Searching for IGNOU MASO Study Material for your Master of Arts (Sociology) programme? Whether you need course-wise notes, study material, assignment support, previous-year questions or a simple plan for Term-End Examination preparation, the first step is to understand the current MASO course structure.
IGNOU’s Master of Arts (Sociology), programme code MASO, is offered by the School of Social Sciences. The revised programme follows a broad and contemporary approach to sociology, covering sociological theories, research methods, Indian society, rural and urban sociology, development, globalisation, education, health, food, diaspora and other emerging social concerns.
This guide brings the current course structure together in one place so students can organise their MASO notes and study material more effectively.
What Is IGNOU MASO?
MASO stands for Master of Arts (Sociology).
The programme is designed to provide advanced knowledge of sociology, including classical and contemporary theories, sociological concepts, research perspectives and methods, and the study of changing social processes.
IGNOU’s current prospectus states that the programme is designed in line with NEP 2020 and focuses on understanding emerging societal concerns through sociological perspectives.
Quick Programme Details
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme | Master of Arts (Sociology) |
| Programme Code | MASO |
| School | School of Social Sciences (SOSS) |
| Eligibility | Bachelor’s Degree or higher degree from a recognized University |
| Medium | English & Hindi |
| Minimum Duration | 2 Years |
| Maximum Duration | 4 Years |
| Fee | ₹8,200 per year |
| Total Programme Credits | 80 |
| Semester Structure | 4 Semesters |
The current IGNOU programme page lists the programme duration as 24–48 months and the annual fee as ₹8,200, excluding examination fees.
What Will You Study in MA Sociology?
One of the interesting features of the current MASO structure is that it moves beyond only traditional sociological theory.
The programme brings together areas such as:
- Sociological concepts and theories
- Sociology in India
- Rural sociology
- Urban sociology
- Social science research
- Research methods
- Data analysis and presentation
- Sociology of development
- Global society
- Religion
- Diaspora
- Globalisation and transnational communities
- Sociology of education
- Sociology of food
- Sociology of health
- Environmental and interdisciplinary themes
IGNOU specifically highlights social processes, development, socio-economic and political structures, health and medicine, food practices, diaspora, transnational communities, education, urbanisation and globalisation among the programme’s areas of focus.
IGNOU MASO Semester-Wise Course Structure
The programme consists of 80 credits, with 20 credits in each semester. The first two semesters contain the core foundation and research-oriented courses, while the later semesters provide greater scope for discipline-specific and multidisciplinary choices.
Semester 1 – Build Your Sociological Foundation
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MSO-101 | Sociological Concepts and Theories-I | 4 |
| MSO-102 | Sociological Concepts and Theories-II | 4 |
| MSO-103 | Sociology in India-I | 4 |
| MSO-104 | Sociology in India-II | 4 |
| MSOE-105 | Introduction to Urban Sociology | 4 |
| Total | 20 |
The first semester gives students a foundation in sociological concepts and theories, sociology in India and urban sociology.
MSO-101: Sociological Concepts and Theories-I
This is the first core theory paper. Your notes should be organised around the concepts, theories and sociological thinkers covered in the official study material.
MSO-102: Sociological Concepts and Theories-II
The second theory course continues the conceptual and theoretical component. Students should keep separate notes for important concepts, theorists and theoretical perspectives.
MSO-103 and MSO-104: Sociology in India
These two courses provide the India-focused part of the first semester.
MSOE-105: Introduction to Urban Sociology
This is the first discipline-specific elective in the structure. It introduces students to the sociological study of urban society.
Semester 2 – Research Skills Become Important
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MSO-106 | Rural Sociology | 4 |
| MSO-107 | Foundations of Social Science Research | 4 |
| MSO-108 | Research Methods | 4 |
| MSO-109 | Analysis and Presentation of Data | 4 |
| MSOE-110 | Urbanisation and Urban Development | 4 |
| Total | 20 |
This semester is particularly useful for students interested in research because four of the papers directly or indirectly build research-related understanding.
MSO-106: Rural Sociology
This course focuses on rural sociology and complements the urban sociology component of the programme.
MSO-107: Foundations of Social Science Research
Students begin developing a stronger understanding of social science research through this 4-credit core course.
MSO-108: Research Methods
Research methodology is an important component of postgraduate sociology. Keep your notes systematic and distinguish between concepts, approaches, methods and research procedures as presented in the study material.
MSO-109: Analysis and Presentation of Data
This course brings data analysis and presentation into the sociology curriculum.
MSOE-110: Urbanisation and Urban Development
The second semester continues the urban component with a dedicated course on urbanisation and urban development.
An Important Exit Option
After the first two semesters, the current programme structure provides an exit option leading to a Post Graduate Diploma in Research Methodology.
Students should, however, follow the University’s current rules and notifications for the applicable exit process.
Semester 3 – Development, Global Society and Electives
The third semester gives MASO students more choice.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MSO-111 | Sociology of Development | 4 |
| MSO-112 | Development and Global Society | 4 |
| MSOE-113 | Sociology of Religion | 4 |
| MSOE-114 | Sociology of Diaspora | 4 |
| MSOE-115 | Globalisation and Transnational Communities | 4 |
Students take any two from the three discipline-specific electives and one 4-credit multidisciplinary/open elective. The semester totals 20 credits.
Discipline-Specific Elective Choices
MSOE-113 – Sociology of Religion
A 4-credit elective focusing on religion from a sociological perspective.
MSOE-114 – Sociology of Diaspora
This course provides a sociological perspective on diaspora.
MSOE-115 – Globalisation and Transnational Communities
This course connects globalisation with transnational communities.
Multidisciplinary Choice
For the remaining open-elective component, the prospectus lists:
- MPSE-004 – Social and Political Thought in Modern India
- MPSE-007 – Social Movements and Politics in India
- MJM-024 – Media and Society (SOJNMS)
The learner selects one of these 4-credit options.
Semester 4 – Education, Food, Health and Interdisciplinary Learning
The fourth semester continues the contemporary and interdisciplinary character of MASO.
| Course Code | Course Name / Choice | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MSO-116 | Sociology of Education-I | 4 |
| MSO-117 | Sociology of Education-II | 4 |
| MSOE-118 | Sociology of Food or Environmental Anthropology | 4 |
| MSOE-119 | Sociology of Health or Tribes in India | 4 |
| Open Elective | Select one listed multidisciplinary course | 4 |
| Total | 20 |
Students can select two courses from the specified discipline-specific choices and one multidisciplinary/open elective.
MSO-116 and MSO-117
These are the two core courses on Sociology of Education.
MSOE-118 Choice
The prospectus presents:
- Sociology of Food, or
- Environmental Anthropology (MAN-107)
MSOE-119 Choice
The listed options are:
- Sociology of Health, or
- Tribes in India (MAN-105)
Fourth-Semester Multidisciplinary Choices
The current structure lists:
- MGSE-001 – Gender Planning and Development Policies
- MGSE-007 – Gender, Organisation and Leadership
- MGSE-010 – Gender and Entrepreneurship Development
- MED-002 – Sustainable Development: Issues and Challenges
- MED-008 – Globalisation and Environment
One course is selected from these options.
Complete IGNOU MASO Course List at a Glance
If you are searching for individual MSO Notes or course-specific study material, bookmark this list.
First Semester
- MSO-101 – Sociological Concepts and Theories-I
- MSO-102 – Sociological Concepts and Theories-II
- MSO-103 – Sociology in India-I
- MSO-104 – Sociology in India-II
- MSOE-105 – Introduction to Urban Sociology
Second Semester
- MSO-106 – Rural Sociology
- MSO-107 – Foundations of Social Science Research
- MSO-108 – Research Methods
- MSO-109 – Analysis and Presentation of Data
- MSOE-110 – Urbanisation and Urban Development
Third Semester
- MSO-111 – Sociology of Development
- MSO-112 – Development and Global Society
- MSOE-113 – Sociology of Religion
- MSOE-114 – Sociology of Diaspora
- MSOE-115 – Globalisation and Transnational Communities
- MPSE-004 – Social and Political Thought in Modern India
- MPSE-007 – Social Movements and Politics in India
- MJM-024 – Media and Society
Fourth Semester
- MSO-116 – Sociology of Education-I
- MSO-117 – Sociology of Education-II
- MSOE-118 – Sociology of Food / Environmental Anthropology
- MSOE-119 – Sociology of Health / Tribes in India
- MGSE-001 – Gender Planning and Development Policies
- MGSE-007 – Gender, Organisation and Leadership
- MGSE-010 – Gender and Entrepreneurship Development
- MED-002 – Sustainable Development: Issues and Challenges
- MED-008 – Globalisation and Environment
The actual courses taken by an individual learner depend on the applicable elective choices in the programme structure.
How to Organise Your IGNOU MASO Study Material
A common mistake is downloading a large number of sociology PDFs and then struggling to find the right material before exams.
A better system is to create folders according to course code.
For example:
MASO → Semester 1 → MSO-101
Inside MSO-101, keep:
- Official study material
- Personal notes
- Assignment
- Previous-year papers
- Important questions
- Revision notes
Then repeat the same system for MSO-102, MSO-103 and the remaining courses.
This is particularly helpful because the current MASO structure contains both core and elective courses.
IGNOU MASO Notes: What Should You Actually Write?
Your notes do not need to reproduce every page of the study material.
Instead, create notes around five things:
1. Important Concepts
Write definitions and explanations of major sociological concepts in your own words.
2. Theories and Thinkers
For theory-based courses such as MSO-101 and MSO-102, maintain separate sections for thinkers, concepts and theoretical perspectives.
3. Indian Society
For MSO-103 and MSO-104, organise your notes topic-wise rather than making one very large document.
4. Research
Keep a separate research notebook for MSO-107, MSO-108 and MSO-109.
5. Contemporary Issues
For courses dealing with development, globalisation, education, health, food and diaspora, connect concepts with the themes discussed in the official material.
The aim is to create revision-friendly notes, not another copy of the IGNOU book.
IGNOU MASO Assignments: How to Prepare
IGNOU assignments should be prepared with the prescribed course material as your primary reference.
For example, the current MSO-101 Tutor Marked Assignment carries a maximum of 100 marks and 30% weightage. The assignment asks students to answer five questions of approximately 500 words each.
The questions in the current assignment illustrate the analytical nature of the programme. They include topics involving social structure, sociological analysis, functional approaches, entrepreneurship, Foucault’s approach and alienation.
Similarly, the current MSOE-105 assignment asks students to engage with concepts such as urban sociology, definitions of urban areas, rural-urban continuum, ecological perspectives, city structure and urbanisation in India.
A Good Assignment Strategy
Before writing an answer:
Read the question → Find the relevant units → Make a short outline → Explain the concept → Add relevant arguments/examples from the material → Conclude
Avoid writing an answer that only consists of definitions.
At postgraduate level, explaining why and how is often more useful than simply stating what.
How to Prepare for MASO Term-End Exams
Sociology can become much easier when you study it thematically.
Instead of trying to memorise everything during the final week, divide your preparation into three stages.
Stage 1: Understanding
Read the official study material and identify the main arguments.
Stage 2: Notes
Prepare short course-wise notes.
Stage 3: Answer Practice
Use previous question papers to practise writing structured answers.
A useful answer structure is:
Introduction → Concept/Argument → Main Discussion → Sociological Perspective → Examples/Illustration where appropriate → Conclusion
Do not use the same template mechanically for every question. Adapt your answer to the wording of the question.
Which MASO Courses Need Extra Attention?
Every course matters, but some papers may require more detailed preparation because of their conceptual or research-oriented nature.
Theory-heavy preparation
- MSO-101
- MSO-102
- MSO-103
- MSO-104
Research-focused preparation
- MSO-107
- MSO-108
- MSO-109
Contemporary sociology
- MSO-111
- MSO-112
- MSOE-114
- MSOE-115
- MSO-116
- MSO-117
The exact amount of time you need will depend on your background and the courses you select.
Where to Find IGNOU MASO Study Material
The safest starting point is the official IGNOU learning material and programme resources.
IGNOU provides digital learning resources through its student services, including eGyanKosh and other academic support platforms. The University’s current prospectus also lists eGyanKosh among its student-learning resources.
You can supplement the official material with:
- Course-wise notes
- Previous-year papers
- Assignment questions
- Revision notes
- Solved answers
- Additional reference books
However, supplementary material should not replace the prescribed study material.
Always match a resource with your current course code before using it.
Is IGNOU MASO Available in Hindi?
Yes. The current IGNOU prospectus lists English and Hindi as the medium of instruction for MASO.
Students should nevertheless check the availability of the particular course material or resource they need before relying on a specific external source.
What Is the Eligibility for IGNOU MASO?
The current prospectus specifies:
Bachelor’s Degree or a higher degree from a recognized University.
No specific undergraduate subject is stated in the programme eligibility shown in the current prospectus.
What Is the Duration and Fee of MASO?
The minimum duration is 2 years, while the maximum duration is 4 years.
The current fee structure lists ₹8,200 per year, making the listed programme fee ₹16,400 for two years, with examination fees separate. Students should check the latest University notification before making payment because IGNOU can revise fees and programme details.
What Can You Do After MA Sociology?
A postgraduate degree in sociology can support several career directions depending on your skills and additional qualifications.
IGNOU’s programme information lists opportunities such as:
- Research Analyst
- Social Researcher
- Data Analyst
- Policy Analyst
- Public Administrator
- Urban Planner
- HR Specialist
- CSR Coordinator
- Market Research
- Employee Relations
- Teaching and academic positions
The actual career path will depend on your qualifications, experience, skills and any additional eligibility requirements for a particular job.
Final Word for IGNOU MASO Students
The current Master of Arts (Sociology) (MASO) programme is broader than a traditional theory-only sociology course. It combines sociological theory with research, Indian society, rural and urban studies, development, globalisation, education and several contemporary and interdisciplinary areas.
For effective preparation, keep your study system simple:
Official Study Material → Course-wise Notes → Assignments → Previous Papers → Answer Practice → Revision
Most importantly, organise everything by course code. This will make it easier to find the right notes, prepare assignments and revise before the Term-End Examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MASO in IGNOU?
MASO is the programme code for Master of Arts (Sociology) offered by IGNOU’s School of Social Sciences.
How many credits does MASO have?
The programme has 80 credits, divided into four semesters of 20 credits each.
What is the eligibility for MA Sociology at IGNOU?
A Bachelor’s Degree or higher degree from a recognized University is the stated eligibility.
Is MASO available in Hindi?
Yes. The medium of instruction is English and Hindi.
What is the duration of MASO?
The minimum duration is 24 months and the maximum is 48 months.
Is there an exit option in MASO?
Yes. The current structure specifies an exit after the second semester with a Post Graduate Diploma in Research Methodology, subject to the applicable University rules.
Which MASO courses focus on research?
The main research-oriented courses include MSO-107 Foundations of Social Science Research, MSO-108 Research Methods, and MSO-109 Analysis and Presentation of Data.
Can I use old MSO notes for the current MASO programme?
It is better to check the course code and current programme structure first. Older Sociology programme material may use different course codes and may not correspond exactly to the current MASO curriculum.