Graduate programs

The department of Sociology offers coursework leading to the degrees of Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Science (M.S.), as well as the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D). Students with a Bachelor’s degree may enter our Master's degree program, which offers training in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The candidate pursuing a terminal M.A./M.S. degree must complete a minimum of 45 graduate credits, including 25 credits in core sociology courses and 20 credits of electives (8 of which may be in departments other than Sociology).

Students with a Bachelor’s degree can also choose to enter the graduate program to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology. The candidate pursuing a Ph.D must first complete their Master's degree, which includes a thesis project for doctoral-degree seeking students. Students pursuing a Master's degree on the way to a Ph.D must complete a minimum of 54 graduate credits, including 22 credits in core Sociology courses, 24 credits of electives (12 of which may be in departments other than Sociology), and 8 credits of thesis. The student must pass an oral defense of their Master's thesis. Once they have earned their Master's degree they can, with approval, continue on after receiving a Master’s degree to complete a Ph.D. degree.

Students with Master’s degrees from other programs and/or universities can apply to enter the graduate program at the Ph.D. level.

Graduate training in Sociology prioritizes community engagement and policy-relevant research focused on improving people’s daily lives and society more broadly. Students focus on the integration of theory with a variety of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to study the dynamics of human behavior and social interaction in five substantive areas including health and medicine; environmental sociology, sociology of education; sociology of gender; and law, criminology, and deviance. The program aims to prepare graduates for research and service positions in government, the non-profit sector, private industry, and the academy.