Graduate Sociology
The University of Virginia’s Graduate Program in Sociology offers highly focused Ph.D. training within small cohorts that allow for close mentorship, individualized guidance, and deep engagement with sociological research and theory. Admitting approximately six distinguished students each year, the program prepares future scholars and teachers through intensive seminar coursework, extensive interaction with faculty, and strong professional development support.
Students work closely with faculty across a wide range of sociological subfields while building strong foundations in sociological theory, qualitative and quantitative methods, and specialized research areas. The program emphasizes early involvement in research, individualized advising, and a collaborative intellectual environment supported by workshops, colloquia, and opportunities for teaching experience.
Designed solely as a Ph.D. program—the department does not offer a standalone M.A.—UVA Sociology provides rigorous training that prepares graduates for academic careers, research roles, and positions requiring advanced sociological analysis, critical inquiry, and methodological expertise.
What Can I Do With This Degree?
- University or college professor in sociology or related social‑science fields
- Social science researcher in academic, nonprofit, or policy institutions
- Applied sociologist or research analyst in government, think tanks, or public‑sector agencies
- Specialist in social policy, inequality, community development, or demographic research
- Data analyst or research methodologist using advanced qualitative and quantitative methods
- Program evaluator or research consultant for NGOs, foundations, or public‑health organizations
- Industry researcher focusing on organizational behavior, social trends, culture, or consumer insights
- Sociological theory and its contemporary and historical applications
- Culture, identity, and social change
- Economic sociology and political economy
- Race, ethnicity, and immigration
- Organizations, institutions, and political sociology
- Social stratification and inequality
- Religion, civil society and the state
- Place, community structures, and social networks
- Science, knowledge, and technology in society
- Global South societies