This is an academically-oriented program. It is designed to provide the student with a firm foundation in sociological theory, methods, and research so the student is prepared to engage in professional research and university teaching.
The PhD program is designed to give the student systematic exposure to sociological theories, methods, and statistics, as well their application to a number of substantive areas of sociology. It also provides the opportunity to develop special, high-level competence within an area of research, and the training to publish and present this research in professional settings.
The first phase of the PhD program provides basic training in theory, methods, and research. The requirement in this phase is to complete five required courses in theory, methods, and statistics, as well as 15 additional course credits consisting of substantive courses and up to three credits of SOC 699 . All courses that count towards PhD requirements must be at the 600 level or higher and passed with a grade of B or above. The minimum total number of course credits necessary for graduation is 33, but most PhD students take more than the minimum in order to gain adequate knowledge. Completing non-course requirements (QR, comprehensive exam, dissertation) generally takes more time than course requirements. Please consult the department website for more details regarding each of the stages in the PhD program.
By the third semester, the student should form a guidance committee consisting of at least three faculty members, typically drawn primarily from within the department. By approximately the fourth semester, the student submits one of their best course papers for their qualifying review. The paper is judged by a specially constituted qualifying review panel. The qualifying review must be passed before proceeding onto Phase II of the PhD program.
The second phase provides advanced training in areas of concentration and dissertation research. The requirement in this phase is to take three additional credits of substantive courses at the 600 level or above. In addition, the student is required to take a written and oral comprehensive examination in two areas of concentration, write a dissertation proposal, perform the approved dissertation research, and finish writing and orally defending the dissertation.
Early in the second phase, the student must organize a dissertation committee consisting of at least five members of the graduate faculty, including the official university representative from the Graduate Division’s list of eligible university representatives for sociology, in accordance with the Graduate Division policies.
Preferably by the fifth semester, all PhD students must take a comprehensive examination from the dissertation committee. The written examination covers two broadly defined research areas, as determined by the student and the dissertation committee. The student develops a bibliography for each area, and the dissertation committee composes questions from each. After the student has taken the written examination, the dissertation committee evaluates the results and holds a closed oral examination to determine whether or not the student is prepared to undertake dissertation research.
Following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student prepares a dissertation proposal. This proposal describes the theoretical basis and the research strategy to be employed in the study of the dissertation problem. When it has been successfully defended before the doctoral committee, the student proceeds to the research and writing phase of the dissertation. The dissertation should represent a major original scholarly contribution to the field of sociology suitable for publication in the form of a monograph. A PhD is given only after completion of the dissertation text and an oral defense.
