Ph.D. in Sociology

The Ph.D. in Sociology is a six-year program consisting of three years of course work, another year for qualifying exams, and two years for research and finishing the dissertation.

Students entering the PhD program in sociology are expected to complete six semesters of the program's Approaches to Social Research pro-seminar (SOC 240a), as well as fifteen additional courses. At least six of these courses must be formal graduate seminars offered by the Brandeis sociology department, either as graduate seminars, independent readings, advanced undergraduate/graduate seminars, or upper-division courses. The five remaining courses can be taken as student chooses including graduate courses at other Boston-area universities, in consultation with her or his advisor. The initial program of studies is arranged in consultation with the graduate student's advisor. Students are urged to take at least one course in sociological theory and one in methods (in addition to the pro-seminar). Consideration will be given to graduate work done elsewhere, but formal transfer credit is assigned only after the successful completion of the first year of study.

The Sociology Department's equivalent of the comprehensive exam is an accreditation process in which each doctoral student is required to select and develop three areas of expertise. For each area, the student invites a sociology faculty member to serve on his or her Guidance-Accreditation Committee (GAC). The purpose of the GAC is to provide guidance and to monitor the student's progress to the point of accreditation. This system creates an individualized approach to developing areas of expertise. While working toward accreditation, each student assembles a dossier containing documentary evidence of scholarly work in the three areas of specialization. In addition to papers written, this may include bibliographies, course outlines, research proposals, etc. Upon completion of this work, the GAC will conduct an oral qualifying exam.

After the accreditation phase, the student prepares a dissertation prospectus and begins work on the dissertation. The requirements for the completion of the dissertation phase are: approval of the prospectus, approval of the dissertation, and successful oral defense of the dissertation.

Teaching Requirement

The Sociology Department supports a culture where teaching is highly valued. It is required that all Ph.D. students participate in undergraduate teaching. This typically means acting as a Teaching Fellow in one course per term, over the course of eight semesters, and using this as an opportunity to develop the craft of teaching in collaboration with individual professors and through other teaching workshops within the department and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the Sociology Ph.D. degree.

Joint Ph.D. in Social Policy and Sociology

Students can apply to the joint program leading to the Ph.D. in Social Policy and Sociology only after having completed at least one year of graduate study in either The Heller School for Social Policy and Management or the Sociology Department's Ph.D. program. The joint program combines nine courses in Sociology (at least one of which must be in sociology theory) with nine courses in The Heller School (including research methods). Students complete the Sociology accreditation process in two areas of specialization (instead of the usual three) and a comprehensive paper as required by the Heller School Ph.D. curriculum. The dissertation committee has two faculty members from the Sociology Department, two faculty from The Heller School, plus one outside reader.

Joint Ph.D. in NEJS and Sociology

To receive the joint Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies (NEJS) and Sociology, students must complete a total of 21 courses, at least nine of which are offered by the sociology department (including at least one theory course and one quantitative methods course) and at least nine of which must be taken within the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department. Along with completing the accreditation process in two areas of specialization (instead of the usual three), students are required to pass a two-part written comprehensive examination in Jewish cultural literacy in the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department, and a follow-up oral examination. The language requirement consists of establishing competence in Hebrew and one modern language (normally French or German). The dissertation committee has two faculty members from the Sociology Department, two from Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, plus one outside member.

Master of Arts in Sociology

The M.A. degree in sociology is designed for completion in one calendar year, with the degree awarded at the next official University degree conferral after completion of residence and requirements. Each M.A. degree candidate will devise a specialized program with a faculty advisor. The student's program must be approved by the graduate committee at the beginning of each semester of residence, and will include the completion of six semester courses, including one course in sociological theory and one full-semester course (or two semesters of SOC 240a) in methods. Students will also complete a master's research paper of professional quality and length. The paper will be read by the student's primary advisor, as well as by two additional sociology faculty members.

Joint M.A. in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies

The joint M.A. Degree in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies is a one-year (12-month) program. Requirements include the completion of seven courses to be distributed as follows: a designated foundational course in Women's and Gender Studies, one course in feminist research methodologies (WMGS198a or The Feminist Inquiry course offered through the Graduate Consortium in Women's and Gender Studies or an alternative) one graduate Sociology course cross-listed with Women's and Gender Studies, one graduate course outside Sociology that is cross-listed with Women's and Gender Studies, plus three other graduate Sociology courses (including one theory course, and one course outside the area of gender). Also required are attendance at the year-long non-credit Women's and Gender Studies Colloquium Series and submission of a research paper of professional quality and length (normally 25-40 pages) on a topic related to the joint degree. The paper will be read by two faculty members, at least one of whom is a member of the Department of Sociology and at least one of whom is a member of the Women's and Gender Studies core or affiliate faculty.