PhD in Sociology - Social Demography in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The Sociology Graduate Field accepts approximately 6-7 PhD candidates annually, maintaining a total enrollment of around 40 students. These graduate students receive guidance from over 30 distinguished Sociology Graduate Field Faculty members from various Cornell departments, with many holding primary appointments in the Sociology Department. Candidates may seek mentorship from any faculty member within this group. Prospective students should examine faculty research specialties and contact relevant professors, though admission isn't tied to specific faculty 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, which may include either two major concentrations or one major and one minor focus.

Following first-year requirements, students complete two concentration exams and produce a Qualifying Paper - an original research article suitable for journal submission. Upon completing this paper, they become eligible for Doctoral Candidacy, typically achieved by their third year. The candidacy process includes examinations, dissertation proposal development, dissertation completion, and final oral defense.

Sociological demographers investigate diverse population dynamics including family structures, health inequalities, economic disadvantage, migration patterns, and community evolution. Their work shares methodological approaches to population data analysis.