Master of Arts in Sociology
Introduction
The Department of Sociology (DoS) was established at the Royal University of Phnom Penh in 1994, by New Humanity in partnership with the University of Bologna, the Catholic University of Milan, and the University of Pisa. Its goal is to offer systematic knowledge about the fundamentals of Sociology and the methodologies of social research in order to stimulate among the students critical and analytical reflection about the evolution and challenges of the new socioeconomic situation and its impact on Cambodia and South East Asia.
The DoS aims to encourage the younger generation to be committed to and consistent with their own social and cultural reality. It is hoped they will favor the most vulnerable groups in society who are having to cope with the rapid process of change due to modernization and the arbitrary processes of globalization.
The DoS has been involved, since its establishment, in an attempt to redress the shortage of sociological knowledge in Cambodia by finding out the most relevant socio-cultural problems and dynamically unifying theory and field experience to propose solutions for them. It has set up a valuable research tradition at RUPP using a sociological and anthropological approach to help the students develop a genuine spirit of research to understand their own distinctive social, political, economic, and cultural system.
Since 1998 the DoS has consistently provided an important group of professionals to Cambodian society who have served government, NGOs, and the private sector in various roles including researcher, educator, policy maker, consultants. The DoS has conducted Master Program in Sociology-Anthropology in 2004 which recognized and approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports under the Brakas number 1223, dated on September 01, 2004.
Mission
Department of Sociology is qualified academic program in Sociology through:
Providing high-quality teaching and learning opportunities to prepare professionals for leadership in a wide variety of researchers, educators, community service providers, and social policy makers;
Engaging to prepare scholars for conducting academic research that can address social issues in nationally, regionally and internationally; and
Providing valuable services through collaboration with other research agencies, institutions, and development partners.
Vision
RUPP is the flagship university in Cambodia. The Department of Sociology will train students to become excellent researchers, educators, community service providers, and social policy makers for local, regional, and international level.
Goal
Attempts to give priority to sociological research activities and theory acquisition with analytical, critical, systematic, and constructivist ways of thinking rather than a fixed and essentialist mode to approach socio-cultural phenomena.
Aspires to strengthen the student’s intellectual ability to relate theory and social reality and to compare, discover, and understand Cambodian society in its different facets.
To promote an open academic environment in which Sociology students can respond to the many challenges of the new socioeconomic situation and broaden their horizons to regional and worldwide socio-cultural issues and perspectives.
Train students in socio-cultural subjects to foster the development of new competent staff for RUPP and especially for the Department of Sociology in order to strengthen and consolidate interdisciplinary academic performance and quality of teaching at accepted scientific standards.
Develop the spirit of social commitment towards the Asian Region and Cambodian society with the goal of reducing inequalities of vulnerable minority groups who are the main targets of rapid socio-cultural change.
Enrollment
ll applicants for any of Master Art in Sociology’s programs have to go through the admission procedure, the details of which are clarified here.
First, check whether you are eligible to apply for the Program by scanning our Admission Conditions.
Familiarize yourself with the costs under Fees:
The tuition fee for the entire program (24 months) is US$ 1,800.00 for Cambodians or US$ 3,600.00 for foreigners. This fee should be paid by US$ 450.00 or 9, 00.00 installment at the beginning of each semester or by US$ 9, 00.00 or 1,800.00 installment at the start of each academic year.
Master of Art in Sociology new intake 2015-16
Date
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Events
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---|---|
30-November-2015
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Application Deadline (Applying from now)
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12-December-2015
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Written exam
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Master of Art in Sociology new intake 2015-16
Admission
Eligibility
To be admitted to one of the programs, applicants must:
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree in any field or an equivalent; and
- Pass a written entrance examination.
Requirements
- Two copies of the completed Application forms
- Two certified transcripts of completed Bachelor Degree in Sociology, or transcripts of an equivalent accredited degree in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Two copies of B.A. Diploma with authentication from Phnom Penh municipality
- Certificate of English proficiency in written and spoken if any
- Two recommendations from former Teacher or current Employer
- Two copies of valid identification card and family book (with original)
- Six recent photographs size 4 X 6
Modes of Instruction
- The Master of Art in Sociology is taught in English and Khmer.
Curriculum
Year I
Semester I
Course Code
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Course Title
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Credits
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---|---|---|
SG 2001
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English and Writing Skills for Academic Purposes
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3
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SG 2002
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Fundamental Statistics and Data Analysis
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3
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SG 2003
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Advanced Social Theory
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3
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SG 2004
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Advanced Research Methodology
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3
|
Semester II
Course Code
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Course Title
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Credits
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---|---|---|
SG 2005
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Public Administration
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3
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SG 2006
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Theories of Development
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3
|
SG 2007
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Social Demography & Population Dynamics
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3
|
SG 2008
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Local Knowledge and Sustainable Development
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3
|
Year II
Semester I
Course Code
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
---|---|---|
SG 2009
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Cambodia’s Poverty Issues Analysis
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3
|
SG 2010
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Decentralization and Local Governance
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3
|
SG 2011
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Political Economy of the Cambodian Transition
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3
|
SG 2012
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ASEAN Economies and Cambodian Society
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3
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SG 2013
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Workshop on Guidelines for Research Thesis or Field Research Report writing
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3
|
Semester II
Course Code
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Course Title
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Credits
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---|---|---|
SG 2014
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Society, Gender and Development
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3
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SG 2015
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Social Economy and Rural development
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3
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TH 2016
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Master Research Thesis
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3
|
Couse Description
In this course, students are taught aspects of the English language necessary for sociology and anthropology. They learn to analyze texts, write literature reviews in English, and work on their skills in critical analysis and creative report writing. They also learn about report writing, and are introduced to the terms and jargon relating to field work and report writing in sociology and anthropology. Text Analysis (for Literature review). Critical Analysis (for Report presentation). Creative Report writing skills. Development of Report Writing in connection with data analysis relevant to the field of research.
The course provides a theoretical basis of statistical concepts and methods that are required for using statistics in other applied areas. The course contents cover some important concepts and methods from several statistical branches: probability theory, statistical inference, stochastic processes, Bayesian theory and regression analysis.
The course will enable students with data interpretation and data presentation. Fundamental dimensions of empirical research. Survey planning and data gathering techniques. Typical research problems and formulation of plans of investigation. Research modes, strategies and techniques for the design, collection, analysis and reporting of empirical data. Statistical techniques for data analysis.
Critical approach to the major sociological and anthropological theoretical frameworks.
Structural-functionalism, conflict and dialectical theory, symbolic interactionism, phenomenological theory.
Drawing on case studies, “how to” materials, and writings from a variety of disciplines, this course is designed to help guide graduate students in how to think about, negotiate, and “do” methods in their research. We will focus on the theory, logic, and practice of fieldwork, specific methodological and ethical issues associated with studying people at first-hand, and current debates about what constitutes the bounds and limits of the ethnographic enterprise more generally.
Analyzes the nature of public administration, its structure and limitations; includes staff organization and chain of command, unemployment policies, personnel training and management, employees, organizations, and public relations. The course aims is to explain what encompasses the field of public administration, what it means to be a public administrator provided by highly trained public administration experts and specialized organizations. Course will explain the core purpose of public administration to recognize the public administration encompasses a large and dynamic portion of government at all three levels of the federal system, engaging even in nonprofit and private enterprise.
This course provides a critical overview of development theory. We will trace ideas of development from the 19th century forward, with a particular emphasis on development thinking in the post -World War II period. Our treatment of various theoretical approaches will proceed chronologically, in an attempt to understand the ways that various ideas (particularly from the political left and right) have responded to one another over time. As such, we will read these various bodies of literature as a set of ongoing debates on issues of development. Course aim is to critically examine development thinking and its evolution over time. With this in mind, you will have an opportunity to apply these ideas in a more practical, problem – oriented way in your final research paper, if you wish to do so.
Basic concepts and operations of social demography. Social implications of demographic structure, population growth, distribution, composition, social mobility. Social and economic determinants of power structures, labour force development and migrations dynamics. Interaction of human populations with natural resources and environment. Demographic factors affecting food consumption and nutritional status.
This course provides students with different forms of local knowledge. They will examine the meaning of local knowledge, explore the relationships between local knowledge and bio-cultural diversity, local knowledge and culture and study the methodology of local culture analysis.
Analysis of poverty and underdevelopment (measurement & indicators), unemployment, corruption, exploitation, social injustice and inequality. Distribution of resources & income, community based participatory development, acceptance and diffusion of innovation. Compatibility of market system, economic growth and development. Survival strategies of the poor , improved quality
It is to strengthen the capacity of development practitioners, policymakers, government line ministry staff and program managers, to engage in complex local governance processes. It will be able them to analyze the institutional context of decentralization and local governance with a specific focus on rural development, gender and power relations; to develop strategies to improve the involvement of different actors in local governance and rural development (including social and productive service delivery, land governance, natural resource management, local economic development); to challenge the impact of one’s own intervention and identify opportunities to contribute to change.
This course addresses the political economy of triangular transitions, examining how the much publicized international intervention to bring peace and democracy to Cambodia was disrupted by the poverty of the Cambodian economy and by the state’s manipulation of the move to the free market. This analysis of the material basis of obstacles to Cambodia’s democratization suggests that the long-established theoretical link between economy and democracy stands, even in the face of new strategies of international democracy promotion.
Socio-economic scenarios in ASEAN member countries. Critical analysis of the level of socio-economic development and relevance of economic strategies to regional economic relations. Emphasis on current economic policies and programs (AFTA), interaction with the world economy and application to contemporary issues (trade, finance, debt, globalization, regionalization).
Socio-economic scenarios in ASEAN member countries. Critical analysis of the level of socio-economic development and relevance of economic strategies to regional economic relations. Emphasis on current economic policies and programs (AFTA), interaction with the world economy and application to contemporary issues (trade, finance, debt, globalization, regionalization).
This course offers theories to explain society, gender and development. The importance of gender awareness in development theory and practice. Power relationships and production of knowledge in a development context and its implications. Identification of gender and social issues in the Cambodian context.
The course defines the complex world and a system of relationships which governs the life of the Third System and Non-profit Enterprises: strong local development policies, the creation of flexible employment, services to people, decentralized welfare, social cooperation, active citizenship and safeguarding of human rights. Fundamental dimensions of micro-economy for social and economic activities mainly carried out through cooperatives, mutual aid associations, community activities, voluntary associations, foundations, and similar organizations.
Required length is from 90 to 100 pages. Students are expected to demonstrate an advanced standard of research, analytic and writing skills. Approved research thesis proposal required. Research & Thesis have to be developed with the continuous guidance and creative criticism of the supervisor.
Schedule
Program Schedule
Schedule
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Morning
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Afternoon
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---|---|---|
Saturday
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8:00am-11:00am
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2:00pm-5:00pM
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Sunday
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8:00am-11:00am
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N/A
|
Instructional method
The medium of instruction is English and Khmer.
- Each subject contains relevance to Cambodian context, analytical skills, writing skills, and library and internet research.
- The program adopts co-teaching by RUPP lecturers and national and international academics and practitioners in the arena of education.
- Course outline and teaching notes of each subject are jointly developed by RUPP and partner lecturers.
- The program also includes study tours, fieldworks, guest lectures, seminars, and workshops convened by relevant education stakeholders.
Policy
Graduation Policy
To graduate with a degree, students are required to complete the coursework (see Curriculum) and pass a thesis defense.
- Students who fail to get a GPA of 2.75 from the first 2 semesters will not be allowed to enroll in the third semester.
- Students who get a GPA of 2.75 from the first 2 semesters are allowed to submit a thesis proposal.
- Students who fail a thesis proposal will repeat just one time with the next cohort.
- Students who fail a thesis proposal a second time will be dropped from the program.
- Students have 4 years since enrollment to complete the program. They can suspend their study two times, one time for one year. The first suspension is free of charge. The second suspension incurs a year’s tuition fee.
Repetition of Courses
Students who fail any course(s) must take make-up exam(s) within one month. Those who fail the make-up exam(s) must retake the course(s) by cost (i.e., 1 course = USD 150.00) with the next cohort. Those who fail three or more courses in a semester will be dropped from the program.
Extension of Coursework
- Students must complete the coursework and thesis defense within 4 years upon enrollment.
- Students may extend their coursework by course or by semester with incurrence of course or semester fee.
- Extension of the coursework must be applied before the inception of the course or semester. Late submission of extension means failure and students re-take the course(s) with the next cohort.
- Students may resume the coursework before the extension’s due date by informing the Program Coordinator in writing.
- Tuition fees paid for enrolled courses or semesters cannot be re-deemed for next courses or semesters within the cohort and with the next cohort.
Suspension of Thesis Defense
- Students are allowed to suspend their thesis defense for 2 times (one year for one time) if they cannot do the defense by the due date set in their cohort.
- The suspension may be applied when the students cannot complete their coursework within two years set in their cohort or when they cannot complete their thesis by the due date set in their cohort.
- In the latter case, students apply for the suspension 3 months before the defense date. Late submission of suspension means failure and students will do the defense with the next cohort.
- Failed students still need to apply for a one-year suspension in order to do the defense with the next cohort. In this case, students will pay a supervision fee of USD 500.00.
- The first suspension (for one year) is free of charge, except in the above case. The second suspension (for another year) incurs a year’s tuition fee to be paid upon submission of suspension.