Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology

We offer graduate degree programs for both M.A. and Ph.D. candidates. Master's students experience sociology through seminars, guided coursework with accomplished scholars, and exposure to a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches. Doctoral students have access to advanced offerings in the areas of theory, methods, social movements, gender, religion, culture, power, environmental sociology, race and ethnicity, community, and inequality. A special concentration in criminology, deviance, and criminal justice allows interested students to pursue a substantial part of their doctoral studies in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Our graduate students enjoy the benefits of an exclusive in-house library, a graduate lounge, and a fully-equipped internet computer facility with high speed printing, Nvivo, SAS, SPSS, and other software. Our recent doctoral alumni now hold tenure-tracked positions at Augusta State, Minnesota State Morehead, SUNY College at Brockport, University of Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois University, Yeungnam University, Mississippi State University, and elsewhere.

The program requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 for admission to the M.A. degree program and a graduate GPA of 3.25 for admission to the Ph.D. degree program. Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have a residential two-year M.A. degree in sociology (or closely related field). GRE scores are required for admission and consideration for university-wide fellowships. International students must achieve 550 or better on TOEFL scores. To apply on-line visit gradschool.siu.edu/apply/ and submit a purpose statement (with some discussion of research experience and/or interest), a writing sample, a curriculum vita, and official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic grades. Also list email addresses for three references who will be automatically contacted to submit letters. Applications are due by January 1.

550 on the paper-based TOEFL
80 on the internet-based TOEFL
6.5 on the IELTS