Graduate Program Ph.D. Requirements
Ph.D. Requirements
The Department requires that incoming Ph.D. students take Introduction to Social Statistics (SOCY 5111) course in order to refresh their statistics knowledge and prepare for the Data Analysis (SOCY 6111) and Research Design (SOCY 5031) courses. Students who have taken a similar graduate level course and have scored B or better may petition the Graduate Committee to get a waiver from any of the required courses and it is up to the Graduate Committee to approve the petition.
In addition to required coursework, students pursuing a Ph.D. must pass a preliminary examination, two comprehensive examinations (in theory and methods), a specialty area comprehensive examination, and a dissertation defense.
Forty-five hours of coursework at or above the 5000 level are required for the Ph.D. in Sociology. Twenty-four of the forty-five hours must be taken in the Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The remaining twenty-one hours may be taken outside of the Department. For students who join the program with Master’s degree, the remaining twenty-one hours may be transferred from previous school with the permission of the Graduate Committee and of the Graduate School. Petitions for transfer of credit are accepted after students successfully complete at least six credits of graduate level coursework as a degree seeking student on the CU Boulder campus with a 3.0 GPA.
The following are required core courses totaling 18 credits toward the Ph.D.:
| Sociology 5201 Sociological Theory | 3 credits |
| Second Theory course of student’s area of interest | 3 credits |
| Sociology 5111 Introduction to Social Statistics | 3 credits |
| Sociology 6111 Data Analysis | 3 credits |
| Sociology 5031 Research Design | 3 credits |
| Sociology 6821 Sociology Forum | 2 credits |
| Sociology 6831 Professional Seminar in Sociology | 1 credit |
Time Limits
The Graduate School requires a student to get an M.A. degree within four years, and a Ph.D. within six years.
If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate Program Assistant by email or phone at (303) 735-2335.
