Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in the field of Sociology
Program Learning Outcomes for the MA and PhD Degrees in the field of Sociology
Upon completing the MA and PhD degrees in the field of Sociology, students will be able to:
- Understand and apply the role of theory in sociology.
- Demonstrate understanding and application of both qualitative and quantitative sociological methods.
- Demonstrate expertise in at least two specialty areas within sociology.
Requirements for the MA and PhD Degrees in the field of Sociology
MA Degree Program
The MA degree is a thesis master’s degree. For general university requirements, please see Thesis Master’s Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. The Sociology department does not admit students seeking only a master's degree. Graduate students may earn the MA degree as they work towards the PhD.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these course substitutions must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the MA Degree in the field of Sociology | 43 | |
PhD Degree Program
For general university requirements, please see Doctoral Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the PhD degree in the field of Sociology must complete:
- A minimum of 90 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements
The PhD program is a five-year degree program. Students will normally obtain a master’s degree after two years of study and research as a student progresses toward the PhD, and will usually need an additional three years to complete the requirements for a PhD. The coursework is sequenced and will typically be completed in two and a half years. By this point, students should have written their Master's thesis and completed their Master's degree. Students generally take one comprehensive exam soon after completing the Master's degree and complete their dissertation in the next two years. Each student will attend a Teaching and Professionalization Workshop approximately ten times during each semester for the first two years.
The requirements listed in the General Announcements (GA) satisfy the minimum requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses (or requirements) not officially listed here may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions or any exceptions to the stated official curricular requirements must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the PhD Degree in the field of Sociology | 90 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements 1 | ||
| SOCI 526 | CONTEMPORARY THEORY | 3 |
| SOCI 541 | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS | 3 |
| SOCI 580 | CLASSICAL THEORY | 3 |
| SOCI 582 | QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS I | 3 |
| SOCI 583 | QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS II | 3 |
| SOCI 596 | STATISTICAL PROGRAMMING | 3 |
| SOCI 605 | NON-THESIS GRADUATE RESEARCH | 1-9 |
| SOCI 606 | THESIS RESEARCH | 3 |
| SOCI 608 | GRADUATE RESEARCH DESIGN | 3 |
| SOCI 610 | PROFESSIONALIZATION WORKSHOP | 1 |
| SOCI 700 | DISSERTATION RESEARCH | 1-15 |
| UNIV 500 | PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COLLEGE TEACHING | 3 |
| or UNIV 501 | RESEARCH ON TEACHING AND LEARNING | |
| Elective Requirements, Comprehensive Exams, and Thesis 1 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 90 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | It is recommended that the required coursework be taken in the sequence prescribed by the Department of Sociology (see below). Note that semesters 5-10 will consist of Elective Requirements, Comprehensive Exams, and Thesis as determined by the department until degree completion. |
Proposed Plan-of-Study
The following represents the current recommended sequence in which students pursuing the MA and PhD degrees in the field of Sociology complete the required coursework.
| 1st Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 580 or SOCI 526 |
CLASSICAL THEORY or CONTEMPORARY THEORY |
3 |
| SOCI 582 | QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS I | 3 |
| SOCI 596 | STATISTICAL PROGRAMMING | 3 |
| SOCI 608 | GRADUATE RESEARCH DESIGN | 3 |
| SOCI 610 | PROFESSIONALIZATION WORKSHOP | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| 2nd Semester | ||
| SOCI 541 | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS | 3 |
| SOCI 583 | QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS II | 3 |
| SOCI 610 | PROFESSIONALIZATION WORKSHOP | 1 |
| Elective one | Elective one | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| 3rd Semester | ||
| SOCI 526 or SOCI 580 |
CONTEMPORARY THEORY or CLASSICAL THEORY |
3 |
| SOCI 610 | PROFESSIONALIZATION WORKSHOP | 1 |
| Elective two | Elective two | 3 |
| Elective three | Elective three | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| 4th Semester | ||
| SOCI 606 | THESIS RESEARCH | 3 |
| SOCI 610 | PROFESSIONALIZATION WORKSHOP | 1 |
| UNIV 501 | RESEARCH ON TEACHING AND LEARNING | 3 |
| Elective four | Elective four | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 43 | |
Policies for the PhD Degree in the field of Sociology
Department of Sociology Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the department of Sociology publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here: https://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2024_25/Sociology_Graduate_Handbook.pdf.
Admission
Students are admitted on a competitive basis. Admitted students must have a Baccalaureate degree (BA or BS) or equivalent, a minimum 3.00 (B) GPA in undergraduate work, and the intent to complete a PhD in sociology. We consider GRE scores (optional; only considered if submitted), undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, writing samples, a personal essay, and professional experience when making admission decisions for the PhD program. We strongly encourage applications from women and minority groups.
The Sociology department does not admit students seeking only a masters degree. The Master of Arts degree is earned as a student progresses toward the PhD. Students who currently hold a Master's Degree are welcome to apply. However, PhD students must complete four semesters of residency and coursework at Rice University. At the department’s discretion, some credits may transfer from other graduate programs.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content) and by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Sociology website: https://sociology.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the PhD Degree in the field of Sociology
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Sociology website: https://sociology.rice.edu/.