What do people think of WashU's New Sociology Program?

[law_prospective]

Does it have a chance for good placement outcomes?

https://sociology.wustl.edu/graduate

[socchi92]

Awesome funding for the location. 26k/year stipend for 6 years, supposedly not tied to TAing! While it probably won't rank high for many years, if ever, they are clearly interested in attracting good students which is a positive sign for the future. Placement concerns really depend on the specific faculty member you'd be working with. If there's someone you're interested in, see how their graduate students at their former institution did and how postdocs working with them at WUSTL did on the market. 

[law_prospective]

Thank your advice socchi92! I'll look at the placement history of the faculty.

WashU and Princeton are the only programs, among those with faculty doing similar work, that would offer me funding without requiring TAing. Perhaps they are compensating for their perceived riskiness through funding. I do wonder how long they'll continue to offer such great funding. 

[Warelin]

On 8/2/2019 at 7:05 PM, law_prospective said:

WashU and Princeton are the only programs, among those with faculty doing similar work, that would offer me funding without requiring TAing. Perhaps they are compensating for their perceived riskiness through funding. I do wonder how long they'll continue to offer such great funding. 

As for WashU's funding, it's likely that their funding will continue at their rates for a very long time.  WashU is a top-tier college that has a history of increasing their stipends each year to adjust for cost of living increases. They also have one of the largest college endowments.

I think placements are a bit harder to calculate because a lot of the market depends on who you know through conferences and other events, who your professors may know, your dissertation topic, whether it fits what other programs are looking for, your interviews, and so on.

Due to it being a (now) new program, it might be worthwhile to ask potential WUSTL advisers where their (undergrad) students have gone for graduate school. While your options post graduation will likely be different due to having a different set of options, it'll give you a sense on what schools/type of schools might be the most familiar with Washington University in St. Louis.

[law_prospective]

Thank you Warelin, good advice!!

[sum_guy]

I was interested in WashU last Fall because Adia Harvey Wingfield moved there. Found out they didn't have a graduate program and looked elsewhere. If I were applying this year, I would 100% be looking into this program - Wingfield is a superstar.