IGNOU MA Sociology (MSO) Courses & Syllabus

IGNOU MA Sociology Syllabus

Ignou MA Sociology Courses & Syllabus- The Indira Gandhi National Open University offers admission to its master degree programme in sociology i.e. MA Sociology in July & January sessions. Also, check out how to score good marks in IGNOU

For the student’s convenience, we have mentioned below the courses which have been included in the syllabus by the university.

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IGNOU MSO Admission

IGNOU MA Sociology Solved Assignments

IGNOU MA Sociology Question Paper

We have mentioned below the list of the first year as well as second year courses included in the MSO programme with their Course Name, Course Code and the number of credits against each course.

It should be noted that 1 credit is equivalent to 30 study hours. Which means if the credit against any Ignou MSO Course is 8 then he has to give 240 hours to study that course.

IGNOU MA Sociology First Year Courses
Course Code	Course Name	Credits
MSO-001	Sociological Theories and Concepts	8
MSO-002	Research Methodologies and Methods	8
MSO-003	Sociology of Development	8
MSO-004	Sociology in India	8
IGNOU MA Sociology Second Year Courses
Course Code	Course Name	Credits
MSOE-001	Sociology of Education	8
MSOE-002	Diaspora and Transnational Communities	8
MSOE-003	Sociology of Religion	8
MSOE-004	Urban Sociology	8
MPS-003	India: Democracy and Development	8
MPA-016	Decentralisation and Local Governance	8

IGNOU MA Sociology Syllabus in Detail

Here, we have provided the syllabus of IGNOU MA Sociology in detailed form including blocks and their related chapters.

IGNOU MA Sociology First Year Syllabus

There are four courses in IGNOU MA Sociology first year. The credit of each course is 8. Students have to complete total of 8×4 = 32 credits to pass out first year.

MSO-001 Sociological Theories and Concepts

• Block-1: Approaching Sociological Theory
  • Unit-1 Social Theory and its Context
  • Unit-2 Concept and Theory
  • Unit-3 Theory and Paradigm
  • Unit-4 Social Construction of Reality
• Block-2: Social Structure as a Sociological Concept
  • Unit-5 Concept and Theories of Structure
  • Unit-6 Structure and Function
  • Unit-7 Structure, Function and Neo-Functionalism
• Block-3: Understanding Power
  • Unit-8 The Conceptual and Theoretical Issues of Power
  • Unit-9 Class and Legitimacy
  • Unit-10 Power: Functional Perspective
  • Unit-11 Power and Institutions
  • Unit-12 Power/Knowledge
• Block-4: Theory of Capitalism
  • Unit-13 Evolution, Development and Function of Capitalism
  • Unit-14 Rationality, Work and Organisation
  • Unit-15 Entrepreneurship and Capitalism
  • Unit-16 Freedom and Liberty
  • Unit-17 Alienation
• Block-5: State and Society
  • Unit-18 Sovereignty
  • Unit-19 State; Power as Elaborated by Marx, Weber, Parsons and Others
  • Unit-20 Citizenship
  • Unit-21 Civil Society and Democracy
• Block-6: The Contemporary Issues of Ethnicity and Identity
  • Unit-22 Conceptualising Ethnicity
  • Unit-23 Construction of Identities
  • Unit-24 Boundaries and Boundary Maintenance
• Block-7: Theories of Social Satisfaction
  • Unit-25 Concepts of Difference and Inequality
  • Unit-26 Class
  • Unit-27 Gender and Social Stratification
  • Unit-28 Theories of Origin of Caste System
• Block-8 Issues of Modernity
  • Unit-29 Theories of Modernisation and Modernity
  • Unit-30 Tradition and Modernity
  • Unit-31 Post Structuralism and Post Modernism

MSO-002 Research Methodologies and Methods

• Block 1 Approaches to Understanding Social Reality
  • Unit 1 Logic of Inquiry in Social Science Research
  • Unit 2 Empiricism
  • Unit 3 Diverse Logic of Theory Building
  • Unit 4 Theoretical Analysis
• Block 2 Philosophical Foundations of Social Research
  • Unit 5 Issues of Epistemology
  • Unit 6 Philosophy of Social Science
  • Unit 7 Positivism and its Critique
  • Unit 8 Hermeneutics
• Block 3 Contemporary Perspectives
  • Unit 9 Comparative Method
  • Unit 10 Feminist Approach
  • Unit 11 Participatory Method
• Block 4 Types, Methods and Design of Research
  • Unit 12 Types of Research
  • Unit 13 Methods of Research
  • Unit 14 Elements of Research Design
• Block 5 Quantitative Methods
  • Unit 15 Sampling Methods and Estimation of Sample Size
  • Unit 16 Measures of Central Tendency
  • Unit 17 Measures of Dispersion and Variability
  • Unit 18 Statistical Inference: Tests of Hypotheses
  • Unit 19 Correlation and Regression
• Block 6 Survey Research
  • Unit 20 Survey Method
  • Unit 21 Survey Design
  • Unit 22 Survey Instrumentation
  • Unit 23 Survey Execution and Data Analysis
• Block 7 Qualitative Research Methods and Techniques
  • Unit 24 Field Research I
  • Unit 25 Field Research II
  • Unit 26 Reliability, Validity and Triangulation
  • Unit 27 Qualitative Data Formatting and Processing
  • Unit 28 Writing Up Qualitative Data
• Block 8 Data Analysis and Presentation of Research Findings
  • Unit 29 Using Internet Word Processor
  • Unit 30 Using SPSS for Data Analysis
  • Unit 31 Using SPSS in Report Writing
  • Unit 32 Tabulation and Graphic Presentation
  • Unit 33 Guide to Research Project Assignment

MSO-003: Sociology of Development

• Block 1 The Concepts of Development
  • Unit 1 Development and Progress: Economic and Social Dimensions
  • Unit 2 Change, Modernisation and Development
  • Unit 3 Social, Human and Gender Development
  • Unit 4 Sustainable Development
• Block 2 Perspectives on Development
  • Unit 5 Modernisation
  • Unit 6 Liberal Perspective of Development
  • Unit 7 Marxian Perspective of Development
  • Unit 8 Gandhian Perspective of Development
• Block 3 Critics of Development
  • Unit 9 Dependency Theory of Underdevelopment
  • Unit 10 Social and Human Development
  • Unit 11 Gender Perspective on Development
• Block 4 Approaches to Sustainable Development
  • Unit 12 Micro-Planning,
  • Unit 13 Ecology, Environment and Development
  • Unit 14 Ethno-development
  • Unit 15 Population and Development
• Block 5 Comparative Experience of Development
  • Unit 16 India
  • Unit 17 Canada
  • Unit 18 Zimbabwe
  • Unit 19 Brazil
• Block 6 Globalisation
  • Unit 20 Economic, Social and Cultural Dimensions of Globalisation
  • Unit 21 Liberalisation and Structural Adjustment Programme
  • Unit 22 Globalisation, Privatisation and Indigenous Knowledge
  • Unit 23 WTO, GAIT, GATS: Capital-and Human Flows
• Block 7 Information and Communication Technologies
  • Unit 24 Dimensions of Knowledge Society: Access and Equity Issues
  • Unit 25 Critique of the Knowledge Society
  • Unit 26 Changing Roles of Media, ICT on Employment
• Block 8 Development, Displacement and Social Movements
  • Unit 17 Dam and Displacement
  • Unit 28 Green Peace Movement
  • Unit 29 Peoples’ Science Movement
  • Unit 30 Civil Society Movements and Grass-roots Initiatives

MSO-004: Sociology in India

• Block 1 Emergence of Sociology in India
  • Unit 1 Social Background of the Emergence of Sociology in India
  • Unit 2 Emergence of the Discipline: Issues and Themes
  • Unit 3 Village Studies in India
• Block 2 Perspectives on Caste
  • Unit 4 The Colonial Perspective
  • Unit 5 Brahminical Perspective
  • Unit 6 View From the Field
  • Unit 7 Ambedkar and Lohia on Caste
  • Unit 8 Census Perspective
• Block 3 Perspective on Famly, Marriage and Kinship
  • Unit 9 The Household and the Family
  • Unit 10 The Household as a Cooperative-Conflicting Unit
  • Unit 11 Marriage and its Changing Patterns
  • Unit 12 Descent and Alliance Approaches to the Study of Kinship in India
• Block 4 Perspective on Class, Caste and Gender
  • Unit 13 Agrarian Classes and Categories
  • Unit 14 The Working Class
  • Unit 15 The Middle Class
  • Unit 16 Gender, Caste and Class
• Block 5 Perspective on Tribes in India
  • Unit 17 Tribe, Territory and Common Property Resources
  • Unit 18 Tribe arid Caste
  • Unit 19 Verrier Elwin & G.S. Ghurey’s Perspective on Tribes
  • Unit 20 Social Differentiation among Tribes
• Block 6 Perspective on Religion
  • Unit 21 Religion and Politics
  • Unit 22 Religion and Culture
  • Unit 23 Cohesive and Divisive Dimensions of Religion
  • Unit 24 Secularisation
• Block 7 Dynamics of Social Processes
  • Unit 25 Urbanisation
  • Unit 26 Migration
  • Unit 27 Industrial isation
  • Unit 28 Global isation
• Block 8 Perspective on Social Movements
  • Unit 29 Meaning and Dimensions of Social Movement
  • Unit 30 Types of Social Movements
  • Unit 31 Peasant Movements (Case Studies)
  • Unit 32 New Social Movements

IGNOU MA Sociology Second Year Syllabus

Students have to select four courses out of available six in IGNOU MA Sociology second year. The credit of each course is 8. Students have to complete total of 8×4 = 32 credits to pass out second year.

The detailed syllabus of these second courses has been mentioned below:

MSOE-001 Sociology of Education

• Block 1 Perspectives and Theories on Education
  • Unit 1 The Concept of Education
  • Unit 2 Theoretical Approaches
  • Unit 3 Thinkers on Education-I
  • Unit 4 Thinkers on Education-II
• Block 2 Pedagogy, Curriculum and Knowledge
  • Unit 5 Education, Knowledge and Power
  • Unit 6 Education, Nation-building, State and Ideology
  • Unit 7 Politics of Educational Curriculum
• Block 3 Education, Social Processes and Institutions
  • Unit 8 Education and Socialization
  • Unit 9 Education and Social Change
  • Unit 10 Education and Social Mobility
• Block 4 Education, Social and Human Development
  • Unit 11 Role of Education in Social and Human Development: Emerging Perspectives
  • Unit 12 Role of Education for Empowerment of the Marginalised
  • Unit 13 Education and Policy of Positive Discrimination and Affirmative Action
• Block 5 Educational Systems: Comparative Perspectives
  • Unit 14 Education, Pluralism and Multiculturalism
  • Unit 15 Education in SAARC Countries- Case Study
  • Unit 16 European/ American Countries- Case Study II
• Block 6 Educational System in India
  • Unit 17 Education: Expansion and Growth
  • Unit 18 Constitutional Provisions and Educational Policies
  • Unit 19 Universilation of Primary Education
  • Unit 20 Crises in Higher Education
• Block 7 Education, Glabolisation and Liberalisation
  • Unit 21 Expansion of Professional Education and Private Sector
  • Unit 22 WTO, GATS, ICT and Higher education
  • Unit 23 Education: Social Commitment vs. Commodification
• Block 8 Open Distance Learning: Emerging Facts
  • Unit 24 Social and Philosophical Foundations of ODL
  • Unit 25 Critical Issues in ODL
  • Unit 26 ODL: The Emerging Concerns

MSOE-002 Diaspora and Transnational Communities

• Block 1 Understanding Diaspora
  • Unit 1 Conceptual Understanding of Diaspora and Transnational Communities
  • Unit 2 Approaches to the Study of Diaspora
  • Unit 3 Diasporic Communities of the World
• Block 2 Journey of the Indian Diaspora
  • Unit 4 Migration and Settlement of Indian Diaspora
  • Unit 5 Indian Emigration During Colonial Period
  • Unit 6 Post Independence Patterns of Migration
• Block 3 Profile of Indian Diaspora
  • Unit 7 Indians in the Caribbean
  • Unit 8 Indian Diaspora in Africa
  • Unit 9 Indian Diaspora in South and South East Asia
  • Unit 10 Indian Diaspora in Europe
  • Unit 11 Indian Diaspora in the New World: North America
  • Unit 12 Indians in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji
  • Unit 13 Indian Diaspora in West Asia
• Block 4 India and Indian Diaspora: Linkages and Policies
  • Unit 14 Immigration, Emigration Policies and its lmpllcations.
  • Unit 15 Indian State and Diaspora
  • Unit 16 Socio-Cultural Linkages among Indian Diaspora
  • Unit 17 lndian Diaspora-Homeland Linkages
  • Unit 18 Indian Diaspora in Cyberspace
• Block 5 India and Indian Diaspora : Images and Perceptions
  • Unit 19 Films
  • Unit 20 Indian Diasporic Writing
  • Unit 21 Popular Perception
• Block 6 Identity, Nation – State and Transnational Communities
  • Unit 22 Identity, Nation – State and Diaspora
  • Unit 23 Sub-National Identities and Diaspora
  • Unit 24 Gtobatlsation,’ Nationalism and Transnational Communities

MSOE-003: Sociology of Religion

• Block 1 Definitions and Approaches
  • Unit 1 Sociological
  • Unit 2 Anthropological
  • Unit 3 Historical
  • Unit 4 Comparative and Psychological
• Block 2 Classical Theories
  • Unit 5 Marxian
  • Unit 6 Functionalism
  • Unit 7 Weber and the Question of Meaning
• Block 3 Ethnographic Studies of Religion
  • Unit 8 M. N. Srinivas: The Coorgs
  • Unit 9 Evans-Pritchard: The Nuer
  • Unit 10 T. N. Madan: Non-Renunciation
  • Unit 11 Sudhir Kakar: Shamans, Mystics and Doctors
• Block 4 Contemporary Theories
  • Unit 12 Peter Berger: Phenomenology of Religion
  • Unit 13 Clifford Geertz: Cultural Analysis
  • Unit 14 Levi-Strauss’s on Totemism and Myth
• Block 5 Religious Pluralism
  • Unit 15 Sikhism
  • Unit 16 Jainism and Buddhism
  • Unit 17 Christianity
  • Unit 18 Islam
  • Unit 19 Hinduism
• Block 6 Religion Social Change
  • Unit 20 Secularisation and Secularism
  • Unit 21 Communalism and Fundamentalism
• Block 7 Religious Revivalism: New Movements and Cults
  • Unit 22 Religious Conversion
  • Unit 23 Transcendental Meditation
  • Unit 24 Hare Krishna Movement
  • Unit 25 Radhasoami Satsang
  • Unit 26 Sai Baba Shirdi

MSOE-004 Urban Sociology

• Block 1 Concepts
  • Unit 1 What is Urban Sociology?
  • Unit 2 Urban Centres, Urbanisation and Urban Growth
  • Unit 3 City and Metropolis
  • Unit 4 Rural-Urban Continuum
• Block 2 Urban Ecological Processes and Theories
  • Unit 5 Invasion, Succession, Concentration, Centralisation and Segregation
  • Unit 6 Models of Urban Growth: Concentric Zones, Sectors, Multiple Nudei, Exploitative
    and Symbolic
  • Unit 7 Social Area Analysis and Recent Advances
• Block 3 Evolution of Indian Urban Structure
  • Unit 8 Ancient, Medieval and Colonial Cities: Case Studies
  • Unit 9 Typologies of Cities
  • Unit 10 Temporal Classification of Ancient, Modern, Pre-Industrial and Industrial Cities
  • Unit 11 Functional Classification of Cities: Commercial, Administrative and Pilgrimage
    Towns
  • Unit 12 Trends and Pattern of Urbanisation
• Block 4 Urban Sociology in India
  • Unit 13 Development of Urban Sociology
  • Unit 14 Urban Sociology in India
  • Block 5 Urbanisation and It’s Impact
  • Unit 15 Level, Trends and Patterns
  • Unit 16 Marriage, Family and Kinship
  • Unit 17 Traditional Neighbourhoods and Modern Cities
  • Unit 18 Urban Influences on Rural life
• Block 6 City and Occupations: Comparative Perspectives (Case Studies)
  • Unit 19 Formal Sector
  • Unit 20 Urban Informal Sector
  • Unit 21 Changing Occupational Structure and Impact of Economic liberalisation
• Block 7 Urban Issues in India
  • Unit 22 Poverty
  • Unit 23 Slums
  • Unit 24 Environment and Infrastructure
• Block 8 Urban Governance
  • Unit 25 Local Self-Government and the tnlergence of Voluntary Organisations
  • Unit 26 Urban Planning
  • Unit 27 Media and Governance

MPS-003: INDIA: Democracy and Development

• Block I
  • Unit 1 Legacy of National Movement with Reference to Development, Rights and
    Participation
  • Unit 2 Debates on Models of Development
  • Unit 3 Constitution and Social Transformation
  • Unit 4 Diversity and Pluralism
  • Unit 5 Inequality: Caste and Class
  • Unit 6 Political Economy of Development
  • Unit 7 Structure and Growth of Economy (Poverty, Surplus and Unevenness)
  • Unit 8 Legislature
  • Unit 9 Bureaucracy, Police and Army
  • Unit 10 Legal System and Judiciary
  • Unit 11 Federalism
  • Unit 12 Devolution of Powers and Local Self-Government
  • Unit 13 Political Parties and Participation
  • Unit 14 Workers and Peasants Movements
  • Unit 15 Media and Public Policy
  • Unit 16 Interest Groups and Policy Making
  • Unit 17 Identity Politics (Caste, Religion, Language and Ethnicity)
  • Unit 18 Civil Society: Social Movements, NGOs and Voluntary Action
• Block II
  • Unit 19 Human Development: Health, Education and Social Security
  • Unit 20 Gender and Development
  • Unit 21 Regional Imbalances
  • Unit 22 Migration and Development
  • Unit 23 Environment and Sustainable Development
  • Unit 24 Economic Refor-ms and Globalisation
  • Unit 25 Religious Politics
  • Unit 26 Ethnicity and Nation – State
  • Unit 27 Democracy and Development in India: An Assessment

MPA-016 Decentralisation and Local Governance

• Unit 1 Concept, Evolution and Significance of Democratic Decentralisation
• Unit 2 Contextual Dimensions of Democratic Decentralisation-I: Political, Constitutional
  and Administrative
• Unit 3 Contextual Dimensions of Democratic Decentralisation-II: Social Economic and
  Geographical
• Unit 4 Understanding Decentralisation in Contemporary Settings
• Unit 5 Components of Decentralised Development-I: Empowerment
• Unit 6 Components of decentralised Developme-t-II: Socio-Economic and Politico
  Administrative
• Unit 7 Components of Decentralised Development-III: Equal Distribution of Benefits of
  Development
• Unit 8 Partnership among Different Levels of Government-I: Union and State Unit
  Governments
• Unit 9 Partnership among Different Levels of Government-II: Local Authorities and Special
  Purpose Agencies
• Unit 10 Partnership of Local Government with Non-State Agencies/Actors
• Unit 11 Impact of Decentralised Development
• Unit 12 Evotution of Local Governance (Before 73rd and 74th Amendments)
• Unit 13 Features of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments
• Unit 14 Organisational Structure of Rural Local Bodies
• Unit 15 Organisational Structur~ of Urban Local Bodies
• Unit 16 Intra-Local Government Retationship-l: Rural
• Unit 17 Intra-Local Government Relationship-II: Urban
• Unit 18 Development Planning (Nature and Scope)
• Unit 19 Micro Level Plans (Formulation and Implementation)
• Unit 20 Structural Reforms (Resources, Finances Powers and Functions)
• Unit 21 Capacity Building of Grassroots Functionaries
• Unit 22 Sustainable Development: Challenges to Decentralised Governance
• Unit 23 Decentralised Governance: The Road Ahead