About PhD Program,
The objective of the PhD program is to prepare candidates as experts in the field of sociology by providing them training to conduct theoretically informed and methodologically sophisticated state-of-the-art sociological research. Graduates from the program will be able to independently design and conduct exceptional research and to communicate their research in a variety of contexts. To this end, the program is designed to provide both a broad knowledge of the discipline, depth in key subfields and deep training in the research process. Students acquire autonomy in conducting research, preparing scholarly publications, and participating in professional conferences and become mentors to those junior to them. Our PhD students also gain experience in teaching undergraduate students in the field. The objective is achieved through a combination of course work, participation in seminars, preparation and successful achievements in passing two comprehensive examinations, paid work as research and teaching assistants, conference presentations, and supervised dissertation research. Our PhD students have exciting potential career pathways upon graduation!
The PhD program requires course work, successful completion of two comprehensive examinations, and the completion of a PhD Dissertation. Throughout their PhD program, students are expected to be involved in professors’ projects. This work helps students gain first-hand experience in conducting research, from the formulation of the research question to the completion of the research paper. In most cases, students have the opportunity to present their work with professors at professional conferences and subsequently to publish this work.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
For Doctoral Programs, an appropriate master’s degree, or its equivalent, with an average of at least B+ or demonstrated comparable research competence.
Many graduate units have higher minimum requirements than the minimum SGS requirements. As we receive many more applications each year from excellent candidates than we have placements available, meeting the minimum admissions requirement does not necessarily guarantee admission.
French and English are both official languages of Canada. We therefore do not request English translations of transcripts written in French.
PhD Funding Coverage,
The School of Graduate Studies publishes an annual schedule of fees in June. Please consult the SGS Tuition and Fees page for the up-to-date schedule.
The Department of Sociology funds MA students in Year 1 and Ph.D. students from Years 1 – 4. For details on the Base Funding Package, please visit:
The Department of Sociology offers a range of admission awards based on academic excellence. Students are not required to apply for admission awards; these awards are granted upon admission based on reviews from the Graduate Admissions Committee. Below is a list of current awards for incoming Ph.D. students:
Sociology Admission Entrance Awards
Graduate Distinction Scholarship
Both the Province of Ontario and the federal government, through the Tri-Agency (SSHRC, CIHR and NSERC), provide funding to support outstanding students in Masters and Ph.D. programs. Many of our students receive multiple years of funding from the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and from SSHRC or CIHR. Students should also check the SGS funding database for opportunities that may fit their particular needs or that are designed for specific research areas. Both the department and SGS offer training to help students develop their proposal-writing skills.
Application Requirement,
English Language Proficiency Scores (if applicable)
Application Deadline,
Nov 30, 2024
Application Fee,
Application Fee $125.00 CDN
