phd in sociology fees

Sociology, PhD

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences.

The department’s primary educational goal is to train first-class sociology Ph.D. students. The sociology graduate experience at Johns Hopkins University is best characterized as a research apprenticeship – a careful blend of formal instruction, faculty-directed individual study, and supervised as well as self-initiated research. The department’s small size and specific focus areas yield a personalized course of study and close relationships with faculty members and fellow graduate students. The social climate is informal, and the mix of students and faculty, drawn from a wide variety of geographic and social backgrounds, constitutes a rewarding intellectual community. For more details, please visit http://soc.jhu.edu/graduate/ .

Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit an application fee, personal statement, all college transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a sample of written work. International applicants must also submit a TOEFL score and a financial statement (FS-1G Form: Graduate International Student Notification [F-1/J-1]). GRE scores are optional. Applicants should have a broad background in social science, especially sociology, economics, and psychology. Training in mathematics is encouraged. The department gives greatest weight to an applicant’s demonstrated ability and past performance. For more details, please visit http://soc.jhu.edu/graduate/admissions/ .

Program Requirements

This fall semester course is taken during the first year. Faculty presentations introduce students to the substantive interests, research and professional background of the sociology faculty. It is graded pass/fail.

To count toward degree requirements, core curriculum courses other than the Proseminar (which is graded Pass/Fail) and the Trial Paper Research series of courses must be passed with a grade of B- or higher. After the core course requirement is satisfied, additional methods courses from the list above may be used to fulfill the five-elective course requirement.

In addition to the core curriculum, graduate students must enroll in five additional graduate-level courses. At least four of the five electives must be JHU Sociology department courses. Up to four of the five electives may be fulfilled by a combination of:

• credit awarded for previous graduate coursework that predates matriculation at JHU;
• courses taken outside the department that are permissible under the Handbook rules and with the Departmental advisor’s approval;
• and one directed research and independent study courses within the Department.

All must be passed with a grade of B- or higher. While students are free to select these courses, the department strongly recommends that they be taken from diverse fields of specializations so as to maximize the breadth of exposure to core areas of sociology and other disciplines.

Teaching Assistantships

As part of their preparation for future academic work, graduate students are required to register for  AS.230.811 Teaching Assistantship  and serve as a teaching assistant for at least one semester.

Foreign Language

The Sociology Department no longer requires certification of fluency in a foreign language as part of the Ph.D. requirements. Students should be proactive in gaining the language skills necessary to conduct their TRP and dissertation research, and should work closely with their advisor to determine whether additional language education is needed.

A minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time residence is mandatory for all degrees. However, at least six semesters of full-time residence is recommended by the department for completion of the core curriculum, electives, and completion of a research apprenticeship and a trial research paper. By the end of the fourth year in the program, the student is expected to have written a dissertation proposal and have defended it successfully before the appropriate examining committees.

Research Assistantship/Apprenticeship

AS.230.801 Research Assistantship  and AS.230.804 Research Apprenticeship

Students are required to develop practical research expertise through professional-level participation (data analysis, literature searches/reviews, non-routine data processing or coding, preparation and refinement of research instruments, and data/file management). This requirement is fulfilled by satisfactorily completing a Research Apprenticeship, which is required during the student’s first year of full-time graduate study in the department. The standard for certification is substantial research accomplishment as judged by the faculty supervisor.

Trial Research Paper

( AS.230.685 TRP Seminar I , AS.230.690 TRP Seminar II , AS.230.815 Trial Research Paper I , AS.230.816 Trial Research Paper II , AS.230.817 Trial Research Paper III )

Students begin working on a Trial Research Paper (TRP) no later than the spring semester of their second year. The TRP affords students the experience of planning and executing a research project that leads to a publishable quality paper. The TRP is expected to be a serious, complete work of scholarship, suitable for conference presentation or journal submission. Whether or not the topic of the TRP is similar to that of the eventual dissertation, we believe all students will benefit from going through this exercise before planning for the dissertation.

By the end of the fall semester of their second year, students should invite a faculty TRP advisor to supervise the design and execution of the TRP project. Regular or adjunct faculty members whose positions entitle them to serve as dissertation advisors are eligible to serve as faculty TRP advisors. Work on the TRP generally will be done over three semesters. In order to facilitate progress on the TRP, students register for courses that are meant to consist of one-on-one meetings with their TRP advisor (TRP I, AS.230.815 Trial Research Paper I in the spring of your second year, TRP II, AS.230.816 Trial Research Paper II in the fall of your third year, and TRP III, AS.230.817 Trial Research Paper III in the spring of your third year.)

In order to facilitate student progress on the TRP, the department has also introduced two required TRP seminars, for which all students register in the spring of their second and third year. These are:   AS.230.685 TRP Seminar I (spring of second year) & AS.230.690 TRP Seminar II (spring of third year). These courses will be graded pass/fail and will not count toward the fulfillment of the elective courses required for the Ph.D.

A TRP proposal must be approved by the faculty TRP advisor by the end of the spring semester of the second year. By the end of the fall semester of the third year, the TRP advisor must approve a draft of the paper which will then be reviewed by another department faculty member. The TRP advisor, at their discretion, may extend this deadline to the end of the intersession period following the fall semester. The faculty reviewer will evaluate the paper and, if necessary, recommend revisions that should be made before the paper is certified. The TRP advisor will determine required revisions and must certify a final TRP by the end of the spring semester of the third year.

Dissertation

The student must propose and conduct original research presented in a dissertation suitable for publication. The department administers an oral examination which must be passed before the student is allowed to defend before a university board. The dissertation must then be defended either at a Graduate Board preliminary oral examination, based on the dissertation proposal, or at a Graduate Board final oral examination, based on the completed dissertation.

Special Programs

The department offers two special programs that coordinate activities in its two focus areas. Doctoral students may affiliate with one or both of these programs at their discretion. These programs function as fields of doctoral specialization within the Department of Sociology.

Program on Global Social Change (PGSC)

This focus area of graduate study focuses on cross-national, comparative research and long-term, world-scale social change. The goal of the program is to give students knowledge of the various theoretical perspectives in these areas, experience in data collection and analysis, and expertise in one or more substantive fields.

The program does not focus on a particular geographic area, although faculty members have conducted extensive research on Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Instead of a geographical approach, the emphasis is on issues of development and social change that cut across different countries and world regions. Examples are globalization and regionalization, labor and development, city systems and urban primacy, social movements and revolutions, state violence, migration and labor force formation, family structure and change, social structure and personality, and national and international stratification. Students enroll in a sequence of courses and seminars and participate actively in ongoing faculty projects dealing with one or more of the above issues.

In addition, the interdisciplinary character of graduate education at Johns Hopkins University offers students ample opportunity to enroll in courses or collaborate in research of faculty in other departments. Faculty associates of the program include distinguished scholars in anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, and public health.

A graduate focus area is not required of Ph.D. students.

Program on Social Inequality (PSI)

This focus area of graduate study focuses on the causes and consequences of social inequality, the social processes that sustain it, and how social policies can reduce it. These questions are addressed in terms of class, gender, race, ethnicity, and immigration status/citizenship.

The program is designed to train students in the sociological analysis of social inequality among individuals and groups. This training includes course work in areas such as social stratification, the sociology of the family, the sociology of education, sociology of immigration, social structure and personality, social policy, and research design and methods. Students in the PSI program enroll in a sequence of courses and seminars and participate actively in ongoing faculty projects dealing with one or more of the above issues.

In addition, the interdisciplinary character of graduate education at Johns Hopkins University offers students ample opportunity to enroll in courses or collaborate in research with faculty in other departments. Faculty associates of the program include distinguished scholars in anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, and public health.

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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• How to Apply
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• Prospective Students

PhD Admissions

The application portal for fall 2024 is open with an application deadline of january 15, 2024. if you have questions about our graduate program, please contact the director of graduate studies, dr. joshua bloom ( [email protected] ). we are happy to talk with you., application information .

Applicants to the graduate program in sociology at the University of Pittsburgh apply online. Your complete application for Fall term 2024 must be received by January 15.

In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers. Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted.  All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.  To be considered for a fee waiver, Please complete the following fee waiver survey for review:  https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw .

Application Requirements

The complete application materials include the following:

• An application form
• A non-refundable application fee of $75.
• Describe your relevant research and real-world experience.
• What kind of career do you have in mind, and how will being a disciplined sociologist help you meet your goals?
• Describe a research project you imagine developing in graduate school.
• Describe any relevant previous training and proficiencies in the discipline.
• What led you to apply to the PhD program in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh?
• A sample of written work (e.g., a senior thesis, term paper, or publication) that provides evidence of creative and critical thinking, quality of writing, and potential for engaging in independent research.
• Three letters of recommendation intended to provide independent evaluation of each applicant's potential. Letters should come from former professors or others who can evaluate your intellectual and academic qualifications for graduate study. Reference writers will submit these forms and letters independently from the application using a link embedded in an e-mail they receive from the online application process.
• Unofficial copy of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended. If non-US citizens, please submit transcripts in the native language accompanied by notarized English translations. The University requires at least a 3.0. GPA. Note: official transcripts will need to be sent if admitted into the program. 

If you are having issues with any part of your on-line application for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences please reach out to the GradCas Applicant Help center:  https://help.liaisonedu.com/GradCAS_Applicant_Help_Center .  If you cannot find the answer to your question you can also contact them by phone 857-304-2086 or via email:  [email protected] .  For the quickest response it is best to contact them via chat on the Applicant Help center page.

English Proficiency Requirements

All non-U.S. citizens applying to the graduate program, except for those who have received degrees from a U.S. institution or from other English-speaking countries , must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) , International English Language Testing System (IELTS) , or Duolingo English Test as part of their application to demonstrate a sufficient command of English to meet the requirements of their field. The minimum scores are 90 for TOEFL (with at least a score of 22 in all of the four sections of speaking, listening, reading, and writing), 7.0 for IELTS (with at least 6.5 in each of its four sections), and 120 for Duolingo.

The TOEFL is offered several times each year at sites in the United States and abroad. If not available locally, the annual schedules and other information about the TOEFL can be obtained online or by mail from: Educational Testing Service (ETS) TOEFL, Box 6151 Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 USA (609) 771-7100 NOTE: TOEFL application booklets generally are available at U.S. colleges and universities and at U.S. consulates and U.S. Information Service offices abroad. Foreign students should check with these sources before writing to Princeton.

TOEFL Institution Code: 2927

IELTS official scores should be mailed to: Graduate Administrator University of Pittsburgh 2400 Wesley W. Posvar Hall 230 South Bouquet Street Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Questions about the application process may be addressed to our Graduate Administrator Paris Yamamoto at  [email protected] .

Department of Sociology

Graduate Program Guide

Faculty Advisers | M.A. Requirements | M.A. Transfer Credits | Advancement to the Ph.D. | Ph.D. Requirements | Additional Requirements | Program Standing | Requirements Timeline | Other Matters

These requirements apply to students who either opted into the new program or joined the Sociology PhD program in Fall 2023 or later. Students are responsible to learn departmental degree requirements, to be familiar with rules for determining standing in the program, and to understand the consequences of not meeting these standards. Failure to meet these standards may lead to incidents of probation or dismissal from the program.

FACULTY ADVISERS AND MENTORING 

First-Year Students:  In a student’s first year in the program, the DGS and Graduate Program Committee serve as their faculty mentors as part of the First-Year Mentoring Committee (FYMC). The FYMC meets collectively with the first-year cohort twice a month in the first semester, and once a month in the second semester. In addition, FYMC members are also available for one-on-one mentoring. At the end of the first year, the FYMC will help first-year students connect with a faculty member who will serve as their primary advisor/mentor in their second year in the program. (This faculty member is likely to be the advisor/mentor for the RC1 but does not have to be.)

The FYMC will also consult with the student as the student selects members for their Faculty Mentoring Committee (FMC) for the student’s second year in the program. The FMC is typically composed of two to three sociology faculty members. During the student’s second and third years in the program their RC faculty advisors/mentors (RC advisor) will likely be members of their FMC.

More Advanced Students:  For all students beyond the first-year students, each student will meet bi-annually with the student’s mentors/committee members (the FMC). The FMC is typically two to three sociology faculty members.  During the second and third years, the FMC typically includes the research collaborative advisor, and in later years, the special area paper and dissertation committee members (see below). The graduate student is responsible for scheduling the meetings.  The graduate student will share with committee members in advance of the meeting a document outlining the student’s expectations and plans for the coming academic year or summer.  The first meeting will take place at the beginning of the fall semester (no later than the end of September). In this meeting the student mentors will set expectations and define a plan for the coming academic year. The second meeting will take place at the end of the spring semester to evaluate progress and give advice for use of summertime. Mentoring committees will share progress reports with the DGS after the spring meeting to inform the letters of standing.

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OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER’S (M.A.) DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY

The master’s degree is earned in passing to the Ph.D. and requires 33 hours of formal, didactic coursework, including 12 hours of core courses with at least a B, and 21 hours of electives (6 credits must be methods focused, 9 credits must be theory focused). Transfer credits are not allowed for the master’s degree. Students must produce a paper by the end of their 4 th semester, as part of a successful Research Collaboration with a faculty member.  Research Collaboratives are official collaborations between the graduate student and a faculty member that take place in the student’s second and third years in the program.

Research Requirements for MA Degree

Research Collaboratives are official collaborations between the graduate student and a faculty member that take place in the student’s second and third years in the program.

Research Collaborative 1 (RC1) starts at the beginning of the summer after the student’s first year and continues through the student’s second year in the program. The student collaborates on research with a faculty advisor/mentor. At the end of RC1, the student in collaboration with the faculty advisor must have a paper completed that will be submitted to a peer-review academic journal. This paper is a requirement for the master’s degree.

RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH (RCR)

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training

RCRG 6303, 6304, 6305, 6306, and 6307.

CORE COURSES – B OR HIGHER (12 credit hours)

SOC 6301 Theoretical Foundations of Sociology (3)

SOC 6310 Second Year Research Practicum (3)

SOC 6311 Multivariate Analysis I (3)

SOC 6312 Multivariate Analysis 2 (3)

Elective COURSES (21 Credit hours)

Methods Focused Electives (6)

Theory Focused Electives (9)

Methods Focused, Theory Focused, Independent Study, or Approved Courses in other Departments (6)

33 total credit hours required for M.A.

All core courses must be passed with a grade of B or better to make satisfactory progress in the program. Grades lower than B will appear in the graduate student’s record at the Graduate School as having earned the student the credit hours corresponding to the course in question. However, students earn zero hours toward the department’s required 33 hours for the M.A. (72 hours for the Ph.D.) degree and must retake the course. Failing to earn a minimum course grade of B in the retaken course will result in the student’s termination from the program.

Participation in Department Colloquium Series and First-Year Professionalization Seminars is required. Consistent unexcused absences, lateness, or early departures are indicators of unsatisfactory performance and will result in an automatic instance of probation.

MA Required Courses

Theoretical Foundations of Sociology . The goal of this course (SOC 6301) is to produce scholars who think sociologically. The course gives students a foundation in the important classic and contemporary works of the discipline and introduces them to the intellectual history of sociology.

Second-Year Research Practicum . This course (SOC 6310) guides students as they conduct a research project and write a research paper suitable for submission to a peer-review journal. The course provides hands-on training in sociological research, including reviewing the literature, theorizing, methods of data gathering and analysis, and writing and revising the final research paper.

Statistical Analysis . Two statistics seminars are required for the M.A. degree: Multivariate Analysis I (SOC 6311) and Multivariate Analysis II (SOC 6312). The courses provide students with a firm foundation in statistical analysis, with special attention to the general linear model and the use of computer-based statistical programs. Students take these courses in the fall and spring semesters of their first year in the program

MA Elective Courses

Research Methods . Special Topics Seminars (SOC 9361-9371) provide deep focus on different research methods, with the goal of providing opportunities for students to develop both broad and specialized expertise in a number of methods. Examples of courses offered are Social Network Analysis, Survey Methods, Ethnography, and Historical Comparative Methods. At least 6 of the 21 hours of MA electives must be in Research Methods courses.

Intellectual History and Theory Construction . Survey Seminars (SOC 8329-8359) provide the intellectual history, foundational theories, and theory construction related to different substantive fields of study in the discipline of Sociology. These courses introduce students to different fields of study, while also giving them the tools to build and test theory that helps advance knowledge in these fields. At least 9 of the 21 hours of MA electives must be in Intellectual History and Theory Construction courses.

Sociological Theory:  Two theory courses are required for the M.A. degree: Classical Theory (S6301) and Contemporary Theory (S6302). These courses give students a foundation in the classic works of the discipline and in recent developments in social theory. The two courses will be offered sequentially every other year and both are 3-credit hour courses.

Research Methods:  All students will take Sociological Inquiry (S6310) which is an introduction to research methods, including theory construction, sociological reasoning, study design, and specific research techniques. This course will be offered at least every other fall semester and is worth 3 credits.

Statistical Analysis:  Two statistics seminars are required for the M.A. degree: Multivariate Analysis I (S6311) and Multivariate Analysis II (S6312). The courses provides students with a firm foundation in statistical analysis, with special attention to the general linear model and the use of computer-based statistical programs. Students will take these courses in the fall and spring semesters of their first year in the program; both are 3-credit courses.

Sociological Criticis:  The Workshop on Sociological Criticism (S7500) is an intensive introduction to peer review for publication, using materials from journal submissions to editorial correspondence. The 3- credit course will be offered at least every other spring semester.

Students must take eighteen hours of elective credit. Twelve of these credits must include any combination of Sociology’s Special Methods Workshops, Survey Seminars, or Special Topic Seminars. The remaining credits may be drawn from either directed study courses taught by Sociology faculty, one 3000-level undergraduate Sociology course that has been approved for graduate credit, or one graduate course in another department. Students must submit a Course Petition Form to the DGS for approval in order to take graduate courses in other departments. The Course Petition Form is available in Vanderbilt Box (the SOC. GRAD STUDENTS folder).

Special Methods Workshops: The department offers two special methods workshops: the Quantitative Methods Workshop (S7600) and the Qualitative Methods Workshop (S7700). These courses introduce students to specific research methods including, but not limited to, the following: comparative historical methods, ethnographic methods, survey construction, and advanced statistical methods such as event-history analysis, categorical analysis, and time series analysis. One of these courses will be offered at least every other year.

Survey Seminar:  These courses (S8329 – S8359) introduce students to a particular field of sociology and require them to write on aspects of that field. The seminars cover the major areas in sociology as they are represented at Vanderbilt and facilitate students’ ability to accumulate broad knowledge in a range of sociological literatures. At least four of these classes will be offered each year.

Special Topic Seminars and Directed Studies Courses:  Both Special Topic Seminars (S9361 – S9371) and Directed Studies courses (S9888-S9889) provide the opportunity for students and faculty to focus on substantive topics of mutual interest. Students may enroll in more than one section of either of these courses in a semester. Special Topic Seminars are 3-credit formal offerings which will be listed—with their special focus—in the course catalog. Directed Studies courses are tutorial relationships one or more students arrange with an individual faculty member; students may earn only up to 3 credits of directed study in a semester. Students must file a Request for Directed Studies  with the Graduate School. In the form, students must indicate the final products of the requested Directed Studies courses.

3000-Level Undergraduate Courses:  For the M.A., students may petition to take one 3000-level substantive area (i.e., non-methods or theory) course taught by Sociology graduate faculty. They must receive the consent of both the instructor and the DGS. The faculty member shall decide which undergraduate requirements the graduate student must meet, but the petition must reflect a higher level of requirements (e.g., assignments, readings) than those met by undergraduate students. A student can only take one of these during their graduate career and it must be taken in the first two years of the program.

Master’s Paper

Purpose . The master’s paper is intended to involve the student actively in research early in his/her graduate career. It is conceived as a high quality, empirical study that demonstrates the student’s mastery of research design and analysis. It may use original (qualitative or quantitative) data collected by the student or be an original analysis of secondary data. The bulk of the work on the paper should be carried out after the student’s matriculation to the program.

Timing . The student will develop the idea for a proposal for the master’s paper by the end of his/her first year, in consultation with a faculty member who will act as advisor to the project. The student will name his/her master’s committee chair and submit a two-page abstract of the proposed project by May 1 in the first spring semester to the DGS (with a copy to his/her committee chair). This abstract must include a timeline for completion of the project; work in the summer between the first and second year should be a major factor in this timeline. The student must begin proactively and consistently working with the chair of the master’s committee at this point. By October 1 in the first semester of the student’s second year, s/he will identify the additional members of the master’s paper committee for the DGS. The master’s paper committee will consist of at least two, but no more than three, faculty members including the chair. If the student includes a faculty member from outside the department on the committee, then s/he must include two faculty members from the sociology department. The committee will guide and give feedback on the project as it develops. In order to facilitate this, committees may establish deadlines for drafts and revisions of the paper in advance of the evaluated version’s deadline.

The master’s paper will be due to the committee for evaluation no later than June 1 following the spring semester of the student’s second year. The committee will evaluate the paper by June 15 (see Procedures below). If the paper does not receive a unanimous pass, a revision is due by June 30. A final version of the master’s paper must be completed by July 15 in order for the student to meet the filing deadline for an August conferral of the M.A. degree.

Procedures . All committee members should provide comments on earlier drafts of the paper. First exposure to the paper at the June deadline is likely not sufficient for the student to meet the requirement. The master’s paper will be read independently by the members of the student’s master’s paper committee, who will evaluate it as “pass with distinction,” “pass,” “conditional pass,” or “fail.” Students will receive explicit feedback from the examining committee on their papers. Evaluations of and comments on the student’s master’s paper will be available no later than two weeks (June 15) after it is submitted to the committee. In order to receive a unanimous “pass,” the paper must be of high quality (i.e., after revision in light of committee members’ comments, the paper could be submitted to a journal for publication). The suggested length will be 25 pages or more (i.e., typical length for submission to a journal).

Any evaluation other than unanimous “pass” or “pass with distinction” means that the student must revise the paper. The revised paper will be due on June 30. Again, evaluations of and comments on the student’s paper will be available no later than two weeks after it is submitted to the committee. If a student receives a “conditional pass” or “fail” on the revised master’s paper, s/he will be required to leave the program before the beginning of their third year.

If the paper is of such poor quality as to receive an evaluation of “fail,” the student must leave the program before the beginning of their third year. If the student misses the June 1 deadline, they will go on probation immediately, but will still be required to meet the July 15 deadline for revisions. If that deadline is missed, the student must leave the program before the beginning of their third year.

Submitting The Master’s Paper . A student who completes the master’s paper entirely in the department must submit the paper to the Graduate School for cataloging. A student whose master’s thesis from another university is accepted by the department should not submit the paper to the Graduate School, but is eligible (once s/he completes or transfers the coursework required for the master’s) for the M.A. degree in sociology from Vanderbilt.

In order to remain in FERPA compliance, please see the following guidelines for electronic approvals and the submission of the Completion of Master’s Degree form:

• Student - Complete the fillable initial information of the Completion of Master’s Degree form (Student's Name, Student's ID Number, Department/Program, and Academic/Research Adviser) and email the form to the Committee Chair.
• Committee Chair - Fill in other fillable required information and share the form with the entire committee, the DGS, and the program coordinator in .
• Committee Members - Sign for approval (electronic signature accepted).
• DGS - Sign for approval (electronic signature accepted).
• Program Coordinator - Submit the Results of Qualifying Examination form to the Graduate School.  

TRANSFER OF M.A. CREDITS OR THESIS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Transfer Credits . Students can petition to waive up to three of the courses required for the M.A. degree. These courses can be waived if the student has taken the course or its equivalent elsewhere with a grade of B or better. The decision to waive the course requires a review of the replacement-course syllabus and, when applicable, written materials produced for the course by both the DGS and a faculty member who teaches the course being waived. Students receive course credit for each waived required course and the grade earned in the previous incarnation of the course is added to the calculation for the student’s Vanderbilt GPA.

ADVANCEMENT TO DOCTORAL STUDY

The receipt of a VU Sociology M.A. degree is required for a student to obtain a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt. All M.A. degree candidates, whether the degree is terminal (rare) or the student is receiving the M.A. degree-in-passing, must file an  Intent to Graduate Form  with the Graduate School. Students receiving the degree-in-passing are able to, but not required to, participate in Commencement. Students are expected to file this form by the Graduate School’s mid-June deadline for an August conferral of the M.A. degree. In exceptional circumstances, this form will be filed by the Graduate School’s mid-September deadline for a December conferral of the M.A. degree.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTORAL (Ph.D.) DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY

Students must satisfy all the master’s degree requirements to receive a Ph.D. Seventy-two total credit hours are required for the Ph.D., including 51 hours of formal, didactic coursework. In addition to the core coursework required of the Master’s, students must earn at least a B in the 6 credit hours of core Ph.D. coursework. Core coursework consists of a teaching workshop (7400) and a Dissertation Proposal Workshop (7500). In addition, the student must pass 33 hours of electives (up to 21 hours of which may be research, 8999 or 9999). Students must take part in a second Research Collaborative, complete a Special Area Paper, and have two Independent Research papers under review by the end of their 5 th year in the program. In addition, students must defend a dissertation proposal, complete a dissertation, and defend a dissertation to receive a Ph.D. degree. Students must meet with their FMC bi-annually, attend Professionalization Seminars, and attend the Department Colloquium Series each year.

Students may request the transfer of up to 18 credit hours (9 required and 9 elective hours) of eligible graduate coursework from another institution, subject to the approval of the director of graduate studies, the department chair, and the Graduate School.

Non-Dissertation Research Requirements for the PhD

The second Research Collaborative (RC2) starts at the beginning of the summer after the student’s second year in the program and continues through the student’s third year. The student either collaborates on research with a faculty advisor/mentor or prepares a sole-authored paper with guidance from the faculty advisor. At the end of RC2, the student must have a paper completed for which they are lead author (if the paper is written in collaboration with the faculty advisor) or sole author, that will be submitted to a peer-review academic journal for publication.

The Independent Research (IR1 and IR2) requirements entail having a) a sole-authored paper under review at a peer-review academic journal by the end of the student’s fourth year, and b) another sole-authored paper under review at a peer-review academic journal by the end of their fifth year in the program.

CORE COURSES – B OR HIGHER (6 credit hours)

SOC 9400 Dissertation Proposal Workshop (3)

SOC 7400 Teaching Workshop (3)

Elective COURSES (12 Credit hours)

Methods Focused, Theory Focused, Independent Study, or Approved Courses in other Departments.

RESEARCH (Up to 21 CREDIT HOURS)

SOC 8999 Non-candidate Research (0-12)

SOC 9999 Ph.D. Dissertation Research (0-12)

72 total credit hours required for Ph.D. (including 33 for the M.A.)

Participation in the Department Colloquium Series is required, except for students conducting field research. Consistent unexcused absences, lateness, or early departures are indicators of unsatisfactory performance and will result in an automatic instance of probation.

Ph.D. Required and Elective Courses

Teaching Workshop . The required Teaching Workshop (SOC 7400) is an introduction to all aspects of effective teaching and to the techniques of oral presentation. For those students who lack demonstrated proficiency in teaching, the Workshop is a prerequisite of teaching at Vanderbilt. This 3-credit course is taken Pass/Fail. Students with considerable experience teaching or who have taken a similar course at another institution may petition to waive this requirement. A waiver does not replace the credits; the student will have to make up the credits with another course.

Dissertation Proposal Workshop . This course (SOC 7500) guides students as they design their dissertation project and write a dissertation proposal. The course provides a space for brainstorming, receiving peer feedback, and revising under faculty supervision, a proposal for their dissertation research. Students will receive hands-on training on how to write a proposal that is animated by a clear research question, demonstrates a potential contribution to Sociological theory and empirical knowledge in specific Sociological sub-fields, and lays out the appropriate methods for conducting the research.

Special Area Paper (SAP)

To gain deep knowledge in the student’s areas of research and teaching expertise, the student is required to write a Special Area Paper (SAP). The paper enables the student to demonstrate mastery of two or more broad substantive areas. The SAP requires the student to read, organize, and critically assess key concepts, theoretical approaches, research methods, and empirical findings in the paper’s areas. The student is required to submit the SAP by August 15, prior to the beginning of their 7 th semester in the program. The SAP is designed to prepare the student not only for teaching but for their dissertation research.

With the assistance of the DGS, the student asks two faculty members in sociology to serve on their SAP committee. The student then defines the broad areas in consultation with their SAP Committee Chair. Reading lists will be developed by the student and committee members jointly.

The completed SAP is similar to an article in the Annual Review of Sociology; it should organize, summarize/synthesize, and critique the broad literatures and should suggest lines for future research. The SAP should be 35-40 double-spaced pages in length. The SAP prepares the student to teach in their substantive areas of focus and, ideally, provides the student with a first draft of the literature review for the student’s dissertation proposal.

The SAP is evaluated by the faculty members on the student’s SAP committee. Possible SAP grades are:

• pass with distinction
• conditional pass

Committee evaluations of “pass with distinction”, “pass”, or “fail” must be unanimous, or the student must rewrite the SAP. A “conditional pass” means that a student must revise the SAP; a satisfactory rewrite changes the SAP grade to a pass. For a student who receives a conditional pass, committee members will provide the student with written feedback and the committee chair should meet with the student to answer any questions. Students who rewrite their SAP must complete the rewrite within three weeks of receiving their grade and committee feedback. Students who fail the SAP will be terminated from the program. Those who pass or who pass with distinction may seek feedback or advice from the examining committee, if they wish. The SAP committee chair notifies the student and the DGS of the SAP grade no later than three weeks after the SAP is handed in to the committee

Qualifying Examination/Dissertation Proposal

After completion of the Special Area Paper, the student prepares a dissertation proposal describing his or her dissertation topic and the project’s research question(s), the extant literature further developed or challenged by the project, and the methodological approach(es) used to answer the project’s questions. The dissertation proposal must also include a timeline for completion which details a schedule of tasks including data collection, writing, and revisions.

In consultation with their dissertation advisor, the student will recruit a dissertation committee of 3 or more graduate faculty. The student must file a  Request To Appoint Ph.D. Committee   form with the  Graduate School online . The committee must include a faculty member outside of the sociology department. If this scholar is not Vanderbilt faculty, the student must provide a rationale (in third person writing style) for their inclusion and a copy of their CV to the DGS. The student then submits the copy of their CV and the justification letter together with a Request To Appoint Ph.D. Committee to the  Graduate School online .

The student should submit their full dissertation proposal to the dissertation committee no later than two weeks prior to the oral qualifying examination. The student’s dissertation advisor should receive a full dissertation proposal well prior to this (about 8 weeks) allowing time for the advisor to comment on the proposal, the student to make revisions, and the advisor to read the revised draft and give permission when the draft is ready for the student to share with the full committee. More than one revision may be needed. This committee administers the oral qualifying examination and, once the student passes it, guides the student in his or her dissertation research.

Two weeks prior to the oral proposal defense, the student must file a  Request To Schedule Qualifying Examination  with the  Graduate School online . The proposal must be defended and approved no later than the end of the student’s eighth semester (May 15).

The student is allowed one retake of the proposal defense. Passing the dissertation proposal defense constitutes admission to candidacy. Students who fail to pass the retake of the proposal defense will be terminated from the program.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation must be completed by the end of the student’s 12 th semester in the program. The student should make themselves fully aware of all Graduate School deadlines for completing the dissertation well in advance of these deadlines. Upon petition by the student’s dissertation chair to the DGS and chair, the department may grant an extension beyond the 12 th semester to a date no more than four years after advancement to candidacy. If such a period has expired without successful completion of the dissertation, the student may be dismissed from the program.

The student must submit the completed dissertation to the dissertation committee at least one month prior to the oral dissertation defense. Well prior to this (about 8 weeks) the student’s dissertation advisor should receive a full draft of the dissertation to allow the advisor to comment on the dissertation, the student to make revisions, and the advisor to read the revised draft and give permission when the draft is ready for the student to share with the full committee. More than one revision may and likely will be needed.

Two weeks prior to the oral defense of the dissertation, the student must file a  Request To Schedule Final Defense  with the  Graduate School online . The committee reviews the dissertation and conducts the final oral dissertation defense examination. After successfully defending their dissertations, students obtain signatures and approvals on dissertation title pages and abstracts and then sends to the DGS for signature and submission to the Graduate School.

Teaching Workshop:  The required Teaching Workshop (S7400) is an introduction to all aspects of effective teaching and to the techniques of oral presentation. For those students who lack demonstrated proficiency in teaching, the Workshop is a prerequisite of teaching at Vanderbilt. This 3-credit course is taken pass/fail and is offered every other year. Students with considerable experience teaching or who have taken a similar course at another institution may petition to waive this requirement. A waiver does not replace the credits; the student will have to make up the credits with another course.

Elective Course Work:  Students must take 15 hours of elective credit beyond the M.A. requirements. These credits may be drawn from any combination of the following options (see descriptions above): Special Methods Workshops, Survey Seminars, Special Topic Seminars, Directed Study courses, graduate courses in other departments, or courses accepted for transfer credit from previous institutions. A maximum of 9 credits can be earned for courses not taught by Vanderbilt sociology graduate faculty. This limitation does not preclude taking more courses outside of the department (e.g., for a certificate), but extra credits will not count towards the Ph.D. requirements. The 15 credits must be completed by the end of the student’s sixth semester in the program. Students can take more than 15 elective course credits to reach the 72 credits required for the Ph.D. degree.

Pre-Dissertation and Dissertation Research:  Students must register for Pre-Dissertation Research (SOC 8999) after passing the two Special Area Examinations (normally during the fourth year) and Dissertation Research (S9999) after successfully defending the dissertation proposal (normally during and after the fifth year). Students must take no more than 18 credits of Pre-Dissertation Research (S8999) or Dissertation Research (S9999) in order to reach the 72 credits required for the Ph.D. degree. Once they have met the credit requirement, students should register for zero credits of research in order to maintain their full-time student status.

Special Area Examinations (SAE)

Purpose . The Special Area Exams enable the student to demonstrate the mastery of two broad and different substantive areas. Each Special Area Exam requires a student to read, organize, and critically assess key ideas and findings in a broad area. Reading and preparation for the exams should lay solid foundations for future research and teaching in these fields. Students are strongly urged to take relevant survey seminars or special topic seminars in their special area fields prior to meeting the exam requirements. Ideally, both areas of specialization should be tied to his/her dissertation interests, but this is not a requirement.

Timing . Students are required to take both Special Area Exams prior to the beginning of their seventh semester in the program. Exams will only be offered on one of three dates each year. While specific dates will be announced annually at the beginning of each academic year, these dates will always be scheduled for the middle of each semester. Third-year students must take their first SAE on either the fall (normally in November) or spring semester date (normally in March). Their second SAE must be taken on either the spring or summer date (normally in July).

Format . One exam will be a take-home, 72-hour exam, restricted to a total of 3 to 4 questions to be answered, with a page limit of 10-12 double-spaced pages per question. The second exam may be the same format, or, if the student chooses, may be a special area paper instead. A special area paper is similar to an article in the Annual Review of Sociology; it should organize, summarize/synthesize, and critique a broad literature.

Procedures . The exams will be based on no less than 2,500 pages and no more than 3,500 pages of reading per area. With the assistance of the DGS, the student will ask two faculty members in sociology to serve on his/her exam committee (not all members of the committee need to be specialists in the topic area). One faculty member will serve as chair. With the agreement of all concerned, and after the reading list has been approved in the department, an additional (third) committee member may be drawn from faculty outside the department. The student will likely select a partially or wholly different set of committee members and chair for his/her second exam.

The student defines each broad area in consultation with his/her Special Area Exam Committee Chair. Reading lists will be developed by the student and exam committee members jointly. Copies of earlier Special Area reading lists are kept online in Vanderbilt Box (the SOC. GRAD STUDENTS folder), to assist subsequent students in developing their own lists.

The student must include with the Special Area Exam reading list a brief (no more than one page) description of the substantive focus (or foci) of the readings, and an identification of the student’s specific interests within the broader area of the exam. This statement should be written early in the process of developing the reading list and provided (both with draft and final readings lists) to faculty on the committee and to the DGS.

The student will have a meeting with his/her committee to finalize the reading list for the exam; this meeting should occur no later than three months prior to the exam date, and preferably by the beginning of the semester in which the exam will be taken. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with committee members to discuss questions, insights, and progress as they read materials on the reading list. Two weeks before the exam, students are encouraged to construct their own exam questions and discuss them with their committee members. These questions (or revised versions of them) may be used as exam questions at the discretion of the examining committee.

The examining committee chair will email the student and the DGS the exam. The examination consists of 3 or 4 essay questions to be answered within a 72-hour period. Students will be given some choice in the questions to be answered; typically, they will be asked to choose 3 or 4 of six or eight possibilities. With the aid of the DGS, students will secure appropriate space and computers (if they choose) for the exam. The student will email the examination to the examining committee and the DGS at the end of the 72-hour period. Those who write their exams on computers may turn in storage media (e.g., CD or flash drive) containing their exam answers or submit them electronically to the examining committee and the DGS at the end of the 72-hour period.

Students may bring any notes, books, or other printed matter that they may wish to consult during the period. The Honor Code is in effect and the student taking the exam may not ask for or receive any assistance in answering the exam questions. Any person helping a student during the exam period is as guilty of an Honor-Code violation as is the person asking for assistance.

The Special Area Exam will be graded by the faculty members on the student’s exam committee. Possible grades on the exam are: pass with distinction, pass, conditional pass, or fail. Committee evaluations of “pass” must be unanimous, or the student must rewrite part or all of the exam. A “conditional pass” means that a student must rewrite one of the exam questions; a satisfactory rewrite will change the exam grade to a pass. Students who conditionally pass or who fail the exam will receive explicit feedback and advice from the examining committee. (Those who pass or who pass with distinction may seek feedback or advice from the examining committee, if they wish.) The examining committee chair will notify the student and the DGS the grades on the exam no later than three weeks after it is taken.

Students who fail the first Special Area Exam must retake and pass it by the end of the seventh semester in order to remain in the program; those who fail the second Exam must retake and pass it by the end of the eighth semester. Students who rewrite a question must complete that rewrite within two weeks of receiving their exam grade and committee feedback; the student will have a 24-hour period in which to rewrite the question. Students who fail a Special Area Exam or a question on the Special Area Exam twice will be terminated from the program.

After completion of the second Special Area Examination, the student prepares a dissertation proposal describing his or her dissertation topic and the project’s research question(s), the extant literature further developed or challenged by the project, and the methodological approach(es) used to answer the project’s questions. The dissertation proposal must also include a timeline for completion which details a schedule of tasks including data collection, writing, and revisions.

In consultation with their dissertation advisor, the student will recruit a dissertation committee of 3 or more graduate faculty. The student must file a Request To Appoint Ph.D. Committee  form with the Graduate School online . The committee must include a faculty member outside of the sociology department. If this scholar is not Vanderbilt faculty, the student must provide a rationale (in third person writing style) for their inclusion and a copy of their CV to the DGS. The DGS writes a short letter of justification. The student then submits the copy of their CV and the DGS justification letter together with a Request To Appoint Ph.D. Committee to the Graduate School online .

The student should submit their full dissertation proposal to the dissertation committee no later than two weeks prior to the oral qualifying examination. The student’s dissertation advisor should receive a full dissertation proposal well prior to this allowing time for the advisor to comment on the proposal and the student to make revisions. This committee administers the oral qualifying examination and, once the student passes it, guides the student in his or her dissertation research.

Two weeks prior to the oral proposal defense, the student must file a Request To Schedule Qualifying Examination  with the Graduate School online . The proposal must be defended and approved no later than the end of the student’s eighth semester (May 15). The student is allowed one retake of the proposal defense. Passing the dissertation proposal defense constitutes admission to candidacy. Students who fail to pass the retake of the proposal defense will be terminated from the program.

In order to remain in FERPA compliance, qualifying exam results and approvals may not be emailed. Please see the following guidelines for electronic approvals and submissions:

• Student – Complete the fillable initial information of the Results of Qualifying Examination form (except for the signature in the grade, Passed or Failed) and email it to the Committee Chair.
• Committee Chair – Fill in the grade, passed or failed, and share the form with the entire committee, the DGS, and the program coordinator in Vanderbilt BOX.
• Committee Members – Sign for approval (electronic signature accepted).
• DGS – Sign for approval (electronic signature accepted)
• Program Coordinator – Submit the Results of Qualifying Examination form to the Graduate School online .

The dissertation must be completed within four years after a student has been admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Upon petition to the Graduate School, a one-year extension of candidacy may be granted. If such a period has expired without successful completion of the dissertation, the student may be dismissed from the Graduate School. Readmission to the Graduate School, and to candidacy, requires application to the Graduate School, with approval of the faculty in the sociology department. In such cases the student may be required, by the Graduate School or by the Ph.D. committee, to demonstrate competence for readmission by taking a qualifying examination or additional course work.

The student must submit the completed dissertation to the dissertation committee at least one month prior to the oral dissertation defense. Well prior to this the student’s dissertation advisor should receive drafts of the dissertation to allow the advisor to comment on the dissertation and the student to make revisions.

Two weeks prior to the oral defense of the dissertation, the student must file a Request To Schedule Final Defense  with the Graduate School online . The committee reviews the dissertation and conducts the final oral dissertation defense examination. After successfully defending their dissertations, students obtain signatures and approvals on dissertation title pages and abstracts via email:

• Students – Email the title page and abstract to the entire committee for approval and copy [email protected] .
• Committee Members – REPLY ALL with the approval or disapproval.
• Students – Combine the title page, abstract, and all email responses into one PDF and upload to their VIREO submission as an Administrative file.

In order to remain in FERPA compliance, dissertation defense results and approvals may not be emailed. Please see the following guidelines for electronic approvals and submission:

• Student – Complete the fillable initial information of the Results of Dissertation Defense form (except for the signatures and the grade, passed or failed) and email it to the Committee Chair.
• Committee Members – Sign for approval (electronic signature accepted)
• Program Coordinator – Submit the Results of Dissertation Defense form to the Graduate School online .

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Residency . Full-time students are expected to enroll in the Graduate School during each fall and spring semester. After completion of the required 72 hours for the Ph.D. degree, full-time students register for 0 hours of dissertation research at the minimum tuition rate of $200 each semester. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree who are away from the university must continue to register for 0 hours of dissertation research to remain in good standing.

Grade Point Averages . In order to make satisfactory progress in the program, students must earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) and departmental grade point average (DGA) of 3.00 by the end of each semester. The GPA does not include research courses (e.g., S8999) or transfer credits (unless the course substitutes for an MA requirement). The DGA does not include directed studies courses (S9888- S9889) or undergraduate courses approved for graduate credit.

Teaching and Research Assistantships . Teaching (TA) and research (RA) assistantships are awarded for students to obtain academic and/or research experience beyond their coursework. Teaching assistants assist faculty with teaching a course. Research assistants assist or collaborate with faculty in research. These are professional roles and will be evaluated as such at the end of each semester. Consistent evidence of incompetence, neglect of duty, inefficiency, or other deficiencies are indicators of unsatisfactory performance of the student’s assigned duties and responsibilities. Assistantships are renewable, not guaranteed, and are subject to termination by the Department Chair and the DGS if the student’s performance is deemed substandard. Students work for 20 hours per week in each semester as teaching or research assistants.

RESEARCH EXPECTATIONS

A main driver of tenure-track employment for new PhDs in sociology is publication during graduate school of high-quality research in peer-review journals. To that end, the PhD program has the following research requirements:

Students must take part in two Research Collaboratives and have two Independent Research papers under review by the end of their 5 th year in the program.

Research Collaboratives (RC1 and RC2) are official collaborations between the graduate student and a faculty member that take place in the student’s second and third years in the program.

RC1 starts at the beginning of the summer after the student’s first year and continues through the student’s second year in the program. The student collaborates on research with a faculty advisor/mentor. At the end of RC1, the student in collaboration with the faculty advisor must have a paper completed that will be submitted to a peer-review academic journal. This paper is a requirement for the master’s degree.

RC2 starts at the beginning of the summer after the student’s second year in the program and continues through the student’s third year. The student either collaborates on research with a faculty advisor/mentor or prepares a sole-authored paper with guidance from the faculty advisor. At the end of RC2, the student must have a paper completed for which they are lead author (if the paper is written in collaboration with the faculty advisor) or sole author, that will be submitted to a peer-review academic journal for publication.

In some instances, deviations from these RC1 and RC2 requirements better provide for the student’s research training. Faculty mentors should discuss such possible deviations with the director of graduate studies.

The Independent Research (IR1 and IR2) requirements entail having a) a sole-authored paper under review at a peer-review academic journal by the end of the student’s fourth year, and b) another sole-authored paper under review at a peer-review academic journal by the end of their fifth year in the program. For each IR, the student will also form a 2-person committee made up of sociology faculty. This committee will review the IR papers to confirm that they are A) ready to submit to a journal, B) at a later date, under review at a peer reviewed academic journal, and C) of acceptable quality to count for the IR requirement.

In some instances, deviations from these IR1 and IR2 requirements better provide for the student’s research training. Faculty mentors should discuss such possible deviations with the director of graduate studies.

The ability to obtain external funding is another key ingredient to a successful academic career in Sociology. To that end, the program has the following external funding requirement:

Students must apply for one external grant or fellowship before the end of their 10 th semester in the program.

TRAINING FOR THE PROFESSION

Integral to success as a scholar on the tenure track at research-intensive universities is deep expertise in at least two sub-fields within the Sociology discipline, along with an ability to share that knowledge through presentation (primarily in the classroom setting). To help train students to have deep knowledge and an ability to present on and teach that knowledge, the program has the following requirements:

Teaching Expectations

Students will typically serve as teaching assistants through their graduate assistantships for four (and no more than six) semesters. These teaching assistantships will typically take place in their first, fifth, and sixth years in the program.

Students will take a required 3-credit Teaching Workshop. The required Teaching Workshop (SOC 7400) introduces students to all aspects of effective teaching and the techniques of oral presentation. For those students who lack demonstrated proficiency in teaching, the Workshop is a prerequisite of teaching at Vanderbilt.

Other Training Expectations

Professionalization Seminar:

Each semester, the DGS, Graduate Program Committee members, and other faculty will hold a number of one-hour seminars, in the format of panel discussions, on matters of professionalization (examples of topics include how to plan your career, where do research ideas come from, how to apply for external funding, how to submit papers to peer-review journals, how to work on work/life balance, etc.). All students must attend the seminars. For students in their second year and beyond, many seminar topics will be repeats, but different faculty may present the topics and different aspects of the topic become important in different ways as one goes through their graduate career.

Department Colloquia:

Observing and engaging with visiting speakers is an excellent way to learn how to give polished presentations and to develop a professional network. To that end, all students must attend the Department Colloquium series (this includes any department event that has an academic speaker and is open to the entire department).

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STANDING IN THE GRADUATE PROGRAM

It is each student’s responsibility to learn and comply with department degree requirements, to be familiar with rules for determining standing in the program, and to understand the consequences of not meeting these standards.

At the end of each semester, a student may be either “in good standing” or “on probation” in the graduate sociology program. Academic standing is determined by:

• a) timeliness in completing the minimum required number of semester credit hours; b) timeliness in completing coursework and other requirements; and c) the quality of performance in coursework and in other requirements.

If a student is on probation at the end of two consecutive semesters, the student will be reviewed by the DGS, Chair, and an ad-hoc faculty committee for potential termination from the program. This review will also take place if the student is on probation three times, regardless of the sequencing of the incidents. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account.

After the end of each spring semester, each student in the program receives an end of the year letter of standing (LOS) from the DGS telling the student whether or not the student is in good standing and reminding the student of upcoming deadlines.

TIMELINE OF REQUIREMENTS

Failure to meet any of the following deadlines will result in an automatic instance of probation.

OTHER MATTERS

Graduate Student Professional Activities Fund. The Department has an annual fund dedicated to helping to pay the costs of activities that enhance the professional training and goals of our graduate students. To apply for funds, Graduate students should send a formal request to the DGS, which includes how much money is being requested, what the money will be used for, and how the use will serve the professional training and development of the student. The DGS will approve based on the following criteria: 1) there is enough money left in the fund. It is first come, first serve; 2) that the planned use of funds is related to professional activities and enhances the training of the student; 3) the planned use of the fund is allowable per university rules. The annual limit per student is $600, although the DGS may remove this cap in late Spring if there is enough money left in the fund to support this.

Bi-Annual Mentoring Committee Meetings. Each academic year, the student and their Faculty Mentoring Committee (FMC) will meet at least twice. The academic year begins with a mentoring committee meeting between the student and their FMC (i.e., two to three sociology faculty members, typically including during the second and third years, the RC advisor; in later years, SAP and dissertation committee members). The first meeting takes place at the beginning of the fall semester (no later than the end of September). Graduate students should share with committee members in advance of the meeting a document outlining their expectations and plans for the coming academic year. In this meeting, the student and mentors set expectations and define a plan for the coming academic year and for later phases of the graduate career. The second meeting takes place at the end of the spring semester (no later than the end of May) to evaluate progress and give advice for use of summertime and later phases of the program. Again, the graduate student should share with committee members in advance of the meeting a document outlining their expectations and plans for use of summertime and later phases of the program. In a student’s first year, as mentioned, mentoring meetings will take place as part of the FYMC. The chair of the student’s FMC will send a letter summarizing the meeting to the DGS.

Leaves of Absence . After commencing graduate studies at Vanderbilt, a student may be granted a leave of absence by the Graduate School for a maximum of one year. This is granted upon the recommendation of the department and must be agreed to by both the DGS and the Department Chair. The student must provide the DGS a formal leave of absence request and describe the reason for the request and the beginning and end of the requested leave. After the Graduate School approves a leave of absence, the DGS contacts the College of Arts and Science for the approval of deferred funding for the student.

Incompletes . An incomplete must be completed and a grade officially recorded no later than eight weeks from the first day of classes in the semester following the one in which a student received an incomplete. A student who receives an incomplete at the end of the semester must complete the required work and deliver it to the supervising faculty member in time for the faculty member to read and evaluate the work, and file the final grade, by the eighth-week deadline. Any incomplete course not finished within this time frame will result in an F for the course. It will be the responsibility of students to ensure that they deliver work in time for the supervising faculty member to submit a grade by the deadline, and the responsibility of faculty to notify the DGS (not just the Graduate School) of the grade. At the beginning of each semester, the DGS will remind students and faculty of the deadline for completing and grading incompletes. Students may appeal, in writing, to the Graduate Program Committee (GPC) for more than eight weeks in which to finish incompletes (and have them graded). Appeals should be delivered to the GPC no later than October 1 (for incompletes due to expire in a fall semester) and February 15 (for those expiring in the spring).

Remote Assistantships . Vanderbilt University Graduate School Policy requires funded students, who are not on a Leave of Absence, to be in residence. The only exception to this is if field work requires the student to work remotely. Under these exceptional circumstances, students may petition the DGS and the Department Chair to meet the work requirements of their graduate assistantship or research assistantship remotely. The student must provide the DGS a formal petition letter. This petition must be accompanied by a faculty sponsor’s signed agreement letter to accept the student as their GA/RA for the duration of the student’s time away from campus. If approved by the DGS and Chair, the DGS will then petition the Graduate School for approval.

Terminal Master’s Degrees . Occasionally, early-career students make the determination that they should not advance further in the Ph.D. program. Students should consult with the DGS to determine if the receipt of a terminal M.A. degree is necessary and possible as soon as s/he is convinced that this may be the best course of action. This is especially important because—as explained above—all of the requirements for the M.A. (terminal or not) must be completed by July 15 following the second year.

Concerns and Issues . Students are welcome to discuss concerns and issues (in confidence) with the faculty adviser(s), the DGS, or the Department Chair. If the student’s concerns and issues cannot be resolved at the departmental level, as stated on page 5 in the  Graduate School Resource Guide :

“The student may schedule a meeting with the Graduate Life Coach, Graduate School Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, or the Dean of the Graduate School to discuss further steps. Situations may arise in which students believe that they have not received fair treatment by a representative of the University, or they may have a complaint about the performance, action, or inaction of a member of the staff or faculty that has affected them. Students who wish to have a complaint addressed by the University should first use the Complaint Procedure. If the Complaint Procedure proves unsatisfactory, then students may use the Grievance Procedure.”

Relevant information is also available in the Graduate School Catalog and the Student Handbook .

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Department of Sociology

Harvard Kenneth E. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a comprehensive program of financial support, including grants and fellowships from internal and external sources, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic employment opportunities.

For PhD students, Harvard awards full financial support for five years, typically for the first four years of study as well as the completion year. Ordinarily, in cases where the length of PhD study extends beyond five years, students secure financial support through various Harvard and non-Harvard opportunities, including research fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching fellowships.

Financial Aid

All incoming students receive a merit-based award, regardless of need. This includes a fellowship for tuition and health fees, as well as a stipend for living expenses, for up to five years. Unlike at many other institutions, students at Harvard have no teaching responsibilities during the first two years of graduate study. In addition, Harvard’s standard funding package includes Summer Research Awards for the first four years.

Emergency Funding

Students who experience extreme financial hardship as the result of an emergency may apply to the Office of Financial Aid for funding . Download the application here . Qualified expenses include but are not limited to costs associated with:

• Medical or dental emergencies
• Family emergencies
• Natural disasters
• Residential fires or floods

Parental Accommodation and Financial Support

Students of any gender enrolled in PhD programs at Harvard Griffin GSAS are eligible for the Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) program  following a childbirth or adoption event. Eligible Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD students receive a one-time supplemental stipend payment. This funding is intended to help with the additional expenses associated with a childbirth or adoption event. For the 2022-2023 academic year, the award amount is $7,158. At least four months in advance of the anticipated birth or adoption event, students must meet with PAFS coordinator Lisa Simpson, GSAS assistant director of financial aid and senior admissions officer, to review guidelines, benefits, and student-specific coordination of the program. To set up an appointment, email  [email protected] .

Teaching Fellowships

Teaching Fellows assist in courses under the supervision of course heads, who hold formal teaching appointments. Duties may include teaching sections, conducting tutorials, recommending grades, supervising independent study projects, and monitoring students’ progress toward their degrees.

To qualify for stipends during their third and fourth years of graduate study, graduate students in Sociology ordinarily need to offer two sections of a standard lecture course each semester (a section is a once-weekly meeting of, ordinarily, fewer than twenty undergraduate students).

You can choose to defer your G3 and G4 teaching guarantee, allowing you to begin your fieldwork earlier, while still preserving your teaching guarantee for later use. You would have the same priority for teaching appointments as G3s and G4s if you notify Harvard Griffin GSAS Financial Aid in advance. If you defer your teaching guarantee in G3 and/or G4, you may be eligible for a top-up that will ensure that you receive stipend support equal to that received in G1 and G2.

You may combine teaching with RA work (note: all graduate students are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week when classes are in session).  Students with fellowships should check with their Financial Aid Officer regarding work restrictions.

Research Assistantships

Over the course of their PhD studies at Harvard, many graduate students in Sociology work as Research Assistants. Such assistantships often carry financial support and are arranged with individual faculty.

You may combine RA work with teaching (note: all graduate students are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week when classes are in session).  Students with fellowships should check with their Financial Aid Officer regarding work restrictions.

Other Sources of Funding

Please visit t his page for information about additional funding sources.

External Funding

While the standard funding package is guaranteed, we encourage students to apply for external funding from various sources. Students in the Sociology PhD program have been awarded fellowships from many organizations, including:

• Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
• Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

The Harvard Griffin G SAS Fellowships and Writing Office provides a range of services to assist graduate students in their search for fellowship funding, including individual counseling and professional development seminars. Additional information about possible fellowships can be found in the CARAT database ( https://carat.fas.harvard.edu/ ), formerly the Graduate Guide to Grants.

• Graduate student
• Doctoral candidates at early stage, supporting course work and/or preliminary dissertation research
• Doctoral candidates at dissertation research stage
• Doctoral candidates at dissertation write-up stage; and
• Stage (not specified; may include master's candidates)

Harvard Griffin GSAS also lists opportunities broken down by these fellowship categories:

• Fellowships for the Early Years in Graduate School
• Summer, Research, and Travel Fellowships
• Dissertation Completion Fellowships

For a comprehensive search for outside support, you can search Pivot (formerly Community of Science) at  https://pivot.proquest.com/session/login ; read the FAS Research Guide to Pivot for instructions.

These universities have their own funding databases:

• New York University Grants in Graduate Studies
• University of Chicago Fellowships Database
• UCLA Fellowships Database

Students are encouraged to work with their faculty members to identify appropriate sources of funding for their unique research interests.

Another surprisingly effective approach is to Google CVs of scholars that you admire to obtain past funding sources.

Feel free to reach out to our alumni , who have received numerous fellowships and grants during their graduate careers. 

Graduate Student Affiliates/Associates

A number of funding and networking opportunities are available to Harvard graduate students who affiliate with Harvard's many research centers and programs: Asia Center Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) Center on the Developing Child Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics Ethics Pedagogy Fellows Fund for Research on the Foundations of Human Behavior Harvard Mellon Urban Initiative Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS) Joint Center for Housing Studies Korea Institute Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies Multidisciplinary Program in Inequality and Social Policy Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston Public Policy Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies South Asia Institute Tobin Project Weatherhead Center for International Affairs

GIS Institute

To date, twenty-four graduate students have participated in an  intensive two-week workshop on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) at the Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS).  Students who are accepted to the Winter or Summer session should contact Jessica Matteson at [email protected] to arrange for the payment of the $100 student fee.

Departmental Travel Grants

The Department of Sociology has limited funding available to graduate students in the department who will be presenting their research at an academic conference. Students are eligible to receive up to $400 per fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) in travel grants. These awards are intended to defray the costs of graduate student conference travel; they are not reimbursements for all expenses related to such trips. Additional information about these grants, including information on how to apply, can be found on our Graduate Student Travel Funding .

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• Program Requirements
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• Sociology Courses

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

DPhil in Sociology

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in Sociology provides academically outstanding students an unrivalled opportunity for those who would like to undertake original and independent research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations.

The DPhil in Sociology can be taken full-time in three years or part-time over six to eight years. The DPhil is examined by a thesis, prepared under the guidance of one or two academic supervisors.

The DPhil programme offers individualised training in sociological analysis to prepare you for academic life and the job market. You will develop your skills by undertaking empirical research under the guidance of an academic supervisor and by participating in the department's DPhil workshops and seminars. Apart from these DPhil-specific set of seminars, you will be given ample opportunities to present your work in the department, and to develop your research ideas and proposals with the advice and support of your peers. In addition, you will find a wide variety of courses, lectures and seminars taking place all over Oxford, that are relevant for your research and allow you to become a well-rounded sociologist.

As a research student, you will have the opportunity to be fully involved in the department's research environment, which is characterised by a rich tradition of methodologically rigorous empirical sociology. You will be exposed to cutting-edge research undertaken by your supervisor(s), scholars in the department and the many visitors that the department welcomes each year.

Further information about part-time study

The DPhil programme in Sociology is also available on a part-time basis. The part-time version of the degree has the same high standards and requirements as the full-time degree, but spread over six-eight years. The degree is particularly well suited for students who are seeking the flexibility of part-time study. Part-time study also provides an excellent opportunity for professionals to undertake rigorous long-term research that may be relevant to their working life. For more information, please contact [email protected] .

As a part-time DPhil Sociology student, you will be required to attend seminars, workshops, and other events related to your intellectual development in Oxford. Departmentally scheduled events typically take place 2 days per week in the first term of your first year, and up to 3 days per week in the second term of your first year. You may be required to attend additional skills training courses during your first year. You will also be expected to attend the annual departmental DPhil Conference as an observer each year, and to present at the conference in the first term of your fourth year.

You should be present in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days of each academic year of enrolment. Supervisor meetings should take place on a regular basis on dates determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. Attendance of supervisor meetings may be required outside of term-time.

Supervision

The allocation of doctoral supervision is the responsibility of the Department of Sociology. Allocation takes place as part of the admissions process, and it is helpful for applicants to indicate their preferred supervisor on their application. Moreover, applicants are encouraged to discuss their research plans with potential supervisors in advance of making a formal application, although due to the number of enquiries we receive a response is not always guaranteed. It is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Sociology. You can typically expect to meet your supervisor at least three times a term.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for, and achieve, transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made in the third term for full-time students and in the sixth term for part-time students.

Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for, and achieve, confirmation of DPhil status to show that their work continues to be on track. This should be done within nine terms for full-time students and eighteen terms for part-time students, though this application is normally made in the sixth term for full-time students and in the twelfth term for part-time students.

Full-time DPhil students are typically expected to submit a thesis after three or, at most, four years from the date of admission. If you are studying part-time, you be required to submit your thesis after six or, at most, eight years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in Sociology, you must defend your thesis orally ( viva voce ) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

Alumni have gone on to academic/research positions at universities in the UK (eg Cambridge, LSE, Manchester, UCL, Bath, Essex, Birmingham and Durham) and across the world (eg UCLA, Yale, Penn, Stanford, EUI Florence, ETH Zurich, Berlin, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Tsinghua) and to research-intensive jobs in government and international organisations (eg OECD), think-tanks, NGOs and the private sector (eg banks and marketing).

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master's degree with a high pass (2.1) or distinction ; and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in sociology or a related social science discipline.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

The department will only consider applicants who have a master's degrees in arts, humanities or science subjects if they can demonstrate a strong interest in sociology and have had sufficient methodological training.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7 or above. 

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought, though you may include these scores as part of your application.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.
• Publications are not expected.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The Department of Sociology has a vibrant graduate programme. About 60 students are currently engaged in original research for the DPhil degree. Many students come from the United Kingdom and other European countries; the department also attracts students from all over the world, from Chile to China.

The Department of Sociology is based at 42 Park End Street, which is near to the centre of Oxford and the railway station. The Social Sciences Library is the largest freestanding social science library in the UK, and is located in the Manor Road Building. Students also have reference access to the world-renowned Bodleian Library and the many other libraries around Oxford, including the Nuffield College’s library.

Many colleges offer computing facilities and desk space is available in the Department of Sociology for DPhil students. Hot-desking areas with access to printing are also available in the building.

There are also regular weekly lunchtime sociology seminars with many interesting speakers participating.

The Department of Sociology at Oxford is one of Europe's leading research departments,  evidenced by the 2022 QS World rankings .

The department is renowned for its strong analytical, empirical and comparative orientation. The department focuses on developing and testing theories that engage with real world puzzles and problems.

Each year around 30 students are accepted onto the Department of Sociology's MSc and MPhil taught courses. These programmes provide the theoretical and methodological foundations for advanced research. Many MSc and MPhil students go on to study for DPhil degrees either in Oxford or elsewhere.

A select cohort of qualified students are accepted directly into the DPhil in Sociology, which has around 60 students at any point in time.

Many students come from the United Kingdom and other European countries; the department also attracts students from all over the world, from Australia and Singapore to Ghana and Chile, which makes for a diverse and vibrant environment. 

The department prepares students for careers in research-intense environments. Many alumni pursue successful academic careers, but the department also celebrates a substantial number of graduates working in (national and international) government, in think-tanks and in senior positions in the private sector.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel, accommodation and living expenses, insurance premiums and, where appropriate, visa and medical fees (eg for vaccinations). Costs can vary considerably according to the duration and location of the fieldwork, but the department would generally expect the cost of such field research to range from £200 to £1,000. If you choose to collect your own data, you may also incur transcription costs. There may also be costs if you choose to acquire quantitative data from non-ESRC sources. The department has no funds available to help with these costs, however, you may be able to apply for small grants from your college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Campion Hall
• Green Templeton College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Nuffield College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• Trinity College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

Before you apply, you should identify an academic member of staff who is willing to supervise you and has the resources to support your proposed research project. You should do this by contacting them directly. Details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the department's website.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive responses from academics are not guaranteed.

General course enquiries should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page. 

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) who you would like to supervise your research. 

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Academic references are preferred, though professional references are acceptable if you have spent a significant amount of time in work.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation for doctoral studies, ability to work independently.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A maximum of 3,000 words

Your proposal should give details of the topic you propose to investigate, why it is sociologically significant, and how you would carry out the research. You are encouraged to discuss the research proposal with potential supervisors before submitting the application.

The proposal should be written in English and the overall word count should include any bibliography. 

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• the coherence of the proposal
• the originality of the project
• understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at the time of application.

Your proposal should focus on the proposed research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

Written work: Two writing samples, a maximum of 2,000 words each

Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts of the requisite length from longer work are also permissible and should be prefaced by a short note which puts them in context.

The written work ought to have sociological content and should preferably be closely related to the proposed area of study. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes. It is not permitted to submit one 4,000-word essay in place of the two shorter ones. 

This will be assessed for comprehensive understanding of the subject area, understanding of problems in the area, ability to construct and defend an argument, powers of analysis and powers of expression.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Friday 1 March 2024 Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Sociology

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
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PhD Sociology

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General Admission Contact The New School for Social Research Office of Admission 72 Fifth Avenue, 1st floor New York, NY 10011 212.229.5600 or 800.523.5411 [email protected]

Admission Liaison Aria Vaghayenegar Department of Sociology 6 East 16th Street, 9th floor New York, NY 10003 Tel: 212.229.5737 x3125 Fax: 212.229.5595 Mailing Address 79 Fifth Avenue, 9th floor New York, NY 10003

Chair Elzbieta Matynia

Senior Secretary Charles Whitcroft

Student Advisor Aura Angelica Hernandez Cardenas

Sociology Student Handbook

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The PhD in Sociology is designed for students who have completed the Sociology MA at The New School for Social Research or a comparable master's degree from another university.

The PhD offers qualified scholars the theories and methods necessary to develop sociological study in innovative and imaginative ways, in sustained treatment of a single topic across disciplinary boundaries and/or subcategories of the field.

• Degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Credits 60 credits
• Format Full-time or part-time, on-campus
• Start Term Fall

View current tuition and fees View fellowship and funding opportunities

A full account of degree requirements and procedures is contained in the  Sociology student handbook . 

PhD candidates must earn 30 credits in addition to the 30 credits and MA Examination taken in the Sociology MA program, for a total of 60 credits. Transfer students who already have an MA in sociology (or its equivalent) from another institution may be assigned credit for all or part of their previous graduate studies up to a maximum of 30 credits. Incoming students who already have an MA in Sociology from another institution are still required to take and pass the Sociology department's MA examination.

To earn the PhD in Sociology, a student must complete 30 credits beyond the MA, including:

• One sociological methods course besides Logic of Inquiry
• Four departmental seminars or proseminars
• Electives up to the total of 60 credits, of which no more than 12 credits may be for courses from other NSSR departments or other divisions of The New School that are not cross-listed with Sociology

PhD Field Statements Exam By the end of students' tenth semester in the program (or four semesters after the last course was taken, whichever comes first), students must pass the PhD comprehensive exam, also known as the Field Statements Exam. This examination consists of two requirements:

• Two written field statements (with bibliographies)
• One oral examination based on the field statements

Dissertation Before being advanced to candidacy for the PhD, students must submit a dissertation proposal for evaluation in an oral exam conducted by a dissertation committee. Students must pass the PhD comprehensive exam (Field Statements Exam), complete 60 credits, and successfully defend their dissertation proposal. The final dissertation must be submitted, approved, and defended orally before a committee consisting of four members.

Foreign Language Requirement All PhD candidates must demonstrate reading knowledge in a foreign language appropriate to their dissertation topic by passing a language examination administered by the department.

Graduate Minors  Students can use elective courses toward completing one of the university’s  graduate minors . These structured pathways of study immerse master's and doctoral students in disciplines outside their primary field and expose them to alternative modes of research and practice. Completed graduate minors are officially recorded on students' transcripts.

MPhil Degree With the permission of the department chair, the Master of Philosophy degree will be conferred upon a registered student who has satisfactorily fulfilled all the requirements of the department for the PhD except the dissertation and dissertation proposal defense. Registered students in satisfactory academic standing who have fulfilled the requirements for the MPhil can petition for the degree and receive it en route to the PhD or take it as a terminal degree. Students cannot be re-admitted or re-enrolled for the purpose of receiving the MPhil.

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How to Apply to the Sociology Graduate Program

Thank you for your interest in our graduate program. Our department offers students a wide range of areas of study in a friendly and supportive environment. The graduate program generally has around 40 students in-residence at any given time. 

Virtual Open House

Interested in our PhD program? The Department will hold a Virtual Open House in November. Return here for more details.

Application Deadlines

Completed applications submitted by January 15th will receive priority consideration for admittance. We do not review applications before this date.

Applications recevied  after  Janaury 15th may be considered on a rolling basis through April 15th, as long as spots remain. However, there is no guarantee that we will have space remaining after the priority deadline.  Thus, to ensure the highest likelihood for admission, applicants are encouraged to submit their materials by the January 15th priority deadline.

Applications are assessed holistically. In addition to a strong academic record, we pay particular attention to departmental fit when assessing applicants.  We want to ensure that a students' interests align with our department's core areas of expertise, so that we can adequately mentor students. Please review our faculty profiles for a better sense of our research and areas of specialization. 

We accept students with a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a field other than Sociology, as long as they indicate how their current interests led them to apply. However, we do expect candidates to have some coursework in Sociology (or related social science discipline) and/or evidence of familiarity with sociological theories and methods. Demonstrated familiarity with statistics is also a plus.

Our graduate students receive a full funding package that includes a graduate assistantship (GA) stipend, full tuition, and health insurance. The GA position requires work up to 20 hours per week with one or more faculty members or instructors.

How to Apply

APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE VIA THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  apply.unm.edu .   Step by step instructions can be found here  https://grad.unm.edu/graduate-programs/application-instructions/sociology.html .  If you area of interest is not on the drop down menu, please indicate under “other interests.”

You will need to upload the following materials to the online application.      Note: These materials include unofficial transcripts. Students must also submit official transcripts separately (see instructions below)    

1. Applicant Demographic Form: Fill out the form found here and upload under the special requirements on the online application. ( Your response to these questions is voluntary).

2. A resume or curriculum vitae.  Please include your contact information at the top and all relevant information regarding the following:

• Degrees earned and in progress;
• Academic research experience;
• Teaching or grading experience;
• Work experience;
• Publications;
• Awards, honors, or professional memberships

3. A letter of intent  that clearly and concisely describes your academic background and interests. The letter should be approximately 2 to 3 single-spaced pages in length.

Please ensure the letter touches on the following topics:

• Your professional and academic experience, and/or any other factors bearing upon your qualifications for graduate work in Sociology;
• Your reasons for applying to the Sociology PhD program;
• Crime, Law, and Social Control
• Race & Ethnicity
• Sociology of Health & Medicine
• Your reasons for seeking a graduate degree in sociology and career objectives;
• Any experiences or aspects of your personal background that have shaped your character and how those may contribute to the diversity, equity, and inclusion of UNM;
• If there are any weaknesses in the application file, such as poor grades, you should address them.

4. Three letters of recommendation  from academic references that address your past academic performance, including analytical abilities and potential for success in graduate studies. If you request a letter from a professional reference, the letter should address analytical abilities and professional qualifications relevant to Sociological areas of study. The online application system will automatically contact your recommenders so that they can confidentially upload the letters.

5. One Writing Sample of approximately 10-15 pages in length. The sample may be a previously submitted term paper or an original essay. This requirement provides the applicant with the opportunity to demonstrate research and analytical abilities.

 6. Unofficial Transcripts (from each academic institution attended). For the purpose of reviewing applications, we accept unofficial transcripts.

Official Transcripts

In addition to the unofficial transcripts submitted on the online application, all accepted applicants must submit  official transcripts .  Electronic transcripts can be submitted directly to  [email protected].  Paper copies should be sent to:

Office of International Admissions

There are additional university-wide admissions requirements for international students (see here ). For questions regarding these requirements please contact their office directly at [email protected]

Please see the links below for more information on our graduate program. You may contact the Graduate Director, Dr. Owen Whooley ( [email protected] ), or the Coordinator of Graduate Academic Advisement, Shoshana Handel ( [email protected] ; 505.277.2501) with questions.

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Graduate Program

• PhD requirements

Students are required to enroll as full-time graduate students, to carry a minimum enrollment of 12 units of graduate-level courses each quarter, and to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

Course Lists and Planners

• Tentative Course List
• General Catalog - List of All Sociology Courses
• For cohorts beginning Fall 2015
• For cohorts that began prior to Fall 2015

Required Courses for the Sociology PhD

Seven required courses

• 200: Intro Methods/Epistemology
• 201: Classical Sociological Theory
• 202: Contemporary Sociological Theory
• 205: Quantitative Methods I
• 206: Quantitative Methods II
• 252: Research Practicum I
• 253: Research Practicum II
• 208: Graduate Proseminar, 2-unit course taken in the fall and winter quarters of the first year

Two qualitative methods courses from

• 203: Field Methods
• 204: Text Discourse Analysis
• 207: Comparative-Historical Methods
• 227:  Ethnographic Film: Media Methods

Three core seminars from

• 212: Social Stratification
• 214: Urban Sociology
• 216: Sociology of Culture
• 222: Social Movements
• 226: Political Sociology
• 230: Advanced Approaches to Sociological Theory
• 234: Intellectual Foundations of the Study of Science, Technology, and Medicine
• 244: Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
• 264: Economic Sociology
• 267: Sociology of Gender

Four additional sociology grad courses

• One may be taken outside the department and be taken S/U.
• Note: 298 (Independent Study) does not count toward elective course.

Total: 16 courses and 2 proseminars (66 units).

Independent Study Course Policy

An Independent Study course (SOCG 298) allows independent research and study for pre-dissertation students  who have completed all of their course requirements  and are in preparation of field exams or have passed their field exams already. For more information, please click here .

First-Year Evaluation

All students are evaluated by the department faculty toward the end of the academic year. At the end of the student's first year in the program, student performance is also evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee, including the Director of Graduate Studies, the faculty teaching the core sequences, and by their faculty adviser. Students whose performance is satisfactory are allowed to continue the regular course of study; others may be asked to repeat some courses or to do additional course work; others may be asked to withdraw from the program. Evaluations are communicated to students in writing.

Second-Year Evaluation and the MA

The M.A. is not a degree that students in the Ph.D. program commonly apply for in the course of their Ph.D. work; it is strictly incidental to our Ph.D. program. According to University policy , a student cannot be awarded an M.A. in Sociology if the person has already been awarded a master’s degree in the same or related discipline by another department or institution.

Students in the Ph.D. program may apply for the M.A. upon completion of the degree requirements, usually following and not before finishing the second year of study in the doctoral program. 

Requirements for obtaining the M.A. are based on the quality of the student’s course work. At the end of the second year, students have the option to be evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee for the master’s degree.

The fifteen core courses required to receive the MA degree are

Two courses chosen from

Three seminars chosen from

• 216: Culture
• 226: Political
• 230: Advanced Theory
• 234: Science, Technology, and Medicine
• 244: Race and Ethnicity
• 264: Economic
• 267: Gender

Four elective sociology graduate seminars, of which one graduate seminar may be taken outside the department for S/U.

At the end of the winter quarter of their second year, or by the first day in any quarter past the second year in which they wish to be considered, students must submit to the Graduate Program Committee 1) a cover letter stating the reason(s) for pursuing the M.A. degree and 2) three papers they have written for seminars taught by different faculty. The faculty members of the Graduate Program Committee will assess the quality of papers, as well as the student’s overall record.

The final decision regarding the M.A. is based on the student’s GPA, the three papers, and yearly Spring Evaluations . The committee makes one of the following three recommendations: pass, M.A.-only, and non-pass. "Pass" means that students have met the criteria of the department. Those given the "M.A.-only" evaluations are granted the degree but may not continue toward the Ph.D. Students who received "non-pass" evaluations are asked to withdraw without a graduate degree.

Please note that students do not need to apply for the M.A. in order to advance to prospectus and dissertation work. This process is to be followed only by those who wish to be formally granted the M.A.

Field Exams

In the quarter during which students expect to finish their theory and methods requirements, the three core seminars, and the four elective seminars, students become eligible to take two field examinations. These exams must be completed by the end of winter quarter of the student's third year in the program. The objective of the field examinations is to demonstrate mastery of two established, broad, and distinct fields of sociological inquiry, selected from a  list of fields  provided by the department.

The field exams are overseen by two-member committees. Each committee must be composed of two departmental faculty who specialize in the fields of sociology in which the student wishes to develop competence.  

In a field exam committee, one faculty will serve as the lead reader. The lead reader must be sociology faculty. It is also expected that the other committee member is a sociology faculty. In the rare case where a student is unable to identify a second sociology faculty to supervise the exam on a particular field, the student may consult the lead reader if it is advisable to invite a faculty from another UC San Diego department to be the second reader. The lead reader may petition to Director of Graduate Studies on behalf of the student.

The choice of fields and the composition of the committees must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies before the student starts preparing for the exams. Students must constitute their field exam committees by the end of their second year in the program.

The demonstration of mastery is achieved though one written paper and an accompanying oral defense for each field.

Written Paper - To prepare for the written portion of each exam, students will work with each of their lead advisers to draw up a bibliography of the respective field, which will give them a grasp of key issues and debates and a broad conceptual history of the field. Students are expected to know the central arguments of all the books and papers in their two bibliographies. The faculty for each exam will prepare a specially tailored prompt for each student. Students will have five days to respond to the prompt for each field exam -- up to ten days, combined, for the two field exams. Exams will be open book and will have a maximum page limit of twenty pages each, double-spaced, twelve point Times New Roman font, with one-inch margins.

Oral Defense - Once the student has completed each written exam, an oral defense for that exam is held no later than one week after completion of the written portion of the exam. Each field's oral defense will last one hour and will be given by the two-member examining committee. The oral defense for each field is based on the written exam prompt and any other work covered in the student's bibliography.

Results - Following the oral exam, the committee evaluates the student on the basis of both the written and the oral components of the exam and assigns an overall grade to each exam. Possible grades are high pass, pass, conditional pass, and no pass .

• High pass recognizes exceptional performance.
• Conditional pass indicates that the committee has passed the student pending the completion of additional work.
• Students receiving a grade of no pass on the exam will have an opportunity to retake the entire exam, should they so desire, by the end of the subsequent quarter. Students electing not to retake the exam or receiving a grade of no pass a second time will be asked to withdraw from the graduate program.

Students must pass both field exams to proceed in the program.

Guidelines and Forms for Field Exams

• Field Exam Guidelines
• This form is due to Graduate Coordinator once a lead reader has been selected for each field exam
• This form is due for each exam and must be submitted to Graduate Coordinator once results and signatures from committee members have been recorded. Graduate Coordinator will procure signatures from Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies. Once all signatures are obtained, a copy will be e-mailed to student, while the original form remains in departmental student records. 
• Please append a copy of your reading list AND exam questions to each form --these will be kept on file by the Department as a resource for Sociology faculty and graduate students.
• Field Exam Results Form  must  be on file prior to setting a date for prospectus defense. 

Dissertation Prospectus and Hearing

The central intellectual activity leading to the award of the PhD is the doctoral dissertation: an original contribution to knowledge, based on substantial, original research on a topic of intellectual significance within the field of sociology. By the end of the spring quarter of the fourth year* in the department, the student must have a dissertation prospectus approved by his or her doctoral committee. The dissertation prospectus is a document that presents the research topic of the dissertation, places it in the context of the relevant literature, discusses its significance, specifies and justifies the methods the student intends to use, establishes the feasibility of the research, and indicates the anticipated steps leading to completion.

*Effective Fall 2020, t he Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) remission is guaranteed for the first academic year for domestic students and for the first three (3) academic years for international students. Domestic students are expected to establish residency after their first year in the program. International students may be eligible to be exempt from non-resident tuition if you have advanced to candidacy by the end of your third year in the program. For more information, please click here .  

The prospectus defense is not open to the public.

Students will need to take the following steps to prepare for the prospectus defense and advancement to candidacy:

2-6 months prior to prospectus defense : 

• Minimum of 4 members with UC San Diego faculty appointments
• At least 1 member must have a primary appointment in a different department than the chair's primary department
• At least 2 members must be from the student's home department or program
• At least 1 member must be tenured or emeritus
• Proposed members from other UC campuses, other universities, or industry are exceptions and must be requested in writing
• The committee should include the faculty members whose fields of expertise make them most appropriate for supervising the student's research. Students should approach the faculty members she or he would like to serve as chair and members of the dissertation committee, but the committee must be approved by the Department Chair before the student starts working on the prospectus. The composition of the committee may or may not overlap with the committee that carried out the field examination. If the student elects to have a six-member committee, the sixth member has all the same obligations as the other committee members.
• Appointment of the Doctoral Committee
• Doctoral committee membership table
• Advancing to Candidacy
• Once you have established your doctoral committee and at least six weeks prior to the exam , please complete the Doctoral Committee Request form  and e-mail to the Graduate Program Coordinator .

One month prior to defense:

• Work with your advisor to determine when your prospectus is ready to be distributed to other members of your committee, at least four weeks prior to the defense. Send your prospectus by e-mail to all members of your committee (and copy the Graduate Coordinator), asking if they would prefer hard copy. Faculty commit to read and comment on the prospectus in approximately two weeks' time.
• Contact the  Graduate Program Coordinator  to schedule a room for the date and time of your prospectus defense. 
• Notify both the Graduate Program Coordinator and your committee of the date, time and location of your prospectus defense. 

Day of the oral prospectus defense: 

• Prior to your prospectus defense, the  Advancement to Candidacy form will be circulated to you and your committee via DocuSign.
• Following submission of the dissertation prospectus, the student must defend it at a hearing before the doctoral committee. The purpose of the hearing is to certify that the prospectus is significant and feasible, that the research design is appropriate, and that the student is prepared to carry it out successfully. Based on the written prospectus and the hearing, the committee may choose to approve the prospectus or to ask for revisions and resubmission. The prospectus hearing serves, in effect, as a qualifying examination, and approval of the dissertation prospectus is the final step to advancement to candidacy for the PhD degree.
• After the prospectus defense, make sure that each committee member indicates their approval and signs the Advancement to Candidacy form via DocuSign. Once all committee members have signed, the form will route to the student for signature.

After the defense:

• Students who successfully defend their prospectus are now doctoral candidates. A mid-dissertation meeting with the sociology members of the student's committee as a whole will be required twelve to eighteen months after the dissertation prospectus defense. During this meeting, the candidate will be expected to give an account of their progress and receive feedback from the committee. This meeting serves to create a deadline for the student to make substantial progress on his or her dissertation research. It also asks students to articulate their achievements and reflect on the dissertation research process. Likewise, committee members will be expected to actively participate and engage with the student and committee members and provide intellectual input and support.

Mid-Dissertation Meeting

After passing the prospectus defense, students are required to hold a meeting with all of the sociology faculty members of their dissertation committee. At the meeting, the candidate will give an account of her/his progress thus far and get input from the committee. Students and their committee chair should determine the most useful timing for the meeting, but it should take place between 12 and 24 months after defending the prospectus, with most meetings occurring around the 18 th month. In some exceptional cases, the student, after consulting with the chair, can apply to the graduate coordinator and director of graduate studies for an extension.

There are several reasons why this meeting is important. First, it creates a deadline for students to make substantial progress on the dissertation: By breaking up dissertation writing years into two phases, progress should be more manageable. Second, the meeting pushes students to reflect on where they are in the research process, articulate their achievements, and pose questions to their committee members about their project’s conceptual framework, their writing strategies, job preparation, and so forth. Third, the meeting provides an opportunity for the student’s committee members to interact not just with the student but also with one another, enhancing their collective responsibility for the student’s completion of the dissertation. And fourth, it is a time when committee members can give their intellectual input and moral support to the student in the final years in the program.

General guidelines

• Once the student and his/her advisor decide on the timing of the meeting, the student will inform the graduate coordinator and schedule the meeting to include all sociology faculty serving on the committee. Typically, the meeting will last 90 minutes. Ideally, all participants will be physically present, but under some circumstances (for example, if the student is in another country or if a faculty member is on sabbatical), some participants may use online meeting technology.
• Two weeks before the meeting is to take place, the student will circulate to all committee members a report on the progress of the dissertation to date. The student and chair will decide on the length and content of the report, but it might contain a summary of methods, empirical findings, and theoretical advances to date. In consultation with his/her chair, the student may also submit other documents, such as sample chapters, dissertation outline, stand-alone publications, questions she/he would like to seek advice from committee members, and a timeline for completion. The student should work directly with his/her chair to determine which materials are useful and appropriate for the meeting. For a few sample documents submitted by students, see the Social Assets site (Mid-Dissertation Meeting folder).
• At the end of the meeting, the chair of the dissertation committee will sign the department form documenting that the student has successfully met this requirement.

In sum, the meeting is meant to provide feedback to the student at a time when committee input is highly valuable. This is not an assessment of progress so much as an opportunity for the student to get coordinated, formative information from committee members. Like any other departmental requirement, we expect it to be met in the timeframe indicated above, though, as above, extensions are available under certain circumstances.  

Dissertation

Upon approval of the dissertation prospectus, the student proceeds with dissertation research. Students are expected to consult with committee members as the research progresses and to keep the committee chair advised of progress made. Here are the steps required to successfully complete the doctoral dissertation and be eligible to receive the doctorate of Philosophy in Sociology degree: 

Immediately after the prospectus defense: 

• Review the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA)'s  Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master’s Theses  

While writing: 

• Make sure you keep in contact with your chair on your progress. Students will often register for 299 with their dissertation chair as a course to work on dissertation research, however this is not a requirement. 

One month prior to the dissertation defense: 

• Students are expected to submit a draft of the doctoral dissertation directly to each member of the doctoral committee at least one month before the scheduled defense . Students are strongly encouraged to schedule their preliminary appointment with the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) Academic Affairs Advisers during this time.
• Once the dissertation is substantially completed and committee members have had the opportunity to review drafts of the written work, the committee meets at least one month before the defense takes place, with or without the student present, to consider the progress made and to identify concerns, changes to be made, or further work to be done. Once the committee members are substantially satisfied with the written work, the student, in consultation with the committee, is approved to schedule the oral defense of the dissertation . By university regulation, this defense is open to the public.
• Contact the  Graduate Coordinator  to schedule a room for the date and time of your prospectus defense. 
• Complete the Announcement of Dissertation Defense document and send the completed form to your dissertation committee and the Graduate Coordinator. 

One week prior to the dissertation defense: 

• Graduate Coordinator will circulate the completed Announcement of Dissertation Defense to all Sociology students, faculty and staff. 

Day of dissertation defense: 

• The day of your final defense, stop by your student mailbox to receive your Final Report form and complete all of the student information at the top. 
• All members of the committee must be present at the defense. Exceptions may be made only under very restrictive conditions . Having obtained preliminary approval from Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) and successfully defending the dissertation in oral examination, the student is eligible to receive the PhD. The final version of the dissertation is then filed with the university librarian via the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA). Acceptance of the dissertation by the university librarian is the final step in completing all requirements for the PhD.
• After the dissertation defense, make sure that each committee member indicates their approval and signs the Final Report form. Once complete, return to Graduate Coordinator. 

PhD Time Limit

Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of four years.

Normative time is six years.

Total university financial support cannot exceed seven years.

Total registered time at UC San Diego cannot exceed eight years.

ALL REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTION, INCLUDING TIME LIMITS OR PERCENTAGE OF SUPPORT, MAY ONLY BE REQUESTED IF A CURRENT SATISFACTORY SPRING/ANNUAL EVALUATION IS ON FILE AT Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA).

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Sociology (PhD)

Students in the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the Sociology program will choose from specialized training in criminology and social justice; culture and social relations; population health and wellness; power, privilege and resistance; global sociology; and social policy and social change.

Program details

Admission requirements.

• Faculty of Arts • Faculty of Graduate Studies

• PhD in Sociology

Expected duration

Study with us.

The low graduate student/faculty ratio creates an informal learning environment in which students receive considerable individual attention. Faculty members are actively involved in research, including many projects that readily lend themselves as the basis for student theses and dissertations.

Research affiliations

Members of our department have affiliations with other research institutes, centres, facilities and groups such as:

• Centre for Human Rights Research
• Centre on Aging
• Centre for Social Science Research and Policy
• Immigration Research West
• Institute for the Humanities
• Manitoba Centre for Health Policy
• Manitoba Research Alliance
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
• Qualitative Research Group
• RESOLVE (Prairie Research Network on Family Violence)
• Statistics Canada Research Data Centre at UM

Discover our financial supports

Several scholarships, fellowships and awards are available for graduate students in sociology and criminology.

Learn more about our financial supports.

The Department of Sociology and Criminology offers programs of study leading to a PhD in Sociology.

Expected duration: 4 years

The PhD program consists of a combination of coursework and a thesis component.

Tuition and fees:  Tuition fees are charged for terms one and two and terms four and five. A continuing fee is paid for term three, term six and each subsequent term. (Refer to Graduate tuition and fees .)

In addition to the minimum course requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section , students must complete:

• 3 credit hours in theory
• 6 credit hours in research methods
• Two comprehensive examinations
• Preparation and successful defense of the thesis proposal
• Preparation and successful defense of the completed thesis

Areas of specialization

Criminology and Social Justice

Criminology is the study of the nature and causes of and responses to crime in society. The concern for social justice broadens the investigation to ask whether our institutions—including law and the criminal justice system—are organized and implemented in ways that realize human rights and equality for all members of society.

Culture and Social Relations

Culture and social relations is concerned with the ways in which social identities and relations are shaped, reproduced, and reconfigured through various socio-cultural processes and institutions.  The individual in society is a subject of research for faculty specializing in the areas of symbolic interactionism, socialization, and social psychology. Faculty in this cluster also extend the socio-cultural approach to the study of class, gender, and ethnic relations, as well as to aspects of the media, consumer culture, and other institutions.

Population Health and Wellness

According to the World Health Organization, health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  The teaching and research activities within this area are informed by the 12 social determinants of health, as defined by Health Canada. The emphasis is on the social determinants of health, including both structural and behavioural factors.

Power, Privilege and Resistance

This area examines the dynamics of power and the relations of ruling. It is particularly attentive to the way that class, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality and other forms of social differentiation are created and organized and how these operate to produce power and resistance.  Faculty who specialize in this area seek to understand how power is expressed through movements, institutions and structures.

Global Sociology

The global sociology area is distinguished by the scale of its analysis, rather than by its specific substantive content. Researchers in this cluster examine relations, structures, institutions and flows that transcend the usual unit of social-scientific research, the nation state. The cluster emphasizes the movement of people, ideas, culture, capital and commodities as they form webs of connection, difference and inequality across the globe.

Social Policy and Practice

The state and its various policy domains are the focus of the social policy and practice area. Research and teaching in this area emphasize that the state and its policies are products and sites of struggle. Faculty members undertake analysis of social and public policy and corresponding practice.

Sample course offerings

• SOC 7120: Seminar in Sociology of Education (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7190: Seminar in Selected Topics in Sociological Theory (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7280: Seminar in Theoretical Criminology (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7300: Seminar in the Sociology of Law and Social Control (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7320: Seminar in Political Sociology (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7340: Seminar in the Sociology of the Family (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7370: Issues in Health Care Seminar (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7390: Survey Research Methods (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7400: Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7440: Seminar in Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 credit hours)
• SOC 7480: Social Inequality (3 credit hours)

For full course descriptions, please visit the  Academic Calendar .

The following are minimum requirements to be considered for entry into the program. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Admission decisions are based on the qualifications of the applicant as well as the ability of the Department of Sociology and Criminology and the University of Manitoba to serve the applicant’s intended program of study and area of specialization.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum  admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies .

To be considered for admission to the PhD in Sociology program, you must have:

• A Master's degree in Sociology or a closely related cognate field that includes substantial sociological content
• A minimum GPA of 3.5 (or the equivalent) based on the last 60 credit hours (or two full years or equivalent) of university study
• A strong foundation in sociological research methods and theory

Sociology uses the FGS English Language Test requirements, with the following exceptions:

• IELTS: The minimum score must be 6.5 in each of the test bands
• TOEFL: Minimum thresholds must be 600 on the paper test and 100 overall on the internet-based test (with a minimum speaking/writing of 22)

How to apply

The PhD in Sociology program accepts applications for the Fall term. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

• $100 application fee (non-refundable)
• Unofficial copies of transcripts and degree certificates
• Statement of intent ( Guidelines for Writing a Statement of Intent )
• Three letters of recommendation (must be requested from within the application)
• Proof of English language proficiency , if required

Please read the  Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions  before beginning your application.

Application deadlines

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Architecture reviews applications in March.

Applications open up to 18 months prior to start term.

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated.

Start or continue your application

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for City Planning reviews applications in March.

Winter applications are accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Design and Planning reviews applications in March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Interior Design reviews applications in March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Landscape Architecture reviews applications in March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Anthropology reviews applications in March/April.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Applications open September 1 of year prior to start term.

Applications open   up to 18 months prior  to start term.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for History reviews applications in February.

Applications are reviewed on a  rolling basis .

Applications open July 1 of year prior to start term.

Applications are reviewed on a  Committee basis . The Committee for German and Slavic Studies reviews applications in February/March.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis .

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Management reviews applications in February / March.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Physical Therapy reviews applications in April / May.

Applications open  August 1 of the year prior to start term.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Program currently undergoing review, applications will not be opening at this time.

Select Preventive Dental Science in the Program drop-down on the application form.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Educational Administration, Foundations and Psychology reviews applications in March / April.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Education reviews applications in February / March.

Applications are reviewed after the deadline, with decisions issued in March - April.

Currently not accepting applications to this program.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Please contact the department for admission committee review timelines.

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. Applications received by the March 1 deadline for a September start-date will receive first consideration for any available funding. Late applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis for any available funding, please contact the department for further information.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Human Rights reviews applications in January - March.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Law reviews applications in January - March.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Nursing (MN) reviews applications in April / May.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Nursing PhD reviews applications in February / March.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee reviews applications as per the timelines noted below each table.

Winter applications reviewed in October Summer applications reviewed in February Fall applications reviewed in June

Winter applications reviewed in June Summer applications reviewed in October Fall applications reviewed in February

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. This includes having the support of a faculty supervisor before you apply.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Natural Resources Management reviews applications in March - June.

After the annual application deadline (see below), applications are reviewed on a committee basis by the Faculty of Social Work internal admissions committee. Once this process is complete, decisions are sent to all applicants in March / April. 

Applications open  July 1 of year prior to start term.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Social Work reviews applications in March / April.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Music reviews Fall term applications in December / January, and Winter term applications in July.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Occupational Therapy reviews applications in May / June.

Master of Occupational Therapy regular program  applications open September 15 of the year prior to deadline .

Master of Occupational Therapy accelerated program  applications open October 1  of the year prior to deadline .

The name of your confirmed supervisor is required at the time of application. To identify a prospective thesis research supervisor on your application, please  contact Immunology Faculty members .

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Community Health Sciences reviews applications in March / April.

The name of your preferred supervisor is required at time of application.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . Students selected for in-person interview will be notified in February.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Physician Assistant Studies reviews applications in April.

Offers of admission will be released to successful applicants on May 17, 2024 from the University of Manitoba Master of Physician Assistant Studies, the same day as the University of Toronto BScPA Program and McMaster University Physician Assistant Education Program. The three institutions are pleased to provide applicants their offers on the same day to help with the decision-making process.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Pharmacology and Therapeutics reviews applications one month after the application deadline.

Applications for Pathology MSc are reviewed on a  rolling basis .

Applications for Pathologist Assistant are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Pathologist Assistant reviews applications in April / May. 

The Pathologist Assistant program only admits Canadian and US students every two years. The Fall 2023 intake has been suspended. The next intake is tentatively scheduled for Fall 2025.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Statistics reviews applications in March / April.

Applications are reviewed on a  committee basis . The Admissions committee for Biological Sciences reviews applications one month after deadline.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions committee for Indigenous Studies reviews applications in February and June.

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated. For those who wish to be considered for scholarships, applications must be received by January 15 of the year in which you're seeking admission.

Applications are reviewed on a committee basis . The Admissions Committee for Applied Human Nutrition reviews applications in February.

Les demandes d’admission sont évaluées par un comité . Le comité d’admission évalu les demandes durant les mois de Mars et Avril.  

Les demandes peut être surmise jusqu’à concurrence de 18 mois avant le début de premier trimestre.

Toute demande d’admission en ligne doit être déposée, avec documents à l’appui, au plus tard aux dates indiquées.

Soumettre ou continuer votre application

Tuition and fees

Learn about tuition and fee requirements for graduate studies at UM.

Financial aid and awards

Find the variety of awards and funding options available to help you pay for school as a sociology and criminology graduate student.

Department of Sociology and Criminology

Our department is home to award-winning teachers and researchers who specialize in a variety of areas within the discipline.

Academic Calendar

Explore program requirements and detailed descriptions for required and elective courses throughout the sociology and criminology program.

Explore the Faculty of Arts

Discover the wide-ranging opportunities in humanities, social sciences and interdisciplinary studies offered by the Faculty of Arts.

• Arts research
• Programs of study
• Student experience
• Arts financial aid and awards

Explore the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Discovery happens here. Join the graduate students and researchers who come here from every corner of the world. They are drawn to the University of Manitoba because it offers the opportunity to do transformational research.

• Funding, awards and financial aid
• Graduate student experience

Keep exploring

Discover more programs

With over 140 programs across multiple faculties, schools and colleges, the University of Manitoba offers more learning, teaching and research opportunities than any other post-secondary institution in the province.

• Master’s in Sociology and Criminology
• Master’s in Economics
• Master's in French, Spanish and Italian
• Master's in Native Studies
• Master's in Psychology

Join the students and researchers who come here from every corner of the world.

What it's like to be a UM student

Be adventurous, challenge yourself and make a difference.

Opportunities for Indigenous students

Experience a world-class education in the heart of Canada.

Why international students study with us

We offer state of the art facilities with 140 years of history.

Our campuses

Admission and application inquiries.

Faculty of Graduate Studies Room 500 UMSU University Centre 65 Chancellors Circle University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

[email protected] Phone: 204-474-9377

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program inquiries

Department of Sociology and Criminology, Faculty of Arts 318 Isbister Building 183 Dafoe Road University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

[email protected] Phone: 204-474-9260 Fax: 204-261-1216

Visit the Department of Sociology and Criminology

Meet Sociology and Criminology faculty and staff

Search NYU Steinhardt

How to Apply PhD, Sociology of Education

Use a sociological approach to solve problems such as educational equity. This doctoral program will train you to analyze educational problems and issues using research methods of sociology. You’ll be prepared to work as an educational sociology professor or as a researcher, conducting basic and applied research in public and private institutions. 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend one of the on-campus or online  events  to get to know program faculty, their research, and to look for alignment in research interests. Due to an overwhelming number of requests, and to keep our responses equitable, we do not schedule individual meetings with faculty and prospective students. If you have questions about the program and cannot attend an event, you may also  email our staff  to ask questions or set up a phone appointment. These meetings do not influence admission decisions.

Official Degree Title

Application Deadline

Admissions Information

Program Information

How to Apply

These instructions and requirements are for all applicants. If you are not a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, please read the  special instructions for international applicants .

Your application will require the following items. The following are acceptable document types for uploads: .pdf, .jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .tiff, .png, .doc, .docx, and bitmap.

1. Prepare Your Application

You are required to upload a copy of your most recent résumé or curriculum vitae as part of your application.

Statement of Purpose

You are required to upload a typed, double-spaced, two- to three-page statement explaining your purpose in undertaking graduate study in this particular program as part of your application. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself and to inform the admissions committee about your goals, interests, and career plans as they relate to your intended academic pursuits.

Writing Sample

As part of your application, you are required to submit an academic writing sample - a course paper or its equivalent - that demonstrates your writing and analytic abilities. The sample should be no more than 20 pages and does not need to display a knowledge of sociology or sociology in education.

Letters of Recommendation

Submit  three  letters of recommendation. Be sure to request them well in advance of the deadline. Read  detailed instructions .

Transcripts

Upload one official copy of transcripts from every postsecondary school you have attended or are attending. Make sure to request them in advance of the deadline.

If you completed or are completing a degree at an institution outside of the US or Canada, you are required to provide a WES or ECE evaluation. Please review our requirements for translation and a course-by-course evaluation of your transcripts.

See  detailed instructions on submitting transcripts .

Not required.

Proficiency in English

See  testing requirements .

Application

Start your application now

After you fill in and upload the required information, you can submit your completed application.  Your application must be completed, dated, electronically signed, and submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST of the stated deadline.

Application Fee

You will be prompted to pay a $75 application fee, payable by major credit card only. After submitting your payment, you will see your application status change from “saved” to “submitted.” Please print this screen for your records, as it confirms that your application has been successfully sent to our school. If you have problems submitting your payment, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions. Learn more about our  fee waiver policy .

Mailing Additional Items

If any application materials need to be mailed to our office, mail the materials to NYU Steinhardt, Office of Graduate Admissions, 82 Washington Square East, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10003-6680.  Please do not mail your materials in binders or folders. Any mailed materials must be  received by, not postmarked by, the stated deadline . Only completed applications will be considered and reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt of mailed materials.

Application Policies

Application deadlines are "in-office" deadlines, not postmark deadlines.  It is your responsibility to ensure that all materials are in the Office of Graduate Admissions by the appropriate deadline, and we reserve the right to return any application that arrives after the deadline. Only completed applications will be considered. Should a deadline fall on a weekend, the in-office deadline will be the next business day. We advise you to apply early.

Please check the online system to confirm that you have successfully submitted your application.  Due to the volume of applications and related materials received, the Office of Graduate Admissions will only contact you if your application was successfully submitted and is deemed incomplete because of missing required materials. Otherwise, you will hear from us when the admissions committee has made its decision.

Deferral policy:  NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future semester must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.

3. Receive Your Admission Decision

You will be notified about your decision by email. Typically, decisions will start going out in late March or early April for fall enrollment. You may learn of your decision before or after this timeline.

Steinhardt Fellows Program and Research Assistantships

We offer a competitive funding program for full-time PhD students that supports tuition and living expenses. The Steinhardt Fellows program is designed to help PhD students undertake full-time study and research, to participate in superior academic and scholarly experiences, and to complete their studies in a timely manner. Students in the PhD in Sociology of Education receive five years of fellowship (full tuition and fees, student health insurance, and a living stipend of $32,000) . In addition, each of the School's academic departments has developed a set of benchmarks and milestones, such as conference presentations, exhibitions, authored manuscripts, grant submissions, and sample syllabi, that faculty mentors help their students achieve in order to prepare them academically and professionally for post-doctoral work.

All admitted full-time PhD students are awarded a full funding package and are assigned to a faculty mentor. There is no special application for this funding program.

See more information about doctoral funding . 

Selected doctoral students may alternatively be appointed to a Research Assistantship. Research Assistants are funded by external grants and work with a principal investigator on a funded research project. Unlike Steinhardt Fellows, RAs agree to work 20 hours per week on an ongoing research project, typically with a team of faculty and other students. Steinhardt Fellows may become Research Assistants when Steinhardt faculty win funding for projects that require research assistance.

Other Important Admissions Matters

The program considers applications once during the year in the spring for enrollment the following summer or fall. Meeting the School's application deadlines is especially important for students seeking financial assistance. Even though the above basic criteria may be met by a student, admissions each year are also limited by the extent to which the faculty members are able to take on new doctoral students, and the number of qualified students who apply. Given the availability of open slots, the most qualified students will be admitted.

Applicants who are rejected and who wish to appeal the decision have that option by written request to the program faculty. Reason(s) for the appeal and supporting documents must be included.  

Most Affordable Online Sociology Doctorate Programs (PhDs)

We rank the most affordable online PhD programs in sociology.

Top 10 Affordable Online PhD Degree in Sociology Programs

University of north texas, louisiana state university, university at albany, suny, university at buffalo, arizona state university, utah state university, purdue university, colorado state university, university of iowa, university of arizona, university of georgia, university of missouri, northeastern university.

• Utah State University 94%
• Texas Woman's University 94%
• Colorado State University 91%
• Arizona State University 90%
• University of Arizona 87%
• University of Iowa 86%
• University of Missouri 79%
• University of North Texas 79%
• Louisiana State University 76%
• University at Buffalo 68%
• University of North Texas 23 to 1
• Louisiana State University 22 to 1
• Utah State University 19 to 1
• Arizona State University 19 to 1
• University of Missouri 18 to 1
• University of Georgia 17 to 1
• Colorado State University 17 to 1
• University at Albany, SUNY 17 to 1
• University of Arizona 17 to 1
• University of Iowa 16 to 1
• Northeastern University $60,192
• University of Arizona $11,210
• Arizona State University $10,978
• University of Missouri $10,452
• Colorado State University $9,903
• University of Georgia $9,790
• Purdue University $9,718
• University of Iowa $8,711
• University of North Texas $8,295
• Louisiana State University $8,038
• Northeastern University $26,715
• University of Arizona $12,348
• Arizona State University $12,014
• University at Buffalo $11,310
• University at Albany, SUNY $11,310
• University of Iowa $10,875
• Colorado State University $10,834
• University of Missouri $10,447
• Louisiana State University $9,132

Texas Woman's University

• Northeastern University 7%
• University of Georgia 43%
• Purdue University 53%
• University at Albany, SUNY 68%
• University at Buffalo 12 to 1
• Purdue University 14 to 1
• Texas Woman's University 16 to 1
• Northeastern University 16 to 1
• Texas Woman's University $5,616
• University at Buffalo $7,070
• University at Albany, SUNY $7,070
• Utah State University $7,387
• Texas Woman's University $5,112
• University of North Texas $6,350
• Utah State University $6,763
• University of Georgia $8,878

Key Takeaways

• The average cost of college tuition for a PhD program is $96,800 per year, but affordable PhD in sociology programs range between $280 and $1,200 per credit hour.
• A great way to keep tuition costs low is to choose a college in your own state, because out-of-state tuition can often be double or triple in-state tuition rates.
• An affordable online sociology program also depends on the type of school you attend, and the amount of financial aid you receive.

Sociology is an essential social science discipline. Sociology PhD programs are geared toward students who plan to conduct research or provide post-secondary education in the social sciences.

This means that prospective students considering a doctorate in sociology degree program have access to a great deal of opportunity. However, a traditional PhD in sociology can also be expensive.

Fortunately, some online doctoral degrees now make it possible for graduate students to earn an affordable doctoral degree in sociology. The online sociology PhD program is still relatively rare compared to on-campus programs so we’ve included both for your consideration.

Featured Programs

Cost of an online phd in sociology.

Online PhDs in this field cost an average of $96,800 . Per credit hour costs for these degrees can be as low as $280 and go as high as $2,500. Several factors can affect a doctoral program’s cost, including institution type, program delivery, length, location, and residency.

Institution Type

Private colleges have an average graduate tuition fee of $26,597, whereas public colleges and universities have an average tuition of only $11,673.

The type of school matters if you are interested in keeping costs as low as possible!

However, there may be instances when a private college can end up being cheaper than a public university. Private colleges can have substantial endowment assets, and may have more opportunities to offer grants and scholarships and may even provide larger tuition discounts to qualifying students.

Program Delivery

Traditional colleges can be more expensive than online education for several reasons.

Graduate students pursuing their degree online can usually bypass some of the on-campus fees that traditional students pay including costs to live on campus, commuting costs, costs for parking, etc.

On-campus students may also pay more for physical course materials whereas online students may access materials through online libraries and databases.

That said, many accredited online college programs do charge a premium for access to the Learning Management Systems that facilitate online learning.

Program Length

One way to ensure the affordability of your sociology program is to complete your degree in the minimum time allotted. This is typically a period of 2-3 years.

Graduate students who complete degree requirements beyond the program’s expected time frame experience a substantial tuition fee increase. Many colleges also charge students higher per credit costs if they enroll in fewer courses each semester.

State taxes, not federal ones, are used to pay for higher education. This means that tuition varies depending on where one is located and affects how much it costs to attend college.

Colleges in bustling cities tend to cost more than colleges in suburban and rural areas due to the generally higher cost of living in these settings.

A public, four-year university’s average in-state student tuition and fees for 2021–2022 were $10,740. An out-of-state student’s average tuition and fees at a public university were $27,560, nearly three times the in-state sticker price.

Financial Aid

If affordability is a particular concern, and it is making you reluctant to pursue a PhD in sociology program, you may be able to take advantage of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans.

For more information on financial aid, visit the Federal Student Aid website. It is especially important that you choose an online program that is accredited in order to qualify for financial aid.

Assistantships

Many schools offering an online PhD in sociology also have assistantship opportunities for their graduate students. Assistantships may give teaching opportunities in exchange for tuition waivers and a stipend. Each school is different, so you will need to check into the online sociology doctoral degrees programs you are interested in.

Bottom Line: Affordable online doctoral degree programs in sociology are possible when you factor in things like the type of school you attend, in-state tuition, financial aid, grants, and assistantships.

15 Most Affordable Online Sociology Doctorates

The affordable doctoral degrees in sociology in our ranking range between $280 and $1,200 per credit hour.

• #9 Best Research Universities in Texas 2024
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Tuition + fees

Student body

Median SAT/ACT

Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University of North Texas

University of North Texas’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Communications
• Criminal Justice
• Computer Science
• Social Work
• Engineering

Most Influential Alumni

• Bill Moyers
• Robert Longo
• Samuel S. Wilks
• Valter Longo
• Masood Ashraf Raja
• David Hanson
• Roy Orbison
• Magnus L. Kpakol
• Samir Husni

UNT is one of the most prominent public research universities in the US. The university offers hundreds of online and traditional degree programs at very affordable costs.

The online Sociology PhD at UNT costs $4,226.08 per 9 credit hours .

Students use applied sociological research methods and viewpoints of human relationships and human behavior as core parts of social science to solve global issues. Students can focus on social stratification, comparative and global sociology, health, sickness, and aging.

• Required Credits: 42
• Completion time: 3 years
• Format: Online

What we love about the University of North Texas

Their renowned faculty, culture and diversity, as well as a top-notch curriculum.

The University of North Texas is great for students who:

Want to have a high-quality education and live in a small town.

The University of North Texas might not be the best fit for students who:

Want training for a simple technical job.

• #2 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2024
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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Mathematics
• Earth Sciences
• Political Science
• Michael I. Jordan
• James Carville
• Cleanth Brooks
• Joseph E. LeDoux
• Donna Brazile
• Hubert Humphrey
• J. Lawton Collins
• Claire Lee Chennault
• Nic Pizzolatto
• Stephan Kinsella
• Jim A. Kuypers

Louisiana State University is a flagship university with a rich culture and a large educational community. LSU is committed to positively impacting lives through education, research, and involvement in the community.

LSU offers an affordable traditional PhD in Sociology , costing only $4,370.30 per 9 credit hours . The program prepares sociology students for careers that combine research methods and teaching in one or more sociology subfields. Students are expected to produce their own research.

• Required Credits: 54
• Completion time: 5-6 years
• Format: On-campus

What we love about Louisiana State University

It’s the only university in the state identified as an R1: Doctoral University for its Very High Research Activity.

Louisiana State University is great for students who:

Are willing to put in extra work for extracurricular activities.

Louisiana State University might not be the best fit for students who:

Do not thrive in a fast-paced environment.

• #9 Best Online Master's Programs in New York 2024

Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University at Albany, SUNY

University at Albany, SUNY’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Gerhard Weinberg
• Gregory Maguire
• Robert J. Sampson
• Michael R. Gottfredson
• Frances Allen
• Ellen Datlow
• Celâl Şengör
• Catherine Bertini
• Omar M. Yaghi
• Ronald Stuart Burt

The University at Albany has a reputation for excellence, and a track record for preparing its graduates to create positive change in the real world.

Students gain access to internships and career training in dozens of sectors, including many Fortune 500 companies.

University of Albany’s traditional PhD in Sociology has a per credit hour cost of $608.72 for in-state students and $1,100.72 for out-of-state students. This degree helps students learn more about social theory, as well as the structure of human society using quantitative and qualitative data analysis and methods. Sociology graduates can work in academia, research, government, or business.

• Required Credits: 60

What we love about the University at Albany

The University of Albany provides its students with excellent research facilities and resources.

The University at Albany is great for students who:

Are seeking a diverse community, welcoming campus, and a ton of school spirit.

The University at Albany might not be the best fit for students who:

Lack motivation and are unprepared for a demanding academic program.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University at Buffalo

University at Buffalo’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Wilfrid Sellars
• Richard Hofstadter
• Terry Gross
• Leslie White
• Warren Bennis
• William Lawvere
• C. L. Max Nikias
• Robert Hass
• Silvia Federici

The University at Buffalo is a large campus with a great deal of opportunity for academic and extracurricular involvement. It’s also one of the cheapest universities in the U.S., delivering high-quality education at an affordable cost. The University at Buffalo is also a member of the Association of American Universities.

At only $471.00 per credit hour , students can enroll in a traditional PhD in Sociology and benefit from intimate, collaborative interactions with faculty. This sociology online doctorate presents a special mix of rigorous academics and faculty guidance, providing students with opportunities to conduct meaningful independent research.

• Required Credits: 72
• Completion time: 5 years

What we love about the University at Buffalo

The diverse student populations and longstanding traditions.

The University at Buffalo is great for students who:

Thrive in a big city and a large campus.

The University at Buffalo might not be the best fit for students who:

Are very conservative and prefer small class sizes.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Arizona State University

Arizona State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Anthropology
• Jimmy Kimmel
• Bernie Grundman
• David Spade
• Temple Grandin
• Robert O. Pihl
• Barry Bonds
• Larry Schweikart
• Linda Ronstadt
• Matthew Desmond
• Reggie Jackson
• Kim Komando

ASU is one of the country’s top-ranking universities, offering hundreds of degrees for students in every conceivable discipline. On top of providing cutting-edge degree programs, ASU also offers some of the best and most generous financial aid packages.

ASU’s traditional PhD in Sociology has a base tuition fee of $12,014 . This online doctoral program offers advanced training in theory and research techniques. It focuses on topics related to inequality, law, and society.

• Completion time: 3-5 years

What we love about Arizona State University

The countless majors available in nearly every academic discipline.

Arizona State University is great for students who:

Can study independently and are willing to attend lectures with over 500 students.

Arizona State University might not be the best fit for students who:

Prefer a more centralized or tight-knit college community.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Utah State University

Utah State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Lars Peter Hansen
• Ezra Taft Benson
• Mary Higby Schweitzer
• George Piranian
• Barre Toelken
• Nathaniel Baldwin
• Boyd K. Packer
• Sonia Johnson
• Brad Bushman
• Hugh B. Brown
• Elizabeth Dowdeswell

Utah State University is a thriving, multi-campus research institution renowned worldwide for its intellectual and technological leadership. Additionally, USU offers some of the most affordable degree programs.

USU’s Doctorate of Sociology costs only $827.32 per credit hour , which makes it very affordable for many working professionals.

Candidates must focus on one primary specialist area and pass a comprehensive written examination to be admitted to this sociology degree program. Students will typically also complete additional coursework in a second topic as well as training in sociological theory and techniques as part of their core courses.

• Required Credits: 51
• Completion time: 4-5 years

What we love about Utah State University

The great academic programs, dedicated faculty, and renowned professors.

Utah State University is great for students who:

Appreciate living in small towns.

Utah State University might not be the best fit for students who:

Want to party. USU is a dry campus.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Purdue University

Purdue University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Neil Armstrong
• Ward Cunningham
• James Samuel Coleman
• Gus Grissom
• Edward Mills Purcell
• C. N. R. Rao
• Mohamed M. Atalla
• John C. Reynolds
• Douglas Comer
• Booth Tarkington
• Yitang Zhang
• Ben Roy Mottelson

Purdue University is renowned for its contributions to STEM and other technical fields. The university focuses its attention on creating enriching educational experiences, offering affordable traditional and non-traditional degree programs.

Purdue’s PhD in Sociology costs only $347.85 per credit hour in-state and $948.30 out-of-state. This is one of the most cost-effective programs for students who want tailored learning in the sociology discipline.

Students can choose courses from the program’s seven areas of concentration, including Sociology of Religion, Social Inequality: Class, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Sexuality, Social Movements and Political Science/Sociology, and many more.

What we love about Purdue University

The rigorous academic programs and vast array of majors to choose from for a fraction of the price of attending a prestigious private university.

Purdue University is great for students who:

Are academically aggressive, involved, passionate about a cause or pastime, and open-minded.

Purdue University might not be the best fit for students who:

Aren’t interested in attending a culturally diverse university.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Colorado State University

Colorado State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Jean Bethke Elshtain
• Steve Hanke
• Yusef Komunyakaa
• Elaine Ingham
• Mark Mattson
• Rebecca Skloot
• Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf
• William Tietz
• James van Hoften
• Jenna Ellis
• Martin J. Fettman
• Anwar al-Awlaki

Colorado State University is a growing school built on an increasingly diverse student body and a highly productive faculty. CSU is recognized as one of the country’s best public research universities, especially at its highly affordable cost.

CSU’s PhD in Sociology has in-state and out-of-state per credit hour costs of $601.90 and $1,475.80 respectively.

This degree program equips candidates with professional competence in sociological theory, research techniques, social change, and other topics relating to the social sciences. Faculty of the program do practical work and policy research on the causes and effects of social change on people, communities, and countries on a national and worldwide level.

• Required Credits: 62

What we love about Colorado State University

A tradition of close interaction and collaboration between students and faculty.

Colorado State University is great for students who:

Can handle the stress of a highly competitive academic environment.

Colorado State University might not be the best fit for students who:

Prefer small class sizes and need constant individualized attention from their professors.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University of Iowa

University of Iowa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Albert Bandura
• Tennessee Williams
• Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak
• Oswald Veblen
• Jayaprakash Narayan
• Leon Festinger
• Henry Jenkins
• Everett Rogers
• Julian Rotter
• John Robert Anderson
• Wallace Stegner

The University of Iowa is the oldest higher education institution in the state and a member of the Association of American Universities. University of Iowa provides top-notch undergraduate, graduate, and professional in-person and online doctoral degrees in various subjects and is renowned for its excellence in the arts and sciences.

University of Iowa’s PhD in Sociology is among the cheapest, with base tuition and fees of $12,013 for residents and $31,511 for non-residents. The degree comes with a well-rounded bundle of courses, including research training, writing improvement, and internships aimed at equipping graduates with the qualifications for employment in social service, criminal justice, and other fields.

What we love about The University of Iowa

The chance it gives undergraduates to participate in research and creative endeavors from the Iowa Center for Research.

The University of Iowa is best for students who:

Are friendly and eager to network to meet new people and form friendships.

The University of Iowa might not be the best fit for students who:

Do not enjoy large classes or a school with a lively party culture.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University of Arizona

University of Arizona’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Geraldo Rivera
• Clifford Stoll
• Garry Shandling
• Brian Schmidt
• Henry Eyring
• Michael McClure
• Barbara Kingsolver
• George H. Smith
• Allen Buchanan
• Frank Press

The University of Arizona is one of the largest land-grant universities in the U.S., offering a top-notch education at an affordable price. In addition to being one of the best-value universities, University of Arizona also provides one of the most vibrant campus scenes.

University of Arizona’s PhD in Sociology has base tuition costs of $14,000 and $34,000 for in-state and out-of-state students respectively. This professional degree prepares students for careers in sociology research, post-secondary education, and organizational leadership. Students will develop professional experience outside of the classroom by participating in research on their own and in collaboration with professors.

What we love about the University of Arizona

The endless recreational activities at the University of Arizona.

The University of Arizona is great for students who:

Want to be involved in Greek life.

The University of Arizona might not be the best fit for students who:

Thrive in small class sizes.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University of Missouri

University of Missouri’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Barbara McClintock
• Harlow Shapley
• David McClelland
• Richard Matheson
• Eugenie Scott
• Suisheng Zhao
• Robert W. McChesney
• Charles Stark Draper
• William Manchester
• Margaret Weis

University of Missouri plays a special and significant role in the state’s economic development through teaching, research, service, and other activities. The university system includes a comprehensive network of business and technology development centers and more.

Mizzou’s PhD in Sociology costs $435.30 per credit hour . The program equips researchers with theoretical, methodological, and practical expertise. Graduates can undertake research, discuss findings, and publish their own work.

What we love about the University of Missouri

The vibrant Greek life.

The University of Missouri is great for students who:

Want to have an active social life.

The University of Missouri might not be the best fit for students who:

May struggle to balance social life and studies.

Career Outlook for Sociology degree at Texas Woman's University

Texas Woman's University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash
• Dana G. Hoyt
• Alma Dawson
• Elma González
• Juan L. Maldonado
• Juliet V. García
• Gretchen Oliver
• Dee Ann Story
• Onye P. Ozuzu

Texas Woman’s University , despite its name, accepts male students. TWU has expanded from a tiny institution to a large university with broad academic programs available.

TWU’s PhD in Sociology is among the cheapest of its kind, with per credit hour costs of $284.00 and $692.00 for in-state and out-of-state students respectively. This is also one of the most flexible traditional campus degrees. The program focuses on sociology theory and research methods.

What we love about Texas Woman’s University

The beautiful and well-kept campus.

Texas Woman’s University is great for students who:

Thrive in diversity.

Texas Woman’s University might not be the best fit for students who:

Are not accepting of cultural differences.

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Career Outlook for Sociology degree at University of Georgia

University of Georgia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Michael Tomasello
• Eugene Thacker
• Alfred Blalock
• Bjørn Lomborg
• T. Colin Campbell
• Martin Luther King III
• Andy Roddick
• Alexander H. Stephens
• William S. Cleveland
• Janet Murray
• Robert Ulanowicz

The University of Georgia , the biggest public research university in the state, offers state-of-the-art research, cultural, and athletic buildings. Occupying a significant portion of Athens-Clarke County’s terrain, the University of Georgia has been identified as an R1 Doctoral University for its very high research activity.

UGA’s affordable PhD in Sociology has in-state and out-of-state per credit hour costs of $363 and $1,029 respectively. Unlike other PhDs, this degree program is for a bachelor’s degree graduate yet to earn an MA in sociology degree. The program offers rigorous research methodology, theory, and analytical tools training.

• Required Credits: 90
• Completion time: 7 years

What we love about the University of Georgia

The pool of opportunities to network and party.

The University of Georgia is great for students who:

Want a rigorous, worthwhile educational experience.

The University of Georgia might not be the best fit for students who:

Prefer a small and quiet environment.

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Northeastern University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Richard P. Gabriel
• Marc Raibert
• Barbara Kopple
• AK Abdul Momen
• Michael L. Tushman
• Mary Doria Russell
• Charles Nemeroff
• David Ferriero
• Walter V. Robinson
• Jewelle Gomez

Northeastern University is a renowned research institution and is extremely difficult and demanding. It boasts illustrious faculty members who are recognized experts in their professions. Before graduating, students accumulate a significant amount of work experience.

NEU’s PhD in Sociology is one of the cheapest sociology doctorates from a private university. It only costs 1,300 per credit hour . NEU hosts various annual events for sociology doctorates to help enhance their teaching, academic and grant writing, and media relations. Additionally, students have higher chances of landing funded research through faculty and partner institutions.

What we love about Northeastern University

The small-sized cohort classes that give students a chance to develop close working ties with instructors.

Northeastern University is great for students who:

Wish to attend college in the heart of a big city.

Northeastern University might not be the best fit for students who:

Want a peaceful and quiet campus.

Career Outlook for Students with Sociology Degree

Degree level: doctorate.

• Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
• Avg. Cost of Degree*: $14,003
• Avg. Expenses*: $18,357
• Avg. Starting Salary*: $79,162
• Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $83,850
• Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 9 years
• Job Growth: 3.38%
• Number of Jobs: 1,281,000
• * denotes ‘annually’
• ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

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PhD Sociology: Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees

Updated on - Jan 4, 2023

PhD Sociology is a three to five-year-long program that deals with the scientific study of human social behaviour. The PhD Sociology course aims to provide extensive knowledge of social behaviour through the many PhD Sociology specializations available for students to choose from. PhD Sociology jobs after graduation include HR Manager, Content Writer, Sociologist, Policy Analysts, Public Relations Specialist etc.

PhD Sociology Course Details

About phd sociology.

PhD Sociology stands for Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, is composed of social studies disciplines and offers an in-depth study of human behaviour and social interactions along with various specializations in different fields. The duration of the course can range from 3 to 5 years.

The PhD Sociology course falls under the umbrella course of PhD . According to Wikipedia, "Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behaviour, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life."

Table of Contents

• PhD Sociology Eligibility Criteria
• PhD Sociology Admission Process
• Who Should Do a PhD Sociology?

Distance PhD Sociology

• Popular PhD Sociology Entrance Exams

Study PhD Sociology in India

• Top PhD Sociology Colleges

Study PhD Sociology Abroad

• PhD Sociology Fees Structure
• PhD Sociology Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose PhD Sociology?

Phd sociology course comparison, preparation tips for phd sociology, salary of a phd sociology graduate.

• Career Options after PhD Sociology
• Skills to Excel

Eligibility Criteria for PhD Sociology

For PhD Sociology course admission, students must understand the eligibility criteria as well as all PhD Sociology course details. To be eligible for the PhD Sociology course, students must have completed their postgraduate studies at a UGC-approved university.

Furthermore, many colleges and universities hold entrance exams to determine which students are qualified for the course. Other colleges, on the other hand, require students to have a minimum of a 55 % in their post-graduation. There is no upper age limit for this course.

How To Get Admission for PhD Sociology?

PhD Sociology admission is available through both an entrance examination and a merit-based selection process. Many universities provide both direct and entrance exam-based admission to PhD Sociology programmes.

Candidates applying for a PhD in Sociology should have their results from the respective entrance exam boards required by the universities they have chosen. Though the admission process varies by college, the steps that one should generally take to gain admission are as follows.

How to Apply?

PhD Sociology degree course applications are available online through the University website or in person at the Admissions Office. Furthermore, some colleges may conduct interviews prior to admissions to determine whether students have good communication skills.

Candidates applying for the PhD Sociology programme should bring all required documents, such as class 12 results, BA results, ID verification, and an SOP, to the entrance exam.

Selection Process

Regardless of specialization, the selection process for PhD Sociology courses in India is usually the same. In general, once an application for a course is received, colleges decide on the final selection of candidates based on their performance in the entrance exams. Following the procedure, candidates are interviewed in person by the university. Furthermore, the merit obtained by the candidates in their degrees is important.

Who Should Pursue a PhD Sociology?

The PhD Sociology programme is designed for students who want to pursue a career in the social sciences. Depending on the nature and type of PhD Sociology course, students can pursue careers in fields such as Social Work, Political Science, Psychology, and Communication Studies, to name a few. Those interested in pursuing a career in social sciences research can enrol in the PhD Sociology programme.

When To Do PhD Sociology?

Typically, PhD Sociology aspirants should apply for their respective courses as soon as they finish their postgraduate studies. A PhD Sociology course, on the other hand, is open to students from any discipline.

The Distance PhD Sociology course is offered by a number of universities and colleges in India. The course is built around the Distance Education methodology. This course is intended for students who cannot afford to attend on-campus classes or who are working and cannot take time off to pursue a full-time course. Following are a few points to be noted :

• This path through distance learning has a lower route cost than the overall-time course.
• The candidate is not required to leave his or her home country in order to further his or her studies.
• The path will be researched online. Furthermore, the research materials can be submitted either online or by mail.
• It's far more advantageous and practical for candidates who are pursuing this path while working full-time.

Popular Entrance Exams for PhD Sociology

Entrance exams are a common and popular way for some colleges to screen students to determine who will be admitted to the course. Many well-known colleges across the country have made a name for themselves through internationally acclaimed research projects. These colleges frequently hold entrance exams because the demand for admission is greater than the number of seats available. Listed below are some of the popular exams:

A Quick Glance at the PhD Sociology Entrance Exams

Students can learn more about PhD Sociology courses by visiting the official website of the college to which they wish to apply. The college's approach to the entrance exam is heavily influenced by specialization. Some general guidelines for PhD Sociology entrance examinations are listed below:

• The exam pattern includes English, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Thinking, and specialization-specific questions.
• The papers are objective and consist of multiple-choice questions.
• A university's/conducting body's syllabus, mode of examination, and question pattern may change.

Some of the world's PhD Sociology colleges are located in India. Aspirants have numerous options for the best PhD Sociology course based on their preferences. Candidates must select the appropriate PhD Sociology programme based on the type of PhD Sociology programme available. The following are some of the best colleges in India that offer PhD Sociology programmes:

Top 10 PhD Sociology Colleges in India

Below is the list of the 10 best PhD Sociology Colleges in the country:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in New Delhi

India’s capital city is home to some of the best institutions for PhD Sociology in India. Check the table below for the top PhD Sociology colleges in New Delhi:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in Maharashtra

Maharashtra also has some of the best institutions for PhD Sociology in India. Check the table below for the top PhD Sociology colleges in Maharashtra:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in UP

UP is home to some of the premier institutions offering PhD in Sociology. Below is a list of Colleges offering PhD in Sociology:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in Karnataka

The capital city of Karnataka is renowned around the country for colleges offering top PhD Sociology programmes. Check the table below for the best PhD Sociology colleges in India:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in West Bengal

West Bengal’s capital city, Kolkata, has some of the best colleges for PhD Sociology courses in India. Check the table below for the best PhD Sociology colleges in Kolkata:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in Telangana

The Telangana state capital has some premier institutions in the country for PhD Sociology courses in India. Check the table below for the top PhD Sociology colleges in Hyderabad:

Top PhD Sociology Government Colleges

There are several top Government Colleges offering quality PhD Sociology programmes across the country. Check the table below for the top PhD Sociology government colleges in India:

Top PhD Sociology Private Colleges

India has seen significant growth in the number of quality PhD Sociology private colleges that offer some of the best programmes in the country. Check the table below for the top PhD Sociology private colleges in India:

Students can study a PhD Sociology course abroad if they can afford it. The course abroad is for 3 - 4 years, depending on the type of course, college and country. It offers access to some of the best resources, facilities and faculties, apart from worldwide exposure in terms of subject matter and cultures. Below are some of the top PhD Sociology colleges abroad and the relevant fees structure:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges Abroad

The table below contains the list of the some of the best colleges abroad for PhD Sociology:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in USA

The USA is home to some of the best universities and colleges offering top-notch PhD Sociology programmes in the world. The table below contains the list of top PhD Sociology colleges in the USA:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in the UK

The UK has institutions that date PhD Sociology to the 13th century. This makes the UK one of the best destinations for pursuing a PhD Sociology. The table below shows the top colleges in the UK for PhD Sociology:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in Canada

Known as the ‘Great White North’, Canada is one of the most sought after destinations for PhD Sociology programmes in the world:

Top PhD Sociology Colleges in Australia

Known as the ‘Land Down Under’, Australia has emerged as one of the top destinations for higher studies for many students. The list of top PhD Sociology colleges in Australia are as follows:

Fee Structure for PhD Sociology

The PhD Sociology course fee is not fixed and depends on many factors. Some of the factors which affect the PhD Sociology fees include location, faculty, demand, infrastructure, and the facilities available to the students. The average PhD Sociology course fee in India is around INR 10,000 - 2 LPA.

Syllabus and Subjects for PhD Sociology

The course syllabi included in the curriculum of some of the most popular PhD Sociology courses are tabulated below. The crux of the syllabus is maintained throughout most colleges across the nation, although minor deviations may be observed for a few colleges. Listed below are some subjects that the students get a chance to study:

• Research Methodology
• Trends in Sociological Theory
• Specialization based paper
• Industry and Society
• Indian Society
• Environmental Sociology
• Sociology of Mass Communication and Information Society
• Social Demography
• Sociology Migration
• Social Movements in India
• Gender and Society

Read More: PhD Sociology Syllabus and Subjects

When students decide to pursue a PhD in Sociology, they should conduct research on PhD Sociology course details to ensure that they understand the course they are enrolled in. "What is PhD Sociology?" and "Why PhD Sociology?" are two frequently asked questions by students. We can simplify understanding the answers to these questions by breaking them down into three short questions:

What is PhD Sociology All About?

A PhD Sociology course is an arts degree awarded to students, usually in a branch of Social Science. The PhD Sociology degree is one of the oldest and most popular programs. A PhD Sociology degree is a specialization in social subject matter that allows candidates to adapt to the changing demands of society, and social concepts and meet their needs. The PhD Sociology course enhances the candidates’ communication, research, and analytical skills.

What Does a PhD Sociology Graduate Do?

Students can choose their subjects based on their interest in the job opportunities available in the specific field. Graduates of this role must take on a range of responsibilities, making the role very dynamic and diverse. Graduates with a PhD in Sociology have skills in a variety of subjects, so they can pursue careers in a variety of fields.

Policy Maker: Policy Maker is a popular role for graduates of the PhD Sociology programme. PhD Sociology students gain a deeper understanding of a specific societal subject, which helps them pursue policymaking as a career.

Reasons Why PhD Sociology Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

PhD Sociology course is a very reflective and exciting stream of education. Students can gauge the intrinsic worth of a PhD Sociology course because it offers more avenues of employment opportunities than any other stream. Thus, the PhD Sociology job scope is forever widening and appealing.

Diversity in Job roles: There is a diverse range of job roles available for the graduates of this course. Since the specializations available to the students are very flexible, it enables the students to pursue a wide range of roles in their careers.

Read More:  PhD Sociology Jobs & Scope

PhD Sociology is typically catered to students interested in and inclined towards social and behavioural sciences. Below is a comparison of the PhD Sociology course with other courses:

PhD Sociology vs PhD Social Science

The table below showcases the differences between PhD Sociology and PhD Social Science:

There are many tips that students must note when deciding to pursue a PhD Sociology degree. Some important preparation tips are listed below to ensure that the students crack the course and pass the exams without any hurdles.

Improve Vocabulary: Improving vocabulary is very necessary as the PhD Sociology course deals with many writing and reading activities. So having excellent communication and writing skills are a plus for the student studying the PhD Sociology course.

Read and Practice More: Being up to date with the syllabus every day is very important. Practising and reading more will help the student be thorough with the syllabus and do well in the exams.

Have Intrinsic Knowledge and Interest in Subject Matter: Having intrinsic knowledge about the subject and having the same interest will keep the student motivated to learn more than what's in the syllabus.

Revise Methodically: Revising from time to time can be a key to scoring well in the final exam. Keep revising regularly and understand the subject properly. Revision is the key to scoring good marks.

The PhD Sociology salary for the graduates can differ according to the specialization that the aspirants decide to pursue. Other factors that can affect PhD Sociology salary in India include experience, geography, and the industry they are working in.

Graduates can increase their salary by doing internships and work placements as it would add to their experiences. The average PhD Sociology jobs salary for graduates is around INR 2.5 - 5LPA [Source: PayScale].

Read More: PhD Sociology Salary

Career Options After PhD Sociology Graduation

There are plenty of jobs available for students looking for a career in Humanities and Social Sciences. The job roles will differ PhD Sociology depending on the specialization that one has opted for. PhD Sociology graduates have abundant job opportunities with good salary packages that include the following fields:

• Advertising
• Library and Information Science
• Business Process Outsourcing Units
• Civil Services
• International Relations
• Social Work
• Journalism and Mass Communication

Skills That Make You The Best PhD Sociology Graduate

PhD Sociology graduates must possess a wide range of complex and soft skills in order to advance in their careers. These aren't necessarily skills that students can learn in the classroom. Instead, these are skills that are acquired through practice. As a result, students should always make an effort to step outside of their comfort zone and gain as much experience as possible. Among these abilities are:

• Quantitative Analysis Skills
• Research Skills
• Analytical Skills
• The Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Interpersonal Skills

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Mo Torres ’23, PhD, Sociology

Assistant professor of sociology and public policy.

Department or Degree Program? PhD, Sociology

What are your post-graduation plans? Starting a post-doc and working as an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at the University of Michigan.