PhD in Sociology

The PhD in Sociology at UMass Amherst allows you to collaborate with accomplished faculty on research and publications, becoming part of an active and diverse graduate student body in a large public university.

You'll join a highly engaged academic culture with a number of research clusters investigating areas including gender, sexuality, and families; race, immigration, and citizenship; culture, identity, and social psychology; and crime, law, and deviance.

UMass Amherst places strong emphasis on public sociology that speaks to public issues and informs policy, community work, and activism. Our graduate students advocate for policy changes, work with communities, complete research often cited in the media, and see their research make a difference in the world.

With strong support for pedagogical and professional development, you'll find many ways to foster your teaching skills. These opportunities include hearing from experienced teachers in the first-year Proseminar, taking our required Teaching Sociology course, forming relationships with teaching mentors, and engaging in a workshop for first-time instructors.