Coursework & Specialties
The Department offers three areas of primary emphasis. We have regularly scheduled classes and advanced seminars in these areas. These areas of emphasis are:
In collaboration with the Survey Research and Methodology program, graduate students in the program can also develop a supporting emphasis in:
- Survey research/quantitative methods
Students may also develop specializations within other areas of the discipline that overlap with faculty strengths. We offer some coursework, and occasional seminars in these areas. Some recent examples have included:
- Aging and the life course
- Crime and deviance
- Demography
- Education
- Environmental sociology (Available also as an interdisciplinary specialization)
- Qualitative methods
- Religion
- Social change
- Social psychology
- Sociological theory
At the M.A. level, students take 4 required classes: research methods, statistics, classical theory, and contemporary theory. In addition, they take courses in at least 3 substantive areas of the field and write a thesis. There is no M.A. examination.
At the Ph.D. level, students must take one advanced methods course (qualitative or quantitative), pass two comprehensive examinations (selected from the area lists above) and write a dissertation. In addition to coursework necessary to prepare them for their examinations and dissertations, students are encouraged to do independent research or to collaborate on faculty research projects. Students are expected to present research at regional and then national meetings and to publish before completing the PhD.
All students are required to take a two-semester course on professional development. The first course covers preparation for college teaching, and the second course covers issues such as balancing teaching and research, vita preparation, making professional presentations, and the job market.
Interdisciplinary Programs
At both the M.A. and Ph.D. levels, students may develop a minor area or an interdisciplinary specialization. The department has especially strong ties to five interdisciplinary programs:
- Women's and Gender Studies Program
- Survey Research and Methodology Program
- Environmental Studies
- Human Rights and Human Diversity
- Institute for Ethnic Studies
Each area has a broad multidisciplinary curriculum plus an outstanding public speaker series that brings in prominent national speakers.
