Where Interdisciplinary Scholarship Produces Innovative Solutions
Social Science PhD Program

our alumni hold a broad range of academic, research and leadership roles
we offer the only interdisciplinary social science Ph.D. program in the country
determine the mix of disciplines appropriate for your unique research interests
One degree, many paths
The Ph.D. in social science prepares students to undertake a broad range of careers including college and university research and teaching, non-academic research, consulting, public service, organizational administration, and institutional leadership.
Notable Alumni


Diane Lyden Murphy
Dean, Syracuse University Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics; Associate Professor of Social Work

Gearoid Millar
Head of Department and Senior Lecturer, Sociology, University of Aberdeen

Deborah Alexander
Career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, retiring as a senior policy advisor

Priti Ramamurthy
Professor, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, University of Washington

Nicholas Armstrong
Head of Research and Data, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University
Innovative scholarship, diverse viewpoints

I am Maxwell.
I took urban anthropology and urban geography and urban sociology. I studied with some extraordinary people, and the degree that I got gave me such a broad, interesting education. Whether I was jumping into solving the New York City fiscal crisis or sitting over at HHS trying to figure out how we were going to straighten out a very complex Medicare system, all of that came out of very good training.”
Donna Shalala M.A., PH.D. (SOCIAL SCIENCE)
Former: U.S. Representative (FL-27); president and CEO Clinton Foundation; president, University of Miami; U.S. Secretary, HHS

Graduate students will conduct cutting edge research alongside faculty mentors and in Maxwell's 14 research centers.