Ph.D. Program and Other Graduate Programs
The Sociology Department is intellectually innovative, both in its interdisciplinary nature and commitment to inquiry that is engaged with the world beyond the university. Our Ph.D. program leads to both academic and non-academic careers. Our graduate curriculum is designed to educate students in sociological theory and methods and in the discipline’s major substantive areas, while simultaneously exposing students to other arenas of intellectual inquiry that will aid them as they pursue their research questions and interests.
Ph.D. in Sociology
Program requirements
The graduate program in sociology at UC Santa Cruz is a Ph.D. program, not an M.A. program. However, students have the option of applying for a non-terminal Master’s degree en route to the Ph.D. After completing an initial set of required courses, students work closely with individual faculty members to design their course of study. Prospective students are encouraged to explore faculty research areas to identify potential members to work with and can serve on the student’s qualifying exam and dissertation committees.
Learning outcomes
- Students demonstrate mastery of fundamental debates and concepts in classical and contemporary social theory, especially those most relevant to their chosen area(s) of specialization.
- Students demonstrate mastery of social science research methodologies, especially those appropriate to their chosen area(s) of specialization.
- Students demonstrate mastery of at least two sociological sub-fields and related literature.
- Students design and conduct independent research and produce written analyses based on that research.
- Students demonstrate the ability to communicate, orally and in written form, about their research and other scholarly work.
- Students demonstrate the ability to teach college-level sociology topics.
- Students demonstrate mastery of ethical considerations associated with research in their subfield.
Ph.D. Curriculum
The core curriculum has two parts. The first part provides a basic grounding in sociological theory and methods. Students can then do more advanced work through independent study with particular faculty members who have similar research interests. Such studies generally follow preparatory coursework with the faculty members.
The second part of the curriculum is exposure to research in our five major areas of concentration. Students are not required to choose among these to the exclusion of the others, since there is important overlap and cross-fertilization in our work on these themes. We approach these areas within a broader thematic concern with world-building, political imaginaries, and alternative futures, including processes and practices of social change and social reproduction, the making and unmaking of political collectivities, the affective dimensions of political life, and utopian/dystopian thought and practice.
Students are trained in multiple methods in preparation for conducting their own research.
Other graduate programs
Designated emphasis
Graduate students from other departments may obtain a designated emphasis in Sociology on their Ph.D. diploma, indicating that they have completed an additional specialized course of study with our department. Requirements are listed in the UCSC General Catalog.
Students within our Ph.D. program are also welcome to add a designated emphasis in a different field and should consult our graduate program coordinator for more information.
Science and Justice Training Program
Graduate students in sociology and other disciplines can obtain this certification, which focuses on collaborative research practices that are both empirically robust and ethically responsive for science and knowledge creation and center social justice. Requirements can be found on the Science and Justice Research Center’s website.
Upon successful completion of the requirements, graduate fellows will receive a notation on their official transcripts and a certificate of completion recognized by the UC Santa Cruz Academic Senate and Graduate Division. Graduate students interested in pursuing the certification should contact the Science and Justice Research Center.
Meet our students and alumni
Uriel Serrano: Doctoral student wins Ford Foundation fellowship for work on gender, race, and policing
Uriel Serrano completed his Ph.D. in sociology with a designated emphasis in critical race and ethnic studies. He is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in Community Organizing and Social Computing at UC Irvine.
Roxanna Villalobos: Award-winning research documents experiences of Latina girls growing up in rural California
Roxanna Villalobos completed a Ph.D. in sociology with a designated emphasis in Latin American and Latino studies. She now works as an education specialist for UC Santa Cruz’s Teaching and Learning Center.
Theresa Hice-Fromille: National fellow for research on travel programs that teach youth about the African diaspora
Theresa Hice-Fromille, a Ph.D. graduate of sociology, was one of five top scholars selected nationwide for the American Sociological Association’s 2022-2023 Minority Fellowship program. She is now an assistant professor at The Ohio State University.
More student stories
More alumni stories
Many graduate students are open to corresponding with prospective students. Their contact information is located on the Graduate Students page. In addition, you can contact the Graduate Coordinator for suggestions on certain students to contact, according to your research interests.
Funding
Ph.D. students at UCSC receive support packages of 5 years with a minimum level of support equivalent to a 50% teaching assistantship. The only guaranteed funding is that stated in the offer letter. Your funding package will be determined according to the application submitted to the Sociology Department. Students should indicate they would like to be considered for department funding and campus fellowships on the application. Funding decisions are made by the selection committee and are based on merit.
Types of funding opportunities
Graduate students are funded through teaching assistantships, teaching fellowships, research fellowships, and other grants or fellowships. Many faculty in the Sociology Department have affiliations with interdisciplinary research groups on campus, through which students receive grants for graduate student research assistantships. Funders include the National Science Foundation and many of our department’s affiliated research centers and initiatives. For information about additional funding award programs and opportunities, refer to our Scholarships, Awards, and Funding page, and for employment information, see our graduate advising page.
Learning to teach
The Sociology Department provides graduate students with two main types of teaching opportunities. Teaching assistants are graduate students who teach course sections, while teaching fellows are graduate students who have advanced to candidacy and applied to teach their own course. Graduate students are typically required to serve as teaching assistants for our undergraduate program for at least three quarters, with training provided by the department and the Graduate Division before the beginning of the fall quarter. Through these experiences, graduate students build their skills in articulating ideas, organizing and presenting materials in a logical sequence, listening attentively, and discerning student comprehension.
Publishing and conferences
Many of our graduate students present papers at professional conferences and publish articles during the course of their graduate studies. The sociology master’s paper is designed to prepare students to write for professional journals. Ongoing faculty seminars focusing on concrete research topics and problems are available for advanced graduate students working on papers and dissertations in related areas.
Application requirements and admissions
The online application process is administered by the Graduate Division. For technical questions about the online application, see the Graduate Division Admissions page and Graduate Division Admissions FAQ. Find all application requirements, language requirements for international students, and fees through the online application. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. Questions? Contact the Graduate Program Coordinator at socyga@ucsc.edu. See special topics related to admission below.
GPA considerations
The department does not track average GPAs for our admitted students, nor have we established a minimum acceptable GPA. Admission is competitive, however, and many highly qualified applicants are denied admission each year. Each application is carefully considered and reviewed as a whole, and applicants with lower scores might be considered favorably when there is other strong evidence of academic promise in the entire file.
Applications per year and waitlisting
The department receives 60 to 70 applications each year. The size of the incoming class averages about five to seven new students per year. Admission offers are made to candidates who are highly qualified and are the best fit with the department. Occasionally, the department maintains a short waitlist. However, when someone declines their offer, a space does not automatically open up for a waitlisted applicant. If an offer can be made to a waitlisted applicant, they must first confirm that they have not already accepted another offer.
Prior degree requirements
A sociology degree is not required to apply. Most applicants have a degree or background in social sciences-related fields and have a fairly well-defined research focus. Applicants with other backgrounds must show they are prepared for graduate studies in sociology. Many applicants have a master’s degree or some previous graduate coursework, but this is not required, nor do they automatically get preference.
An admitted applicant who has accepted an offer may submit a course waiver request for previous sociology coursework. The waiver request (which must include the course syllabus) will be reviewed by sociology faculty who teach the course to be waived. A previous master’s degree does not count in and of itself as a step toward the Ph.D., nor may students transfer directly from another program.
Time commitment
Our program assumes students are pursuing a Ph.D. full-time. In addition, students are expected to serve as teaching assistants for the department’s courses, which can require a weekly commitment of up to 20 hours. Part-time enrollment (and/or outside employment) is more common for students after they’ve advanced to candidacy. Part-time students are not eligible for TAships.
Visiting the Sociology Department
You may visit the department before applying. However, a visit does not increase an applicant’s chance for admission. Please contact the Sociology Graduate Coordinator at socyga@ucsc.edu if you wish to arrange a visit. If you are interested in meeting with faculty, the best thing to do is establish communication by email and set up an appointment.
Application fee waivers
Some applicants may be eligible for a waiver of the application fee, based on financial hardship or participation in a qualifying program. International students are not eligible for fee waivers. Contact Graduate Admissions for a waiver authorization at least 10 days before the department’s application deadline.
Admissions decisions
The department typically makes admission decisions by mid-February. The official offer of admission and funding is sent via email from Graduate Admissions. Neither the department nor Graduate Admissions will give status updates before this time. Admitted students have until April 15 to accept or decline the offer. Shortly after offers are sent from Graduate Admissions, sociology faculty members phone all admitted applicants to answer any questions about the program or offer. You may also contact the Sociology Department Graduate Program Coordinator about your offer.
The department will ask a few additional applicants if they would like to remain on a waitlist; these applicants will not receive a notification from Graduate Admissions. Graduate Admissions will send an email notification to students who are denied admission. These notifications usually follow within a few days of the admissions offers.
Post-admission visits to campus
To help you decide if our program is right for you, the Sociology Department hosts an Admit Visit Day on a weekday at the beginning of March. This is a one-day event, which may be either virtual or in-person, where prospective students meet others who have been admitted, along with our faculty and current students. Prospective students can meet our Graduate Director and potential faculty advisors. If the event is held in person, students receive travel reimbursement that may cover all or some of the travel costs to attend the event.