Graduate Schools

Many undergraduate Sociology majors pursue graduate training in Sociology and in other fields. Western does not currently offer a graduate program in Sociology. However, the Sociology Department provides Guidelines and Resources for researching graduate schools, and faculty members can recommend and evaluate various programs for you.

Guidelines and Resources

The Sociology Department has designed the following guidelines for researching graduate schools.

• Professional Degree Programs
• Ph.D. Programs

Here are other resources:

• Graduate Training in Sociology (American Sociological Association). A key resource is the ASA Guide to Graduate Departments of Sociology. The W.W.U. Sociology Advisor has a copy you can borrow. A guide can also be ordered from the ASA Publications Center at 1-800-877-2693.
• Search Sociology Graduate Schools by priority (quality, faculty reputation, location, specialty, tuition, and more)
• Graduate School Rankings (U.S. News and World Reports). U.S. News has collected data from more than 12,000 graduate programs.
• Gradschools.com. "The most comprehensive online source of graduate school information." Search for masters and PhD programs.

Preparing for Graduate School

During your junior year, or early in your senior year you should begin exploring your options. Review the Sociology Department's Guidelines and Resources. Talk with Sociology faculty about how to prepare for graduate school, and begin contacting the schools you wish to consider.

You will need to begin planning at least a year before the fall in which you intend to enter. Most schools only accept students in the fall and expect to have all of your materials in hand by the end of the previous December. Most departments require you to fill out an application form, including a personal statement on why you want to pursue graduate work. You will probably be asked to supply a transcript and at least three letters of reference. It is therefore to your advantage to get to know faculty by taking small classes, writing papers, serving as a teaching assistant, or getting involved in faculty research projects. Plan to ask faculty for letters of reference while you are still attending Western.

Many programs also require applicants to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) (most widely used for general graduate school), or GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test for MBA programs), or LSAT (Law School Admission Test). To improve your test score, see Online Graduate School Test Preparation courses.