Sociology involves the development and application of theoretical insights and empirical evidence regarding human behavior as social beings, focusing on how social life works, what causes social change, and why humans behave in the ways they do. The discipline explores social interactions and social processes at the individual, group, state, and global levels. The Department of Sociology trains doctoral students to become outstanding social scientists working in academia, government, the nonprofit sector, and private industry. Students develop a broad understanding of major theories, methodologies, and research findings in the sociological literature. PhD students will advance the contributions of sociological study to society by conducting research that explores complex ideas, analyzes quantitative and qualitative data, and disseminates new knowledge. In so doing, they will contribute to the vast body of scholarship and applied work that leads to the improvement of society.
Admissions
For more information, please contact the Graduate Program Manager (see contact information).
All Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal in MyUW to add, change, or discontinue any doctoral minor. To apply to this minor, log in to MyUW, click on Graduate Student Portal, and then click on Add/Change Programs. Select the information for the doctoral minor for which you are applying.
Requirements
An Option A minor in Sociology requires 9 credits of graduate-level coursework in either the Department of Sociology or the Department of Community & Environmental Sociology. The departments do not require students to take specific courses; instead, students are encouraged to meet with the sociology graduate program advisor to discuss their interests and goals and to find out which courses may be useful to them and when they are likely to be offered. Students may enroll in any graduate-only courses (i.e., those numbered 700–999) with the exception of SOC 700 Introductory Proseminar for Graduate Students and SOC 990 Thesis. They may also enroll in any of the advanced graduate-undergraduate courses (i.e., those numbered 300–699) that are either specifically designed for graduate students or assess graduate students separately from undergrads. Such courses carry this designation in the Course Search and Enroll App: Graduate 50%: Y.