Graduate Program Curriculum

• For students admitted at the pre-master's level, completion of the master's degree and thesis within four semesters
• Completion of remaining course requirements within five semesters of advancement to the Ph.D. level study
• Satisfaction of requirements pertaining to the two areas of specialization
• A dissertation proposal and oral comprehensive examination
• A final dissertation and oral defense thereof

• First two years of enrollment: required to enroll in 9 credit hours of coursework per semester
• First semester: required to take three graduate seminars, in addition to any GTA requirements.
• After oral comprehensive examination and defense of the dissertation proposal: required to enroll at least 6 credit hours each fall and spring until 18 post-comprehensive hours are completed or the student graduates, whichever comes first. 
• If Ph.D. degree isn't completed after 18 credit hours of post-comprehensive enrollment, you must continue to enroll each semester until all requirements for the degree have been met.

• Ph.D. students are required to complete 14 graduate seminars in Sociology, of which at least three must be graduate-level research methods courses including SOC 812, and at least three must be graduate level sociological theory courses including SOC 802 and SOC 902.
  • SOC 810 and 995 are also required.
  • A list of courses that satisfy the theory, methods, and substantive seminar requirements can be found in the Academic Catalog. 
• If you completed the thesis-option M.A. in the Department of Sociology at KU, the graduate-level theory, methods, and sociology seminars taken while earning the M.A. count towards meeting these requirements.
• Students who do not complete Sociology 812 (Analytic Methods) at the Master's level are required to do so at the Ph.D. level.

• Students need to demonstrate their two areas of specialization in sociology and their preparation to undertake dissertation research by creating artifacts to be part of their Professional Portfolios.
• Two sections of the Professional Portfolio are designated as Area Specialization Dossiers (ASDs) and are devoted to materials that demonstrate mastery in the students' specialty areas.
• Students need to demonstrate their competency in their chosen areas by receiving a satisfactory grade (B or higher) in a minimum of two courses in each area and placing materials from those courses in their ASD.
• At least one of the two ASDs will include a Critical Review Essay (CRE).

ASD

• An ASD will be a part of the student’s Professional Portfolio. 
• At least one ASD must include a Critical Review Essay that is no longer than 10,000 words (40 pages) in length, excluding the bibliography and cover page with committee members signatures.

CRE

• The CRE is a broad assessment of the area, starting with a conceptual mapping of the area that includes its foundational literature, theories, and relevant work produced in the past 10 years.
• This essay might also highlight the student’s specific interest in the area, especially pertaining to the dissertation.
• You may refer to the Annual Review of Sociology for examples of the style and content of a critical review essay.

• After having satisfied the requirements pertaining to the second ASD, students must complete an oral comprehensive examination and defend a dissertation proposal.
• The comprehensive oral examination (which covers student's specialization areas) and the defense of the dissertation proposal take place within the same examination period.  
• The focus of the examination and defense will be on the feasibility and quality of the proposed research as well as the student's two areas of specialization.

• Students must present a dissertation that demonstrates the development, execution, and results of original research. 
• The doctoral dissertation is a coherent, logically organized, scholarly document. 
  • Material previously published by the candidate may be incorporated in the dissertation.
• Completion of the dissertation is the final phase of a doctoral program and is followed by the final oral examination and defense of the dissertation.
• Upon satisfactory completion of the final oral examination and approval of the dissertation by the dissertation advisory committee, the student proceeds with final submission of the dissertation.