Sociology
- Graduate Program Coordinator
- Deborah B. Smith, (816) 235-2529, smithde@umkc.edu
| Doctoral Faculty Participation |
| | Leanne Alarid | Kristi Holsinger |
| Louise Arnold (A) | Shannon M. Jackson |
| Barbara Bonnekessen (A) | Kenneth J. Novak |
| Linda M. Breytspraak | Tanya Price |
| Cathleen Burnett | Peter Singelmann |
| Alex Holsinger | Deborah B. Smith |
| |
Sociology is a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program administered by the School of Graduate Studies.
Note: The discipline-specific requirements listed here
are in addition to the requirements listed in
Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission
and
Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements
earlier in this section.
Note: The Sociology Discipline is currently accepting applications for the co-discipline only.
Discipline-Specific Admission Requirement
In addition to the general criteria for admission, applicants selecting
sociology as their coordinating discipline must have an M.A. or M.S.
in sociology or in a related discipline. Additionally, applicants must
submit samples of written work and a preliminary proposal for their
interdisciplinary plan of study (e.g., intended co-discipline, academic
emphasis areas within sociology, intended dissertation research area).
Applicants must also have three written recommendations from professors
or practitioners in the field sent to the Admissions Office.
Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or above in their M.A./M.S. program.
Applicants who designate sociology as a co-discipline must submit samples of
written work and a brief statement (no more than three pages) indicating a
preliminary proposal for their interdisciplinary plan of study (e.g.,
intended coordinating discipline, academic emphasis areas, intended
dissertation research area). This statement should address how sociological
studies will contribute to achievement of their academic and professional
goals.
Applicants selecting sociology as either their coordinating unit or their co-discipline will be considered for admission only for the fall term. The deadline for receipt of completed applications and supporting documents is Feb. 1. Admissions recommendations will be made by March 15. It should be understood that meeting the minimum admissions requirements is not a guarantee of admission. Applicants must be matched to faculty resources since doctoral supervision represents a substantial commitment on the part of faculty. Applicants are strongly encouraged to talk with one or more department faculty during the application process.
Alternate Admission Criteria
Applicants not meeting the minimum admission requirements nor having
sufficient academic preparation (as listed in the following section) may be
considered for provisional admission by the department if the faculty sees
high potential for advanced work from the other credentials of the applicant.
Evidence of high potential might be pertinent work or research experience,
published papers or extremely high achievements in other criterion areas for
admission. In any case, the required GPA must be 3.0 or higher in the
M.A./M.S. program.
Qualifying Requirements for Full Admission
Prerequisites for full admission include prior graduate courses in the
following core areas:
- Classical Social Theory
- 20th Century Social Theory
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Intermediate Statistics
- M.A./M.S. thesis or a research project/report
(SOC 5595, six additional credit hours)
Provisional admission for candidates who have not yet met these requirements
will be changed to full admission when a candidate passes each of these
courses with a B (3.0) or higher.
Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines
English,
history,
art history,
religious studies,
economics,
political science,
social science consortium,
psychology,
public affairs and administration and
urban leadership and policy studies.
Sociology as a Co-discipline
Those students with sociology as a co-discipline will take a minimum of
15 hours in sociology. Prior to full admission, they will have been
expected to have taken and passed with a minimum of 3.0 the following
courses:
Other Discipline-Specific Requirements
Students are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their
coursework within the Ph.D. program. If the GPA falls below this level,
students will be on probation and have one semester to raise their GPA
to 3.0 or above.
Comprehensive Examination Guidelines
Students with sociology as a co-discipline must successfully complete three hours of comprehensive written examination within a substantive area of sociology elected in the program of study.
All comprehensive examinations must have an interdisciplinary dimension in which students will be expected to demonstrate their ability to integrate and apply the perspectives of both disciplines to social problems.