PhD in Sociology 2025

[Vegmomosaurus]

Hey Everyone! 

I am planning to apply for fall 2025. I don't know whether it is too early to start the preparations but I guess it doesn't hurt. I am starting this forum so that we can discuss application requirements, tips and other things. I also have one question, I have an undergraduate degree from Bologna compliant Uni of 3 years. I found different views whether it fulfils the requirements. While some unis explicitly mention that they accept it, some don't. Therefore, if you have any ideas please do share. Similarly, it would be great help if you could suggest some universities (NOT IVYS etc), preferably 50ishhhh ranking. My interests are popular culture, digital discourse, social media analysis, cultural sociology, narratives.

Also, I have 4 solo-authored research papers in open access journals. However, they don't have impact factor at all. Should I submit one of those which relate to my subject interest or should I submit a part of my thesis as a writing sample (ALL OF THEM RELATE TO MY SUBJECT INTEREST AND SOCIOLOGY)? Thank you. 

Hope to hear from y'all!!

[thirdoneisthewinner]

As far as I know, the only U.S. university that requires a Master's in Sociology to apply for a PhD is The New School. For the universities, I'd recommend you do at least 3 things: 1) check professors' profiles and look where they work; 2) check rankings (such as U.S. news or Q.S.); 3) see the strengths of each department rather than the individual. Is very, very unlikely that they will admit you if you only want to work with 1 professor, in the U.S. the admission is departamental rather than individual. That being said, admissions processes are weird, discretional, and somewhat random to most people, and this is definitely true for non-U.S. applicants.

The papers count, although, as you said, they weigh less than a Journal Published in a U.S. journal. You submit as a writing sample the best piece of paper that you have and, if you have time, make it readable to U.S. scholars: The U.S. sociology academic is totally U.S.-centric

 

Good luck!

[Vegmomosaurus]

Hey! Thank you so much. I had lost hope that someone would actually reply (or whatever the keyword is) to this thread. Thank you so much once again. Over the past week, I did check a lottttt of universities and I have shortlisted some based on what I'd like to do in a grad school (which i have mentioned below based on 3 'tiers' although i am of a view that the rankings do not matter since my interest in radical cultural views that revamps societal understandings). The unis i would want to apply based on dept trajectory of research and also existing faculty (2023) are: 
(not in the order of preference) 

1. Northwestern 

2. Yale 

3. Princeton 

4. Madison 

5. Arizona 

6. Rice 

7. Chicago 

I would actually wanna apply only to 4 out of these cause I would be able to focus better in terms of curating my SOP and LORs. 

(considering a diagnostic test of 320 while maybe if i do it again i might get close to 330 which is okayishhhhhhhhhhh for whatever unis i listed i guess yet whole app matters) 
 

BTW since you mentioned about PhDs being quite US centric (great insight) I've a paper published in a European journal with American editors who extensively edited that text (OMG I HATED THEM FOR CHANGING EVERYTHING, MAKING IT SOOOOO AMERICAN BUT WHATEVSSSSSSS). It's better to submit that one then ? since its quite "american" in every way? 

 

 

[thirdoneisthewinner]

I mean, if you want to say working in the U.S., and particularly in t-30 universities, ranks sadly matter. Of course, there's always the chance that you will be one of the people who don't come from t20 and have a job there. My advice is to apply as many as you can, that's the strategy for international students.

Re on the article: It depends on the journal. If the article is indexed in WoS, well known, and you are the sole author, then surely send it! I will make a difference.