PhD in Sociology - Methodology in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The Sociology Graduate Field accepts approximately 6-7 PhD candidates annually, maintaining around 40 students in the program. These students receive guidance from over 30 distinguished Sociology Graduate Field Faculty members spanning Cornell University. While many faculty hold primary appointments in the Sociology Department, students may work with any field faculty member. Prospective applicants should examine faculty research specialties and contact relevant professors, though admission isn't tied to specific mentors or labs.

PhD candidates begin with general sociology registration, completing core theory and methods coursework in their first year. Subsequently, they select two specialization areas from the options below, choosing either two major focuses or one major and one minor concentration.

Following first-year requirements, students complete two concentration exams and produce a Qualifying Paper - an original, publishable research article. This leads to Doctoral Candidacy applications, typically pursued in the summer before or fall of the third year. The process continues with dissertation development, including prospectus submission, dissertation completion, and final oral defense.

Sociological research employs diverse methodologies. Concentration requirements can be met by either: (1) Broad methodological knowledge (qualitative research, advanced modeling, etc.), or (2) Specialized expertise in a particular method (e.g., social sequence analysis).