Graduate Program
The gang in New Orleans for the Southern Sociological Society conference
The Department of Sociology at Virginia Tech offers Master of Science and Ph.D. graduate degrees. The first Master's degree in sociology was granted in the 1920s; its first Ph.D. was awarded in 1974. Our graduates have gone on to distinguished careers both in academia and in applied settings.
Under our broad umbrella of interests having to do with quality of life, inequality, and work and technology, students specialize in such areas as health, crime/deviance, gender, race, aging, social organization, and culture.
In addition, students may choose a specialization in Africana Studies or in Women's & Gender Studies.
Master's students gain the background for doctoral work, and may choose a thesis or non-thesis (applied) option.
Doctoral students have the opportunity to establish their own programs of study, conduct independent research, present papers at professional meetings, and publish. Doctoral students also have the opportunity to gain independent classroom teaching experience.
Find sociology graduate students in 555a McBryde. Phone: (540) 231-6455
Department Graduate Handbook
(fall 2009 additions pending per the inclusion of Women's & Gender Studies degree emphases)
Connections
We maintain strong interdisciplinary connections on campus. The directors of the Center for Race and Social Policy and the Center for the Study of Violence in Society, and the Chair of Science and Technology Studies are members of our department.
In addition, programs in Africana Studies, American Indian Studies, and Women's & Gender Studies are housed within the department.
Finally, we share courses and faculty with Science and Technology in Society, the Center for Gerontology and many other programs. These connections allow our students to pursue programs specifically tailored to their interests, while maintaining a strong central grounding in sociology.
The Setting
With over 26,000 students, Virginia Tech is the largest university in Virginia. The university is located in the town of Blacksburg between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains. Blacksburg was named by Outside magazine as one of the ten best places to live in the U.S. and by Men's Journal as the eighth best place to live in the U.S. Local attractions include easy access to the Appalachian Trail, white water rivers, biking trails, and an active music scene. Roanoke, with a metropolitan population of 250,000, is forty miles away, and Washington, D.C. is within driving distance. Photos.
Admission Policies
Students may request application materials or apply online through the Graduate School website. In addition to the admission standards prescribed by the Graduate School, students requesting admittance to an advanced degree programs in sociology must meet the following requirements:
- A Bachelor's degree or a master's degree from an accredited institution;
- Three letters of recommendation, preferably from former professors;
- A "B" overall grade point average (3.0 on a 4 point system) in all Sociology courses previously taken;
- Graduate Record Examination;
- Applicants for the master's program are also expected to have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (out of 4.0) for the last two(2) years of undergraduate study;
- Applicants to the Ph.D. program with less than 15 hours of Sociology course work will be required to take enough hours at the 3000 level or above in Sociology to equal 15 semester hours; these hours must be taken in addition to the minimum of 30 hours of course work in Sociology.
Graduate Assistantships
- Each year the department awards assistantships on a competitive basis. Assistantships are slightly higher for students entering with an M.S. degree. In addition, students on assistantship receive full tuition remission, which includes the academic fee.
- The out-of-state differential is waived for graduate assistants.
- Graduate students are responsible for paying the Comprehensive Student Fee per fall and spring semester.
- The University will commit to cover approximately 70% of your health insurance care costs if you choose the University's medical insurance plan and agree to pay the premiums through payroll deduction.
For More Information, Contact our Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Jim Hawdon:
e-mail: hawdonj@vt.edu
phone: (540) 231-7476
fax: (540) 231-3860
Department Graduate Handbook
VT Graduate School catalog
Electronic Theses and Dissertation
