Welcome to Vanderbilt's Ph.D. Program in Sociology
Our department offers a vibrant and flexible Ph.D. program, with (as of April 2012) 21 faculty members and 33 graduate students in residence. Faculty and students often work in close collaborative relationships. We are engaged in a variety of research endeavors including study of the arts and culture; deviant behavior; gender and sexuality; health and the life course; race, ethnicity, and immigration; social movements; and work and occupations.
Two scholarly journals, the American Sociological Review (the flagship journal of the American Sociological Association) and Work & Occupations, are edited in our department.
We contribute to and benefit from interdisciplinary research centers and programs such as African American and Diaspora Studies; the Center for Medicine, Health, and Society; the Center for Research on Health Disparities; the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy; the Center for Latin American Studies; the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities; and Women's and Gender Studies.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Ph.D. program in the Vanderbilt University Department of Sociology is to prepare students for careers in sociological research and teaching. To achieve its goal, the program provides its graduate students with training in the fundamentals of sociology through coursework designed to give students breadth of knowledge in sociological theory, research methods, and a variety of substantive areas. Coursework also allows students to develop an ability to convey theoretical and empirical ideas effectively through both written and oral expression. In addition, students gain substantial experience in conducting collaborative, theoretically-informed and empirically-grounded research with top scholars in the field. A teaching workshop and teaching assistantships in support of faculty members ensure that students acquire hands-on experience in teaching. Through successful completion of a master’s thesis and two special-area exams, the writing of research articles individually and in collaboration with faculty, and the design and completion of an independent research project presented and defended as a doctoral dissertation, students gain the requisite skills, knowledge, and abilities needed for careers in sociological research and teaching.
Please follow the links below for further information about our program.
Graduate Brochure
How to Apply
Curriculum
Funding Opportunities
Robert Wood Johnson Fellows
Departmental Specializations
Current Graduate Students and Graduate News
Student Placements
Resources for Current Students
Contacts
