We hope you will consider applying to our program. January 15 is the application deadline for entry in the fall. The application process is entirely online, and there is no application fee. The online application process begins here:
Vanderbilt University Graduate School Applications and Information
The basic requirements for admission include:
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An undergraduate degree from an accredited, four-year institution (or a course of study that is the equivalent of such a degree) |
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A minimum of a B average in undergraduate work and a minimum of a B average in the field of expected graduate study |
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GRE verbal and quantitative scores (the subject test is not required). Information about the GRE can be obtained from: Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, NJ, 08541-6000, USA or at http://www.gre.org |
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Applicants whose first language is not English and who have not received a degree at an English-speaking university must include a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score with the application. The Graduate School requires a minimum score of 570 (paper-based; 230 computer-based; or 88 Internet-based). Information about TOEFL can be obtained from TOEFL, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ, 08541-6151, USA or at http://www.toefl.org |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I do not have an M.A.; may I still apply to your program?
We admit students only to our Ph.D. program, whether or not they have completed previous graduate work. Students earn an M.A. along the way, but our focus is on helping students earn a Ph.D. When you go to the online application program, you should see only the option to apply to the Ph.D. program.
Each entering cohort of students typically includes some who have completed undergraduate degrees and others who have completed M.A. degrees at other universities. We also consider applicants who have completed other graduate or professional degrees (such as an M.B.A. or a J.D.).
How many applications do you receive in a typical year? How many students do you admit? What are your GRE score requirements?
In a typical year, we receive about 150 completed applications and we admit, on average, four to eight new students each fall. We do not require a minimum GRE score for admission, though we look for scores in the 60th percentile or higher on both the verbal and the quantitative tests.
How do you make admissions decisions?
The members of the department's Graduate Program Committee select students to whom we will make offers. We typically make admission decisions by mid-February and quickly contact students to whom we make initial offers. Students not selected are notified by email; a few students are placed on a waiting list, and may be offered admission and funding if other admitted applicants decide to go elsewhere.
Admitted students have until April 15 to make their decisions. We encourage students admitted to the program to visit us, and the department reimburses students for most or all of their travel expenses.
Is funding for graduate study available?
Please click here to see our discussion of funding opportunities.
Does the department accept international students?
We treat international applicants the same as U.S. citizens, and all applicants are considered for financial aid. International applicants with three-year undergraduate degrees (and no graduate study) should contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Sociology at dgs-soc@vanderbilt.edu for further information.
May students apply to enter in the spring?
We do not accept applications for the spring semester.
May I visit campus?
Once a student applies and is admitted to the department, we will help schedule a visit to campus, arrange individual meetings with faculty members and current graduate students, and reimburse students for all or part of the costs of travel and accommodations.