PhD in Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology

Our doctoral program offers maximum flexibility while meeting your individual academic needs. We provide a solid foundation in the core areas of research methods and sociological theory, as well as benefits and opportunities from the combined faculties and facilities at two Denton universities.

The TWU Sociology Program now serves students via doctoral-level major study in criminology. Of the Federation of North Texas Area Universities, TWU is the first to offer a specialization in criminology.

Federation of North Texas Area Universities

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities is a consortium of three universities: Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman's University and the University of North Texas. Our doctorate in sociology is granted by both TWU and UNT. Students enrolled at either university may complete a portion of their graduate work at either university and receive access to combined academic resources like cross-registration, a variety of professors and library access. The degree is conferred by the university to which the student was admitted.

Career outlook

Degree details

Admission requirements

Admission to the 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)

How to Apply

  1. Apply for admission to the TWU Graduate School
  2. Submit a personal statement of interest (2-3 pages) as a PFD file to pbones@twu.edu with the subject line (YOUR LAST NAME)-(YOUR FIRST NAME)-PhD in Sociology.
  3. Three academic or professional references should submit letters of recommendation as PDFs on institutional or organization letterhead to pbones@twu.edu. Recommenders should include student name and "PhD in Sociology" in the subject line.

Note: Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree can earn their MA 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 PhD degree or be awarded a terminal MA degree. The thesis requirement is waived for students admitted with a master’s degree.

Contact us

For more information about our sociology doctoral program, please contact:

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

Request More Information

Page last updated 9:10 AM, May 2, 2023