The objective of the PhD program is to prepare candidates as experts in the field of sociology by providing them training to conduct theoretically informed and methodologically sophisticated state-of-the-art sociological research. Graduates from the program will be able to independently design and conduct exceptional research and to communicate their research in a variety of contexts. To this end, the program is designed to provide both a broad knowledge of the discipline, depth in key subfields and deep training in the research process. Students acquire autonomy in conducting research, preparing scholarly publications, and participating in professional conferences and become mentors to those junior to them. Our PhD students also gain experience in teaching undergraduate students in the field. The objective is achieved through a combination of course work, participation in seminars, preparation and successful achievements in passing two comprehensive examinations, paid work as research and teaching assistants, conference presentations, and supervised dissertation research. Our PhD students have exciting potential career pathways upon graduation!
The PhD program requires course work, successful completion of two comprehensive examinations, and the completion of a PhD Dissertation. Throughout their PhD program, students are expected to be involved in professors’ projects. This work helps students gain first-hand experience in conducting research, from the formulation of the research question to the completion of the research paper. In most cases, students have the opportunity to present their work with professors at professional conferences and subsequently to publish this work.
Course work
Students in the program are required to have two years of residence and to complete nine half-year courses (4.5 FCE). While 4.5 FCEs represent the minimum requirement for completing coursework, students can derive significant advantages from undertaking additional coursework. As part of their nine courses, students are required to take the following courses:
- SOC 6101H Contemporary Sociological Theory
- SOC 6707H Intermediate Data Analysis
- SOC 6511H Professional Development Seminar I (taken in the Fall term of the first year PhD program)
- SOC 6711Y Research Practicum
[A full-course (Y) counts as two half-courses.] If a student has already taken any of these courses at the graduate level, they may petition the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies to have other courses substituted.
Comprehensive Examinations
In addition to course work, students are required to take two comprehensive examinations in two chosen fields of sociology. In preparing for a comprehensive examination, students deeply engage with literature in the field and synthesize it, building expertise and skills. The exam also provides broad background preparation for teaching in the field in the future. Comprehensive exams may be taken in the following areas: Colonialism, Racialization & Indigeneity; Computational and Quantitative Methods; Sociology of Crime and Law; Sociology of Culture; Environmental Sociology; Sociology of Family; Gender; Global Migration; Health & Mental Health; Life Course and Aging; Political Sociology; Social Networks; Social Policy; Theory; Urban Sociology; Work, Stratification and Markets.
Faculty in each comprehensive area provide a reading list, updated regularly. Reading lists are prepared and available for the areas of specialization in the department. Three committee members in the area serve as the examining committee for a given year. For our emerging research areas (Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Family, Life Course and Aging, Social Policy, Urban Sociology) lists are created on an ad-hoc basis when a student wishes to take an exam in this area. Students should notify the Associate Grad Chair at least six months prior to the start of studying for the exams, so committees may be struck.
Browse the Comprehensive Exam page to see current committees, reading lists and details of our comprehensive exam policy.
We advise students to take core courses related to the fields in which they plan to be examined prior to taking the exam. These courses are designed to help students understand the major developments and debates in the field.
PhD Dissertation
In preparation for the PhD thesis, PhD candidates must demonstrate an adequate knowledge of a language other than English if an additional language is deemed essential for satisfactory completion of research for the thesis.
The final stage in the PhD process involves completing an independent dissertation research project with the supervision of a committee, normally composed of three members. This begins with a thesis proposal that students defend before their committee prior to beginning their research. The proposal and its defense should demonstrate the students’ knowledge, the importance of the proposed research questions, the strategies for exploring the questions, and the likelihood of completing the research in a reasonable time frame.
Following a successful PhD thesis proposal defense, students advance to the status of Doctoral Candidate and commence their dissertation research, analysis and writing, all in close consultation with their committee members. Upon completion of the research project the final oral exam is scheduled. Once both the candidate and the committee is pleased with the dissertation, they schedule a PhD oral exam. This marks the final step in completing the PhD program.
PhD Admissions | PhD Milestones | PhD Comprehensive Exams | PhD Collaborative Specializations
PhD Degree Level Expectations
The School for Graduate Studies (SGS) provides a general set of expectations and achievements for earning the Doctoral Degree: University of Toronto's Graduate Degree Level Expectations