Admission Policy
Students are admitted on a competitive basis. Admitted students must have a Baccalaureate degree (B.A. or B.S.) or equivalent, a minimum 3.0 (B) GPA in undergraduate work, and the intent to complete a Ph.D. in sociology. We consider GRE scores, undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, writing samples, a personal essay, and professional experience when making admission decisions for the Ph.D. program. Please see our Application Process. We strongly encourage applications from women and minority groups. Application materials are due December 1st each year to be considered for the following fall’s entering class.
Five-Year Degree Program
The Ph.D. program is a five-year degree program. Students will typically obtain a Master’s degree after two years of study and research and will usually need an additional three years to complete the requirements for a Ph.D. The coursework is sequenced and will typically be completed in 2½ years. By this point, students must have written their Master's thesis and completed their Master's degree. This leaves one semester to take the comprehensive exams and two years to complete the dissertation.
Each student will attend a monthly Teaching and Professionalization Workshop that the department will hold throughout the academic school year. Read more about the Course of Study for a Ph.D. in Sociology.
Master’s Degree
The Sociology department does not have a terminal M.A. program, and students seeking only a Master's degree will not be admitted. The Master of Arts degree is earned as a student progresses toward the Ph.D. Students who currently hold a Master's Degree are welcome to apply. However, Ph.D. students must complete 4 semesters of residency and coursework at Rice University. Some required Rice credits may be waived at the department's discretion based on previous coursework from other graduate programs.