PhD in Sociology in Waltham United States | Brandeis University

Nestled within a compact yet energetic department, our PhD program champions creative thinking, approachable faculty, strong communication, camaraderie, and mutual respect. The curriculum balances academic rigor with adaptability, empowering you to shape your research focus and academic path while gaining top-tier training in both research and teaching. As a PhD student, you'll immerse yourself in our active department community - assisting with courses, leading your own classes, engaging in academic conferences, and working alongside our renowned, diverse faculty team. Our department has a rich history of bridging democratic ideals and social justice issues with critical social theory and qualitative research approaches. Beyond specializing in ethnographic, interview-based, comparative, and historical methodologies, we take pride in our sophisticated analysis of institutional transformations.

Career Paths and Graduates

Our alumni consistently make significant impacts in sociology, producing award-winning publications and frequently influencing public discourse on vital issues.

Notable graduates include:

Meredith Bergey, PhD15, currently faculty at the University of Virginia, where she mentors undergraduates in developing a hospital program targeting health disparities in pediatric care. Her forthcoming publication, Global Perspectives on ADHD: Social Dimensions of Diagnosis and Treatment in 16 Countries (Johns Hopkins University Press), examines cross-cultural healthcare approaches.
Alison Better, PhD10, teaches at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY while co-leading their Women's and Gender Studies program. She co-edited and authored a chapter in Civic Engagement Pedagogy in the Community College: Theory and Practice (Springer, 2016), exploring innovative teaching methodologies.