Suggested PhD Timeline

Our goal is for PhD students to graduate within 5 years with publications and research experience needed to succeed on either the academic or applied job market. Our suggested timeline is ideal, and students may deviate as necessary in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and/or other faculty. It assumes students are entering without an MA. Students entering with an MA in Sociology may transfer up to 6 elective credits and, if their MA thesis is accepted, do not need project guidance (SOC 600) credits. For these students, SOC 600 may be replaced with a graded course in or outside the Department, research credits, guided readings, or dissertation supervision. 

Because the curriculum changed in 2021, there are two suggested timelines below - one for students entering prior to 2021 and one for students entering in 2021 or later. No matter when a student entered, 72 credits are necessary for the completion of the PhD.

Students entering 2021 or later

First Year

Fall Semester

1 Elective

SOC 504: Introductory Statistics for Social Sciences (required)

SOC 567/568: Classical or Contemporary Sociological Theory (required)

SOC 500: Proseminar (1-credit, required)

SOC 701: Research (3 credits)

TA responsibilities

Semester total = 13 credits

Cumulative total = 13 credits

Spring Semester

1 Elective

SOC 607: Multiple Linear Regression (required)

SOC 606: Social Research Methods (required)

SOC 500: Proseminar (1-credit, required)

SOC 701: Research (3 credits) 

TA responsibilities

Semester total = 13 credits

Cumulative total = 26 credits

Second Year

Fall Semester

1 Elective

1 advanced methods course (required)

SOC 567/568: Classical or Contemporary Sociological Theory (required)

SOC 600: Project Guidance (2 credits)

SOC 701: Research (3 credits)

TA responsibilities

Semester total = 14 credits

Cumulative total = 40 credits

Spring Semester

1 Elective

Soc 612: Teaching Sociology or LAI 699: College Teaching 

SOC 600: Project Guidance (3 credits)

SOC 701: Research (1 credit)

Complete MA

TA responsibilities

Semester total = 10 credits

Cumulative total = 50 credits

Third Year

Fall Semester

1 elective

SOC702: QE Prep (3 credits) 

SOC545: Writing for publication 

Submit MA paper for publication

TA responsibilities (instructor of record)

Semester total = 9 credits

Cumulative total = 59 credits

Spring Semester

1 elective

SOC702: QE Prep (3 credits) 

SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (3 credit)

First qualifying exam

TA responsibilities (instructor of record)

Semester total = 9 credits

Cumulative total = 68 credits

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (1 credit)

Second qualifying exam

Dissertation proposal defense (beginning of semester)

Semester total = 1 credit

Cumulative total = 69 credits

Spring Semester

SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (1 credit)

Dissertation research

TA responsibilities (instructor of record)

Semester total = 1 credit

Cumulative total = 70 credits

Note: In year 4, TAs are expected to have 1 semester free of teaching responsibilities in order to collect/analyze data for their dissertation. The semester free of teaching responsibilities is at the discretion of the Department and is subject to change. Only students meeting the curricular benchmarks (i.e. set to defend a proposal at the beginning of the 4th year) will receive a teaching release. 

Fifth Year

Fall Semester

SOC699: Job market seminar (1 credit)

TA responsibilities (instructor of record)

Semester total = 1 credit

Cumulative total = 71 credits

Spring Semester

SOC699: Job market seminar (1 credit)

Dissertation defense

TA responsibilities (instructor of record)

Semester total = 1 credit

Cumulative total = 72 credits

Students enrolled prior to 2021

First Year (18 credits)

Fall Semester

SOC 504: Introductory Statistics for Social Sciences (required)

SOC 567: Classical Sociological Theory (required)

SOC 606: Social Research Methods (required)

TA responsibilities

Weekly Sociology proseminars

Spring Semester

SOC 568: Contemporary Sociological Theory (required)

SOC 607: Multiple Linear Regression (required)

Advanced methods course or elective

Select Faculty Advisor (dept form required)

Select MA project topic and begin MA research (in coordination with Faculty Advisor)

TA responsibilities

Weekly Sociology proseminars

Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Second Year (18 credits, total of 36 by year’s end)

Fall Semester

  • 3 electives
  • MA research and writing
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Spring Semester

  • 3 electives
  • Complete MA project
  • Present MA project to department
  • Submit an abstract or manuscript for conference presentation
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Third Year (18 credits, total of 54 by year’s end)

Fall Semester

  • 3 electives
  • Submit MA paper for publication
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Spring Semester

  • 3 electives
  • First qualifying exam
  • Submit an abstract or manuscript for conference presentation
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Fourth Year (12 credits, total of 66 by year’s end)

Fall Semester

  • 2 electives
  • SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (3 credits)
  • Second qualifying exam
  • Dissertation proposal defense
  • Work on independent research paper to submit for publication by year’s end
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Spring Semester

  • SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (3 credits)
  • Dissertation research
  • Submit an abstract or manuscript for conference presentation
  • Work on independent research paper to submit for publication by year’s end
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars
  • Research hours (in collaboration with faculty)

Fifth Year (6 credits, 72 by year’s end)

Fall Semester

  • SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (3 credits)
  • Dissertation research and writing
  • Academic or applied job market
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars

Spring Semester

  • SOC 700: Thesis Guidance (3 credits)
  • Dissertation writing
  • Dissertation defense
  • TA responsibilities
  • Weekly Sociology proseminars