PhD in Sociology

Program Contact

Paul Bones, PhD
Graduate Program Director 
940-898-2063 
pbones@twu.edu 

Application Deadlines

Rolling admissions

Preferred deadlines:           
Fall - June 15                           
Spring - November 15        
Summer - March 15

Consideration for Graduate Assistantship:
Fall - March 15
Spring - October 15

See International Student Deadlines

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in sociology or its equivalent. Students without a bachelor's degree in sociology will be considered if the admission committee believes that the student shows academic promise.
• GPA of 3.5 or higher on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and on all graduate work (a GPA of at least 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission).
• A writing sample (e.g., a thesis chapter, a term paper, a conference paper, or the like).
• Submit a personal statement of interest (2-3 pages).
• Email addresses for three individuals familiar with your academic capabilities, who can respond to a recommendation form to be requested through and submitted into the application. 

Note: Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree can earn their M.A. degree during the course of study. They will be required to write a master’s thesis, which, together with their coursework, will be evaluated by the sociology faculty at the end of their master’s stage. Based on the evaluation, the faculty could recommend that a student continue to pursue the Ph.D. degree or be awarded a terminal M.A degree. The thesis requirement is waived for students admitted with a master’s degree.

Begin by finding your program in TWU's Program, Majors & Degrees listings to see if your program has additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  (This information is for all programs. The application deadline for your specific program will be listed in the Program Requirements.  Use that deadline as it applies below.  (Example: if a program only admits once a year and has a Fall deadline for 2023 of March 1, you would need to be looking to apply to the next deadline for Fall 2024.)

1. Apply online.
   Apply to Graduate Programs according to the start semester and application portals below:
   
   • Spring 2024 - All programs apply via ApplyTexas EXCEPT applicants to the College of Business, Child Life, or Child Development master's programs or the Child Development and Early Education PhD program who should apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal.
     • Note: When applying through ApplyTexas, you will need to submit any required Documents directly to the program website.
   • Summer & Fall 2024 - All graduate programs apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal. Required documents will be asked for and uploaded into the application.
     
     
2. Pay the application fee.
   The $50 fee, ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants can be paid by:
   • Credit card - Online through the portal you applied on (either ApplyTexas or TWU's Online Graduate Application).
   • Certified check or money order by mail or electronically - payable to TWU, sent by mail to:
     TWU Admissions Processing, 301 Research Circle, Room 220; Denton, Texas 76204
     (include your full name and ID number).
   • Cash (no personal checks) - Pay at the Bursar's Office. After paying, bring the receipt to Admissions Processing (2nd floor of GRB).
   • Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar application Fee waiver. Submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission Form.
     
     
3. Submit transcripts to TWU.
   • Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details.
   • International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU.  See the International Admission website for more details.

For more information on graduate admissions or to contact an admissions official, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.