Sociology (SOCY)

Graduate Degree Program
College: Behavioral and Social Sciences

Abstract

The Graduate Program in Sociology is designed for students seeking a Ph.D. degree. However, the M.A. option is available to students who either wish to obtain a master’s degree while continuing in the Ph.D. program, or who leave the program before finishing the PhD. The graduate program is organized into five specialty areas: Demography; Social Movements and the State; Social Psychology; Social Inequality & Mobility; and Gender, Work, and Family.

Typically, about half the students finishing Ph.D. degrees in the Sociology Department work as faculty members at colleges and universities, and about half are working in research, administration, and consulting in federal, state, or private organizations. Our location in the Washington, D.C., area offers an unusual number of full-time research opportunities for our graduates.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance for graduate students is available through teaching and research assistantships, and for advanced students through part-time instructorships. We also have several special fellowships for outstanding applicants that provide additional support tailored to the applicants needs. All carry a stipend plus tuition remission, and most include health benefits.

Contact

Dr. Kris Marsh
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Sociology

2112 Parren J Mitchell Art-Sociology Building
3834 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.6395
Fax: 301.314.6892
Email: kmarsh1@umd.edu
 
Jessica L. Gray
Graduate Coordinator
Department of Sociology

2103 Parren J Mitchell Art-Sociology Building
3834 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.6430
Fax: 301.314.6892
Email: jessgray@umd.edu

Website:  http://www.socy.umd.edu

Courses:  SOCY

General Requirements

Program-Specific Requirements

  • Letters of Recommendation (3)
  • CV/Resume
  • Supplemental Application 
  • Writing Sample: Limited to 35 pages with references, tables, and figures. 
  • Description of Research/Work Experience (optional)

Please note, the Master's program is for current University of Maryland undergraduates only. Any UMD applicant needs to have SAT scores of verbal plus math scores totaling at least 1270. In addition he/she subject to an academic audit by the Academic/Departmental Advisor. 

Admission to the graduate program is based upon the student’s academic record, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and other information relevant to the applicant’s chances of being successful in the program. Although a previous major in Sociology is not required, students entering the graduate program should have had the following in undergraduate courses: mathematics through college algebra, elementary statistics, sociological theory, and sociological research methods. Students who have completed prior graduate coursework in Sociology may petition to waive one or more courses in Social Theory, Statistics, or Research Methods. New graduate students are assigned temporary advisors upon arrival, and are then expected to select a permanent advisor who will direct their dissertation research. For consideration for departmental fellowships or assistantships, applications should be received by the preferred deadlines.

For more admissions information or to apply to the program, please visit our Graduate School website.

Application Deadlines

Type of Applicant Fall Deadline
Domestic Applicants
US Citizens and Permanent Residents January 3, 2025
International Applicants
F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas; A,E,G,H,I and L visas and immigrants January 3, 2025

Other Deadlines: Please visit the program website at http://www.socy.umd.edu

In addition to these programs, the department is closely involved with the following research centers: the Center for Research on Military Organization, the Maryland Population Research Center (MPRC), the Center for Innovation, and the Program for Society and the Environment. Collectively, these centers account for over five million dollars in annual research funding. The Department is also affiliated with an interdisciplinary Joint Program on Survey Methods (JPSM). The campus has excellent computer facilities and computer resources are available to faculty and graduate students.

Last Name First/Middle Name Graduate Faculty Status Academic Credentials Positions
Adem Muna Full Member B.A. California State University, 2013; M.A. Indiana University, 2017; M.S. Indiana University, 2019; Ph.D., Indiana University, 2023. Assistant Professor, Sociology
Andrews David L. Full Member B.Ed. Exeter University, 1985; M.S. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991; Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, 1993. Professor, Kinesiology
Professor, Physical Activity
Affiliate Associate Professor, Sociology
Andrist Lester H. Special B.A., University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, 2001; M.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 2008; Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 2016 Senior Agent, Sociology
Specialist, Sociology
Bachrach Christine Full Member B.A., Harvard University M.A., Georgetown University Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University Research Professor, Sociology
Balachandran Arun Special B.A., University of Kerala, 2011; MSc., Madras School of Economics, 2013; Ph.D., University of Groningen, 2020 Affiliate Professor, American Studies
Postdoctoral Fellow, Sociology
Branigan Amelia Full B.A., New York University, 2004; M.A., Northwestern University, 2009; Ph.D., Northwestern University, 2014. Assistant Professor, Sociology
Caudillo Monica Full Member M.A., New York University, 2015; Ph.D., New York University, 2017. Associate Professor, Sociology
Chen Feinian Special Member B.A., Georgia College, 1994; M.S., Mississippi State University, 1996; Ph.D., UNC Chapel Hill, 2001. Professor, Sociology
Chuang Julia Full Member B.A., Harvard University, 2003; M.A., UC-Berkeley, 2009; Ph.D., UD-Berkeley, 2014. Associate Professor, Sociology
Cohen Philip Full Member Professor, Sociology
Collins Patricia Hill Full Member B.A., Brandeis University, 1969; M.A.T. Harvard University, 1970; Ph.D. Brandeis University, 1984. Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Sociology
Connor Brian Associate B.A., Tulane University, 2003; M.A., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 2007; Ph.D., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 2014. Senior Lecturer, Sociology
Das Gupta Monica Full Member B.Sc., 1973, London School of Economics; M.Sc., 1974, London School of Economics; Ph.D., 1982, University of Sussex Research Professor, Sociology
Desai Sonalde B. Full Member B.A., University of Bombay, 1978; M.A., Case Western Reserve University, 1980; Ph.D., Stanford University, 1987. Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Sociology
Affiliate Professor, Women's Studies
Dill Bonnie Thornton Full Member B.A.,University of Rochester, 1965; M.A., New York University, 1970; Ph.D., New York University, 1979. Professor, Women's Studies
Affiliate Professor, American Studies
Affiliate Professor, Sociology
Doan Long Full Member B.B.A, University of Georgia, 2009; M.A., Indiana University, 2010; M.S., Indiana University, 2013; Ph.D., Indiana University, 2016. Associate Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Assistant Professor, Women's Studies
Dow Dawn Full Member B.A., Bryn Mawr College, 1996; J.D, Columbia University, 2000; M.A., UC-Berkeley, 2007; Ph.D., UC-Berkeley, 2012. Associate Professor, Sociology
Eason John Special Member B.A., University of Illinois-Urbana-Champlaign, 1995; M.P.P., University of Chicago, 2002; M.A., University of Chicago, 2004; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2008. Associate Professor, Sociology
Fisher Dana Full Member Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison 2001; M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1999; A.B., Princeton University, 1993 Professor Emerita, Sociology
Kahn Joan R. Full Member B.A., Stanford University, 1978; M.A.,University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 1982; Ph.D., 1985. Professor Emerita, Sociology
Kestnbaum Meyer Full Member B.A., Harvard University, 1986; M.A., 1989;Ph.D., 1997. Associate Professor, Sociology
Kleykamp Meredith Full Member B.A., University of Texas as Austin, 1998; M.A., Princeton University, 2001; Ph.D., Princeton University, 2007. Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Associate Professor, Women's Studies
Korzeniewicz Roberto P. Full Member B.A., University of California-Santa Cruz, 1980; M.A., State University of New York-Binghamton, 1985; Ph.D., 1989. Associate Dean, Sociology
Professor, Sociology
LaFree Gary D. Full Member B.A., Indiana Wesleyan University, 1973; M.A., 1975; Ph.D., 1979. Distinguished University Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Affiliate Professor, Sociology
Lucas Jeffrey Full Member B.A.,1992, M.A.,1996; Ph.D.,2000, University of Iowa Professor, Sociology
Madhavan Sangeetha Full Member B.A. Barnard College, 1988; M.A. University of Pennsylvania, 1994; Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, 1999 Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Professor, Women's Studies
Mahmoudi Hoda Special Member B.A., University of Utah, 1972; M.A., University of Utah, 1973; Ph.D., University of Utah, 1979. Research Professor, Sociology
Marsh Kris Full Member B.A., San Diego State University, 1996; M.A., California state University, Dominguez Hills, 2000; Ph.D., University of Southern California, 2005. Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Associate Professor, Women's Studies
Mauldin Laura Special Member B.A., UT-Austin, 2001; M.A., Gallaudet University, 2005; Ph.D., City University of New York, 2012. Associate Professor, Sociology
Milkie Melissa A. Full Member B.A., Indiana University-Bloomington, 1987;M.A., 1990; Ph.D., 1995. Professor Emerita, Sociology
Mills Michael Special Member B.S., University of Maryland, 1983; M.Ed., University of Delaware, 1997; Ed.D., 2005 Vice President, Sociology
Moaddel Mansoor Full Member B.A., Shiraz University, 1976; M.A., Western Michigan University, 1979; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1986. Professor, Sociology
Mueller Collin Full Member B.A., Rice University, 2009; M.Div., Duke University Divinity School, 2015; M.A., Duke University, 2015; Ph.D., Duke University, 2017. Assistant Professor, Sociology
Neustadtl Alan Full Member B.A., Bates College, 1979; M.A., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1982; Ph.D., 1987. Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation
Associate Professor Emeritus, Sociology
Park Julie Full Member B.A., UC-Davis, 1994; M.Pl., University of Southern California, 1998; M.A., University of Southern California, 2001; Ph.D., University of California, 2003. Associate Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Associate Professor, Women's Studies
Presser Stanley Full Member A.B., Brown University, 1971; Ph.D., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 1977. Assistant Director, Survey Methodology
Distinguished University Professor, Sociology
Distinguished University Professor, Survey and Data Science (online)
Ray Rashawn Full Member B.A., University of Memphis, 2003; M.A., Indiana University, 2005; Ph.S., Indiana University, 2010. Professor, Sociology
Affiliate Professor, Women's Studies
Rendall Michael Full Member Ph.D., Brown University, 1993; A.M., Brown University, 1990; M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1987; B.B.S., Massey University, New Zealand, 1981. Professor, Sociology
Santoro Wayne Full Member B.A., University of Illinois-Urbana-Champlaign, 1991; M.A., Ohio State University; Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1999. Associate Professor, Sociology
Sayer Liana Full Member B.A., University of Texas M.A., University of Pennsylvania Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2001 Professor, Sociology
Smith Nicholas Full Member B.A., University of Maryland, 2016; M.A., Indiana University, 2018; Ph.D., Indiana University, 2023. Assistant Professor, Sociology
Vanneman Reeve D. Full Member B.A., Cornell University, 1967; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1975. Professor, Sociology
Villarreal Andres Special Member B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1989; M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1991; M.A., University of California, San Diego, 1994; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2002. Professor, Sociology
White Michael Special Member B.A., Harvard College, 1975; M.A., University of Chicago, 1977; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1980. Professor Emeritus, Sociology
Yelin Benjamin Graduate Teaching J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 2013 Lecturer, Sociology
Yu Wei-hsin Special Member B.B.A., National Taiwan University, 1992; M.A., University of Chicago, 1995; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1999. Professor, Sociology
Zambrana Ruth Enid Full Member B.A., CUNY-Queens College, 1969; M.S.W., University of Pennsylvania, 1971; Ph.D., Boston University, 1977. Professor, Women's Studies
Affiliate Professor, Sociology