Graduate Education
The department has a diverse faculty who offer a wide range of substantive areas, methodological approaches, and theoretical orientations. Areas of particular strength include inequality, poverty, and mobility; political sociology; social movements; gender and sexualities; ethnicity, race and racism; sociology of culture; sociology of education; work and labor markets; social demography; urban and community; globalization and immigration; human rights; and sociology of religion. All of our students receive rigorous training in sociological theory, quantitative methods and qualitative methods.
Graduate Program Options
Ph.D. in Sociology
The Sociology Department provides a challenging and engaging environment for students entering into our program. Entering cohorts typically range from 5-12 students per year. We provide competitive funding packages for all students we admit who need funding. The funding package includes a stipend for 20-hour per week appointment as a graduate teaching assistant or research assistant, a waiver of tuition, and highly subsidized health insurance.
Accelerated (4+1) MA
The accelerated (4+1) MA in Sociology is designed for UConn undergraduates who want to develop the training and skills needed to pursue careers focused on social justice. The program allows students to get graduate-level training in several general areas of specialization, including but not limited to: Gender, Sexuality, Racism, Social Inequality, Human Rights, Politics; and Research Methods.
MA in Sociology
The graduate program in Sociology at the University of Connecticut is a Ph.D. program. We grant MA degrees during the course of the Ph.D. program, but our program does not offer a terminal MA. If you are looking to obtain only an MA, it is better to apply to a specialized MA program oriented towards your specific interests.
Learn from the Best
The department has a diverse faculty who offer a wide range of substantive areas, methodological approaches, and theoretical orientations. Areas of particular strength include inequality, poverty, and mobility; political sociology; social movements; gender and sexualities; ethnicity, race and racism; sociology of culture; sociology of education; work and labor markets; social demography; urban and community; globalization and immigration; human rights; and sociology of religion. All of our students receive rigorous training in sociological theory, quantitative methods and qualitative methods.
More Resources for Graduate Students
Campus and Facilities
Storrs is in Northeastern Connecticut. It is in a picturesque rural setting, but it is very accessible to major urban areas like Hartford, New Haven, Providence, Boston, and New York City. The downtown area recently underwent a major redevelopment with new shops, apartments, and restaurants within easy walking distance to campus. The university has affordable graduate student housing and there is also off-campus housing near campus. Many students start out living on campus, then move off campus when they get more familiar with the area. Some students live in apartment complexes or shared houses near Storrs. Others live in the town of Willimantic about 10 minutes from campus. Others live in outlying suburbs of Hartford like Manchester or Vernon, about 15-20 minutes away from campus. There is a campus bus service to get around on campus and also bus service from Willimantic to Storrs. Students can also utilize a bus service that connects the campus to Hartford and New York City.
Research Opportunities
We provide a supportive environment for students to engage in original research projects and strongly encourage students to publish their research. Students get many opportunities to initiate publishable research projects in their graduate coursework. Many faculty members actively collaborate with graduate students in publishing papers in leading sociological journals or edited collections. Also, students may also get opportunities to work on faculty research projects as graduate research assistants. These appointments often lead to opportunities to publish independently or with faculty investigators.
Centers, Departments, and Institutes
Our graduate students and faculty often are connected to cultural centers, departments, and institutes across UCONN. Attendance or affiliation is found in varying capacities such as program attendees, volunteers, Teaching Assistants or Instructors, interdisciplinary study, research work and more.
Additionally, some graduate students seek specialty certificates through non-sociology departments or centers. Popular certificate programs include the Feminist Studies Certificate Program (WGSS), Human Rights Certificate Program (HRI), Graduate Certificate in College Instruction and Quantitative Research Methods Certificate Program.
Financial Aid
Pre-MA students are usually employed as graduate teaching assistants. Their duties are to assist faculty members in their undergraduate and graduate classes. Post-MA students are generally employed as lecturers and are given full responsibility for teaching their own courses. Some students work as research assistants helping faculty who have received internal and external grants on their research projects. Most students receive “full” support (20 hours per week). In addition to the stipend, students employed as lecturers, teaching assistants, or research assistants also receive a tuition waiver and may purchase UConn-sponsored health insurance at a discounted rate.
Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered through both the department and the Graduate School.