PhD Sociology at University of Chicago

Programme overview

The Department of Sociology, founded in 1892, is described as the first sociology department in the United States. The PhD enrolls about 6-8 students per entering class from over 200 applications a year, and funds students for up to seven years with good progress.

Faculty: Division of the Social Sciences | Department: Department of Sociology | Duration: 7 years of guaranteed funding; many finish in year 6 | Intake: Autumn; applications due December 1, 2026 for the 2027-2028 cycle; about 6-8 students enrolled per class | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chicago, IL, United States

What you will study

Year 1 covers coursework, first-year exams and a qualifying paper built on an independent empirical research project. Years 2-3 include two special field requirements, a second-year Writing Seminar and a third-year Dissertation Proposal Seminar, followed by dissertation research and writing.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Writing sample: single-authored paper up to 8,000 words (or 30 pages). GRE optional. Three to five letters of recommendation. Resume/CV. Candidate statement of about 500-1,000 words. Research proposal up to 750 words. Prior research training summary up to 1,000 words. Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary schools. Official IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT scores unless a waiver applies. Deadline December 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. CST.

Intake: Autumn; deadline December 1, 2026 for 2027-2028

Duration: 7 years of guaranteed funding; many finish in year 6

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