SOCIO-PHD - Sociology (PhD)
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Program Overview
A commitment to highly analytical sociology defines the PhD program in sociology . The program trains graduate students to use a range of quantitative and qualitative methods and data – survey, administrative, experimental, interview, direct observation, and more – to answer pressing empirical questions and advance important theoretical and policy debates. The PhD curriculum and degree requirements provide students with methodological skills, substantive knowledge, and mentorship to make essential and impactful contributions to sociological knowledge. The program guides PhD students to work on ambitious, independent research projects about which students are passionate. Graduates finish the program well-positioned to be leaders in the field of sociology.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Students must enroll in course Graduate Proseminar in autumn, winter, and spring quarters of the first year. The course provides an introduction and orientation to the sociology field, department, and faculty. One unit of credit is given for this course; grading is on a satisfactory/no credit basis.
Students must complete six quarters of course Sociology Colloquium by the end of their third year of study. The Sociology Colloquium is a semimonthly seminar held throughout the academic year, in which distinguished scholars lecture about their cutting-edge research findings. Students must enroll for credit, and it is required for all first and second-year Sociology students.
Students are required to take two courses in sociological theory.
The first course in macro-sociological theory (course SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY) and the second course in research design (course Theoretical Analysis and Research Design or course Designing Social Research ) are to be taken in the program’s first year.
Students are required to complete a four-course series in methodology: 380, 381, 382, 383. Students with little background in statistics are encouraged to take an undergraduate statistics course in their first quarter of the program.
Students must complete four broad survey courses to demonstrate command of a range of sociological literature.
Each year the department specifies which courses meet this requirement. A list of courses that generally fulfill this requirement is listed above. Note: class offerings rotate; not all approved survey courses are offered yearly. Students should consult with their advisor to ensure that the combination of courses selected to meet this requirement exhibits sufficient breadth. This requirement is usually completed by the end of the second year of residency and must be met by the end of the third year. The most current list of approved survey courses is on the department website. This list is updated and circulated to students at the start of each academic year.
Beginning in year two and until the degree is conferred, doctoral students are required to enroll in at least one workshop each quarter. Please refer to the program handbook for additional information on this expectation.
Students write two essays in response to questions provided by the examining committee. The essays are due exactly one week after students receive the questions. Students choose one of two questions to write on for each subfield. Examinations are offered in the subject areas below based on comprehensive reading lists available at the beginning of each academic year. Each subject area has one faculty point person or group leader. Group leaders are responsible for assembling essay questions and agree to meet with students as requested.
Exam subject areas are:
Economic Sociology
Gender
Historical and Comparative Sociology
Organizations
Political Sociology and Social Movements
Population, Family, Demography, and Marriage
Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
Social Psychology and Microsociology
Social Stratification
Students may work together to read and discuss the materials on the comprehensive reading lists (and they are encouraged to do so). They may consult with faculty members as they study for the exams. However, collaboration and consultation should stop once the examination questions are released, and students should work independently on their essays.
The second qualifying examination provides students with a more focused engagement in a specialized subfield or research area and tests the student’s ability to work and think independently. Exam #2 is due by June 1 of the second year in residence. A two-person committee that includes the primary advisor evaluates the paper. Although the committee usually comprises two regular faculty members in the department, emeritus and other faculty outside the department may serve as committee members with prior approval. Committees and a brief proposal are recorded on the second-year qualifying paper form, which the student should complete and submit to the graduate student services manager by December 1 of the second year.
Second-year students must enroll in course Research Practicum 1 and course Research Practicum II (both workshops assist in developing the front end of the research paper). Exams are read and graded by both committee members. The grades are essential to the decision to advance a student to candidacy. Students must submit a one-page proposal to the reading committee and receive its approval by December 1 of the second year. The proposal includes a brief statement of the problem; a preliminary research design; a data source and proof of reasonable access to it; and a short reading list. Students submit the proposal and second-year qualifying paper form to the graduate student services manager. Students should produce a paper that makes an original contribution to sociological knowledge and is ultimately publishable. That generally means writing a paper that includes data analysis, a complete and focused analytic discussion of relevant theory and research, and framing the findings as a contribution to the literature. Students may also produce a paper with a primarily theoretical contribution so long as the prospects for eventual publication are clear to the committee. The paper should contain no more than 8,000 words of text. This paper may not also be employed to meet the Third Year Paper requirement, even in revised form.
As partial preparation for becoming an accomplished researcher, each student must complete three quarters of a research assistantship, working under the supervision of one or more faculty members, including regular, emeritus, and affiliated faculty. With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, research experience may be acquired by involvement in research projects outside the department. It is recommended that students complete their research requirements early in their graduate program; the requirement must be completed by the end of the fourth year of residency.
Students must complete three quarters of teaching assistantship in departmental courses, or in other courses by approval.
Teaching is core to the academic and professional training of doctoral students. All students must complete a minimum of three quarters of teaching in departmental courses or other courses by approval, regardless of financial support, to fulfill degree requirements. These teaching experiences must be completed no later than the fourth year of residency in the program. Students working as either a teaching assistant (TA) under the supervision of a faculty member or as a teaching fellow (TF) fulfills this requirement. Students typically complete at least three additional quarters of teaching beyond the minimum required for the degree to further their pedagogical and professional skills development and be eligible for financial support. Students are required to take course: Workshop: Teaching Development in the first year. In addition, students are encouraged to take advantage of the department and university teacher training programs. Students for whom English is a second language are expected to acquire sufficient facility in English to be effective teachers.
As partial preparation for becoming an accomplished researcher, each student must complete three quarters of a research assistantship, working under the supervision of one or more faculty members, including regular, emeritus, and affiliated faculty. With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, research experience may be acquired by involvement in research projects outside the department. It is recommended that students complete their research requirements early in their graduate program; the requirement must be completed by the end of the fourth year of residency.
Students making satisfactory progress at the end of the second year of residency are advanced to candidacy. This step implies that the student has demonstrated the relevant qualities required to complete the PhD successfully. Future evaluations are based on the satisfactory completion of the specific remaining department and university requirements. Students not advanced to candidacy will be dismissed from the program. In some cases, the department may require that a student complete outstanding work or complete unmet requirements before admission to candidacy. The university requires that all students be admitted to candidacy by the beginning of the third year in residence to continue in the PhD program.
Therefore all requirements stipulated by the department must be met before registration for the fall quarter of the student’s third year.
The dissertation defense serves as the Oral Examination required by the university. The student’s doctoral committee members determine the assessment of satisfactory completion. All students are invited to present their dissertation findings at an informal department colloquium.
See Dissertation Section for full information.
Students must complete and defend a doctoral dissertation. At the choice of the student (and in consultation with their advisor), the dissertation requirement may be met either by (1) submitting a book-length document or (2) submitting three independent papers. The papers may address the same topic but should be written as stand-alone, single-authored papers in standard journal format (i.e., AJS or ASR). None of these papers may overlap substantially, and none of them may be co-authored. (The main criterion in judging substantial overlap is whether any standard journal, such as AJS, would regard the papers as too similar to publish both.) The dissertation must be submitted to all committee members at least 30 days before the defense date.