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Graduate Program Coordinator
- Jeffrey Bennett, (816) 235-2975, bennettjs@umkc.edu
Click here to see Sociology faculty who are members of the doctoral faculty.
Sociology is a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program administered by the School of Graduate Studies.
Note: The discipline-specific requirements listed here are in addition to the requirements listed in Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission and Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements.
Note: The Sociology Discipline is currently accepting applications for the co-discipline only.
Discipline-Specific Admission Requirement
In addition to the general criteria for admission, applicants selecting sociology as their coordinating discipline must have an M.A. or M.S. in sociology or in a related discipline. Additionally, applicants must submit samples of written work and a preliminary proposal for their interdisciplinary plan of study (e.g., intended co-discipline, academic emphasis areas within sociology, intended dissertation research area). Applicants must also have three written recommendations from professors or practitioners in the field sent to the Admissions Office. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or above in their M.A./M.S. program. Applicants who designate sociology as a co-discipline must submit samples of written work and a brief statement (no more than three pages) indicating a preliminary proposal for their interdisciplinary plan of study (e.g., intended coordinating discipline, academic emphasis areas, intended dissertation research area). This statement should address how sociological studies will contribute to achievement of their academic and professional goals.
Applicants selecting sociology as either their coordinating unit or their co-discipline will be considered for admission only for the fall term. The deadline for receipt of completed applications and supporting documents is Feb. 1. Admissions recommendations will be made by March 15. It should be understood that meeting the minimum admissions requirements is not a guarantee of admission. Applicants must be matched to faculty resources since doctoral supervision represents a substantial commitment on the part of faculty. Applicants are strongly encouraged to talk with one or more department faculty during the application process.
Alternate Admission Criteria
Applicants not meeting the minimum admission requirements nor having sufficient academic preparation (as listed in the following section) may be considered for provisional admission by the department if the faculty sees high potential for advanced work from the other credentials of the applicant. Evidence of high potential might be pertinent work or research experience, published papers or extremely high achievements in other criterion areas for admission. In any case, the required GPA must be 3.0 or higher in the M.A./M.S. program. Qualifying Requirements for Full Admission
Prerequisites for full admission include prior graduate courses in the following core areas: - Classical Social Theory
- 20th Century Social Theory
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Intermediate Statistics
- M.A./M.S. thesis or a research project/report
(SOCIOL 5595, six additional credit hours)
Provisional admission for candidates who have not yet met these requirements will be changed to full admission when a candidate passes each of these courses with a B (3.0) or higher. Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines
English, history, art history, religious studies, economics, political science, social science consortium, psychology, public affairs and administration and urban leadership and policy studies in education. Sociology as a Co-discipline
Those students with sociology as a co-discipline will take a minimum of 15 hours in sociology. Prior to full admission, they will have been expected to have taken and passed with a minimum of 3.0 the following courses:
Other Discipline-Specific Requirements
Students are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their coursework within the Ph.D. program. If the GPA falls below this level, students will be on probation and have one semester to raise their GPA to 3.0 or above. Comprehensive Examination Guidelines
Students with sociology as a co-discipline must successfully complete three hours of comprehensive written examination within a substantive area of sociology elected in the program of study. All comprehensive examinations must have an interdisciplinary dimension in which students will be expected to demonstrate their ability to integrate and apply the perspectives of both disciplines to social problems.
Graduate Studies, School of