Sociology

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Degree Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy

Students are admitted into a Ph.D. program only, although they may earn a Master of Arts degree as they work toward the doctorate by fulfilling the Graduate School’s requirements for that degree. Students who have completed coursework in Sociology in another graduate program may petition the Director of Graduate Studies for transfer of up to 24 credit hours toward the Department’s coursework requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology are required to complete 15 graded courses and 5 semesters of the non-graded Seminar on Sociological Issues. Required courses include Classical and Contemporary Theory, Research Design, Qualitative Research Methods, Intermediate Statistics, and the second-year Graduate Research Workshop, which culminates in the preparation of a Qualifying Research Paper. In addition, students must pass two written comprehensive examinations and complete a dissertation based on independent research. Students are expected to complete all pre-dissertation requirements, including coursework, the qualifying paper and comprehensive examinations, by the conclusion of their third year of study.

A more detailed statement of the requirements for the Ph.D. is available on the Department’s website: www.virginia.edu/sociology.

Course Descriptions

SOC 5030 - Classical Sociological Theory Credits: 3
SOC 5056 - Sociology of Culture Credits: 3
SOC 5057 - Sociology of Family Credits: 3
SOC 5059 - Sociology of Science Credits: 3
SOC 5060 - Contemporary Sociological Theory Credits: 3
SOC 5080 - Comparative Historical Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 5100 - Research Design and Methods Credits: 3
SOC 5110 - Survey Research Methods Credits: 3
SOC 5120 - Intermediate Statistics Credits: 4
SOC 5140 - Qualitative Methods Credits: 3
SOC 5150 - Time and Memory Credits: 3
SOC 5300 - Sociology of Self Credits: 3
SOC 5320 - Sociology of Gender Credits: 3
SOC 5400 - Empires Credits: 3
SOC 5420 - Social Stratification Credits: 3
SOC 5720 - Nations and Nationalism Credits: 3
SOC 7102 - Qualitative Methods in Media Audience Research Credits: 3
SOC 7130 - Intro to Social Statistics Credits: 3
SOC 7140 - Sociology of Consumption Credits: 3
SOC 7360 - European Social Theory Credits: 3
SOC 7980 - Graduate Research Workshop Credits: 3
SOC 7981 - Graduate Research Workshop Credits: 3
SOC 8000 - Graduate Seminar in Media Studies Credits: 3
SOC 8030 - Sociological Issues Credits: 1
SOC 8040 - Sociological Issues Credits: 1
SOC 8051 - Sociology of Work Credits: 3
SOC 8052 - Sociology of Religion Credits: 3
SOC 8054 - Political Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 8055 - Sociology of Law Credits: 3
SOC 8059 - Conflict Credits: 3
SOC 8410 - Race & Ethnicity Credits: 3
SOC 8470 - Sociology of Knowledge Credits: 3
SOC 8542 - Selected Topics in Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 8562 - Selected Topics in Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 8710 - Sociology of Organizations Credits: 3
SOC 8998 - Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Research Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 8999 - Non-Topical Research Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 9010 - Directed Reading Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 9050 - Research Apprenticeship Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 9060 - Research Apprenticeship Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 9998 - Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Doctoral Research Credits: 1 to 12
SOC 9999 - Non-Topical Research Credits: 1 to 12