Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements
Programs of work will take effect beginning fall 2015.
Doctor of Philosophy with Non-Demography Specialization
A minimum of 42 hours of graduate work, including work performed for the master's degree and dissertation hours, must be completed in graduate status, excluding thesis. Using the appropriate Ph.D. checklist below, this means you will have at least 36 credit hours of coursework + a minimum 6 credit hours of dissertation hours. If your funding includes a TA/AI position with the University, you will be required to take the 398T Supervised Teaching course and will mean completing at least 39 hours of coursework and a minimum 6 hours of dissertation hours.
To see what courses to take and when, download the appropriate checklist below.
Required Coursework
- Statistics and Methods (12 hrs)
- Theory (6 hrs)
- Sociology Electives (18 hrs)
- SOC 398T: Supervised Teaching in Sociology (3 hrs) - teaching assistants only
- Dissertation Hours (6 hrs)
Doctor of Philosophy with Demography Specialization
A minimum of 42 hours of graduate work, including work performed for the master's degree and dissertation hours, must be completed in graduate status, excluding thesis. Using the appropriate Ph.D. checklist below, this means you will have at least 36 credit hours of coursework + a minimum 6 credit hours of dissertation hours. If your funding includes a TA/AI position with the University, you will be required to take the 398T Supervised Teaching course and will mean completing at least 39 hours of coursework and a minimum 6 hours of dissertation hours.
To see what courses to take and when, download the appropriate checklist below.
Required Coursework
- Statistics and Methods (15 hrs)
- Theory (6 hrs)
- Training Seminar (3 hrs)
- Demography Core and Electives (12 hrs)
- SOC 398T: Supervised Teaching in Sociology (3 hrs) - teaching assistants only
- Dissertation Hours (6 hrs)
Waivers and Substitutions
Students entering with a master's degree from another institution may petition to waive up to 21 hours of coursework. Contact the graduate program administrator for specific details.
Course requirements may be waived if approved by the faculty member teaching the relevant course and the Graduate Advisor. A total of six hours of sociology electives also may be waived or substituted (with out-of-department courses) if approved by the student’s advisor and the Graduate Advisor.
The requirements for the Master’s Degree should be completed in two years. Coursework for the Ph.D. should be completed in the third year. In the third year, students take their comprehensive examinations. In the fourth year, they defend their dissertation proposal and advance to doctoral candidacy. Candidates should complete the Ph.D. within two years of admission to candidacy. For instructions on how to submit the dissertation and other forms, see the Forms and Instructions page.
