Program Overview
The Berkeley Sociology Graduate Program provides a comprehensive education in sociological theory, public sociology, and social justice. Graduates are well-prepared for research and teaching positions at prestigious universities, as well as careers in research institutes, business, government, and nonprofits. The program offers a competitive funding package, mentorship opportunities, and a supportive community that fosters student success.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Berkeley Sociology Graduate Program aims to provide a rich and complete sociological education. The program is designed to equip students with the necessary sociological training, resources, and a supportive community to succeed in academia and beyond. The program emphasizes general social theory, public sociology, and social justice, and is embedded in a vibrant interdisciplinary community at Berkeley.
Careers:
The program prepares graduates for research and teaching positions at research-oriented universities, with recent graduates holding faculty positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Michigan, Stanford, Chicago, Northwestern, UCLA, Columbia, Cornell, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCSF, UCSC, Syracuse, USC, Arizona, Washington, Illinois Urbana-Champaign, MIT, Georgetown, Boston U, SUNY Albany, UMass Amherst, William and Mary, Tufts, and Oregon. Graduates also find positions at teaching-oriented schools, research institutes, business, government, and nonprofits.
Other:
- The program has a rigorous training in general social theory, including a required graduate theory sequence, elective theory courses, a qualifying examination in theory, and teaching opportunities within Berkeley's undergraduate theory sequence.
- The department has a focus on public sociology and offers several fellowships, grants, and awards for students pursuing research that advances social justice.
- Students receive a competitive funding package that includes six years of full support (including tuition and a living stipend) through a combination of fellowships and teaching. There are also opportunities to secure funding past year six.
- Students are mentored in the skills needed to secure nationally competitive fellowships, such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships in Sociology.
- Students are mentored to publish widely and influence the field. Berkeley graduate students have won a quarter of the annual prizes for the best dissertation in sociology awarded by the American Sociological Association over the past 24 years.
- Many graduates publish their dissertations as books.
