phd in sociology subject

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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.

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.

PhD: How to Apply

The Sociology Department recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

The Sociology Department welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars, and we are committed to providing a supportive environment for all students whom we admit. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field .

Minimizing pre-admission communication with faculty: We appreciate that prospective graduate students are often instructed to reach out to faculty in advance of applying. However, our policy is to avoid any protracted discussions between faculty and candidates prior to admission since research shows that fair and transparent process can easily be clouded by back-channel communications.  We don’t mean to be off-putting! Instead, our goal is to ensure that everyone has equal opportunity and is considered fairly. For more information, you can review Stanford's Guide to Getting into Grad School.

Application Requirements

The 2024-25 Sociology Ph.D. applications are now closed.

Please be aware that you must submit your online application by the deadline.  Incomplete applications cannot be completed or submitted after the deadline. Recommendation letters and official test scores from ETS can be submitted by faculty and ETS after the application deadline date. 

PhD Admissions FAQs

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford.Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment.If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125 .  You may submit only one application per year (unless one of the applications is to one of the professional schools (Law, Medicine or Business). Acceptable form of payment is by credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard only.) We do not accept electronic check payments or checks by mail. 

The fee is non-refundable and must be received by the application deadline. 

Many applicants qualify for application fee waivers. Stanford offers several application fee waiver options to ensure that the application process is available to everyone who wishes to apply. 

In the electronic application, you will be asked to upload scans of transcripts (see specific information below), a statement of purpose, a writing sample, and your CV or resume. When preparing your application materials to be uploaded into the electronic application, please note the following:

• File size must be 10MB or LESS
• Files cannot be password protected
• PDF files cannot have a digital signature
• Save each document separately

When scanning hard copy materials to upload into your electronic application please note the following:

• Resolution should be no more than 300dpi
• Scan in black and white only
• Removing images will help reduce file size

The statement of purpose (also known as a "personal statement") should describe your reasons for applying to the Doctoral Program in Sociology at Stanford.  This document is not to exceed two pages in length (single-spaced).  You should include details regarding your qualifications, academic and research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid our admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for pursuing a Ph.D. in Sociology. You will be asked to upload your statement of purpose in the online application.

You must upload one scanned version of your transcript(s) in the online application. Please read the  Applying  section of this website for important information submitting transcripts.

If offered admission:  Please see this page for information on submitting final official transcripts .

Stanford accepts electronic letters of recommendation via Stanford online application system - we no longer accept paper letters.

Three letters of recommendation are required, and they must be submitted using the online service.

As part of the online application, you will be required to register the name and contact information, including e-mail address, of each of your recommenders. Recommenders will then receive an e-mail with directions on how to proceed. At least one letter should be a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years.)

• Please inform letter writers of the application deadline.
• Letters of recommendation cannot be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed; they will be rejected.
• Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Test

* GRE Fee Reduction Waiver

Register early to maximize the chances of scheduling your preferred test date and time

We strongly advise you to take the GRE no later than September, so that your scores will be received by the application deadline.

Late test scores may disqualify you from admission.

We require the GRE General Test only - we do not require the subject test.

Scores must be from an examination taken within the last five years. No exceptions.

Scores must be reported directly to Stanford from the Educational Testing Service.

The Stanford institution code is 4704 .  Please do not specify  a department code.

For more information regarding the GRE, please contact ETS directly.

GRE scores from ETS are valid for five years.  For questions about the validity of GRE scores, please contact ETS. If ETS can send your GRE scores, we will accept them.

Arrangements to take the GRE General Test can be made online or by writing:

P.O. Box 600, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, USA

Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission.

TOEFL scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English. Stanford does not accept IELTS scores.

TOEFL EXEMPTIONS:

You are  exempt  from submitting a TOEFL score if you meet one the following criteria:     A. You (will) have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a regionally- accredited college or university in the United States (territories and possessions excluded).     B. You (will) have an equivalent degree from an English-language university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

You may request a  waiver  if you (will) have an equivalent degree from a recognized institution in a country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom in which English was the language of instruction.

NOTE: Being a U.S. citizen does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL; if the applicant’s first language is not English, the applicant must meet the exception above or submit the TOEFL.

TOEFL scores must be submitted from a test taken within the last eighteen months.

We urge you to take the TOEFL by November to be eligible for admission for the following Autumn Quarter. Evidence of adequate proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions.

The TOEFL is administered through: EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICES, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151

Information on registration, test centers, dates, and test formats .

The University Minimum TOEFL Score for Doctoral programs is 250 for Computer-based test, 600 for paper-based test, and 100 for Internet-based test. More information is available via the Stanford University Office of Graduate Admissions web site.

• Scores must be reported directly to Stanford from Educational Testing Service (ETS)

The Stanford score recipient number ( also called "Institution Code")  is  4704.  You do not need to specify a department code.

All scores are sent electronically to the Graduate Admissions Office, which will share your scores with your department.

Evidence of adequate English proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions.

TOEFL scores are retained for 20 months by ETS. For questions about the validity of TOEFL scores, please contact ETS. If ETS can send your TOEFL scores, we will accept them.

The Department of Sociology requires a writing sample from all applicants to the Ph.D. Program. The Admissions Committee will be looking for original work giving evidence of both writing ability and the capacity for research, analysis, and original thought at the graduate level. Your writing sample could be an honors or master’s thesis, published paper, co-written paper, or comparable article.

• Papers originally written in a language other than English must be submitted in English Translation.
• Samples may be up to 50 pages long.  Other things equal, a short, effectively written sample is preferable to a longer sample. If you decide to submit a longer sample, please indicate which pages should be reviewed by the admissions committee. Your writing sample can be uploaded with your online application as a text file as an addendum to your personal statement or under 'additional information'. Writing samples can be single or double spaced.
• You must upload your writing sample in the online application per "supporting documents" instructions above.

We do not require a CV or resume for application, but you may upload your CV or resume per the "supporting documents" instructions above.

The  2024-25 Graduate Admissions Application  will open on September 15, 2023.

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The Sociology PhD program trains future scholars in the fundamental skills of the discipline of sociology. Students will acquire advanced knowledge of sociological theory and research in their chosen areas of specialization within the discipline in order to make a significant and original contribution to the field. Graduates of the program are prepared to take up teaching and research positions in academia or beyond. Applicants should have at least a bachelor’s degree in any discipline; a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in sociology is preferable but not required.

Learning Outcomes

• Produce and defend an original significant contribution to sociological knowledge.
• Demonstrate mastery of subject material.
• Be able to conduct scholarly activities in a professional and ethical manner.
• Be able to teach undergraduates.

Course Requirements

Candidates admitted to the PhD program must complete 16 courses, including 5 required and 11 elective courses (64 credits).

Basic requirements (5 courses for a total of 20 credits):

• GRS SO 701 Advanced Sociological Theory (Classical)
• GRS SO 702 Proseminar: Sociological Methods
• GRS SO 708 Contemporary Sociological Theory
• GRS SO 712 Qualitative Methods (or an approved course in qualitative methods in the social sciences)
• GRS SO 724 Quantitative Methods in Sociological Analysis* (or an equivalent Graduate Programs Committee–approved advanced quantitative methods course)

Strongly encouraged (2 2-credit courses run over two semesters for a total of 4 credits):

• GRS SO 951 and SO 952 Professionalization Workshop

Elective courses (11 courses, can include SO 951 and SO 952, for a total of 44 credits)

The GRS SO 701 and SO 702 required courses should be completed in the first year of study. All first-year students are also strongly encouraged to register for GRS SO 951 and SO 952. The student’s remaining coursework should be chosen in conjunction with their advisor. Please consult the Department of Sociology Graduate Student Handbook for further details.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for this degree.

Qualifying Requirements

After all courses are complete but before students write their Dissertation Prospectus, they must first meet two qualifying requirements. For each of two subfields of Sociology, students must complete either a: (1) critical essay, (2) critical exam, or (3) research paper suitable for submission to a scholarly journal. Each product shall demonstrate intellectual mastery of theories, concepts, methods, and research in the discipline. Students should select a format for each subfield in consultation with their advisor. Upon completion and approval of each paper, exam, or critical essay, the work is defended in a Comprehensive Oral Examination.

The oral examination will primarily cover the fields in the critical essay and research paper, but it may also cover other substantive, methodological, or theoretical material from the students’ coursework.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

Candidates shall demonstrate their abilities for independent study in a dissertation representing original research or creative scholarship. A prospectus for the dissertation must be completed and approved by the readers, the director of graduate studies, and the department chair/program director. Candidates must undergo a final oral examination in which they defend their dissertation as a valuable contribution to knowledge in their field and demonstrate a mastery of their field of specialization in relation to their dissertation. All portions of the dissertation and final oral examination must be completed as outlined in the GRS General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree and the Graduate Student Handbook .

Students who choose to withdraw from the PhD program and graduate with a terminal MA in Sociology must complete all of the requirements of the MA program , including the minimum 8 graduate-level courses (32 credits) and the master’s thesis on a project of original research. Students should consult the Graduate Student Handbook for additional details about required courses for the MA program.

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Department of Sociology

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

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

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

Sociology Faculty and Student Involvement in University Initiatives

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

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

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PhDs on the Market

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

Graduate Office

660 William James Hall

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

Email [email protected]

Phone 617.495.3813

Director  David Pedulla

Program Coordinator Jessica Matteson

Ph.D. in Sociology

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 19
• Students: 41
• Students receiving Financial Aid: 95%
• Application terms: Fall
• Application deadline: December 20

Scott Lynch Director of Graduate Studies Department of Sociology Duke University Box 90088 Durham, NC 27708-0088

Phone: (919) 660-5614

Email: [email protected]

Website:  http://sociology.duke.edu/

Program Description

Areas of specialization are Culture, Affect, & Cognition; Health, Demography, & the Life Course; Organizational & Economic Sociology; Race, Ethnicity, & Inequality; Religion & Social Change; Social Networks & Computational Social Science. Our mentorship approach to graduate education allows students to have a close working relationship with faculty members. Research productivity is high, and most students publish by the time they graduate. Students also have the opportunity to receive teacher training and gain teaching experience.

Duke provides extensive computer support services, a first-rate research library, and a comprehensive collection of social science data bases. Graduate study is further enhanced by opportunities to participate in many interdisciplinary programs and centers at Duke, such as the Population Research Institute, the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, the Center for Child and Family Policy, the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research,  the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in the Social Sciences, the Duke Network Analysis Center, the Kenan Institute for Ethics, and the Social Science Research Institute. 

• Sociology: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Completion Rate Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Time to Degree Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Career Outcomes Statistics

Application Information

Application Terms Available:  Fall

Application Deadline:  December 20

Graduate School Application Requirements See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Résumé: Required
• GRE Scores: GRE General Required
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English *test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Department-Specific Application Requirements (submitted through online application)

Statement of Purpose Guidelines We train future researchers. As such, we want to know about your interest in and experience with research. Tell us about your senior thesis, research apprenticeships, and experience at a think tank or other research institute. Tell us, too, about what you want to study in the future. You don’t need to have a precise research question nailed down – in fact, we don’t want you to come in with your heart set on a single question – but we do want to hear about what kind of questions motivate you, what your interests are, and why. If you have any demonstrated strengths (awards, high grades, etc.), mention them too, though in a matter-of-fact way rather than in a boasting way.

We also want to know why you think Duke is a good fit. Of course, we want to know your intellectual reasons, but if you also have a tie to North Carolina or any other reason that makes you specifically excited about Duke, please tell us that too.

There are also things that some applicants include that you should probably avoid. Since we are training future researchers, we’re less interested in your experience with activism, teaching, and extracurricular activities. Of course, these are all potentially great things to do; they are just not relevant for admission to graduate school.

Writing Sample A 10-20 page writing sample should be uploaded to the Departmental Requirements section of the online application. This is generally a seminar paper written for a Sociology class. If you have been out of school and have written/co-written and/or published/co-published an article, you may submit that article, too. We look for two key criteria: evidence of understanding and executing social science research and writing ability.

Additional Components Applicants to the joint Ph.D. program in Public Policy and Allied Disciplines must submit an additional essay for admission to the program. Regardless of your selection of primary department, please respond to the following prompt:

In 500 words or less, please explain your interest in the joint Ph.D. program offered between Public Policy and an Allied Discipline. Highlight how your research interests and past experiences lie at the intersection between Public Policy and the Allied Discipline and how participation in the joint program will facilitate your professional goals after receiving your degree.

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance

List of Graduate School Programs and Degrees

Cornell’s Graduate Field of Sociology provides top-notch training toward the PhD in Sociology, and has long been known for its emphasis on both theoretical innovation and methodological rigor. The Field, which is much larger than the Department, has close to thirty  faculty  members. 

Explore the Graduate Program

Graduate spotlight: career placement.

Students in the graduate field of sociology have gone on to achieve professional success in academia, industry, and the non-profit and public sectors.  Click here to browse  a comprehensive list of career placements for our graduate students.

The department also actively supports recent Ph.D. and Ph.D. candidates seeking permanent employment.  Click here to explore  profiles of our current job market candidates.

Graduate Students in the News

Grad student receives funding for research on COVID-19, incarceration

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Sociology ph.d. (ithaca), field of study, program description.

The Graduate Field in Sociology enrolls about 6-7 doctoral students each year, with about 40 graduate students in the program at any given time.

Graduate Students in Sociology are advised by the Sociology Graduate Field Faculty – more than 30 eminent sociologists from across the Cornell campus. Most, but not all, of these sociologists have their primary appointments within the Department of Sociology. Graduate students in Sociology can be advised by any member of the Sociology Graduate Field Faculty. Applicants are encouraged to review the list of Sociology Graduate Field Faculty and their areas of ongoing research and to reach out to faculty whose research interests are relevant. (However, applicants should note that students are admitted in a general pool; not to work with specific faculty or in particular labs.)

Doctoral students in Sociology register in general sociology initially, and during the first year of study, they take a sequence of core courses in theory and methods. Then, students select two areas of concentration within which they develop a strong foundational knowledge of theory and research. These areas are chosen from the list below; students may focus on two major areas or one major area and one minor area. Descriptions of these areas of concentration, as well as the faculty whose research falls within these areas, are listed on the website here: https://sociology.cornell.edu/research .

After completing the required course sequence in the first year, students take two concentration examinations (one for each area of concentration) and then develop a Qualifying Paper. The Qualifying Paper should be a solo-authored research paper that could be revised and submitted to a journal for publication. After the paper is drafted, students are prepared to apply for Admission to Doctoral Candidacy. Students in full-time residence are normally expected to take the examination for Admission to Candidacy in the summer prior to the third year or in the fall of their third year. This examination is followed by the dissertation prospectus, the dissertation, and the oral defense of the dissertation.

One year of directed teaching experience at Cornell is required unless the student is specifically exempted.

Contact Information

316 Uris Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY  14853

Concentrations by Subject

• community & urban sociology
• computational social science
• culture (minor)
• economy and society
• inequality and social stratification
• methodology (minor)
• organizations, work and occupations
• policy analysis (minor)
• political sociology/social movements
• race, ethnicity and immigration
• science, technology & medicine (minor)
• social demography
• social networks
• social psychology (minor)
• sociology of education
• sociology of family
• sociology of health and illness

Visit the Graduate School's Tuition Rates page.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

December 15

Requirements Summary:

• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal Statement
• Writing Sample
• College Transcript(s)
• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
• Resume or C.V.

IELTS overall band score of 8.0 or higher or

TOEFL iBT (minimums): Speaking: 28; Reading: 24; Listening: 22; Writing:24

• A nonrefundable application fee of $105

You do not need to have an undergraduate or Master’s degree in Sociology in order to apply or to be competitive in the admissions process.

Learning Outcomes

The Field of Sociology focuses on five key goals for our graduate students.

Students who are working to complete a Ph.D. in Sociology should be able to:

• Conduct original, publishable research.
• Demonstrate a broad knowledge of theory and research in two subfields within the discipline.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge at the research frontier of one area of specialization.
• Write and speak effectively to professional and general audiences about issues in the field.
• Teach effectively. Design a course, grade and comment constructively and authoritatively on student work, lead discussion, and lecture.

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Table of Contents

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

Directed Study Courses. Directed Study courses (also called Independent Study courses) offer graduate students the opportunity to tailor a course to their specific research needs, focusing on areas not covered by regular coursework. To create a directed study course, approach a faculty member whose expertise aligns with your intended study. Present your idea for the course of study and explain how it will contribute to your research project. While faculty are generally open to leading independent studies, they are extra work on top of their normal class load and faculty may need to decline if their schedule does not permit.

To make directed studies more efficient, consider collaborating with other students to create a class together that the professor will lead. However, it is encouraged to prioritize taking regular sociology graduate classes whenever possible. These classes provide opportunities to meet faculty, engage with fellow graduate students, and build professional bonds, which are crucial for graduate success. This is particularly important in the first year of the program. Directed studies are not typically allowed during a student’s first year in the program.

As you progress through the program and have completed many of the available classes, directed studies can be a valuable tool to fill your schedule with tailored coursework. Use them strategically to enhance your learning experience and advance your research goals.

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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PhD Degree Requirements

Phd overview.

PhD students receive training in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, sociological theory, and major substantive fields within sociology such as gender, sexuality, environment, race and ethnicity, culture, social networks, labor, immigration, and political economy. The department places a strong emphasis on research, and many students will find opportunities to participate in projects conducted by faculty members.

MA or MS and PhD in Sociology

Students are required to complete 55 credit hours of graduate-level work for the master’s degree, and an additional 20 credits, plus 18 dissertation credits, for the PhD. Students who have earned a master’s degree from another program must still complete the master’s paper requirement from the department as one of the steps toward earning the PhD. 

Students having completed graduate-level work in sociology prior to admission to the department may transfer credits to fulfill department requirements if a formal request is submitted to and approved by the Curriculum Committee. Most graduate courses are five (5) credit hours. All required courses must be taken on a graded basis. Students who are Graduate Employees (almost all students their first few years) usually take two or three (2-3)courses per term. The minimum number of credits required for students to enroll in is nine (9) if they have a contract, and three (3) if they do not.

Required Courses

Sociology 607 (Introduction to Graduate Sociology) All incoming students must take this seminar for three (3) credits. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the department and the university community and should be taken their first term.

• Sociology 512 and 513 (Sociological Research Methods): These courses cover quantitative methods, including hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, multiple regression, regression methods with dichotomous and limited dependent variables, and an overview of other advanced quantitative methods. 
• Sociology 612 (Research Design): This course provides hands-on coverage of research design issues, including problem/question formulation, literature review, hypothesis construction, sampling decisions, choice of method for data collection, and strategies for data analysis. The final assignment is a comprehensive proposal for research suitable for the master’s paper requirement. To assist their progress toward the proposal, students work through exercises resulting in draft components of the proposal. Enrollment is normally restricted to sociology graduate students. 
• Two (2) advanced methods courses (Sociology 613), one (1) of which can be taken post-master’s. Advanced methods classes taken must include two (2) separate methods, as determined by the judgment of the student’s advisor.
• One (1) advanced theory course (Sociology 615): These courses focus on specialized traditions of social theory or the works of a major theorist. A second advanced theory course can be substituted for one of the substantive graduate seminars (see G below), as long as the content differs substantially from the first 615 course, as determined by the student’s advisor. The second course may be taken post-master’s. 
• Sociology 617 and Sociology 618 (Sociological Theory I and II): These courses cover major 19th, 20th, and 21st century social theorists, especially Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, and major themes in contemporary sociological theory.

Substantive Seminars

Students must take four (4) substantive graduate seminars or three (3) substantive seminars and a second advanced theory course. In either case, at least two (2)substantive seminars must be taken pre-master’s. 

The substantive seminars are: 

• Sociology 616 (Environment and Resources)
• Sociology 644 (Race and Ethnicity)
• Sociology 646 (Work and Organizations)
• Sociology 656 (Issues in the Sociology of Gender)
• Sociology 664 (Political and Economic Sociology)

Any of the above seminars may be taken more than once, so long as the class content differs substantially each time. Both syllabi must be submitted to the Curriculum Committee to confirm the difference.

Master’s Paper and Electives

To meet the master’s requirement, students take two (2) classes (10 credits) of electives in sociology at the 500- or 600-level. Only one (1) independent study course (SOC 601 - Research or SOC 605 - Reading), taken for a grade, can  be used to meet elective requirements.

Students register for five (5) credits of SOC 608 - Master’s Paper in the term they complete their master’s paper.

Master’s Paper

• All students must complete a master’s paper. Students should be able to complete the course requirements for a master’s degree and the master’s paper requirement in their first six (6) terms of enrollment. Students can be granted an extension to a seventh term without consequence if they make a formal request in writing before the end of their sixth term providing a brief explanation of the reason the extension is required, and so long as this request is approved by both committee members and the director of graduate studies. Students who have not completed the requirements within the first six (6) terms will not be in good standing and will not be assured of a GE position until they complete the requirements (they may receive one if a position is available). Students who do not complete the requirements by the end of nine (9) quarters of enrollment will need to appeal for an extension. This extension will only be granted if both committee members, the director of graduate studies, and the department head agree that it is warranted. 
• The paper is to report original empirical research with an appropriate theoretical context. The paper should be of a style, length, and content appropriate for submission to a peer-reviewed journal in the social sciences. The standard of assessment is whether the paper is worthy of submission to the selected journal. 
• The student may base the paper on research conducted for an academic degree at another institution or in another program at the University of Oregon. With the approval of the committee, the student may also submit for this requirement an article already published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed social science journal. A student who has completed an empirically based master’s thesis that is sociological in content in another program may revise it so that it fits with the department’s expectations and format and submit it for the master’s paper requirement. 
• For the master’s paper, the student will need to select a committee of two faculty members, one of whom is the chair. The thesis committee does not require an outside member or an oral defense. The Master’s Paper requirement is met when both committee members approve the paper.

Comprehensive Examination 

The Comprehensive Examination (c-exam) will determine the degree to which a student has gained a mastery over the substantive knowledge, theory and methodology of one area of sociological inquiry distinct from the area to which the master’s paper contributes as determined by the c-exam committee. 

• The area of the examination is selected by the student in consultation with a special committee consisting of at least three (3) faculty members, two (2) of whom must be sociology faculty; the chair of the committee must also be a sociology faculty member. The committee will be responsible for preparing and evaluating the examination. The examination is a three-day (3-day) written examination of the student’s mastery of a reading list approved by the committee. Although the student may suggest a list of questions for the examination, the committee decides on the questions. The committee poses the questions to the student at the start of the exam, and the student has three (3) days to submit their answers.
• In defining the areas of examination, the committee has the responsibility of guarding against both narrow specialization and unrealistically broad aspirations on the part of the student. The current list of sections within the American Sociological Association should serve as models for balancing breadth and depth.
• Students who fail to pass an examination on the first attempt will be permitted to take the examination a second time. Students failing an examination twice will be terminated from the program. 
• To remain in good standing, a requirement for assurance of departmental funding, students must complete the c-exam by the end of their ninth term of enrollment (excluding summers) in the department based on the regular academic calendar.
• Students should negotiate in advance with the c-exam committee for when they can commit to completing the evaluation. The committee should be given at least three (3) weeks to complete its evaluation.
• Students are advanced to candidacy after completing coursework and passing the c-exam. Students will be promoted to GE 3 the term after advancement.  

Doctoral Dissertation 

Once the c-exam and coursework are complete, students are advanced to candidacy and begin work on their dissertation proposal.

• The doctoral dissertation committee will be composed of at least three (3) sociology faculty members and an additional outside member of the UO graduate faculty not affiliated with the Department of Sociology who serves as a representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. This committee should be proposed to the Dean of the Graduate School by the fall of the student’s fifth year of enrollment and no later than six (6) months before the date of completion of the Ph.D. degree.
• The dissertation committee will be formed at the student’s initiative after passing the Comprehensive Examination (c-exam). All PhD candidates must prepare a dissertation proposal and formally defend it before their committee no later than the fall of their fifth year of enrollment, or they will not be in good academic standing, potentially making them ineligible for departmental funding. Students are encouraged to defend before the end of their fourth year in the program.
• The student should refer to the Style Manual for Theses and Dissertations published by the graduate school. This manual includes regulations for the dissertation and a checklist of timing for completion of certain administrative procedures.
• Students are required to enroll in at least three (3) credits of SOC 603 both the term before they defend AND the term they defend.

Apply to Our Graduate Program

Ready to apply? Start your application on Slate, the centralized application portal for graduate admissions at the University of Oregon.

Graduate Program Director

Kari Marie Norgaard Email: [email protected] Phone number: 541-346-8615 Office hours: By appointment

Graduate Coordinators

Sharon Kaplan Email: [email protected]

Rachel Claric Email: [email protected]

• What Can You Do With A PhD In Sociology?
• After a PhD

Introduction

This article will answer “what can you do with a PhD in Sociology?”. First, let’s start with the basics: Sociology is a social science which aims to understand the behaviour of society. This is a very broad definition but captures the essence of the subject. Sociology studies range from the structure of different groups and organisations within society to divisions from religion, class, race, age and gender.

A PhD degree in sociology provides insight into social concepts and requires a strong understanding of research methods, statistics, data collection and analysis. Research shows that most Social science graduates move into academia, though other (non-academic) career options exist.

Data on leavers

The Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Longitudinal Survey, carried out by HSEA, captures information about the activities and perspectives of graduates three and a half years after they completed their studies. Based on over 11,000 responses from 2012/13 Social study leavers, approximately 83% of UK domiciled leavers who achieved a qualification through postgraduate research were in work, with another approx. 7.5% in further study.

Destinations of 2012/13 UK and other EU domiciled leavers with postgraduate research in Social studies.

More information on this data can be found here . The same survey also includes information on those in employment. The table below presents the employment destination (categorised by jobs) of UK domiciled Social study leavers (2012/13) who obtained postgraduate qualifications.

UK domiciled leavers (Postgraduate Social studies 2012/13) in employment (inc. work and further study) by Standard Industrial Classification of employer

More information on this data can be found here .

We can see the largest four destinations are: 1) Human health and social work activities, 2) Public administration and defence; compulsory social security, 3) Education and 4) Professional, scientific and technical activities. We can also see that some social study graduates take up jobs/roles in financial and insurance activities, retail trade and manufacturing.

Of course, a postgraduate degree is much more specialised than an undergraduate degree, and so your PhD programme can be tailored to particular career options if you already have long-term aspirations for your career. For example, a PhD in Sociology with a focus on international relations lends itself to a career in international politics.

Studying sociology equips you with the skills for a career not only in the academic field but also in a wide range of fields including business, health & social care, marketing, public relations, education and politics. Examples of typical first roles post-graduation for sociology doctorates includes lecturers, researchers, positions in government, youth workers and public health services.

The analytical nature of sociology studies lends itself to a career in business. Business is a very broad term – think statistics, public relations, human resources etc. The ability to emphasise and understand human behaviour is important in the last two examples, and business often looks to sociology students at university for these attributes. Due to the competitive nature of business jobs, PhD students should look to undertake work experience which would support their academic work before applying.

Marketing is the art of understanding social behaviour and human thinking to best develop campaigns to target these attributes. A PhD degree in sociology provides a strong foundation of knowledge in gender, race, age and human behaviour etc. which enables you to use your research skills to more accurately forecast the effectiveness of marketing campaigns to target demographics. This understanding, combined with the analytical skills gained from a PhD makes a career in marketing a suitable destination for sociology graduates.

Social & social care

Social researchers are able to transition into social care roles such as community development officers, welfare officers, counsellors as well as careers in the public health service, the criminal justice service and in rehabilitation. These roles let you make the most of the ‘human’ side of your research programme and allow you to interact with members of the public (from varying backgrounds) in a more intimate nature. If you are a student who particularly enjoyed the health oriented aspects of your PhD study, this could be the right career path for you.

A Sociology PhD degree can prepare you in a career in education at any level. As a research student you are likely to have knowledge of child behaviour and the learning process in children which can be used (alongside a professional teaching qualification) to land you a teaching role in primary and secondary education.

In terms of higher education, a research degree typically forms part of the entry requirements for a teaching role in universities. Generally, university lecturers have much more freedom in the contents and coursework of their course than lower education teachers, which allows you to focus on your chosen speciality and tailor research training to your research interest. Universities often offer their doctorates part time teaching positions as a way of assisting in the transition from student to teacher.

It is important to note that an educational role in higher education is not just limited to lecturing at a university, but also includes supervising research projects, tutoring students and running research programmes.

Similar to marketing, a successful politician needs to have a strong understanding of social culture and be in tune with the values of different demographics. A career in politics can range from being an activist to engaging with charities, regardless of the level of involvement – a PhD in sociology gives you the perspective of different cultures and can allow you to use this insight to contribute to society. Whether your postgraduate research area is directly related to politics or not, looking for work experience is advised as it often forms part of entry requirements for political roles.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Skills for your CV

It is important to remember that whilst most Sociology doctorates pursue a career in academia, holding a PhD in the subject gives you a number of skills and attributes which make you desirable to a wide range of employers. You must be able to recognise these skills when preparing your CV and job applications.

Examples of skills you will learn as a sociology PhD student during your postgraduate study include:

• An understanding of the social concepts and current issues faced in society,
• The ability to emphasise and use information to make strong arguments,
• An understanding and application of statistical methods and analytical techniques,
• Appreciate the diversity and range of cultures in the world,
• Use the above knowledge to become more influential in society and relate your knowledge to public policy.

In addition to the above having a PhD also equips you with several transferable skills . These are skills which a vital in the professional working environment and can be used in any sector. Examples of transferable skills postgraduate research students possess include communication, team working, work ethic, time management, problem-solving and the ability to carry out independent research.

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The department of Sociology at the University of Southern California offers graduate students a vibrant academic environment in a campus that is nestled in the midst of an exciting urban center. Our graduate students enjoy an exceptionally generous financial aid package. Upon graduation, our students take academic positions in research universities, liberal arts colleges, and other academic institutions. The department offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Our PhD students also receive the Master of Arts (M.A. degree) after successfully completing the qualifying examinations. To learn more about graduate study at USC, see what alumni have to say about the program and our placements .

We are particularly proud that our graduate students have recently (2016-18) been awarded fellowships and grants including: ACLS/Mellon Dissertation Completion Fellowship, AAUW American Dissertation Fellowship, American Sociological Association’s Minority Fellowship Program, Ford Foundation Dissertation Completion Fellowship, Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, Fulbright Commission Fellowship, Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, and the SSRC Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship. Read more about our graduate students’ recent publications, fellowships, and awards .

Core Requirements

A minimum of 60 graduate units is necessary for the Ph.D., among which the following 28 credits are required courses:

– SOCI 500 Sociology Proseminar: Approaches to Sociological Research – SOCI 510 Sociological Theory I – SOCI 511 Sociological Theory II – SOCI 520 Qualitative Research Methods – SOCI 521 Quantitative Methods and Statistics – SOCI 593 Practicum in Teaching the Liberal Arts – SOCI 680 Writing for Publication in Sociology

CHOOSE ONE:

– SOCI 620 Advanced Methods – Qualitative Research – SOCI 621 Advanced Methods – Quantitative Research

Areas of Specialization

Students are required to specialize in two areas and to complete at least one course in each of these areas. Standard Exam Areas in the department include:

– Culture – Demography – Economic Sociology & Organizations – Family – Gender – Globalization – Health & Medicine – Immigration – Labor & Occupations – Political Sociology – Race and Ethnicity – Social Stratification – Social Movements & Civic Engagement – Social Theory – Urban Sociology

Empirical Paper

Success in the field of sociology requires involvement in the conduct of empirical research. Relatively early, therefore, each student is required to complete an independent research project, which is supervised by two faculty members. If a master’s thesis or some other research project has been completed at another university, it may — subject to permission of the student’s guidance committee — be submitted in lieu of the empirical paper. Students are also required to make a public presentation of this or other independent work, either at a professional meeting or in some other academic forum.

5-Member Guidance Committee

The 5-Member Guidance Committee will conduct the Qualification Examination of each PhD student. Sociology uses two-person standing qualifying committees for each of our areas. The two standing qualifying review committees (4 members) form the skeleton of the 5-person guidance committee.

Qualifying Examinations

All students are required to complete written and oral qualifying exams on their two specialty fields in the spring semester of their third year of graduate study. The completion of the Empirical Paper is no longer a prerequisite for the Qualifying Exams.

Advancing to Candidacy

Students advance to Ph.D. candidacy upon the completion of their empirical paper and qualifying examination.

Dissertation

The dissertation is the final step in the acquisition of the Ph.D. degree. After advancement to candidacy, students are expected to submit a formal prospectus to their dissertation committee within six months.

Program Learning Objectives

Our graduates will be able to demonstrate:

• This is assessed through professional-level performance in required coursework as demonstrated by well-crafted seminar papers in core courses.
• This is assessed through professional-level performance in elective coursework and on qualifying exams.
• This is assessed through the empirical paper, dissertation, and research collaborations with faculty.
• This is assessed through the completion of the teaching practicum and TA-ships.
• This is assessed by the required presentation of the empirical paper and submission of the empirical paper for journal publication (after the required workshop in publishing), attendance at professional conferences (subsidized by the department), and attendance at department professionalization seminars, colloquium, and brown bags.

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Sociology, PhD

Graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania is conducted through graduate groups formed according to different areas of study. These groups administer programs leading to the AM and PhD degrees. Those seeking a graduate degree in Sociology should apply to the Graduate Group in Sociology. Sociology students earn their MA on the way to the PhD. There is no terminal Master's degree program.

It is possible to earn a joint Ph.D. in Sociology and another discipline by being admitted to and satisfying the requirements of two Ph.D. programs and writing a single dissertation. Currently, students are enrolled in joint degrees with Demography, Education, Communications, and Africana Studies. Students seeking a joint Ph.D. combining Sociology with another program must be admitted in that program (as well as Sociology); admittance to the second program may occur after admission to the Sociology program.

For more information: http://sociology.sas.upenn.edu/graduate_resources

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

Required Courses

A minimum of 16 course units are required. A minimum of 12 course units must be taken at the University of Pennsylvania.

 Three electives must be in Sociology.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2023 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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