Ph.D. in Sociology - Harvard University

Harvard is one of the world’s leading centers for training and mentoring the next generation of sociologists. The Department of Sociology offers a five years Ph.D. in Sociology program that aims 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.

The graduate program in sociology aims to contribute to society by providing students the training and tools to take up these questions. The program aims to produce creative and intellectually independent researchers who read broadly across fields, who generate work that is theoretically, empirically, and analytically rigorous, who exhibit collegiality as scholars, and who excel as teachers and communicators.

Admission Requirements

• The applicant is considered eligible for admission to the Ph.D. in Sociology program at Harvard if he has either:

1. Completed a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association or
2. Completed an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. 

• Applicants to the Ph.D. program are not required to have an M.A. before applying to the Ph.D. program.
• The GRE is required of all applicants to the graduate program in Sociology.

English Language Requirements

Applicants need to make arrangements with ETS to send their scores to Harvard University using the University code 3451. 

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) does not accept scores from the TOEFL ITP Plus examination. This is because the TOEFL ITP Plus does not provide a robust assessment of the candidate’s proficiency in spoken English, which is one of the most critical components of the English proficiency requirement. 

Applicants unable to take the TOEFL IBT or IELTS indicator exams may apply without these scores, and if programs recommend these applicants for admission, their admission will be provisional until they provide scores from one of the accepted tests that demonstrate the required level of English proficiency.

Course Structure

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 subfields 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.

Course Work

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.

Required Courses

Theory

Students must take two sociological theory courses. All students are required to take Soc 2204 in year 1, and Soc 2208 in year 2.

Methods

Each student must complete a series of required courses in methodology (SOC 2202, 2203, and 2209). Students with little background in statistics are encouraged to take an introductory statistics course, such as Statistics 100. 

Sociological Research Design

Students must enroll in SOC 2205, Sociological Research Design, in the fall semester of the first year. This course covers the fundamentals of sociological research design. Emphasis is placed on surveys, participant observation, comparative historical study, interviews, and quantitative analysis of existing data.

Teaching Practicum

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.

Qualifying Paper Seminar

All third-year students are required to take the Qualifying Paper Seminar, which guides students through the process of producing an original research paper of high quality.

Electives

Students must complete 6 elective courses, which may be chosen from: 

1. 1000-level courses designated as Conference Courses in Courses of Instruction; 
2. 2000-level courses; 
3. 3000-level individual reading courses; or 
4. workshops (students are required to take two workshops). Students can receive no more than two elective credits for workshops. 

Courses from other departments that are cross-listed under Sociology in Courses of Instruction will count toward meeting the elective requirement. 

This requirement is normally completed by the end of the second year of residency and must be met by the end of the third year of residency.

Workshops

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.

General Exam

There is one General Written Examination that is taken in August, prior to the start of the fall semester of the second year of residence. The examination is based on standard faculty-generated reading lists for seven fields within sociology:

• Social Organization, 
• Social Stratification, 
• Culture, 
• Development, 
• Gender, 
• Family, 
• Immigration, 
• Political Sociology, and 
• Race and Ethnicity. 

Students write one essay on each of four subject areas, including one essay on Social Organization and one essay on Social Stratification.

Teaching Fellowship (TF)

Students must complete one semester of teaching fellowship in departmental courses, or in other courses by approval. Working as a teaching fellow (TF) under the supervision of a faculty member fulfills this requirement. Teaching generally begins in the fall semester of the third year. 

Qualifying Paper

In preparation for a career of writing scholarly papers, each student must complete a research paper in the third year of residency. This third-year paper may be on any sociological topic and may address theoretical, empirical, or methodological issues. The paper is expected to reflect original work and be of publishable quality.

Annual Faculty Review of Graduate Students

All graduate students after the 1st year are required to submit an annual report on October 1st of each year. The annual report includes an updated CV that notes teaching (TF or other), publishing (in the press, published, or under review), papers/works in progress, participation in academic conferences, fellowship and grant awards and applications, service, and other academic accomplishments of the past year. 

Students who have not yet defended their prospectus are required to include a planned timing of the dissertation defense. 

Doctoral Dissertation

Each student must complete and defend a doctoral dissertation. The dissertation must be submitted to all committee members at least two months in advance of the scheduled defense date.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for students registered at the Ph.D. in Sociology program at Harvard University are as follows:

• Full Tuition— required first two years of study (Subject to annual increases): $50,928
• Reduced Tuition—required third and fourth years of study: $13,240
• Facilities Fee—required post-fourth year of study: $3,370
• Active File Fee—minimum charge for approved nonresident status: $300
• HUSHP Basic—Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) Fee (required): $1,242

Scholarships

Harvard University's 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 Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. 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.