Graduate Student Handbook

Graduate Student Handbook Brandina Jersky

Sociology Mission Statement

The Department of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable department. We ask that all members of the Sociology community - faculty, staff, and students - be mindful of our responsibility to create an environment that is welcoming to all, and where each person feels accepted, included, seen, heard, valued, and safe. We recognize that learning how to be inclusive and respectful is an iterative process and sometimes we all act in imperfect ways. As sociologists, we are aware that we are all inheritors of systems of inequality, whether to our advantage or our disadvantage. 

Additional Resources

Please use follow this link to a Sociology Graduate Resource Hub hosted on Canvas. You will need your SPIRE ID and password to access this page.

A Sample Timeline

A Sample Timeline Bridget Leahy

Below is the recommended timeline for completing the Sociology Ph.D. in 7 years. 

First Year

Fall

  • Sociology 701 - Sociological Theory
  • Sociology 711 - Graduate Statistics I
  • Sociology 796P - Pro-Seminar I
  • Elective

Spring

  • Sociology 710 - Research Methods
  • Sociology 712 - Graduate Statistics II
  • Sociology 796P - Pro-Seminar II
  • Elective

Second Year

Continue with required coursework.

Students should begin to work on their first comprehensive exam (paper or exam). The first and second comprehensive exam are ideally completed before the 4th year.

Comprehensive exam committees are made up of a minimum of three (3) sociology faculty. Outside members are optional. 

Third Year

Continue with required coursework.

Begin working on second comprehensive exam. Around this time, students also begin to submit their papers to publications and conferences. 

Fourth Year

Students should complete their required coursework and advance to candidacy. Students can only advance to candidacy when all required coursework and both comprehensive exams are completed.

Students should start working on their prospectus in their fourth year as well. 

Fifth Year

Students should ask faculty to be a part of their dissertation committee and should continue their research as they prepare for their prospectus. Students typically defend their prospects between the 4th - 6th year. 

Sixth Year

Students should continue working on their dissertation, researching, submitting their work to publications and conferences. Funding is not guaranteed after year 5.

Seventh Year (and beyond)

Students should continue to make sufficient progress toward completion and meet regularly with their advisors.

Once a student completes their dissertation, they will need to defend it. Defenses must be announced no later than 30 days prior to the defense date.

Academics

Academics Bridget Leahy

Credit Requirements

The course requirements for the Ph.D. in Sociology are designed to prepare students to do research by providing a sound foundation in sociological theory, research design, and both qualitative and quantitative methods. Studies are supported in writing and publishing their work while they are still in graduate school and trained to become exceptional instructors. 

The Proseminar, which is designed to introduce you to the department, the university, and the discipline, is a one-credit class which meets once a week and does not require outside assignments. All other courses are three credits. In the first year, students usually take 2 or 3 courses, plus the Proseminar, and hold a 20-hour per week assistantship. 

You can take the theory elective or the qualitative methods class in any year (and can take courses in these areas in other departments to fulfill the requirements), but we recommend them in Year Two. We also recommend taking Writing in Year Two or Three. 

Finally, remember you must take at least 18 dissertation credits. These are one credit courses, but you may only take a maximum of nine during any given semester/session. Students usually register for dissertation credits during years three and beyond. If there are additional questions about this, please contact the Graduate Programs Manager ([email protected]). 

Independent Study

Independent studies should primarily be used to facilitate exploration of a specific field or intersection of fields not covered in the department's graduate course offerings. 

Any student within to take an independent study must fill out and return an independent study form to the Graduate Program Manager for approval before they are allowed to register for the course.

No more than three (3) independent studies can be counted toward coursework.
Transferring Credits

Students who enter the program with a Master's degree may be able to transfer some credits towards their doctoral degree. The Graduate Program Director, consulting faculty with relevant expertise, will decide whether previous coursework is equivalent to a given requirement based on transcripts and syllabus from the course. 

Full-Time Status

Students on continuous enrollment or taking 1-5 credits in a single semester can be given a full-time status override. 

U.S. Immigration Regulations require that all international students enroll in classes each term (fall and spring) and maintain a full-time course of study. Please consult the International Programs Office if you plan to withdraw or change to audit credits.

Continuous Enrollment

Continuous enrollment (GRADSCH 999) is a placeholder to indicate to the Graduate School and your financial lenders that you are a student in good standing with the University. Graduate students are not automatically eligible during the summer session; ably students receiving a non-working fellowship from the University are put on Continuous Enrollment in the summer. If you need to register for continuous enrollment in the summer to defer student loans, you must contact the GPM.

Statute of Limitations Extension Requests

Students requesting a Statute of Limitations (SOL) extension must answer the following questions in consultation with their primary advisor(s):

  • Length of extension (one year or two years)
  • Explanation/justification for the request (100 character cap)
  • Outline expected progress for the time requested (100 character cap)
  • Outline how the student will be mentored to ensure they will meet new deadlines outlined above (100 character cap)
  • Is this the student's first extension (Yes or No)
  • If this is not the first extension, did the student meet deadlines set out in the previous extension request (Yes or No)
    • If the student did not meet deadlines, are there extenuating circumstances?

Please email the SOL extension request to the GPM, copying the GPD and the primary advisor(s).

Departmental Funding

Departmental Funding Bridget Leahy

Appointment and reappointment procedures for all graduate student employees within the Department of Sociology will be guided by the Graduate Employee Organization Contract.

Graduate Students are guaranteed five years of funding through the department. This funding must be used within seven years of admission.

Project Assistantships and Research Assistantships count toward these five years of funding. Other forms of employment will not count against a student's 5-year funding offer. This includes jobs such as: a non-research-oriented Project Assistantship (PA) for a faculty member in Sociology or another department, a TA or TO for another department, campus service jobs, non-research orientated administrative jobs, and teaching at another college or university. 

Student-initiated fellowships (e.g., NSF) will be exempt from the time limitation. They will extend funding eligibility by the number of years the student holds the fellowship.

For additional funding information, visit our Funding Opportunities page.

Assistantships (TAs & TOs)

Assistantships (TAs & TOs) Bridget Leahy

Teaching Assistantships

Specific duties will vary from course to course, but may include grading exams, grading assignments, attending class, helping with AV equipment and setup, maintaining MOODLE or other course websites, maintaining a grade book, responding to student and instructor emails in a timely fashion, proctoring exams, and making accommodations for documented disabilities. This list is not meant to be exhaustive. Specific duties should be described in writing by the course instructor and provided to the TA at the beginning of the semester. 

A 20-Hour/Week TA/grader appointment must conform to the following:

  • Total semester work hours cannot exceed 380.
  • Weekly work hours should average 20-hours weekly across the semester (meaning weeks with higher levels of work need to be offset by weeks with lower levels of work hours).
  • A TA cannot be required to work longer than 10-hours in any given day, or more than 40-hours in any given week.

A 10-Hour/week TA/grader appointment must conform to the following:

  • Total semester work hours cannot exceed 190.
  • Weekly work hours should average 10-hours weekly across the semester (meaning weeks with higher levels of work need to be offset by weeks with lower levels of work hours).
  • A TA cannot be required to work longer than 10-hours in any given day, or more than 20 hours in any given week.

TAs will be in residence from the first day of classes until the last day of final exams week, unless alternate arrangements are made in writing and authorized by the course instructor. 

TAs are required to attend TA orientation before their first TA appointment. TAs must hold regular office hours and attend meetings with course instructors as scheduled. 

Teaching Officials

TOs will prepare a full-semester syllabus that includes a course description; TO office hours, location, and contact information; course meeting times and location; required readings and materials; course requirements related to exams, assignments, and attendance; course policies related to grading, missed or late assignments, and participation; a schedule of topics and readings, exam dates, and other deadlines; a statement regarding academic honesty; and as appropriate to the course, statements regarding Gen Ed designations. The Center for Teaching & Learning provides support on how to create an inclusive syllabus design.

TOs will meet and instruct their classes on campus as scheduled or provide for a substitute in exceptional cases as needed. Any regular deviation from classroom instruction (such as online class meetings, instructor substitutions, or cancellations) must be approved in writing from the Department Chair.  

TOs will provide timely feedback to students on assignments and exams (ideally within 2 weeks of the students’ deadline) and inform students of their grading schedules.  

TOs will make necessary accommodations for students with documented disabilities.  

TOs will submit grades to the registrar, within the deadline set by the registrar, at the end of the semester.  

Number of Hours of Work Required:

  • Total semester work hours cannot exceed 380.  

  • Weekly work hours should average 20 hours weekly across the semester (meaning weeks with higher levels of work hours need to be offset by weeks with lower levels of work hours).  

  • A TO cannot be required to work longer than 10 hours in any given day, or more than 40 hours in any given week.  

  • The only exception to the above limits is when TO responsibilities require them to participate in field work/off-campus travel.  

First-time TOs are required to identify a teaching mentor among the faculty who will give them feedback on the syllabus, will visit and observe one or two classes and provide feedback, and who is available to talk about teaching issues as they rise.

TOs are required to take the graduate seminar "Teaching Sociology" prior to teaching their own course.

Project and Research Assistantships (PA & RA)

Project and Research Assistantships (PA & RA) Bridget Leahy

Research Assistantships

Research Assistantships are GEO benefitted positions that can be completed during any time of the year (academic semester, winter session, or summer session). 20-hour per week research assistantships of any kind during the academic semesters (both in the department or outside of the department) count as one allocation 

Faculty will advertise available research assistantship opportunities to the SocGrad listserv.

Project Assistantships

A Project Assistant (PA) is similar to a Research Assistant, but a PA is a graduate student who performs work primarily for the benefit of the University, faculty or academic staff supervisor, and secondarily for the graduate student's own research. Similar to an RA, a PA must do work related to academic research. 

Faculty will advertise available research assistantship opportunities to the SocGrad listserv.

Exams and Defenses

Exams and Defenses Bridget Leahy

Depending on a student's preference, graduate students will have between two and four defenses in their academic careers at UMass. 

Comprehensive Exams

At least one of the two comprehensive exams must be an empirical paper. The other can be an empirical paper, a theoretical/meta-review paper, or an actual written examination conducted over a period set by your committee.

A public defense is required for at least one of the two comprehensive exams. A written exam cannot be defended publicly. 

The first comprehensive exam can also be a Master's thesis, in which case it must be defended publicly. In almost all cases, a Master's thesis is an empirical paper. It cannot be a written exam. 

Prospectus

You are not required to hold a public defense for your prospectus. Rather than a public defense, you may have a closed meeting with your dissertation committee.

Dissertation

There is a required public defense that is advertised to the department and broader community. The defense must be announced a minimum of 30 days before the defense date.

Forming a Committee

Forming a Committee Bridget Leahy
Forming a Committee

Graduate students are responsible for forming committees for their first and second comprehensive examinations and the prospectus/dissertation. 

The first and second comps committees: 

  • Must have a minimum of three members, with at least two from the Department of Sociology at UMass Amherst.
  • Must have one chair or two co-chairs, with at least one from the Department of Sociology at UMass Amherst.
  • Can have an outside member.
  • Do not need to be nominated to the Graduate School.
  • The chair of the first and second comps committees must be different. 

The Master’s thesis/prospectus/dissertation committee: 

  • Must have a minimum of three members, with at least two from the Department of Sociology at UMass Amherst.
  • Must have one chair or two co-chairs, with at least one from the Department of Sociology at UMass Amherst.
  • The MA thesis/prospectus/dissertation committees must be nominated to the Graduate School by the GPD. 
  • The Graduate School issues a memo of nomination once approved that is to be circulated to the committee.
  • Any changes to the committee must be submitted for approval to the Graduate School with a memo.
  • Members from institutions outside of UMass Amherst must receive temporary graduate faculty status by the Graduate School.
Graduate Faculty Status

Committee members from institutions besides UMass Amherst must be nominated to the Graduate School for Graduate Faculty Status. To nominate a committee member, the GPM/GPD submits a Graduate Faculty Status Request - One-Time Committee Status application along with the member’s date of birth, CV and a brief statement of the applicant’s relevance to the dissertation for which they would be sitting. This application is submitted to the Graduate Dean for approval.  

Scheduling a Defense

Scheduling a Defense Bridget Leahy

When a student is ready to defend a comp, master’s thesis, prospectus, or dissertation, the chair of the committee will send out a poll to all members of the committee to find the best date and time for the defense.  

The chair will work with the GPM to secure a space for the defense and work out tech needs. For virtual defenses, the chair will create the Zoom link. 

Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence Bridget Leahy

Medical Leave

When a student's health or mental health problem interferes significantly with their academic work, the student may receive a health leave of absence or withdrawal from the University, upon recommendation by the appropriate physician or therapist of the University Health Services or the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health. Normally, the leave of absence/withdrawal will result from the student's voluntary efforts. In exceptional circumstances, when the student is a danger to self or others, a student may be asked to leave the University involuntarily until the condition has been controlled. 

Personal Leave

Personal leave of absence is requested when the student, because of unexpected circumstances, is not able to actively pursue their graduate program of study. Graduate students who request a leave of absence must petition their Graduate Program Director who, in turn, provides justification for the request to the Graduate Dean. If the Dean grants a leave of absence, the student's statute of limitations is extended appropriately. Graduate students on leave of absence must maintain continuous enrollment by paying the Continuous Enrollment Fee every semester during their leave. 

For more information on Leave of Absence, use this link.

Paid Leave

Graduate Students are entitled to a set number of days of paid leave. Calculate your paid leave here.

Unpaid Leave

Graduate Students are entitled to take up to 12-weeks leave unpaid per the Family and Medical Leave Act. Please consult the GEO Handbook for more details.