Frequently Asked Questions

What programs do you offer? How do I know which one is right for me?
The Department of Sociology and Criminology offers a Sociology PhD program and an online MS in Criminology program. Our PhD program is targeted toward students who want to hone their research skills and engage in independent and collaborative research in order to prepare for careers in academia or in applied research settings. You do not need a master’s degree to apply for the PhD program. If your end goal is a PhD, you enjoy doing and reading sociological research in our specialization areas, and you are committed to rigorous study for at least the next 5 years, we encourage you to apply to the PhD program. Our terminal MS program (online) is targeted toward students who desire an additional year or two of higher education to better their position on the nonacademic job market. We aim for building applied skills relevant to nonacademic work in the MS program.

What’s it like to live in Buffalo, New York?

Buffalo, New York is a great place to live! With a lower cost of living than the national average (and substantially lower than other major cities), you can enjoy the perks of city living without the hefty price tag. Often called “America’s best planned city,” Buffalo is full of natural and developed wonders, and has something for everyone, whether you like art, nature, music, food, or urban landscapes. Situated on Lake Erie on the border with Canada, we are a short drive to Niagara Falls, a 90-minute drive to Toronto, and only a one-hour flight to New York City.

If you have seen Buffalo on the Weather Channel, you might think we’re beset by blizzards much of the year. Though we usually do get plenty of snow in the winter, the truth is, the most severe winter weather you hear about typically occurs in areas well south of the city, creating great opportunities to pursue winter sports at several nearby ski resorts. When storms hit, Buffalo digs out with amazing efficiency. Winter weather that brings less-prepared cities to a halt doesn’t slow us down or disrupt business as usual in Buffalo. We have a four-season climate that features the sunniest and driest summers of any major city in the Northeast, and crisp, comfortable autumns that produce some of the Northeast’s most vibrant foliage. Spring is breathtaking, and summers are sunny and mild.

Why should I choose the UB Department of Sociology and Criminology?
Our PhD program in Sociology offers well-rounded advanced training in research methods (qualitative and quantitative), sociological theory, and substantive areas such as health & illness, family & the life course, crime, law & social policy, social inequalities, and urban sociology. Small cohorts of PhD students are mentored closely by nationally-recognized, award-winning faculty, from the time they enter the graduate program. We assign each incoming student an initial faculty research mentor so they can hit the ground running with research.  Students also benefit from regular, department-wide proseminars, works-in-progress groups, and colloquia. There are many opportunities for mutual support and socializing. We actively train students for careers both within and outside of academia., and all of our admitted PhD students are fully funded for 5 years. 

Graduate students in Sociology also benefit from access to and close ties with the Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy, the Humanities Institute, Asian Studies, the Gender Institute, and RENEW (UB’s environmental research institute). 

UB is flagship university of New York, the premier public research university in the northeastern United States, and the largest and most comprehensive campus in the 64-campus SUNY system. We’re an established leader and are consistently recognized by top university guides and publications for our excellent value and high-quality academics.

How do I know if this department is a good fit?
We are a collegial department and faculty actively mentor students for a range of teaching and research careers. The department offers training in most major subfields of sociology, organized around five broad areas of concentration — Crime, Law, & Social Policy; Family & the Life Course; Health & Illness; Social Inequalities; and Urban & Environmental Sociology. If you wish to specialize in one of these areas, we encourage you to apply. Once you have gained admission to the program, we encourage you to come visit our campus and meet our faculty and students. Meeting professors who have research records in the areas of scholarship that interest you is a smart way to start your program, since it will give you a feel for the kinds of mentoring and intellectual guidance you will receive in your graduate journey. Past and current students say that this familiarization visit was key to giving them a sense of the advantages that UB has to offer.

Who gets accepted to the program? Do I have the necessary background and skills?
We look for applicants ready for graduate-level study, who are excited to learn and ready to take advantage of the opportunities we have to offer. Our students come from a wide range of academic backgrounds and from all over the U.S. and around the world. 

The admissions committee considers a variety of factors in deciding whom to admit including, but not limited to: the applicant’s undergraduate GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation, the writing skills and sociological imagination evident in the applicant’s statement of purpose, and applicant’s fit with the department’s areas of strength. If you are weak in one area, it may well be balanced by your strength in other areas. We do not require an undergraduate degree in sociology, but you should have a basic understanding of the discipline and of the research process. Our Department is committed to supporting a diverse student body, and UB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its programs or activities.

What are you looking for in the personal statement?
Your statement of purpose provides an opportunity to describe your academic background, intellectual interests, and career goals. There is no minimum or maximum word count requirement, though we recommend that applicants limit themselves to 500-1000 words. We look for information on what kinds of sociological topics and approaches interest you, why you want to be a sociologist, and the specific reasons why you are applying to our particular department. You will want to do some research about the Department, since it may help you specify whether there are particular faculty members, clusters of research, or even specific research problems that are of special interest to you. We do not expect applicants to have a fully formed plan of research before beginning the PhD program, but we do think it is always a good idea to start out with an understanding of what the Department has to offer, given your interests and goals.

Is a master’s degree required to apply to the PhD program?
No, you are not required to have a master’s degree to apply to the PhD program.

When are decisions made?
We make every attempt to notify PhD applicants about admission and financial support in late January or early February for individuals who have applied by the December 15 official deadline. 

Can I begin the program in the Spring semester?
No. Courses that are offered only in the Fall semester are typically prerequisites for Spring semester courses, and funding and office space is often tied to a fall start.

How many students apply each year? How many are admitted?
Application volumes can vary substantially from year to year. Lately, we are seeing about 100 PhD applications per year and incoming cohorts are generally 2-5 PhD students. The number of PhD admittees depends on the availability of funding to support the students, as we commit 5 years of funding to all admitted PhD students.

Will there be an interview?
Historically, we have not interviewed applicants as part of the admissions process, unless the graduate committee wanted to clarify any portion of the application. As we navigate steadily increasing numbers of applications and a trickier AI landscape, brief virtual interviews may be expected with one or more members of the graduate committee.  In addition, prospective students are welcome to visit the campus and the Department at any time. Prospective students are also welcome to contact faculty and/or graduate students directly, before or after applying to the Department’s graduate program. Accepted PhD students are encouraged to visit during our prospective student visit in the spring semester. We will provide accommodations and meals and will help offset transportation costs for domestic applicants (unfortunately, because of the expense involved in bringing applicants to campus, we are unable to invite overseas applicants for the visit). The prospective student visit is a valuable opportunity to meet faculty and current students, learn about the program, and visit the area in an informal and fun atmosphere. Normally, the prospective student visit is scheduled in early or mid-March.

Do I need to find an advisor before I complete my application?
No. We will assign you an initial advisor when you arrive, and give you a chance to meet and interact with all of our faculty so you can make an informed decision about which faculty member’s advising style, substantive scholarly interests, and mentorship best fit your needs.

What proportion of PhD students receive funding?
Starting with the 2021 cohort, all PhD students admitted to our program are offered funding for 5 years of study. Beginning in Fall 2025, the graduate student stiped is a minimum of $23,690 for each academic year for 5 years of work as a teaching assistant. This stipend is in addition to full tuition remission. More information about funding can be found on our page about funding. 

Is funding available for students who are not U.S. citizens?
Yes. Students who are not U.S. citizens are eligible to be considered for teaching assistantships, so long as they meet minimum standards for English language proficiency. International students are also eligible for Presidential Fellowships. 

How do I apply for a Presidential or Schomburg fellowship?
Applicants do not nominate themselves for Presidential Fellowships. The Department will decide if a student should be nominated for a Presidential Fellowship and, if so, will submit the nomination to the College of Arts and Sciences.

If you meet the criteria for a Schomburg fellowship, you should include an essay (approximately 500 words) that explains how you would contribute to the diversity of the Department and University, and how you have overcome a disadvantage or impediment to success in higher education. The Department will then consider each eligible applicant for nomination. 

What are the minimum GRE scores required?
We take a holisitic approach to reviewing applications and do not require GRE scores. 

What are the TOEFL requirements for international students?
Information about TOEFL requirements, including those international students who are exempt from demonstrating English language proficiency via a standardized test, can be found on the Graduate School's Admissions page. The Department of Sociology and Criminology uses the Graduate School's minimum TOEFL standard.

Can I get an application fee waiver?
U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents can find information about fee waivers on the Graduate School's FAQ page. For international applications, the process is different. The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) does offer fee waivers to competitive international PhD applicants. The Department must file a request for fee waiver on the student's behalf, however, and it requires the Graduate Committee to first review the application. Hence, international students must first submit their application, and the Graduate Committee must affirm to CAS that the student is a competitive candidate before a fee waiver can be requested.  Once the application is submitted, an international applicant requesting a fee waiver should email the Directot of Graduate Studies to make the request.

I already have an MA. If I am accepted to the PhD program, will I receive any credit for the coursework I have already done?
Maybe. If your MA degree is in Sociology, then you may be able to transfer in up to six credits (taken within the last five years), at the discretion of the Graduate Committee (no required courses will be transferred in). The Graduate Committee will also review your MA thesis and determine whether you will need to complete an additional MA or not. If your MA degree is not in Sociology, we generally do not transfer in any credits.

I’m interested, but I’d like to find out more about the program, department, and university before I apply. What should I do?
If you have browsed the department’s website and have more specific questions about the program and its requirements, you can email our Graduate Coordinator, Susie Sheron, at hsheron2@buffalo.edu.

If you have a question about a particular faculty member’s research, teaching, or work with graduate students, feel free to contact that person directly.

If you have questions about the College of Arts & Sciences or questions about the graduate programs generally, including questions about housing, financial aid, teaching, and so on, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/grad.html.

What is the deadline for accepting an offer of admission?
April 15, although we would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible once you have made a decision so that we can notify those on the waiting list.

What kinds of jobs do Sociology PhD graduates obtain? 
Our graduates are employed in a wide variety of settings. You can see recent PhD placements here.

How much does the program cost?
Tuition rates are set by SUNY and can be found on the Student Accounts Online Academic Programs page.

Who gets accepted to the program? Do I have the necessary background and skills?
Our students come from a wide range of academic backgrounds and from all over the U.S. and around the world. The admissions committee considers a variety of factors in deciding whom to admit including, but not limited to: the applicant’s undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, and evidence of preparation for online graduate work. As the online Criminology MS program is focused on applied skills for nonacademic careers, we prioritize students for whom the program fits with personal and career goals.

Our Department is committed to supporting a diverse student body, and UB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status in its programs or activities.

What is your acceptance rate?
Our program is brand new! We plan to post acceptance rates and graduation rates once we have several years of data. Our Graduate Admissions Committee use a holistic admissions process, meaning that we evaluate applicants' entire application rather than rely on one or two metrics (like GPA alone). For more information about what we want to see in an applicant, please see our Application Instructions and read the rest of these FAQs.  Early in our program, we have accepted a majority of applicants as we wait to see which students excel and which ones need more support. We have been pleasantly surprised by our fantastic MS students!

What are you looking for in the personal statement?
Your statement of purpose provides an opportunity to describe your academic background, intellectual interests, and career goals. There is no minimum or maximum word count requirement, though we recommend that applicants limit themselves to 500-1000 words. We want to see evidence that you understand what you are getting into and that you are prepared for graduate level work in an online program. We would like to see a discussion of how the program fits with your personal and professional goals. 

Do I have to have an undergraduate degree in Criminology or Criminal Justice to be admitted?
No, you are not required to have an undergraduate degree in Criminology or Criminal Justice to be admitted to the Criminology MS program. We do, however, want to know that you are familiar with what Criminology is and why you are excited about pursuing a degree in it. 

When are decisions made?
Decisions are made on a rolling basis, as we admit for both fall and spring semester. Typically, however, final decisions for the fall semester are made in mid-August, while final decisions for the spring semester are made in early-to-mid-January. 

Can I begin the program in the Spring semester?
Yes. We offer both fall and spring enrollment for the Criminology MS program. 

Is financial help available for MS Criminology students?
There is limited financial support available to MS students generally (here and around the nation). However, many students are successful at finding help. Please start with the Grad School's page for Master's Level Funding.  Here you will find several options to explore further. The Department does not offer funding for MS students.

What are the minimum GRE scores required?
We take a holisitic approach to reviewing applications and do not require GRE scores. 

What kinds of jobs do MS Criminology graduates obtain after graduating? 
We are working on an alumni page for our MS graduates. Stay tuned!