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2024-2025 Academic Calendar | York University Faculty of Graduate Studies

Sociology

Posted on 17 August 2022

All Programs

LocationEmail AddressProgram Website
2077 Vari Hallgradsoci@yorku.cayorku.ca/gradstudies/sociology/

The Graduate Program in Sociology, which offers both MA and PhD degrees, is primarily designed for students interested in pursuing academic and research careers. The curriculum is intended to develop both disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary breadth. Students are given ample opportunity to specialize but the program believes that specialization should also be accompanied by a thorough grounding in classical and contemporary theories and proficiency in a variety of research methods.

Areas of Concentration

While the Graduate Program in Sociology is oriented to providing a broad theoretical and methodological training, thematic clusters also permit students to focus their studies in certain areas such as: global sociology; culture and identities; nature/society/culture; critical social theory; and processes, practices and power. These clusters are synergistic and interdisciplinary, with linkages to area studies, research projects, and thematic studies that enhance research in their fields. They allow students to take advantage of a rich array of intellectual resources and to participate in collaborative research clusters.

Supervisory Committees

Each student’s program of study is undertaken in consultation with a two-person (for MA students) and three-person (for PhD students) supervisory committee which is responsible for advising students and evaluating their overall progress. These committees are formed by the student, normally by the end of the first year of study. Committees file progress reports in the graduate program office at least once a year.

See the Faculty of Graduate Studies' Thesis and Dissertation page for regulations concerning the composition and approval of these committees.

Research Facilities

Both the University and the Graduate Program in Sociology offer a wide variety of resources. The Resource Centre for Public Sociology supports faculty and students engaging in teaching and research in public sociology. The activities of this Centre link the university with local, national and global communities. In addition, a number of organized research units exist within the university with whom graduate faculty members and students in sociology are associated. Many of these institutes have specialized libraries and other resources. Some of the Organized Research Units of interest are the Centre for Feminist Research, the Centre for Refugee Studies, the Centre for Research on Latin America & the Caribbean, the Institute for Social Research, the Jack & Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime & Security, the York Centre for Asian Research, the City Institute, and the Global Labour Research Centre.

Application Procedure

Because the number of places in the program is limited, students should apply as early as possible. Students should apply by the deadline published in the material available from the Graduate Admissions Office for first consideration, although in certain circumstances late applications may be considered if space is available.

Admission Requirements

MA

PhD

Graduates with an honours degree in sociology or its equivalent and normally with at least a B+ average or higher in their last two years of study may be admitted as candidates for the MA degree. Graduates with honours degrees in other disciplines may also be admitted depending on their background in sociology.

Graduates with a master’s degree in Sociology with at least a B+ average or higher may be admitted as candidates in the program leading to the PhD degree. Graduates with a master’s degree in other disciplines may be admitted, depending on their background in sociology.

Degree Requirements

MA

PhD

MA

Candidates for the MA degree by thesis must fulfill the following requirements:

Courses

Two full courses, or equivalent, to include Sociology 5901 3.0, Sociology 5995 3.0 and one 6000-level half course in research methods and/or social statistics. Note that Sociology 5900 3.0 does not count toward this total course requirement.

Thesis and Oral Examination

Candidates must write a thesis proposal. Candidates must conduct a research study and report the results in appropriate thesis form. Candidates have the option to write a traditional monograph-based thesis. The research and thesis should demonstrate the candidate’s independence, originality, and understanding of the area of investigation. After the formal submission of the thesis, an oral examination, normally centred on the thesis and matters related to it, is held to determine whether or not the candidate has fulfilled the thesis requirement.

Courses

Three full courses, or equivalent, to include Sociology 5901 3.0, Sociology 5995 3.0 and one 6000-level half course in research methods and/or social statistics. Note that Sociology 5900 3.0 does not count toward this total course requirement.

Research Review Paper and Oral Examination

Candidates must write a research review proposal. Candidates must write a 40-50 page research review paper under the supervision of a two-person supervisory committee on a topic approved by the Graduate Program Director of Sociology. Candidates are given an oral examination on the subject of the paper and related questions in sociology.

There is no second language or cognate requirement for the master’s degree in Sociology.

The MA program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.

The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 3 terms, after which they must register for part-time studies. Students who begin the program on a part-time basis are expected to complete within 6 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 3 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 3 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

PhD

Candidates (PhD I) form a three-person supervisory committee by the end of the second year. Candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

Four full courses, or equivalent, at the 6000-level, including: a full course in theory, a full course in methods, and Sociology 6001 3.0: Doctoral Seminar I: Professional Development Workshop Series and Sociology 6002 3.0: Doctoral Seminar II: Professional Development Workshop Series.

This requirement is met by the completion of Sociology 6001 3.0: Doctoral Seminar I: Professional Development Workshop Series
in the first year and Sociology 6002 3.0: Doctoral Seminar II: Professional Development Workshop Series in the second year.
The overall objectives of these workshop-based courses are:
(i) the development of professional skills for the academic and non-academic labour market; (ii) to facilitate timely progress through program; and (iii) to contribute to the development of a research culture in the cohort and beyond.

Before proceeding to dissertation research, the PhD candidate must complete the comprehensive requirements. These requirements include: (i) a proficiency in social theory as demonstrated through the completion of one 6000-level full course (or two half courses) in classical and/or contemporary social theory; (ii) a proficiency in research methods as demonstrated through the completion of one 6000-level full course (or two half courses) in research methods and/or social statistics; (iii) the completion of one comprehensive examination (taken outside the dissertation area) as selected from the program’s pre-approved comprehensive examination areas, and (iv) a candidacy examination (focussed on the dissertation research). Unless an appeal is granted, a comprehensive examination will be deemed as “fail” if the oral exam is not successfully completed within the required time period – that is, by the “Last Date for Oral and Adjudication.” The comprehensive requirements are to be completed in the second year of study in the PhD program. All students must have a passed comprehensive exam on file before proceeding to the candidacy exam. The candidacy exam has a written and oral component. The written component is the dissertation proposal which normally should be approximately 10,000 words (40 pages) in length. The oral component is the proposal defence, which should be approximately two hours in duration. Detailed information on these requirements may be found on the Graduate Program in Sociology website.

Depending on the candidate’s qualifications and intended research, demonstrated competency in a foreign language and/or demonstrated competency in a technical skill, such as statistics, may be required at the discretion of the student’s supervisory committee.

Candidates must write a research proposal. Candidates must conduct a research study and report the results in appropriate dissertation form. Candidates have the option to write a traditional monograph-based dissertation or an article-based dissertation. The research and dissertation should demonstrate the candidate’s independence, originality, and understanding of the area of investigation at an advanced level. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination, normally centred on the dissertation and matters related to it, is held to determine whether or not the candidate has fulfilled the dissertation requirements.

Candidates may be required to undertake such special research or teaching assignments as may be thought desirable to advance their experience and training in sociology.

The PhD program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.

Normal degree completion time for full-time PhD students is 18 terms (6 years). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.