Graduate Program Admissions
Departments
of Sociology and Rural Sociology
University
of Wisconsin-Madison
Is
this the graduate program for you?
Checklist
of required application materials
Frequently
Asked Questions re: Admissions
Is this the graduate program for you? If your career goal is a Sociology or Rural Sociology teaching and/or research position at a good college or university or an applied social research job, your best option for superior training is the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Departments of Sociology and Rural Sociology conduct a combined graduate program designed to prepare students for scholarly research, teaching, or applied work. With over 60 faculty and affiliated faculty, all major areas of sociological inquiry are represented in the curriculum. We consistently rank at or near the top in studies of U.S. sociology doctoral programs. Thriving research projects in many areas provide valuable training. Your colleagues will be other outstanding students, and your training and support will come from each other as well as from the faculty.
Our program is unique in integrating what are often separate programs in sociology, rural sociology, demography, and social psychology. One flexible set of requirements permits students to create individualized programs to suit their particular interests and goals. Some students work entirely within one subspecialty, while others create a broad and diverse course of study for themselves. Both quantitative and qualitative research are done and respected in our program, and we represent a wide variety of theoretical traditions. We are known in the discipline for our climate of civility and openness which creates an exciting and diverse intellectual atmosphere. top
Degrees and Career Goals: Most students in our program are working toward a Ph.D. (either completing an MS degree as part of their work or receiving a waiver of our MS requirements based on previous work). We admit students who intend to complete a Ph.D. However, some of our students decide, upon completing their master's requirements, that they will stop at that point and pursue reserarch or other jobs in the public and private sectors. Our Ph.D. graduates can be found in academic teaching and research, and in research or administrative posts in government and the private sector. top
Program Requirements: For the Master's Degree: Graduate course work (24 credits in Sociology or Rural Sociology) and a master's thesis are required. The course work includes requirements in statistics, methods, and theory. Upon completion of the requirements, MS candidates take a two-hour oral exam. For the Ph.D. Degree: Courses in advanced statistics, methods, and theory are required, along with four graduate seminars in sociology. The student must also complete a minor in an area (or areas) outside Sociology and Rural Sociology. Additional courses are selected according to the student's interests. Two six-hour written preliminary exams and an oral prelim must be completed before the student becomes a dissertator (ABD). Dissertators may work with the many data sets available in connection with faculty research projects, or they may collect their own quantitative or qualitative data. A final oral defense is held upon completion of the dissertation. See the Graduate School Catalog for more information. top
Forms of Financial Support: Many of our graduate students receive support toward their graduate studies through research assistantships, project assistantships, teaching assistantships, lectureships, traineeships, and fellowships (from outside agencies or from the university). The Advanced Opportunity Fellowships program is designed to expand graduate education for U.S. underrepresented students. See Funding. Note for international applicants: Due to U.S. immigration law, international applicants must complete a financial statement which shows sufficient funds to support themselves for their first year in the program, plus show the intent for funding to continue through the duration of study in the U.S. before an I-20 can be issued. After admission, check your application status on Oasis, located on your online Graduate School application, for the status of your financial resource verification. See the Graduate School's International Applicant Financial Information for cost estimates to attend UW-Madison. top
Application Deadline: The application deadline is December 15. This date is our departmental deadline to receive all application materials including the Graduate School's electronic application, information requested on the Sociology Department's Graduate Application website, all recommendation letters, required written materials, transcripts and test scores. If documents arrive late, your application may not be reviewed. top
Qualifications: A Sociology undergraduate degree is not required. Your sociological interests should fit our program and we encourage you to thoroughly investigate our program and other programs before you apply. The admissions committee evaluates complete applications and does not base its decision solely on TOEFL scores (see the Graduate School's English proficiency requirement), GPAs or GREs. If your grades and test scores are weak, you will need to present other strong evidence of your abilities (e.g., references, writing sample, statement of reasons for graduate study). The Graduate Program of the Departments of Sociology and Rural Sociology rarely admits students with a paper-based (PBT) score below 620, computer-based score (CBT) below 260, or internet-based score (iBT) below 105. Average GPAs and GREs of admitted applicants to our department for Fall 2005 were as follows: average GPA 3.7 (the Graduate School requires a minimum 3.0 GPA) and average GRE test scores were Verbal 630, Quantitative 710 and Writing Analysis 5. top
Graduate School. Fill out an electronic application on the Graduate School website. Due to the way information is handled electronically, indicate Sociology OR Rural Sociology on your application form. DO NOT APPLY TO BOTH.
Graduate School Admission Requirements
What to send to the Graduate School
Departments of Sociology and Rural Sociology. Provide the required application materials as indicated:
- Email, as attachments, the following 4 items to the Department of Sociology at gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu. Prepare the material in Microsoft Word (WordPerfect is acceptable):
- Writing sample (See FAQ#7 for details)
- Resume or curriculum vitae (optional; See FAQ#9 for details)
- Course Listing of currently enrolled courses and courses you plan to take between now and fall 2008. Simply make a list of the course titles and send as an email attachment. A course listing is not needed if you are neither currently taking nor intending to take any coursework before entering graduate school.
- Statement of Reasons for Graduate Study Enter your statement on the Graduate School's electronic application form AND ALSO send as an email attachment to the Department of Sociology. (See FAQ#8 for details)
- Two official transcripts or academic records from each institution attended. International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature(s). When the degree you are currently working on is completed, provide 2 final transcripts indicating degree awarded. Mail transcripts to: Graduate Admissions, Department of Sociology, 8128 Sewell Social Sciences Building, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1393.
- Three letters of recommendation, submitted electronically through the Graduate School's application form. See the Graduate School's web link for instructions. The Sociology Department can view your recommendations through the on-line status system. We prefer recommendations from academic sources.
- Logon to the Sociology Department's Graduate Application website to record your Areas of Interest and to submit additional important information. Your logon for the website will be emailed to you within one week AFTER you submit your electronic Graduate School application.
- GRE test scores are required of all applicants. Indicate that test scores be sent to UW-Madison, school code ETS #1846. Your scores will then be forwarded electronically to the Sociology Department. (see FAQ#3 for details)
- English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS) for international applicants. See Graduate School Admission Requirements, English Proficiency. Request that test scores be sent to UW-Madison, school code ETS #1846. Your scores will then be forwarded electronically to the Sociology Department. (see FAQ#4 for details)
If your question is not answered here, email gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu