Ph.D. in Sociology
Students in this program will engage in empirical research to produce new understandings of social processes impacting the world in a unique and highly dynamic context. Research will be conducted via one of the three tracks that comprise the program: (1) Borders and Mobility; (2) Culture and Health; and (3) Environment and Society. This tripartite structure maximizes the synergistic talents of a highly productive faculty with a shared commitment to place-based research. Our interdisciplinary approach integrates, links and unifies a wide range of academic fields across campus and nationally.
The curriculum will begin with graduate-level class work and finish with independent research. Our curricular sequence and educational objectives will provide rigorous social science training and “real world” applications concerned with culture, borders, and transnational migration, and their social, environmental and health manifestations. Most of our faculty already teach research-intensive courses that provide opportunities for fieldwork and internships for graduate students.
Admissions Requirements
- A letter of intent and research interests
- Three letters of recommendation, and
- A minimum GPA of 3.0
- Applicants from countries where English is not the first language are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the graduate school website for required scores.
Degree Plan
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHD in Sociology | ||
| Required Courses: | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| SOCI 6312 | Quantitative Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 6322 | Qualitative Sociology | 3 |
| Theory | ||
| SOCI 6328 | Classical Theory | 3 |
| SOCI 6329 | Contemporary Theory | 3 |
| Professionalization Courses | ||
| SOCI 6310 | Rsrch Proposal & Grant Writing | 3 |
| SOCI 6112 | Applying for Jobs | 1 |
| Dissertation Hours | 9 | |
| Supervised Research (Can be repeated for credit) | ||
| Dissertation I | ||
| Dissertation II | ||
| Program Track | ||
| Select one track from below (both courses in designated track are required) | 6 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select thirty hours: | 30 | |
| Nine hours of elective courses must be related to the student's designated track | ||
| Energy, Infrstrctr, and Env | ||
| Global & Transntnl Scty&Cltr | ||
| Global Env Chng-Social Inqlts | ||
| Sociology of Disabilities | ||
| Sociology of Disasters | ||
| Health and Healthcare Policy | ||
| Mapping Social Data with GIS | ||
| Prof Development in Sociology | ||
| Issues in Border Studies | ||
| Migration and Mobility | ||
| Seminar in Research Methods | ||
| Seminar - Demography | ||
| Special Graduate Topics | ||
| US-Mexico Borderlands in Chang | ||
| Gender | ||
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Sociology of Health | ||
| Cartography & Visualization | ||
| Supervised Research (may be repeated for credit) | ||
Cognate graduate courses from other departments at UTEP (with approval of director of graduate studies) | ||
Any graduate level language course appropriate to students area of research. | ||
| Total Hours | 61 | |
Borders and Mobility
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 6362 | Border Research | 3 |
| SOCI 6316 | Proseminar in Border Theory | 3 |
Environment and Society
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 6363 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| SOCI 6305 | Social & Envrnmtl Sstnblty | 3 |
Culture and Health
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 6364 | Sociology of Health | 3 |
| SOCI 6304 | Health Disparities | 3 |