Admissions
Students wishing to apply for admission to any graduate degree program in the Sociology Department should begin by consulting the guidelines available from the Boston University Graduate School.
The graduate program only admits students in the fall, the application deadline is January 15th. All applications must be submitted to the Graduate School from which they will be forwarded to the Department for consideration.
Students who have already completed a Sociology Masters degree will normally apply for the eight-seminar “Post-Masters” PhD, while others will apply for the “Post-Bachelors” (sixteen-seminar) PhD degree.
Applications will include
- Graduate School Application Form.
- Transcripts from each college or university attended.
- Graduate Record Examination scores.
- A Personal Statement, clarifying your interests and experience.
- Writing Sample.
- Three Letters of Recommendation from people who know your academic work.
We are committed to building a strong multicultural environment for teaching and learning and strongly encourage women and minorities to apply. Applications from international students are welcome. The Graduate School requires demonstration of a high level of competence in the English language, as well as guarantees of financial support, before admission can be granted. Questions concerning the application procedures for international students can often be answered by visiting http://www.bu.edu/grs/academics/faq/is.html.
Questions about the application process may be directed to
Ms. Kathleen Hennessy, Department Administrator, kch@bu.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I’m interested in a particular research area. Could I pursue that interest in your department?
A: There are a number of ways you can assess that for yourself. The best is to begin by reading the brief introductions to each of our faculty that you’ll find on the website. You’ll find a description of their research and teaching interests and a list of some of their publications. If one or more of them seem to be pursuing research questions that are of interest to you, go to the library and look up some of their publications. If you’re still interested, communicate directly with them via e-mail to find out more about how your interests might be fostered (and refined) if you were to work with them.
Q: Do I have to be a Sociology major to be admitted to your graduate program?
A: No, but it helps. We look for students who have the sort of undergraduate training and/or work experience that will enable them to be ready to read sociological texts and frame sociological research questions. If you have had little sociology background, we may ask you to take some basic courses (without credit) during your first year.
Q: How many applicants do you have a year, and how many are accepted?
A: We average about 120 applications. We make about 20 offers of admission (about half of which will include financial aid). In a typical year, 3-6 new students will join the program.
Q: I’m an international student. Are there any special requirements for me? Do you admit many international students?
A: Our department has a significant number of international students, especially from Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Since visa requirements are now very strict, however, you should pay careful attention to the information and guidelines available on the Graduate School’s website, as well as information available from the International Students and Scholars Office.
Q: What financial aid is available in your department?
A: A limited number of competitive University fellowships are awarded, which carry tuition and stipend and do not require teaching. See the Graduate School website for information on Presidential Fellowships, Martin Luther King Fellowships, and Whitney Young Fellowships. In addition, the department awards a small number of teaching fellowships each year. These also carry tuition waivers and a stipend. These fellowships also cover participation in the University’s health plan.
Almost all of our first-year students receive substantial financial support. In the second and third years, students typically receive partial support. Throughout the program, the department encourages and assists in applying for research and other support.
Q: Do I have to come to campus for an interview?
A: Interviews are not required of applicants. If you are accepted, we encourage you to come for a visit before you make your decision.
Q: Is there a minimum GRE required? How much weight is given to GRE scores? Is the GRE absolutely required?
A: There is no fixed minimum. We attempt to weigh your scores carefully alongside the other parts of your application. Only in the rare instances where it is impossible for a student to take the exam do we waive the requirement.
Q: Is there a minimum GPA?
A: Again, grades are weighed as part of the whole package. We look at recommendation letters and your own statement as much as we do the quantitative measures. We are also looking for goodness of fit between your interests and our department.
Q: What sort of writing sample should I send?
Pick something relatively concise that shows us both how you think and how you write. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a sociology paper or even a traditional academic product. A report or proposal might be just as helpful as a 50-page thesis. If you have done some sociology research, of course, we’d like to see how you framed and presented it.