julesevar

Naropa called, it’s an acceptance ((: waiting to hear from faculty about fellowship funding

Context to my last post that I failed to add: I'm referring to the (albeit seemingly well-intentioned post) implying that white men are at a significant disadvantage in the academic job market due to a type of unofficial affirmative action. As for everything else, I've said numerous times that I know the risks and that they apply to me. Hence, why that thread isn't worthwhile for me and I'm choosing to let my previous comments speak for themselves. 
Moving on to applications since that's why we're all here: @CoffeeCatsCorgisI'm an American applicant and got my Harvard decision for the PhD program via the portal last night. 
 

If you score well on it, that will only help you, so I see no reason not to take a pass at it, and if you don't score well, just don't send it. But I wouldn't spend time and energy studying for it until programs decide to bring it back (which they might for next year).

Thanks to every one who replied! A brief self-introduction: I'm an international student applying to 13 programs in sociology. My research interests are gender and sexuality, ethnographic methods, and health. Would anyone be willing to share the number of programs they are applying to and their research interests?

There are so many variables.  MSW programs aren’t ranked by specialty.
Do you care about rankings and/or name recognition? If so go to US NEWS & WORLD REPORT and start there….
I think it may be easier to determine if you want in-state vs. out-of-state/private and/or in-person vs. online...   $--$$$$
Full time? Part time?
Does your jurisdiction prefer in-state schools or require specific classes toward licensure?
Come up with a short list and look at the available concentrations.

WSU looks good. Thanks for responding. 

Rather than go into debt for an MA, find a school near you and email professors asking if they have a need for a volunteer research assistant. If you write a thoughtful (and brief) email and demonstrate the connection between your research interests and the professor's research, you should get someone to bite. Very few people in academia turn down free labor. You can also do internships at nonprofits that do research or similar organizations. While both of these options are likely unpaid, it's better than actively going into debt, which is what would happen with an MA. I'd certainly only recommend considering the MA path if you can find one that's fully funded, and there are very few that are funded.

I'm really glad you asked this question! We have a little bit in common - I'm also mid-30s with a master's in another field (policy), and I work at a nonprofit. I'm looking to shift to sociology and hope to land in a research-focused role in a research center or agency.
It looks like I won't get accepted to a PhD program this cycle, so I am now considering doing a terminal MA program, but only because I still want to do a PhD and I think a master's will give me the best shot at boosting my profile (and only if I can get some funding!). The roles I want don't always require a PhD, but I still want to pursue one because I want the most rigorous research training possible and a part of me thinks I might be interested in staying in academia, so I don't want to close that door just yet. Personally, I don't have the background to get a research job right now, so the only path I see for gaining the research experience that will make me a competitive PhD applicant is doing an MA.
It sounds like with a little skills training you could be competitive for the types of jobs you want, though. If it were me, I would do some standalone courses or a certificate to build the necessary stats skills and stay in the workforce. And if you decided to complete the MA, you'd already have some courses toward the degree. You might be able to transfer some credits from your master's, too. I guess that's basically the advice @cec2021 gave you up thread but I wanted to echo it!

I'd like to propose CUNY Graduate Center, since I feel that at least half of the core faculty are qual. In fact half of my cohort specializes in political sociology or gender issues now. There are several qual workshops organized by students or faculties, including a society and protest workshop. The department also has a historical analysis course and a couple of qual courses in the department every semester.  You can simultaneously get a Women Studies or Critical Studies certificate offered by the Graduate Center(open to all phd students), too. One more plus, you can take ANY related course in other departments within the school or the consortium universities (Princeton, Rutgers, NYU, New School, etc).

If you end up applying to programs next year, at WSU, Kmec has been known to chair committees for students doing historical/document analysis type research (or, at least, I know of one student who recently graduated). Otherwise I seriously suggest you consider a PhD in Anthropology. They share a lot of theory with Sociology, but you'll find far more emphasis on history, context, and culture-- and huge emphasis and excellent training in qualitative methods (multiple courses likely offered and field schools to practice before its your thesis or dissertation on the line). I have grad degrees in both/know the differences well. Hope this helps! 

I was a Mathematical Statistician (mostly a survey methoodologist) working in research and methodology of a Federal Statistical Agency. The tools I used most were programming in SAS ( I think still most used in Federal and State agencies, but I think R is catching up), some advanced statistics, knowledge of survey design and error, experimental design, and scientific writing. I could have advanced with those skills pretty far, but to lead the research and write grants for funding, I believe a PhD would have been required. There were also plenty of researchers who had technical masters degrees such as survey methodology, statistics,  and science communication. I was in a very very technical research group. Other research groups had more subject matter experts, and sociologists. I also interned at a state health agency and knew epidemiologists with MPHs and PhDs and DrPHs. 

New Yorker here, just finished my undergrad degree in creative writing after a long time away from school.
Applied to NYU, Columbia, The New School, Hunter, and CCNY for their nonfiction tracks. Just finished the applications, waiting on recommendation letters. Fingers crossed.

Yale, 100% WIth Gorski, Adams, and Wyrtzen for historical sociology, Rene Almeling and Alka Menon for qual methods, and then the dual PhD program in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, it seems like a great fit.

Unfortunately the #1 suggestion I'd normally give here would be UC Berkeley, but they're not accepting apps this year. So I'll plug UCI since there are certainly plenty of good qualitative and political sociologists. Michigan is pretty balanced. NYU (PhD, not the MA) is also solid. Also check out UC Santa Cruz Gender Studies. I know some people with your interests who were considering UCLA but I'm not as familiar with their political sociologists so can't vouch for that.
Oh, and MA-wise, Brandeis has a Sociology/Women's Studies joint MA program!

I am also applying to American studies programs this cycle as well as Anthropology. 
Although a lot of programs are putting their admissions on hold I did not let it deter me. I have been warned by various faculty that due to the pandemic they are accepting fewer students. Although that does make me a little worried I already started the process so I feel like I should finish it. 

Is anyone else planning to apply to American Studies this cycle? The forum seems pretty empty!
I am a little discouraged by so many programs putting their admissions on hold, but I thought I might as well give it a shot anyways. I am a little worried that it will be even harder to get in now, and COVID has definitely left me feeling super exhausted about the whole process. Anyone else feeling like that?
 

1. Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach and Essentials of Sociology by Henslin are brilliant for basics!

The ASA's section on Environmental Sociology has a great listing of graduate programs in the field: http://envirosoc.org/wordpress/graduate-programs/. Each program tends to have their own subspecialties that, while not totally limiting, can have better or worse fit depending on your own interests. A great way to look at it is by looking at the research being done as well as the focus of many of the other members of the program. Off the top of my head, some programs are Brown, Oregon, Colorado, Colorado State, Michigan State, Boston College, Rutgers, Utah, Utah State, and Wisconsin-Madison. Two other potential programs might be Washington State (historically good but has been rumored to be on the decline) and Cornell (focus on Development Sociology). 
 
I don't see something similar for Political Sociology section, but a look at recent officeholders and award winners can show you where there are people doing that work: https://www.asanet.org/asa-communities/sections/political-sociology. I would second @limonchello's suggestion for Boston College; they have a great mix of environmental and global political economy. 
 
(Edited to add Washington State and Wisconsin.)

Top env soc departments off the top of my head could be Oregon, Colorado and Brown (even University of Utah, though this isn't my area). However, environment + political screams andrew jorgenson at Boston College. 
If you're thinking macroeconomic political sociology, check this annual review out: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102639

I have lived in Brooklyn in a townhouse room for $550 (with wifi included, hydroelectric and heating are charged separately). You still can find a room under $800 in southern Brooklyn, Queens (forest hills or Elmhurst) or Little Italy (near Chinatown), if you really want to budget a bit. Cooking can save a lot of money, too. For me, I spent $2,400 a month without cooking. I even went small gigs a lot with this budget.
So this was my personal experience as a grad student four years ago. I know most people will spend much more in NYC. Living in the city is definitely expensive, but if you work really hard, you may still be able to make it. 

I live in NYC for school. Finding an apartment for under $1000 is going to be hard (maybe just not possible) in NYC. You might be able to find a room in a shared apartment for close to $1000, but even that will be challenging, especially because you have to add in splitting utilities most places. (If the school you go to for your MA has graduate housing, I highly recommend trying that because it's likely cheaper.) Check out different apartment websites and you'll see what I mean — it's ridiculously expensive.
Given the cost of living in NYC and the surrounding area (check out New Jersey), only working 25-30 hours a week will also pose a challenge. The only way around is public transit, which is $5.50 round trip per day assuming you are not commuting from New Jersey. For whatever reason food costs more in NYC, too, as does everything else.
I don't really have suggestions but I highly recommend budgeting closer to $1,500 or $2,000 a month for rent/utilities in a shared apartment just to make sure you're covered, $500-$600 for food/other spending, and $200 for transit. So this is $2,700-$3,000 or so a month, to be safe, and it probably will be somewhat unpleasant. This will mean looking for full-time jobs, and/or taking out student loans (ick).
Alternatively, you could apply to Ph.D. programs that provide funding and if you don't like it, drop out after the M.A. Some people do that.
EDIT: For what it's worth, I think the expense of New York outweighs the hype. There are funded Sociology M.A. programs elsewhere and you could maybe have your own apartment. NYC is stressful by itself, and adding finances to it makes it even worse. It's up to you, but for me, I don't find it worth it, and I actively avoided applying to grad schools in NYC as a result.

I was curious about this program and if they offer aid in the form of scholarships, assistantships or fellowships. Also interested in the MSW/MA Women's studies option.  Any thoughts?

depends on how much you buy into victim ideology and political correctness
who is to say that your own person struggles are worse or better than someone else
 

Hello, I read your post and wanted to comment.  I have a bachelor's in Sociology and work for a state agency, specifically I deal with unemployment claims. While I am pursuing a Master's (in Public Affairs) to potentially get a management job in state or federal government, I have also thought about a Master's in Sociology. Let me tell you, my cube mate, who is a Debbie Downer admittedly suggested that a Master's in Sociology won't get you a "better" job than what a Bachelor's in Sociology can. A lot of jobs that you can do with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology in my state (Missouri), include Probation and Parole, Case worker for Social Services and similar. If you have two statistics classes with your bachelor's degree you can get a Research Analyst position with the state.
 
I have always enjoyed sociology and have a desire to pursue more education, but you might be doing yourself a disservice if you have to take on more debt and you haven't done anything more than food service. If you plan on getting a PhD for anything but teaching you more than likely are wasting your time and money. I currently have taken classes with PhD students in Sociology who plan on doing work in the non-profit world, which does NOT require more than a bachelors. And you would be surprised at how little non-profit managers make.....Unless you want to live, breathe and sleep Sociology I wouldn't pursue a PhD.
 
There are a lot of people who have a master's degree. That doesn't guarantee a job. And it would be a shame to do a PhD and not get a teaching job and be loaded with debt and have no real world skills.
 
There is no real job market for sociology Master's degrees as far as I know. Good luck in whatever decision you make!

Hello, I read your post and wanted to comment.  I have a bachelor's in Sociology and work for a state agency, specifically I deal with unemployment claims. While I am pursuing a Master's (in Public Affairs) to potentially get a management job in state or federal government, I have also thought about a Master's in Sociology. Let me tell you, my cube mate, who is a Debbie Downer admittedly suggested that a Master's in Sociology won't get you a "better" job than what a Bachelor's in Sociology can. A lot of jobs that you can do with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology in my state (Missouri), include Probation and Parole, Case worker for Social Services and similar. If you have two statistics classes with your bachelor's degree you can get a Research Analyst position with the state.
 
I have always enjoyed sociology and have a desire to pursue more education, but you might be doing yourself a disservice if you have to take on more debt and you haven't done anything more than food service. If you plan on getting a PhD for anything but teaching you more than likely are wasting your time and money. I currently have taken classes with PhD students in Sociology who plan on doing work in the non-profit world, which does NOT require more than a bachelors. And you would be surprised at how little non-profit managers make.....Unless you want to live, breathe and sleep Sociology I wouldn't pursue a PhD.
 
There are a lot of people who have a master's degree. That doesn't guarantee a job. And it would be a shame to do a PhD and not get a teaching job and be loaded with debt and have no real world skills.
 
There is no real job market for sociology Master's degrees as far as I know. Good luck in whatever decision you make!