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Sociology (PhD)

Learn advanced techniques in qualitative and quantitative methods. You’ll pursue coursework and candidacy examinations to supplement your independent research. Your expertise in sociology will help you research and create a dissertation that will add significantly to a field of sociology.

Our research strengths include:

  • ecology, global issues and social movements
  • gender, racialization and ethnicity
  • sociology of crime and law
  • health, aging and society

You have the option of combining this program with the interdisciplinary Cultural, Social and Political Thought PhD.

Expected length Project or thesis Course-based
4-5 years (12-15 academic terms) Yes No

Quick facts

Program options:
Doctorate
Study options:
Full-time study
Program delivery:
On-campus
Dynamic learning:
Co-op optional

Outcomes

Graduates with a PhD in sociology will be able to:

  • use sociological approaches to analyze social issues and intellectual debates
  • demonstrate advanced expertise in at least one of the department’s four main areas of research
  • think creatively and understand the process of creating theoretical concepts and theories
  • demonstrate competency in advanced qualitative and quantitative methods
  • design and implement theory-guided and methodologically sound research that makes an original contribution to knowledge
  • communicate research effectively to academic and general audiences
  • participate in various professional activities and develop skills in independent teaching

Find a supervisor

All graduate students in this program are assigned a faculty member who serves as their academic supervisor. When you apply:

  • You should list one or more potential supervisors on your application

To find a supervisor, review the faculty contacts. When you've found a faculty member whose research complements your own, you are encouraged to contact that person to explore common interests before applying.

Aaron H. Devor

Chair in Transgender Studies and Professor Sex, gender and transgender

André Smith

Associate Professor, Honours Program Advisor Aging

Anelyse Weiler

Assistant Professor food and agriculture, migrant workers, food security, food and farm workers, qualitative methods, political ecology

Athena Madan

Assistant Professor Global health, health equity, humanitarian intervention, therapeutic governance and reconciliation, decoloniality

Bruce Ravelli

Teaching Professor Community-Engaged Learning, Social Inequality, Instructional Design

Garry Gray

Associate Professor Criminology, Public Health, Ethics, Institutions, Socio-Legal Studies

Katelin Albert

Assistant Professor Health and Medicine, Vaccines, Health Technology, and Science and Technology Studies, Genders and Sexualities, Sexual Health, Social Theory & Feminist Theory, Sociology of Knowledge

Midori Ogasawara

Assistant Professor Surveillance, technology, identification, biometrics, colonialism, data justice

Min Zhou

Professor, Graduate Advisor International sociology, global change, quantitative methods, East Asian societies

Peyman Vahabzadeh

Professor. Undergraduate Advisor (July 2023-June 2024) Human action and social movements, social theory, phenomenology, postcolonial studies, violence and nonviolence

Sean Hier

Professor Moral Panics and Social Problems.

Steve Garlick

Associate Professor and Chair Gender and Social Theory

Tamara Humphrey

Assistant Professor criminology, development and life-course theories of crime, criminal justice system, quantitative methods, domestic violence, bullying, gender and crime

William K. Carroll

Professor Corporate capitalism, climate crisis, social movements and social change

Show me program details

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Your program details

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Application deadlines

September entry – apply by January 15

If you don’t need funding, you have until May 31 to apply.

September entry – apply by January 15

If you don’t need funding, you have until May 31 to apply.

Admission requirements

Program specific requirements

You must have a master’s degree in sociology or a related social sciences discipline.

As part of your application, you must submit:

  • a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to undertake sociological analysis (e.g. a copy of your master’s thesis; or an assignment from a graduate-level class)
  • a letter of intent (1-2 pages in length) – a short essay which clearly states your research interests with references to relevant academic literature; which faculty member you would like to work with as a potential supervisor, and if you have contacted them; and why you are a good candidate for admission to the PhD program
  • names and email addresses of two references
  • post-secondary transcripts

Program specific requirements

You must have a master’s degree in sociology or a related social sciences discipline.

As part of your application, you must submit:

  • a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to undertake sociological analysis (e.g. a copy of your master’s thesis; or an assignment from a graduate-level class)
  • a letter of intent (1-2 pages in length) – a short essay which clearly states your research interests with references to relevant academic literature; which faculty member you would like to work with as a potential supervisor, and if you have contacted them; and why you are a good candidate for admission to the PhD program
  • names and email addresses of two references
  • post-secondary transcripts

Completion requirements

View the minimum course requirements for this program.

View the minimum course requirements for this program.

Funding & aid

Tuition & fees

Estimated minimum program cost*

* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator.

Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.

Ready to apply?

You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.

Apply now    How to apply

Faculties & departments

Need help?

Contact Aileen Chong at socigradsec@uvic.ca or 250-721-7572.

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