PhD Programs

Our PhD programs are designed to train students for careers in academia, research, and/or social policy. Our graduates have gone on to research positions both within (e.g., University of Chicago; University of Western Ontario) and outside of academia (e.g., Statistics Canada). Others have taken up teaching positions at colleges and universities across North America (e.g., Oberlin College) or more locally, for instance, in Quebec CEGEPs (Collèges d'enseignement général et professionnel). Please see our listing of recent placements for more details.

Our PhD programs are generally geared to students who have already completed a Master’s degree in sociology. Such students enter the program at the PhD2 level. In exceptional cases, students with a Bachelor’s degree may be admitted directly into the PhD program as a way of ‘fast-tracking’ them. These students enter the program at the PhD1 level, which necessitates that they take an additional year of coursework, during which they are expected to take the required MA level courses (SOCI 504, 580, 600, 652) and two complementary courses. Students with an MA degree in a field other than sociology may also be considered for admission at the Phd1 level.

For detailed information refer to the PhD program guide.

Note: The Sociology Department’s graduate programs are governed in vital bureaucratic matters (e.g., residency, additional session, leaves of absence, withdrawal, plagiarism and cheating) by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Students should consult the GPS website and the university eCalendar for elaboration.

Additionally, all official requirements for Sociology Department programs are listed in the relevant section of the McGill Course Catalogue; any conflicts between this page and the Course Catalogue listing should defer to the catalogue.