Research the schools that you are interested in attending. More than 30 post-secondary schools in the United States offer PhDs in Sociology. Each one will have unique requirements. You'll need to ensure you meet the requirements before you can enter a PhD program. You may want to choose a school based on location, tuition fees, classroom sizes or program rating.
Take the necessary courses to meet the program requirements. For most programs this will include a bachelor's degree in a related field. Some schools require you to have a bachelor of arts with a major in sociology but many other programs simply require a four-year bachelor's degree. You may need to finish a master's degree before entering the PhD program. Other courses allow you to complete the master's degree at the same time as the PhD. You may also need to take a standardized entrance exam, such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
In addition to previous course work, requirements may include writing samples, resumes, statements of intent (what you want to achieve with the PhD), volunteer work and references.
Go to the university of your choosing and get the necessary forms to apply for admission to the program. Depending on the university, this may also be done online. Verify that you have sent in all the required documentation. Apply as early as possible. It may take several months for your application to be processed.
Meet with a program counselor as often as necessary to plan your course load for the PhD program. This will help ensure you are able to meet all of your goals and that your courses are relevant to your goals.
Complete the program's course load. In many programs this can be done either full- or part-time. It should take at least two years, with some part-time programs stretching out over several years.
Complete the necessary qualifying comprehensive examinations, sometimes called "comps." These will vary from institution to institution. For example, at the University of Michigan, students are required to complete two, four-hour exams before they can write their dissertation.
Research and write your dissertation. This will require you choosing a topic and preparing an in-depth outline. You will then present this outline to the dissertation committee where you will get feedback. Your topic will need to be approved by the committee. From there you will do an extensive research project and write the dissertation on the results. You will work with a professor or the dissertation committee (depending on the university) as you proceed. Once you are finished you will need to defend your dissertation to the committee. This is the final step in the PhD process. Once successfully completed you will qualify for your graduate degree.