Sociology SOP

[JosephKOR]

Hi everyone:

I have a question about my SOP for Sociology programs. Does anybody know if it is better to mention 3 or 4 interests more broadly, or only 1-2 more deeply. My concern is that if I include 3-4 interests that it will look ungrounded or unclear. but if I include 1-2, I feel like I'm leaving major things out.

Thanks.

[Darth.Vegan]

2 major sub-fields, mine are social movements and environmental sociology. But then you need to explain in detail what aspect of those subfields you want to study. My example again is new-left social movements, network theory, strategies and tactics, agro-food systems, neo-liberal development etc.

[splitends]

(This might be something good to post in the Sociology forum?)

My feeling is that (within certain parameters) there is no "right" answer to the question of what you want to study. Different students will have a different range of interests, and some will have more well developed interests than others. I get the sense that neither route is inherently more effective than the other-- it's all in how well you make a case for yourself.

If you honestly have several interests, than maybe emphasize the ones that make the most sense with your undergrad experiences ("I want to continue with my work on X topic, specifically exploring the issues of blah blah blah...") and then mention that you are also interested in studying other subfields, if possibly tying them to you interests you have more experience with, at least tangentially. If the interest is only casual and you don't have any real experience with it (haven't taken a course, written a serious paper about, done research about it, etc) then I dont' think it's worth mentioning. (I have an ongoing casual interest in health and illness-- read one interesting paper in a Soc of Culture class and read lots of pop science about it, but I didn't discuss it as an interest in my SOP, even though a small part of me can see myself going that direction in the future.)

One other thing you might keep in mind is that you can (and should!) tailor your statement to different programs, emphasizing different interests where appropriate. I think this route especially makes sense if you're on the more open minded end of the spectrum where your interests are concerned. For instance, if Program A specializes in Subfields 1 and 2, emphasize research interests 1 and 2 in your statement; if Program B specializes in Subfields 2 and 3, but not 1, then maybe switch the focus in your SOP accordingly. This approach won't really be helpful if you have an extremely clear idea of what you want to do, of course.

I think I listed three major subfields in my statement, but switched emphasis a bit depending on the school. I listed specific interests where these subfields intersected, but didn't have a specific research project laid out. (A friend of mine was also very successful with his application, but his statement was like "I will do EXACTLY THIS." So again, I think there's no one right way).

What ARE your interests, exactly?

[MashaMashaMasha]

I think the most important thing is to be crystal clear in what you want to DO. Why do you want a PhD? What about your interests sets you apart from the pack, and how would you approach the problem? Show them that you can think sociologically, that you understand your own strengths, and the strengths of the department. This might work better with 2-3 subfields, or you might find a way to link 3-4, although, if you only have two pages, that might be pretty difficult.

When you come up with a draft, ask professors you have a relationship with to hack it apart. My SoP went through something like 20 revisions after getting feedback from a handful of profs and a few friendly TAs.

Good luck!