Hagey Hall Hub located on Waterloo's main campus
Combine research with classical theory and analyze the most pressing issues confronting societies today in the supportive, friendly and intellectually vibrant environment of the University of Waterloo’s Sociology department.
The PhD program combines rich sociological theory with practical applications in our key research areas, preparing you for careers inside and outside of academia like policy development, law, and research analysis.
You’ll have the opportunity to work on faculty research projects and as a full-time PhD student, will be supported with funding for four years allowing you to complete all the requirements for your degree.
Research areas and degree options
- Crime, Law, and Security
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Knowledge, Education, and Digital Culture
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Migration, Borders, and Transnationalism
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Social Inequality and Public Policy
Program overview
Department/School: Sociology and Legal Studies
Faculty: Faculty of Arts
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis
Application deadlines
- January 15 (for admission in September)
Key contacts
Quinn Smith
Coordinator & Advisor, Graduate Studies
soc-gradoffice@uwaterloo.ca
519-888-4567, ext. 41953
Admission limitations
Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.
I was drawn to Waterloo because of the university's exceptional reputation, unique learning opportunities, diverse and supportive community, interdisciplinary approach, and commitment to equity and inclusivity.
Supervisors
- Review the finding a supervisor resources
Admission requirements
- Normally a Master's degree or its equivalent in Sociology with at least an 83% average in course work.
- A statement of academic interest (approximately a page, outlining areas of interest and reasons for choosing to study at the University of Waterloo).
- Students may choose to submit results from the Graduate Record Examination (both the General Section and the Special Field, Sociology).
Degree requirements
- Review the degree requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies graduate students
Application materials
- Curriculum vitae
- Supplementary information form (SIF)
- The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
- If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
- Transcript(s)
- Writing sample
- Preferably a chapter from the Master of Arts thesis
- References
- Three academic references are required
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)
Tuition and fees
- Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
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Review living costs and housing
- Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students