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Department of Sociology
Degree Programs:
Full-Time: M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Full-Time/Part-Time: Free-Standing M.A.
Chair:
David
Stark, Ph.D.
424 Fayerweather
Tel:
212-854-3972
Director of Graduate Studies:
Gil
Eyal,
Ph.D.
405 Fayerweather
Tel:
212-854-4272
The Ph.D. program combines an emphasis on
competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the
development of each student’s own interest. Doctoral candidates are expected to
achieve a solid proficiency in fundamentals that will enable them to teach
basic and advanced sociology courses and to engage in both quantitative and
qualitative research. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the wide
diversity of specialties within the faculty of the department and the
University as a whole and to call upon the unique social and cultural resources
available within New York City
and its surrounding area.
The department emphasizes rigorous training in sociological theory and in
research methods. It includes a sequence of required and elective courses on
theory and theory construction, designed to acquaint every student with skills
necessary for developing social explanations. Required and elective courses in
methods and statistics familiarize students with the basic techniques for
collecting and analyzing data on social processes. The methods sequence ensures
that every student acquires the competence to formulate and test research questions.
Fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in
expectation of scholarly success. Teaching and research experience are
considered an important aspect of the training of graduate students. Thus,
graduate fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship.
The free-standing M.A. program is designed to provide conceptual and practical
research tools for a number of areas in applied sociology. In addition to
studying traditional research methods and theoretical perspectives, students
investigate and utilize new techniques and models for analyzing issues.
Students construct their programs in consultation with the Director of Graduate
Studies.
The department also participates fully in the interdisciplinary M.A. Program in
Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. This M.A. program trains students
in how to apply quantitative methods to problems in the social sciences as they
arise in business, government and nonprofit organizations. The program draws on
the diverse strengths of the statistics and social sciences faculties at Columbia and other institutions in the New York metropolitan area. It is designed
for students with a strong background in social sciences or quantitative
methods who are interested in deepening their analytical skills and broadening
their knowledge of the social sciences.
The Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) was
established in 1999 to serve as the principal organization at Columbia to promote cross-disciplinary
collaborative research among social science faculty from throughout the
University. The Paul
F. Lazarsfeld
Center for the Social
Sciences provides an organizational focus for a wide range of workshop seminars
and empirical research across the social sciences. Other centers include the
Center for Decision Sciences, the Center for Historical Social Science, the
Center on Organizational Innovation, the Center for Urban Research and Policy,
and the Center for the Study of Wealth and Inequality. The centers host international
and domestic visitors, pre- and postdoctoral, in seminars where graduate
students work with faculty as coordinators.
Special Admission Requirements
In addition to the requirements listed below, all students must submit
1 official transcript showing courses and grades per school attended, a
Statement of Academic Purpose, a writing sample (a course paper, term
paper, etc.) and 3 letters of evaluation from academic sources. All
international students whose native language is not English or whose
undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country whose official
language is not English, must submit scores of the Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS. For more information, refer to ourAdmissions Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages.
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DEGREE:
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PHD
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Master's Only
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Deadline for Fall Admission
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December 15
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March 15
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Deadline for Spring Admission
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no spring admission
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no spring admission
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Resume/CV
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yes
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yes
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Writing Sample
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yes (15-20 pages)
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yes (15-20 pages)
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GRE General
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yes
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yes
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GRE Subject
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no
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no
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Miscellaneous
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JD/PhD available
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none
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