Social Science Ph.D. Program
Requirements and Curriculum
Social Theory
All students must complete four approved seminars in social theory from any of the social science departments or disciplines. As a practical matter, any seminar that is part of the required doctoral theory core for the offering department will usually also qualify towards satisfying the social science theory requirement.
Social Research Methods
All students must also complete four approved seminars in social research methods from any of the social science departments or disciplines. Typically, any seminar that is part of the required doctoral theory core for the offering department will usually also qualify towards satisfying the social research methods requirement.
Examinations and Dissertation
Once coursework is complete, students defend their dissertation proposal and take comprehensive examinations. Both the proposal defense and exams are tailored to the students' research goals through consultation with each student's interdisciplinary committee. After completing these, students begin or continue their dissertation research. The Ph.D. is granted after a successful defense of the dissertation.
Meet Our Ph.D. Candidates
Yooumi Lee
Aging and social policy, social gerontology, living arrangement and relationships among multigenerational families, health and well-being
Wendy Wicker
Post-conflict reconstruction and crisis management, transitional justice/reconciliation and marginalized populations in sub-Saharan Africa
Joonsik Yoon
Policy issues surrounding human migration, including the economic and social impacts of migration
Taveeshi Singh
Socio-cultural practices in the military, focusing on South Asia; production of visual imagery by development organizations
Darzhan Kazbekova
Environmental policy formation, stakeholder analysis, and theoretical frameworks of policy analysis in the case of Kazakhstan
Looking for PhD dissertations?
Future Professoriate Program
The Future Professoriate Program (FPP) helps graduate students build the teaching, research, and professional skills they’ll need for an academic career. Through workshops, annual conferences and a mentored independent teaching experience, participants develop a professional identity alongside their scholarly training.
Students who complete FPP activities and submit a teaching portfolio earn the University’s Certificate in University Teaching, a credential that complements the research and teaching preparation already built into doctoral education.
Finances
Social science doctoral students are fully funded while they remain active in the program.