in areas for which they have experience and/or  training.

 

2.4.5    There shall be an effort to recruit and retain Program faculty

            a)   from practice as well as academic settings; and

            b)   who represent a diversity among people in society (e.g., women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities).

            This is interpreted to mean that the Program follows the institutional guidelines related to equal employment opportunities.

 

 

2.4.6        Individuals from practice settings shall be involved as adjunct faculty (if qualified academically), guest speakers, members of an advisory group, and/or in other roles as appropriate.

 

2.4.7    Faculty members in the Program shall provide evidence of continued involvement in some aspect of scholarly, practice, and/or professional development and renewal, in addition to teaching, to keep up-to-date and well-informed.

            A wide variety of research and scholarly activities are appropriate to a practice program.  They include contributions to basic scholarship, application, and instructional development.  While scholarship may be in any area, programs should emphasize the contribution to the clinical and applied literature of sociology as part of the scholarly activities of the Program.

 

            Dissemination of research and scholarly activities shall be through appropriate media for the activity. Of particular concern is that applications be disseminated so that they are reviewed by practitioners as well as academicians. The manner of dissemination may include publications in academic or practice refereed journals, public or trade magazines, in-house journals or papers, and through workshops and trade presentations, as well as through other formats that are appropriate to the area of application.  Dissemination also may occur through presentations at appropriate professional meetings. Institutions and Programs should take these varied means of dissemination into account in their appointment, promotion, and tenure practices.

 

2.4.8    Resources shall be provided for faculty participation in scholarly and professional organizations that are relevant to the Program's mission.

 

2.5       Public and Professional Services

            Programs shall serve their communities at the pertinent local, state, national, and/or international levels in ways consistent with their mission and goals.  These activities advance faculty competence and maintain the currency of faculty and students in practice and changing public concerns.

 

2.5.1    Faculty shall be involved in public and professional outreach and service that is consistent with the Program's goals, institutional setting, and external context.

            Faculty shall be encouraged to support the advancement of the profession in a variety of ways.  Appropriate activities include, but are not limited to, development of professional organizations; support of registration, certification and licensure when appropriate; and provision of information to the general public.

 

            Institutions and departments should take these activities into account in their appointment, promotion, and tenure decisions.

 

 

3.0     LEARNING OBJECTIVES

            A master’s program in applied or clinical sociology shall enable students to integrate sociological theory, knowledge, and skills in a practice setting.  These students will develop a professional identity, demonstrate a capacity for leadership, and adhere to a set of ethical standards in their practice endeavors.  The Program shall instill a comprehensive knowledge of the field and a specialized content area, as well as educate students in critical analysis and application.  The Program also shall prepare students to communicate effectively in oral and written form. To that end, the Program shall incorporate a broad foundation within the entire master’s curriculum and learning experiences.  Programs in sociological practice shall be developed and organized as a coherent and integrated whole. They shall establish a learning environment for the master’s student that:

·        Provides content about sociological theory, knowledge, and relevant skills, including opportunities for specialization in a practice-related content area;

·        Enables students to apply the theory, knowledge, and skills to related issues and changing situations;

·        Enables students to demonstrate their ability to distinguish among the variety of contexts and different levels of social organization (e.g., macro, meso, and micro) in which sociologists practice;

·        Fosters a professional identity that is demonstrated through leadership, ability to supervise, and a client-centered focus;

·        Infuses professional ethics that guide sociologists in their practice throughout the curriculum and learning experiences;

·        Prepares students to practice with diverse populations and in diverse settings;

·        Prepares students to practice with an awareness of limitations created by social and political contextual factors;

·        Prepares students who are aware of their responsibility to continue their professional growth and development.

            These educational standards are framed as learning objectives and outcomes in keeping with current trends toward outcomes‑based assessment and the creation of learning environments.  Focusing on the outcomes of education recognizes the need for and value of various routes to achieving these outcomes.  This document does not promote any single route to the acquisition of a master’s degree in applied or clinical sociology, but rather calls for all sociological practitioners, prepared at the master’s level, to demonstrate the identified knowledge, skills, and professional orientation.

 

            The educational standards that follow describe first, a common core of knowledge, skills, and orientations that are desired outcomes of master’s programs for all sociological practitioners.  Sociological practice is a diverse field that encompasses a broad range of activities in diverse settings. However, at the master’s level, the successful candidate shall demonstrate knowledge of, and the ability to apply and analyze, the sociological theory, research, and practice necessary to collaborate with and supervise others within the work setting.

 

            The Program in sociological practice, applied sociology, and/or clinical sociology may be a specialization, concentration, or track within the graduate program.  Further specialization within a practice program is also expected in substantive areas (See 3.5).   In a department other than sociology, the same may occur.   For example, a program in criminal justice may incorporate the components of an applied or clinical sociology program.  This program is then eligible for accreditation as a Master’s Program in sociological practice, applied sociology and/or clinical sociology.

 

3.1        Knowledge    

            Sociological theory provides the knowledge of how and why social phenomena operate the way they do.  Sociological research methods provide the tools for examining the nature of the social phenomena in a systematic manner.  Theory and methods together provide the necessary direction for addressing applied or clinical sociology issues.

 

3.1.1    Sociological Theory

            Students who complete the Master’s Program will demonstrate an in-depth mastery of the role of theory in sociological practice, and the interaction between theory and practice. Specifically, they will be able to:

            a)    Compare and contrast the basic theoretical perspectives of sociology, with particular emphasis on those that relate to social action, change, and intervention;

            b)    Differentiate between and provide examples of theoretical understanding at the three different levels of practice: macro, meso, and micro;

            c)    Describe and evaluate the role of practice in the modification of sociological theory;

            d)   Identify policy implications of theoretical perspectives;

e)    Use theory to analyze “real world” issues and make recommendations for action;

f)    Draw from main bodies of sociological theory to better understand dynamic processes influencing policy formation and program implementation;

g)   Demonstrate the link between theory and practice in their areas of concentration or specialization;

h)      Demonstrate the link between theory and practice in their practice experience.

 

3.1.2    Sociological Research Methods

            Students who complete the Master’s Program will demonstrate an in-depth mastery of the role of evidence and qualitative and quantitative methods in sociology.  Specifically they will be able to:

            a)    Compare and contrast the types of methodological approaches that are particularly relevant to applied and clinical sociology;

            b)    Differentiate between and provide examples of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches drawn from their practice experience or from issues in the community;

            c)    Describe and evaluate the role of data as the basis for examining issues and making alternative recommendations for change, based on their practice experience;

d)      Identify and discuss the social, political and ethical factors that affect applied and clinical research in general and as found in their practice experience;

e)      Use research methods to analyze “real world” issues and make recommendations for action;

f)       Demonstrate the link between research methods and practice in their areas of concentration or specialization.

 

            A range of methods should be covered.  They might include:  surveys, case studies, in-depth inter­views, focus groups, conversational analysis, ethnography, content analysis, observation, secondary data analysis, needs assessments, program evaluations, experi­m­ents/quasi-exper­i­ments, and single subject designs.  Types of sampling and data analysis techniques also should be included, as appropriate for a particular type of design.

 

3.2       Skills

            Students who complete the Master’s Program will have the skills that facilitate the work of applied and clinical sociologists.   Specifically, they will be able to:

            a)    Make written, oral, and graphic presentations to appropriate audiences;

            b)    Use sociological theory and methods in identification and intervention in individual and social problems;

c)        Use the computer and software packages as appropriate as tools of sociological practice;

d)       Demonstrate management/leadership capacity and ability to supervise the work of others;

e)        Demonstrate ability to develop and articulate clearly identified programmatic goals and objectives;

f)         Relate specific practice tasks to the broader organizational and socio-political context;

g)        Participate effectively in group processes and decision-making;

h)       Use technology for identifying, locating, and retrieving information relevant to the practice of sociology

i)