Written comprehensive examinations focusing on two areas chosen by the student, and an oral defense of the dissertation proposal are required. After passing the comprehensive examinations and obtaining a formal approval of the dissertation proposal, the student is eligible to apply for candidacy. A dissertation based on original work demonstrating creativity in research and scholarly proficiency in the subject area is required. A final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. The Department of Sociology is committed to teaching and research in the following six areas reflecting faculty expertise.
Recent research is listed under each area heading.
Research facilities in the department consist of a survey research laboratory, small groups research laboratory, computer terminals and linkages to mainframe and the supercomputer, computational laboratory, and Gould Memorial Research Archive. The survey research laboratory conducts campus and community surveys. Among the topics studied are transportation, citizen attitudes, recreation, judicial evaluation, occupational destinies of graduate students, academic advisement, student, staff and faculty attitudes, student living arrangements, changing sex roles, and student activism and political involvement. Courses at the 400 level apply to graduate degree requirements when appearing on an approved program of study. However, 400-level courses are not graduate courses by definition and cannot be certified as such for purposes of employment or transferring to other institutions.