Admissions

Our program is a Ph.D. program and we seek students who are willing to make the commitment to the Ph.D. Most students enter with a B.A. and obtain the M.A. in Sociology in the first two years of the program, then proceed to the Ph.D. Students who are admitted with the M.A. in Sociology from another institution will typically finish the Ph.D. program in a shorter time.

All applications for graduate study in Sociology should be submitted online through The Graduate School at University of Connecticut’s application portal.

Completed applications for admission must be received by January 15.

The following materials are required to complete the application package:

  1. Official test scores from the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  The code for University of Connecticut (Storrs) is 3915.
  2. A 2-3 page personal statement that indicates your reasons for pursuing graduate study in sociology, your areas of intended concentration in sociology, your academic and life experiences that motivate you to study sociology, and your ultimate career goals once you obtain your PhD. You should also provide information about your preparation to do graduate work in sociology, strengths and weaknesses as a student, teaching or research experience, and any academic honors, scholarships, or fellowships you have received. If you have any research projects which you have presented at professional conferences or published, please list them.
  3. Three letters of recommendation from faculty or other persons who know you well.  There is no form for letters of recommendation, but they should appear on letterhead with complete contact information for the person writing the letter.
  4. A writing sample. This can be a course paper or any other substantial written document that conveys your writing ability and sociological ability.
  5. Curriculum Vitae
  6. Official transcripts from all colleges or universities that you have studied, regardless of whether or not a degree was awarded. For international applicants from countries where the official language is not English, or who have not received a degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English, must submit the results of the TOEFL examination or IELTS examinations. Students whose native language is not English will also be expected to pass the Versant test after they have been offered admission and prior to starting their duties as teaching assistants. Ordinarily, students who have a TOEFL IBT score less than 27 or an undergraduate GPA less than 3.00 will not be competitive for our program..
  7. An application fee of $75. The Graduate School is unable to provide waivers for the application, and applications will not be processed until the fee is paid.

Any inquiries about the status of your application should be directed to the Graduate School by email at gradschool@uconn.edu or by phone at (860) 486-3617. Questions about the Sociology program should be directed to Professor Andrew Deener, Director of Graduate Studies in Sociology, at andrew.deener@uconn.edu or by phone at (860) 486-4611.