Admissions - Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
- When is the application deadline?
- What is the application deadline to be considered for a fellowship?
- What GRE tests should I take, and when?
- As an international applicant, what test or tests should I take?
- What test scores and GPA are the minimum to get admitted?
- Is an undergraduate degree in Sociology required?
- What should I know about the writing sample requirement?
- How do I submit my Statement of Reasons for Graduate Study, how long should it be, and what should it include?
- Why do you need my resume or curriculum vita?
- Your program is called Sociology and Community and Environmental Sociology. Should I list both departments on my application?
- Should I come to Madison to interview with the Admissions Committee?
- How and when does the department make admissions decisions?
- What are my chances of getting funded, and when?
- Can I transfer credits that I've taken in another graduate program?
- If I already have a master's degree, do I have to complete another one?
- What if I am admitted and then want to delay entering the program?
- When do you need to know whether or not I will attend?
- How long does it take to get a Ph.D.?
- Is there a separate program for those who want just a master's degree?
- What kind of jobs do people get with a Ph.D. from this program? What kind of jobs can you get with a master's degree in Sociology?
1. When is the 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.
2. What is the application deadline to be considered for a fellowship or other department funding?
You must apply and all supporting documents (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) must reach us before December 15 to be eligible for the university fellowship competition. Department funding opportunities may come up at any time, but you still must apply by December 15 to have the best opportunity to be considered for possible positions.
3. What GRE tests should I take, and when?
We require the GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative and writing) scores of all applicants. For testing information, see the GRE website http://www.gre.org/. Request that ETS send scores to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Institution Code 1846. GRE scores must have been taken within 5 years of the start of the semester in which you submit your application; scores older than 5 years are not acceptable. It takes 2-3 weeks for test scores to arrive at UW-Madison, so keep in mind the December 15 application deadline when choosing your test date(s). If you are unsure that your GRE scores will arrive before the December 15 deadline, please send a paper copy that we can use temporarily until your scores are verified upon receipt of scores from ETS. Your application will not be considered by the admissions committee until your scores have been received.
For additional information, see the Sociology graduate program Qualifications section.
4. As an international applicant, what test or tests should I take and when?
English proficiency (TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS) and GRE test scores are required of international applicants. Information about the Department of Sociology and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology Graduate Program GRE requirements can be found at FAQ # 3.
International applicants must meet the the Graduate School's English Proficiency requirement for admission to the Department of Sociology. See the Graduate School Admission Requirements for English Proficiency. The Graduate Program of the Department of Sociology and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology rarely admits students with a TOEFL paper-based (PBT) score below 620, computer-based score (CBT) below 260, or internet-based score (iBT) below 105. For additional information, see the Qualifications section.
All scores must be received by the December 15 application deadline. It takes 3-4 weeks for TOEFL and 2-3 weeks for GRE test scores to arrive at UW-Madison, so keep in mind the December 15 application deadline when choosing your test date(s). If you are unsure that your scores will arrive before the December 15 deadline, send a paper copy that we can use temporarily until your scores are verified upon receipt of scores from ETS. Your application will not be considered by the admissions committee until your scores have been received.
5. What test scores and GPA are the minimum for admission?
The Graduate School has set a GPA minimum of 3.0. The Graduate Program of the Department of Sociology and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology has no strict cutoffs. Typically, the student we admit has an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.3. We prefer to see a GPA of 3.6 and above. (We know that some schools have resisted the grade inflation trend, and take that into account.) We consider a GRE score below the 50th percentile to be weak and a GRE above the 75th percentile to be good. We rarely admit students with a TOEFL paper-based (PBT) score below 620, computer-based score (CBT) below 260, or internet-based score (iBT) below 105. If your grades and test scores are weak, your chances of admission are low. But there are always exceptions. Students have been admitted with lower scores when they have provided other evidence of their academic ability and aptitude for research.
6. Is an undergraduate degree in Sociology required?
No. However, you may be required to take coursework to make up deficiencies in methods, theory, and statistics to give you a sufficient background in Sociology. The methods and statistics courses would not count toward the 24 credits required for your master's degree.
7. What should I know about the writing sample requirement?
You should send a sample that you believe represents your best work and
demonstrates how you write and think, keeping in mind that it will be read
by sociologists. We are flexible about what you should submit, other than
it should be in English and should be authored by you alone. If you
believe it would be advantageous to do so, you may submit two papers.
If your best work is in a language other than English, send it accompanied
by a summary of at least two pages written by you in English and, if
possible, also send along another paper you have written in English.
If your best work is co-authored and you played a major role in the thinking and writing, ask your co-author(s) to send a statement of your role in the work and also send
something else that is singly authored.
For application purposes, send a copy of your writing sample(s) as an email attachment to gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu.
If you have further questions about the writing sample, contact us at gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu.
It is required to send copy of your statement as an email attachment to gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu. You may (optional) prepare a separate document and paste it into the text box, Statement of Reasons for Graduate Study, in the on-line Graduate School Application for Admission. Maximum length is 2 1/2 single spaced pages.
We'd like to know the kinds of topics and approaches that interest you. The statement should make us understand that you are really interested in a scholarly life as a sociologist.
Helpful information to include in your Statement of Reasons for Graduate Study: Why sociology? Why Wisconsin? Are there particular faculty or program areas of special interest to you? Do you see your research interests as well-defined or fairly open at this point? Based on your knowledge and thinking now, what research problem(s) would you hope to pursue while here?
For more information see:
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/soc/grad/purpose.php9. Why do you need my resume or curriculum vita?
A resume or curriculum vita, though not required, is useful when you are being considered for funding. Please summarize all relevant work or educational experiences, including skills you have and past research or writing you have been involved with that may indicate interests or abilities not obvious in your statement of purpose or other materials. You may also list the names and contact information for additional referees who can provide information about you as a teacher, researcher, or worker. For application purposes, send a copy of your resume/CV as an email attachment to gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu.
You must list one OR the other department and not both because of the structure of the graduate admissions database. It really doesn't matter which you list as we run a combined graduate program and you will have access to faculty and courses offered in both departments.
11. Should I come to Madison to interview with the Admissions Committee?
No. The Admissions Committee does not conduct interviews, believing that making admission decisions solely on the basis of the submitted application materials is the fairest procedure. However, you may wish to make email contact with or arrange visits to meet the individual faculty in your research areas. The best time to visit is after you have been admitted, preferably on our official "Visit Day," when you will have the greatest opportunity to meet with many faculty and students. If you have been admitted but can't visit on the official Visit Day, and if you let us know in advance, we will do what we can to help you meet with a few faculty and students.
A committee composed of Sociology and Community and Environmental Sociology faculty reviews complete application files in December and January. Decisions are announced in February. The committee considers applications holistically and competitively. Test scores, grades, references, and writing samples all play key roles, and applicants who are weak in one area should show strength in another. We also consider the fit between our program and your stated interests and goals. We limit projected class size to maintain a quality program and have to make tough decisions among qualified applicants.
13. What are my chances of getting funded, and when?
Chances vary depending on factors such as your academic record, skills and the size your cohort turns out to be. The department nominates a number of students with the most promising academic records for University fellowships. Generally about 5 or 6 recipients of these fellowships will accept the offer. In addition, some of the admitted students obtain graduate assistantships or traineeships, and some come in with outside fellowships, such as NSF or Fulbright awards. Of 22 students in the Fall 2007 cohort, 21 came in with funding; in the Fall 2006 cohort, 27 students entered the program and 25 had funding for their first year. Unlike many departments, we do not have a policy of admitting only students for whom we have initial funding. If you come in with no funding and if you do well in the program, your chances of eventually getting some kind of assistantship are quite good. 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., after the Department has recommended admission to the Graduate School. Additional information about International Student Expenses can be found at: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html
14. Can I transfer credits that I've taken in another graduate program?
We require 24 credits taken at UW-Madison in Sociology or Community and Environmental Sociology as part of our master's degree requirement. Though you can't transfer credits, you can request waivers of some required courses based on graduate courses taken elsewhere. Once enrolled in the program, you can request the requirement waivers. You will need to present syllabi from the relevant courses along with the grades you received. If the course waiver is approved, you won't have to take that specific course. But you will still need 24 credits in Sociology or Community and Environmental Sociology taken here.
15. If I already have a master's degree, do I have to complete another one?
If you have been awarded a master's degree in Sociology or a related field and the degree required a thesis or other major researach paper, you may request a "primary master's waiver." A three-member committee will read your previous thesis or paper and decide whether or not it is substantively equivalent to a thesis completed in this program. If your primary master's waiver is denied, there also is an option for a "secondary master's waiver" request that would involve submitting additional or revised papers and having a comprehensive oral exam.
16. What if I am admitted and then want to defer admission to the spring or following year?
You cannot defer admission, you have to reapply. Although admission in one year makes it likely that you would be considered admissable in the next year, admission is competitive and it is possible that you would not be admitted in a subsequent year. But declining admission and reapplying would not lower your chances of admission in the following year. Also, we do not admit students for spring, as our program is structured to start in the fall.
17. When do you need to know whether or not I will attend?
We need your response by April 15. If you have chosen another school before that date, we would appreciate it if you would let us know as soon as you make your decision.
18. How long does it take to get a Ph.D.?
Usually about six to eight years. If you start our program with a previous master's degree and receive a master's waiver (see FAQ #15), you may finish about two years earlier.
19. Is there a separate program for those who want just a master's degree?
No. We admit people who intend to complete a Ph.D. You will either complete a master's degree on the way to the Ph.D. or receive a waiver of our master's requirements based on a previous degree. You are admitted to the Graduate Program of the Department of Sociology and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology. Some students choose to leave the program after completing the master's degree. And sometimes their master's exam committee makes the recommendation that they not continue toward the Ph.D.
Most Ph.D.s from this graduate program get jobs teaching and/or doing research at universities or doing research in government or private organizations. Master's graduates often get government or private agency research or administrative positions. Some obtain teaching positions at colleges that do not require a Ph.D. degree.
If your question is not answered here, e-mail gradinfo@ssc.wisc.edu