About Our Graduate Program:

Graduate studies in the Department of Sociology at Princeton prepare students for the degree of doctor of philosophy.

The program focuses on guiding students who have excelled as consumers of knowledge through the transition to becoming producers of scholarship. Students are encouraged to focus on independent research projects early in their graduate careers and to work closely with faculty -- through coursework, research assistantships, independent study, and informal mentoring. Co-authorship with faculty is common, and students are expected to produce a piece of publishable, independent scholarship during their second year within the context of the yearlong course, the Empirical Seminar. We encourage students be proactive in developing individualized programs that meet their particular interests and needs while, of course, fulfilling general requirements. Admission is highly selective: We look for creative, accomplished people whose interests and aspirations can be well served by the Department's substantive and methodological strengths. Students come from a diverse range of personal and academic backgrounds. Prior undergraduate experience in sociology is not required. Detailed information is available by contacting the department or by consulting the section for Prospective Students.

— Dalton Conley, Director of Graduate Studies