About PhD Program,
Harvard is one of the world’s leading centers for training and mentoring the next generation of sociologists. The Department of Sociology offers several programs of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. in Sociology, the Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy, and the Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior.
The aim of the Graduate Program in Sociology is to prepare students for scholarly and applied research and for teaching in sociology. The program combines an emphasis on competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the development of each student’s own interest.
Doctoral candidates are expected to achieve a solid proficiency in fundamentals that will enable them to teach basic and advanced sociology courses and engage in both quantitative and qualitative research. Students are trained in several sub fields of sociology in which the faculty has concentrations of expertise. Among these are social stratification and inequality (including race and ethnic relations), the study of complex organizations, economic sociology, political sociology, comparative/historical sociology, health and social policy, cultural analysis, urban sociology, criminology, and life course. The program includes a sequence of required courses on theory and theory construction, designed to acquaint every student with skills necessary for developing social explanations, and required courses in both qualitative methods and advanced statistics to familiarize students with techniques for collecting and analyzing data.
Sociology Faculty and Student Involvement in University Initiatives
For further information on the research topics that Harvard students have explored and the careers of some recent graduates, see Graduate Degrees Awarded.
Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Students are required to complete 16 graduate courses. Course work includes workshops, independent study, directed reading courses, and up to two units of independent research.
Students are required to take SOC 3305, Teaching Practicum, concurrently with their first term of teaching, which is generally in the fall semester of the third year.
Doctoral students are required to enroll in two workshops during their graduate careers. Sociology workshops are offered on a credit/non-credit basis only and attendance is required to receive course credit. See detailed information regarding PhD Workshops.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Harvard Kenneth E. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a comprehensive program of financial support, including grants and fellowships from internal and external sources, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic employment opportunities.
For PhD students, Harvard awards full financial support for five years, typically for the first four years of study as well as the completion year. Ordinarily, in cases where the length of PhD study extends beyond five years, students secure financial support through various Harvard and non-Harvard opportunities, including research fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching fellowships.
All incoming students receive a merit-based award, regardless of need. This includes a fellowship for tuition and health fees, as well as a stipend for living expenses, for up to five years. Unlike at many other institutions, students at Harvard have no teaching responsibilities during the first two years of graduate study. In addition, Harvard’s standard funding package includes Summer Research Awards for the first four years.
Application Requirement,
Application
Statement of Purpose
Personal Statement
GRE Scores
Transcripts
Letters of Recommendation
Writing Sample
TOEFL Scores (for International applicants only; see note above)
CV or Resume
Application Fee
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2024
Application Fee,
The application fee is $105 payable by credit card.
