Sociology - PhD
Division: Social Sciences
Degree Type: PhD (For the MA degree, see the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences)
Program Description
The Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago is among the great sociology departments of the world. Founded in 1892 as the first sociology department in the United States, Chicago has a proud tradition of creative and foundational work.
Chicago graduates and faculty have shaped sociological subfields from stratification and demography to deviance and urban studies. They have originated methodologies from path analysis and log-linear modeling to urban ethnography. Diverse in interests, methodologies, theories, and politics, faculty and students at Chicago are unified in their intensity of intellectual commitment, in their attempt to combine rigorous inquiry with mutual intellectual respect, and in their aspiration to continuously reimagine sociology as a framework for social inquiry.
In an academic division with some of the best social science departments in this country, Sociology encourages cross-departmental course registrations, cross-departmental topical workshops, and MA and PhD committees that cross traditional divisional boundaries. To that end, prospective students considering work at Chicago should also examine the web pages of other departments and schools within the University (e.g., Political Science, Economics, Anthropology, Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, Chicago Booth School of Business, and Social Service Administration).
Contact
- Admissions Office: admissions@ssd.uchicago.edu
- Department of Sociology: linnea@uchicago.edu
- Website: sociology.uchicago.edu/
Application Method
Applications should be initiated through the online application. Paper applications are not accepted.
Deadlines
Deadline for admissions and financial aid: December 10, 2012
The Department of Sociology admits applicants once a year for the following Autumn Quarter. Applications received after the deadline cannot be considered.
Campus Visits
Campus visits and interviews are not required. Contact the department for more information.
Degree Objective
The Department of Sociology admits applicants only for the PhD degree. We do not offer an MA program. If you are interested in pursuing an MA focusing in Sociology, look at the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS).
Application Requirements
- Online Application Form and Supplemental Form
- Non-refundable application fee: $65. Fee waiver information »
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- GRE and TOEFL Scores
- Statement of Academic Purpose
- Writing Sample
- Transcripts
- Supplemental Data Form
Admissions Decisions
Admissions decisions are emailed in early March. Direct all questions about your application directly to the admissions office.
Program Requirements
Students with no prior master's degree must take 18 courses for the PhD and nine courses for the MA. Students who already have an MA and are now pursuing a PhD must take 15 courses. All students must receive grades of "B-" or higher and receive exclusive language instruction. Courses should be complete by the end of the third year for PhD students and the second year for master's students. The required courses are Social Inquiry 1 and 2, Statistical Methods of Research 1 and 2, a sociological theory course, and two statistics courses.
Preliminary Examination
This is a written examination designed to demonstrate competence in several major subdisciplines of sociology. The examination is based on the first-year common-core courses, Sociological Inquiry 1 and History of Social Theory, and a special supplementary bibliography.
The Qualifying Paper
The qualifying paper should represent an original piece of scholarship or theoretical analysis and must be written in a format appropriate for submission to a professional publication. Students entering with MA papers may submit an appropriate revision to meet the qualifying paper requirement.
Special Field Requirement
PhD students are required to demonstrate competence in two special fields. The Special Field Requirement is generally met during the third and fourth years of graduate study. This requirement may be met in three ways: by examination, with a review essay, or through a specified sequence of methods courses. Preparation takes the form of specialized courses and seminars, supplemented by independent study and reading. For either an exam or essay, the student must first construct a bibliography to be approved by both faculty readers; readers must also agree in advance to either the examination or review essay format.
Dissertation
The student prepares a research plan under the guidance of a specially appointed committee. The PhD dissertation is judged by its contribution to sociological knowledge and the evidence it shows of ability to carry out independent research.
Costs & Financial Aid
As a general principle, we provide extensive funding for all students who matriculate in our doctoral programs. Applicants to our doctoral programs are considered for all fellowship resources at the University of Chicago for which they are eligible.
We offer Divisional fellowships at two levels. Both levels provide support for up to five years, are contingent on good progress, and are renewed annually.
- Five-year Fellowships: Full tuition, University student health insurance, an annual combination of stipend and teaching assignments of at least $22,000, and two summer grants of $3,000 each, disbursed over the five years of the award.
- Two-year tuition scholarships/three-year fellowships: Full tuition and University student health insurance for the first two years; for years three through five, full tuition and University student health insurance, an annual combination of stipend and teaching assignments of at least $22,000, and one summer grant of $3,000, disbursed over years three through five.
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