Sociology PhD

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.

For detailed information on The Sociology Department’s PhD Program requirements please see the Sociology Graduate Student Handbook (The Whole Hooey). The general requirements are for students to take the following:

• two theory courses (Soc 406-1 and one other)
• two statistics courses (Soc 401-1 and Soc 401-2)
• one field methods course (Soc 403)
• one additional methods course of the student’s choosing
• the Teaching Seminar (Soc 570)
• the Second-Year Paper Seminar (Soc 490)
• the non-credit Proseminar (Soc 480-1 and 480-2).

Beyond these specific course requirements, students must take 9 sociology electives plus 3 courses outside the Sociology department, for a total of 22 courses.

• Examinations: Qualifying examination for admission to candidacy is the Special Fields Paper that must be completed at the end of 3rd year.
• Research/Projects: Second-year paper suitable for publication (may be used as master's thesis; see below)
• PhD Dissertation: Based on original, independent research
• Final Evaluations: Defense of dissertation

The Department of Sociology does not offer a terminal MA degree. Sociology PhD students may apply for a master’s degree en route to their PhD. The Department of Sociology requires that all departmental required courses be completed, and second year paper be approved as part of these 9 graded courses.