phd sociology careers

Ph.D. Program

Grad student, Tamkinat Rauf, with Sociologist, William Julius Wilson, at a CASBS event. Image credit: Jerry Wang, courtesy of CASBS at Stanford

The Ph.D. program is defined by a commitment to highly analytical sociology

The program trains graduate students to use a range of methods – quantitative and qualitative – and data – survey, administrative, experimental, interview, direct observation, and more – to answer pressing empirical questions and to advance important theoretical and policy debates.

The Ph.D. curriculum and degree requirements provide students with the methodological skills, substantive knowledge, and mentorship to make important and impactful contributions to sociological knowledge. The program guides Ph.D. students to work on ambitious, independent research projects about which students are passionate. Graduates finish the program well-positioned to be leaders in the field of sociology.

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Our faculty encourages you to become a creative independent researcher. During your graduate career, you will read broadly across fields and generate work that is theoretically, empirically, and analytically rigorous. The program provides advanced training in quantitative and qualitative research methods as well as mixed methods.

Students in the program have conducted research on a variety of projects, including investigating food insecurity in Atlanta, the social effects of climate change, and community policing in a public housing project.

The program has an excellent placement record with graduates securing faculty positions at institutions such as Stanford University, Yale School of Management, Harvard Business School, University of Chicago, and University of Toronto. Others have gone on to non-academic careers at organizations such as The Urban Institute, Abt Associates, and Facebook.

Related Programs

Students considering the PhD program in sociology may also be interested in the PhD programs in Sociology and Social Policy or Organizational Behavior , both of which are offered jointly with the Department of Sociology . Students who wish to apply to one of these programs in addition to the PhD program in sociology may do so.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Sociology and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Sociology .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a term paper, senior thesis, master’s essay, or similar written work. Citations and references are not included in the page limit.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Required

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Sociology

See list of Sociology faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

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Department of Sociology

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Harvard is one of the world’s leading centers for training and mentoring the next generation of sociologists. The Department of Sociology offers several programs of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. in Sociology , the Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy , and the Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior .

The aim of the Graduate Program in Sociology is to prepare students for scholarly and applied research and for teaching in sociology. The program combines an emphasis on competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the development of each student's own interest.

Doctoral candidates are expected to achieve a solid proficiency in fundamentals that will enable them to teach basic and advanced sociology courses and engage in both quantitative and qualitative research. Students are trained in several sub fields of sociology in which the faculty has concentrations of expertise. Among these are social stratification and inequality (including race and ethnic relations), the study of complex organizations, economic sociology, political sociology, comparative/historical sociology, health and social policy, cultural analysis, urban sociology, criminology, and life course. The program includes a sequence of required courses on theory and theory construction, designed to acquaint every student with skills necessary for developing social explanations, and required courses in both qualitative methods and advanced statistics to familiarize students with techniques for collecting and analyzing data.

Sociology Faculty and Student Involvement in University Initiatives

For further information on the research topics that Harvard students have explored and the careers of some recent graduates, see Graduate Degrees Awarded .

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

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PhDs on the Market

• Elena Ayala-Hurtado
• Eun Se Baik
• Nicolette Bardele
• Derick S. Baum
• Maleah Fekete
• Ohjae Gowen
• Holly Hummer
• Dominika Kinga Randle
• Joseph Wallerstein

Graduate Office

660 William James Hall

Office Hours (Fall 2023) Monday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote) Tuesday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (on campus) Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (on campus) Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote) Friday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (remote)

Email [email protected]

Phone 617.495.3813

Director  David Pedulla

Program Coordinator Jessica Matteson

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Graduate program.

The Duke University Department of Sociology is committed to maintaining its Ph.D. program at the highest level of quality, and entrance into our program is highly competitive. To those who are accepted and enroll at Duke, we offer an intensive program of study, a supportive research environment, and the opportunity to learn the craft of scholarship from Duke's productive and diverse faculty. Our placements of recent Ph.D.s in excellent jobs within academia and elsewhere is for us a source of pride and professional satisfaction.

The Sociology Department at Duke University believes in fostering an inclusive environment where differences are respected, valued and integrated into every facet of the graduate experience. Through our commitment to diversity, we hope to create an atmosphere conducive to high quality education and research that supports the broad spectrum of differences of our students, faculty and staff. 

The Department of Sociology offers a challenging and rigorous program of study and research training leading to the Ph.D. degree. Although graduate students headed for the Ph.D. receive a Master’s degree at an appropriate point in their graduate careers here, our program of study is organized primarily for Ph.D. candidates. 

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11 PhD jobs in Sociology

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• PhD positions in Social Science (29)

Other subfields

• PhD positions in Media and Communication Studies (9)
• PhD positions in Social Research (9)
• PhD positions in Human Geography (6)
• PhD positions in Cultural Studies (4)
• PhD positions in Gender Studies (3)

Search results (11)

PhD position at the Department of Work and Organisation Studies (WOS)

The Department of Work and Organisation Studies (WOS) is an interdisciplinary group of about 50 scholars with backgrounds in economics, sociology, psychology, management, and history, bringing diff...

Assistant department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation (27158)

    →   Apply until 28/05/2024 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels time)    →   Faculty of Economics and Business Administration    →   Department EB23 - Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation    →   AAP temporary appointment - 100%    →   ...

PhD student in environmental therapeutic work

Research Associate (f/m/d)

PhD Position on Understanding the Global Movement for Open Research Information

Vacancy number 14858Job type PhD positionsHours (in fte) 1,0External/ internal ExternalLocation LeidenPlaced on 14 May 2024Closing date 4 June 2024 21 more days to applyPhD Position on Understanding the Global Movement for Open Research Informatio...

PhD candidate in Sociology of stratification and inequalities

The University | About us...The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character. The University was founded in 2003 a...

160 Assistants with temporary mandates

The Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain, Belgium) is recruiting 160 assistants with temporary mandates.Candidates must have a graduate degree (Master’s or higher) and must have graduated with distinction (or equivalent).The complete list of ...

Doctoral scholarship holder social policy

Let’s shape the future - University of AntwerpThe University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, c...

Een nieuwe blik op ‘integratie’: acculturatie van zelf, cognitie en motivatie

The research will be conducted within the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology (CSCP), which is part of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. The CSCP enjoys an international rep...

Doctoral Student in Environmental Politics

Doctoral Student in Environmental PoliticsThe International Political Economy and Environmental Politics group led by Professor Thomas Bernauer is offering a fully funded position for a Doctoral St...

Doctoral Scholarship in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (1 FTE)

Offer DescriptionWith a focus on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), this research seeks to contribute to broader discussions on workplace inequalities.Research on psychological resources / psychological capital (resilience, self-eff...

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