The Doctoral program is student-centred and encourages the pursuit of an independent research interest under faculty supervision.
At the Ph.D. level, we also offer a collaborative specialization in Political Economy. Please see the Graduate Calendar for details of the program requirements for the Ph.D. in Sociology with Specialization in Political Economy.
I consider my time in the Ph.D. Sociology program at Carleton University to be one of the most valuable experiences of my academic career. The faculty and staff at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology were committed to their students’ success and enthusiastically dedicated their attention and energy to ensure the program’s continued excellence. I have always felt that the Department has actively promoted a culture of ongoing learning, curiosity, and collaboration, all of which have shaped my experience in the program. Over the years, I took part in many departmental learning events including conferences, workshops, and colloquia that prepared me for academic writing, presentations, publishing, and scholarship applications. Under the supervision of Dr. Augustine Park, I have learned how to be a more critical thinker, advanced my research skills, and received academic training that has greatly contributed to my professional development and achievements after completion of my doctoral degreeKonstantin Petoukhov (PhD Sociology, 2019)Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Liverpool’s Department of Sociology, Social Policy and CriminologyEmployed at the Canada Border Service Agency
I consider my time in the Ph.D. Sociology program at Carleton University to be one of the most valuable experiences of my academic career. The faculty and staff at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology were committed to their students’ success and enthusiastically dedicated their attention and energy to ensure the program’s continued excellence. I have always felt that the Department has actively promoted a culture of ongoing learning, curiosity, and collaboration, all of which have shaped my experience in the program. Over the years, I took part in many departmental learning events including conferences, workshops, and colloquia that prepared me for academic writing, presentations, publishing, and scholarship applications. Under the supervision of Dr. Augustine Park, I have learned how to be a more critical thinker, advanced my research skills, and received academic training that has greatly contributed to my professional development and achievements after completion of my doctoral degree
The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master’s degree (or the equivalent) in sociology, normally with a minimum average of A-, and with no grade below B+.
The deadline for applications to the Ph.D. program is February 1 for applicants requesting financial assistance for September admission; applications will continue to be considered beyond this date (space permitting) and funding may possibly be available, but applying before February 1 is strongly advised.
Please consult the Graduate Calendar for Information about Admission.
Applications for the M.A. and Ph.D require the same components. These are as follows:
Applicants’ statements of interest should provide a clear and focused description of their research interests and why they wish to enroll in the program. A strong research statement elaborates, as clearly as possible, a particular thesis research project the student wishes to carry out, ideally by proposing particular research questions and citing relevant academic literature. The sample of written work should have been completed in the most recent degree program and can be a term paper, thesis proposal, or published work.
The Ph.D. in Sociology is a 3 credit program and requires the following:
The comprehensive examination is to be completed following the coursework requirements. The thesis proposal is presented after completion of the comprehensive examinations. Following the successful presentation of the thesis proposal, the PhD candidate is ABD (all but dissertation). Normally, the thesis proposal must be presented no later than two and half years (7 terms) after the student has entered the program full-time (5 years, or 15 terms, for part-time students).
For further details of the program requirements for the PhD in Sociology, please see the Graduate Calendar.
We provide domestic students with substantial financial assistance in the form of teaching and/or research assistantships and scholarships based on academic excellence. We have limited funding possibilities for international students (those who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents). Applications received prior to February 1 will automatically be considered for financial assistance. For applications submitted beyond these dates, financial assistance may possibly be available, but applying in advance of February 1 is strongly recommended. For additional information on scholarships visit the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs website.
Qualifying MA students typically receive both scholarship money and a paid teaching assistant position. PhD students receive both scholarship money (8 terms) and a paid teaching assistant position (10 terms).