Sociology, Ph.D.
Degree Requirements (66 post-baccalaureate hours; 36-48 post-masters hours)
The Ph.D. in Sociology requires a minimum of 66 credit hours beyond the BA or BS (i.e., post-baccalaureate). Students enrolled in the post-baccalaureate Ph.D. program will concurrently work toward an M.A. while completing the requirements for the Ph.D. Thus, a minimum of 30 of the 66 hours of coursework will be applied to the M.A. The M.A. comprehensive assessment, as required by the Department and the Graduate School, is fulfilled by the successful completion and oral defense of an MA thesis.
Post-Baccalaureate Requirements (66 hours)
The following are core requirements of the Ph.D. program post-baccalaureate entrants:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCY 711 | Theory Construction | 3 |
| SOCY 710 | Theoretical Foundations of Sociology | 3 |
| SOCY 720 | Survey of Research Methods | 3 |
| SOCY 730 | Statistical Analysis in Sociology | 3 |
| SOCY 799 | Thesis Research and Preparation | 6 |
| Disciplinary Pathway I - Students must complete 9 credit hours in approved SOCY courses at the 500-level or above within one of the department’s three disciplinary areas (i.e., Inequalities and Institutions, Social Psychology, or Networks). When selecting courses, refer to the approved course list for each disciplinary area in the Graduate Student Handbook available on our website. | 9 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Students may earn the Master’s enroute to the Ph.D. by completing all of the coursework listed above and successfully defending a master’s thesis. See M.A. Sociology requirements for additional information. | ||
| SOCY 731 | Topics in the Quantitative Analysis of Sociological Data | 3 |
| SOCY 736 | Qualitative Methods for the Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Research Methods and Statistics - Students must complete 3 credit hours of research methods and/or statistics courses (e.g., SOCY 733, SOCY 729, SOCY 729 or other approved course). Courses cannot be taken outside the department without permission. | 3 | |
| Disciplinary Pathway II - Students must complete 9 credit hours in approved SOCY courses at the 500-level or above within one of the department’s three disciplinary areas (i.e., Inequalities and Institutions, Social Psychology, or Networks). This pathway must differ from the one completed for Disciplinary Pathway I. When selecting courses, refer to the approved course list for each disciplinary area in the Graduate Student Handbook available on our website. | 9 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| SOCY 899 | Dissertation Preparation | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 66 | |
Thesis and Comprehensive Assessment:
The comprehensive assessment, as required by the Department and the Graduate School, is fulfilled by the successful completion and oral defense of a thesis. The thesis is an original research project that demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct independent scholarly work on a focused topic. The student will form an MA thesis committee of at least three departmental faculty members, one of whom serves as Chair. In collaboration with the thesis committee, the student develops a thesis proposal. Full-time students should complete the thesis proposal during the first semester of their second year (i.e., within 3 semesters). After finalizing the thesis, students hold a final oral defense in the second semester of their second year (i.e., within 4 semesters). The M.A. is awarded only after the thesis is approved by the committee, accepted by The Graduate School, and all program requirements are met.
Post-Masters Degree Requirements (36-48 Hours)
Students entering the Ph.D. program with an M.A. or M.S. in Sociology or a related field from another institution will be required to complete a minimum of 36 hours. The master’s degree may be from the same or related discipline. Students who enter the program with a master’s degree from an outside discipline may be considered for the post-master’s pathway if approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. Refer to the Graduate Student Handbook on our website for additional information.
The following are core requirements of the Ph.D. program, post-masters:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCY 731 | Topics in the Quantitative Analysis of Sociological Data | 3 |
| SOCY 736 | Qualitative Methods for the Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Research Methods and Statistics - Students must complete 3 credit hours of research methods and/or statistics courses (e.g., SOCY 733, SOCY 729, SOCY 729 or other approved course). Courses cannot be taken outside the department without permission. | 3 | |
| Disciplinary Pathway - Students must complete 9 credit hours in approved SOCY courses at the 500-level or above within one of the department’s three disciplinary areas (i.e., Inequalities and Institutions, Social Psychology, or Networks). When selecting courses, refer to the approved course list for each disciplinary area in the Graduate Student Handbook available on our website. | 9 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| SOCY 899 | Dissertation Preparation | 12 |
| Additional Coursework - Students entering with a M.A. or M.S. may need to complete additional SOCY coursework if that coursework was not completed as part of the master's degree. | 0-12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36-48 | |
Foreign Language Requirement
The Graduate School’s foreign language competence requirement may be fulfilled by passing an examination that demonstrates a reading knowledge of one foreign language. These examinations are normally administered by one of the foreign language programs at the University. English may be accepted as a foreign language for students whose native language is not English, with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School and the Department Chair.
Students typically fulfill the foreign language requirement by completing a second research methodology and/or statistics course (3 hours) with a grade of B or higher.
Additional Program Information
Students must maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA (B average) in all graduate courses at USC. Grades below B are generally unacceptable. Students receiving a second grade of C+ or lower may be dismissed without further review.
Post-baccalaureate students may take up to 6 credit hours outside the department with prior approval from their advisor and the Graduate Program Director, and up to 15 credit hours at the 500 level. During the MA, students may complete a maximum of 6 credit hours at the 500 level and up to 3 credit hours outside the department with prior approval. Post-MA students may complete up to 9 credit hours at the 500 level, with no more than 3 credit hours applied toward the disciplinary pathway, and up to 3 credit hours outside the department with prior approval.
Students will take part in a 1-hour per semester seminar that runs throughout the Fall and Spring semesters. All students enrolling in thesis (799) or Dissertation (899) preparation will register for these hours with the seminar leader, typically the Graduate Program Director. All students who are not enrolled in these hours will still be expected to fully participate in the seminar to remain in good standing in the program.
Qualifying Exam:
The qualifying exam marks the transition from coursework to dissertation research. Students are advised to take the exam in the fall of Year 4 (i.e., typically 7th semester) as they finish taking coursework. Each student must form a committee of three department faculty members, one of whom will serve as Chair of the Qualifying Exam. In consultation with the Qualifying Exam Committee, each student prepares a list of appropriate readings as outlined in the Graduate Studies Handbook. Reading lists must be approved by all members of the student’s Qualifying Exam Committee. The Chair must notify the Graduate Program Director (GPD) of the Committee’s composition and exam details. After completing the exam, students should be familiar with key intellectual debates in their specialty area, capable of teaching the subject at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and ready to develop a dissertation proposal. See the Graduate Handbook for additional information on the Qualifying Exam requirements and expectations.
Dissertation and Comprehensive Assessment:
Toward the end of coursework, students must form a Dissertation Committee composed of at least four members, one of whom is from outside the Department. This Dissertation Committee will serve as both the student’s Comprehensive Examination Committee and Dissertation Examining Committee. By the rules of the Graduate School, all Committees related to the completion of the student’s dissertation are appointed by the chair of the department and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Faculty members have the right of refusal.
The student selects one faculty member to serve as Chair of the Dissertation Committee, who will notify the Graduate Program Director in writing of the Dissertation Committee’s composition and complete the necessary paperwork. The student, in consultation with their Dissertation Committee, will prepare a dissertation proposal. Once the proposal is submitted to the Dissertation Committee, an oral defense of the proposal will be held. The student’s dissertation proposal defense fulfills the conditions of the written and oral Doctoral Comprehensive Examination as required by the Department and Graduate School. If the Dissertation Committee concludes that the student has successfully completed the oral examination and approves the proposal, all members sign the necessary paperwork stating that the student has passed the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination. Students who fail the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination twice are removed from the program without further review.
After passing the proposal defense/Comprehensive Examination, the student is expected to pursue their dissertation research and writing. In consultation with the student’s Dissertation Committee, the student will prepare to defend the completed dissertation. In addition to reading the dissertation, the Dissertation Committee conducts an oral examination of the student. The committee members have the right to approve, request revisions and further analysis, or reject the dissertation. The Ph.D. is granted only after the Dissertation Committee approves the dissertation, all members sign the necessary paperwork, the Graduate School accepts the approved dissertation, and all other requirements are met.