PhD in Sociology - Sociology of Education 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 spanning Cornell University. While many faculty hold primary appointments in the Sociology Department, others come from different academic units. Candidates may seek mentorship from any faculty member within the Graduate Field. Prospective students should examine faculty research specialties and consider contacting those whose work aligns with their interests. (Note: Admissions decisions are made holistically, not based on specific faculty matches or lab placements.)

First-year sociology PhD students begin with general registration, completing core theory and methodology courses. Subsequently, they select two specialization areas from the options below, building expertise through either two major concentrations or one major and one minor focus.

Following first-year coursework, students undertake two concentration exams (one per specialization) before developing a Qualifying Paper. This independent research paper should be publication-ready. Upon completion, students typically apply for Doctoral Candidacy during their third year, proceeding through dissertation proposal, research, and final defense stages.

Educational sociology plays a vital role in analyzing individual outcomes related to career paths and employment opportunities. This specialization equips students with sociological theories explaining educational disparities (e.g., how social inequality creates educational gaps) and diverse methodological approaches (including experimental designs and regression analysis) for studying academic achievement variations.