Ph.D. in Sociology

UC Irvine sociology Ph.D. candidate Jozef Robles is using research to examine how immigrants carry the legacy of undocumented life long after legalization

About our Program

From a lensworthy location and culture of collaboration to field-shaping faculty and powerhouse programs, the reasons top students choose the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences for graduate study are many. Ranked among the top 10 programs in the U.S. (U.S. News & World Report), the UCI graduate program in sociology offers students six years of funding.

Scholars in the department have a proven record of earning competitive research funding from national agencies including the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health; from private foundations including the Russell Sage Foundation and Grant Foundation; and from campus-level fellowships, such as the Public Impact, Fletcher Jones, and Chancellor's Club fellowships.

Faculty in the department publish regularly in the field's top academic journals, and graduate students have incredible opportunities to publish alongside them.

And if that wasn't enough, the UCI campus is located less than 10 miles from Newport Beach, is the #1 university doing the most for the American dream (New York Times College Access Index), and a top 10 best value university (Princeton Review). And USA Today College ranked UCI the #8 best place to earn a sociology degree while U.S. News & World Report ranks UCI sociology #9 among public university programs in the U.S.

Learn more about

Sociology Ph.D. at UC Irvine

Recent Rankings

#01

university committed to economic diversity and upward mobility
- New York Times College Access Index

#09

best value university
- Princeton Review

#09

best public sociology program in the U.S.
- U.S. News & World Report

#09

public university in the U.S.
- U.S. News & World Report

A top 10-ranked program with research strengths in population, family, immigration and inequality.

Quick Facts

LOCATION
Campus is located less than 10 miles from Newport Beach.

FUNDING
Admitted students are offered 6 years of funding.

METHODOLOGY
Quantitative, qualitative, and multi-method approaches to social issues.

DEGREE
Ph.D.; a master's degree may be earned while in pursuit of the Ph.D.

ENROLLMENT
Full-time, on-campus with housing.

SPECIALIZATION
The department offers a dozen areas in which graduate students can focus their studies.

Recent Job Placements

Boston University

Google

Harvard University

RAND Corporation

Tulane University

University College London

UNC Chapel Hill

University of Tokyo

University of Washington

U.S. Census Bureau

Learn more about Alumni Job Placements

Student Voices

More than a status

UC Irvine sociology Ph.D. candidate Jozef Robles is using research to examine how immigrants carry the legacy of undocumented life long after legalization

Not resting on her laurels

Lauded UC Irvine sociology Ph.D. candidate Weijun Yuan finds the most joy in mentoring others

Achievement unlocked

Cherry Ji, UCI Department of Sociology Ph.D. candidate, has spun her passion for figure skating into award-winning research

From refugee to Ph.D., Thoa Khuu is breaking barriers

Personal experience motivates UCI sociology graduate student’s academic inquiry into the experience of children of immigrants

Balancing family obligations while in college

Vanessa Delgado, sociology grad student, discusses how to recognize the balance, how to negotiate the challenge, and what colleges can do to help in this podcast with The Coug Cast

Graduate Student Spotlight: Jess Lee

Graduate Student Spotlight: Connor Strobel

What makes us UNIQUE

Sociology is internationally recognized for research and training that supports studies across the spectrum of quantitative, qualitative, and multi-method approaches to social issues. Research specialties within the department include:

Culture

Economy, inequality, labor, and organizations

Education

Gender and family

Global inequality and change

Immigration

Political sociology

Social movements

Population

Race and ethnicity

Social networks

Sociology faculty contribute not only to the department and the wider field but also to the campus's interdisciplinary units, providing leadership and core faculty to the institutes and centers. Students have an opportunity to earn a master's degree while in pursuit of their Ph.D., and are encouraged to enroll in interdisciplinary coursework.

Alumni have entered tenure-track positions at top research universities, highly competitive post-doctoral positions, and research-oriented jobs in both the public and private sectors.

Graduate students in sociology at UCI join a vibrant, collegial, rigorous academic program, with instruction from leading experts in the field, and a collaborative atmosphere that fosters success.

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UCI's campus is beautiful, with Aldrich Park, a 19-acre botanical garden with more than 11,000 trees, at its center. The campus is also less than 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and beaches.

If funding, opportunities to publish, and a proven track record of excellence in the field are what you’re looking for in a graduate program, contact us today to learn more about UCI sociology.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Learn more about the Ph.D. Program in Sociology

MEET OUR EXCITING FACULTY

Core Faculty

REQUIREMENTS

Program Requirements & Typical Program