The doctoral program in sociology at the University of Pennsylvania takes four to five years to complete. Students take statistics and sociological theory courses during the first semester and a qualifying exam at the end of the first year. The second year is devoted to research and completion of the second-year paper. During the third year of the program, Ph.D. candidates submit their dissertation proposals and finish required courses so they can spend the fourth and fifth years of the program researching, writing and defending the dissertation. Students meet a teaching or research assistant requirement during the second and third years of the doctoral program. Applicants submit transcripts, standardized test scores, a personal statement and three recommendation letters. Writing samples are recommended but not required. Admitted students receive a fellowship that covers tuition and health insurance, plus a stipend.
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Sociology
3718 Locust Walk
Ste. 113 McNeil Building
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-5711
sociology.sas.upenn.edu
New York University's Ph.D. degree in sociology is research-based. Degree candidates need to meet several requirements in order to graduate from the program, including writing a second-year paper, taking two comprehensive exams and defending the dissertation before a faculty committee; four of the five committee members must approve the dissertation in order for the student to pass the defense. Students can conduct research in a variety of areas including gender studies, political sociology and social movements. Students apply to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; prospective sociology majors submit a writing sample for review along with transcripts, recommendations and a personal statement. Admitted students receive full funding from the department for five years.
New York University
Department of Sociology
295 Lafayette St., 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012
212-998-8050
sociology.fas.nyu.edu
Students enrolled in the sociology Ph.D. program at the University of California at Santa Barbara earn a master's degree at the end of the second year of the program. The Ph.D. program takes five to six years to complete. Coursework is typically finished by the end of the fourth year, with the fourth and fifth (if needed) years spent writing and defending the dissertation. Students take core courses in statistics, research methods and sociology theory during the first year and select a topic for the master's thesis. Ph.D. candidates must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and meet a teaching assistant requirement while enrolled in the program. Additionally, students can select from concentrations in areas such as feminist studies and quantitative methods in social science. Applicants' records are reviewed for fellowships and teaching assistantships.
Department of Sociology
UC Santa Barbara
3005 Social Sciences & Media Studies
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
805-893-3118
soc.ucsb.edu