How to Apply - UM Department of Sociology

Graduate Application Procedures

Admission to Michigan’s graduate sociology program is selective. A background in sociology is not required, but an ability to do high-level graduate work is necessary for admission to the Ph.D. program. A broad background that includes work in the social sciences or history is helpful preparation for the program.

Most students who are admitted have undergraduate averages in social sciences courses of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 system, with the mean around 3.5. In recent years, the average verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination percentile scores have been above the 80th percentile, although there is considerable variation around this value.

Students must apply for admission both to the Department of Sociology and to the Rackham Graduate School, which administers all graduate programs.

The application deadline is December 15th. All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received by this date. Applicants are responsible for making sure that their application materials arrive on time and that their application is complete.

ONLINE APPLICATION RESOURCES

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit the following for admission to graduate study at the University of Michigan’s Sociology Department:

One official copy of all transcripts

Graduate Record Examination scores from the verbal, quantitative, and analytical/analytical writing tests. Must be taken within the last 5 years. U of M Institutional Code: 1839 - Sociology Departmental Code: 2102

Three (3) letters of recommendation, which evaluate applicants' past academic performance and potential for graduate study.

A Statement of Purpose, which should describe applicants' relevant background and past work relating to their proposed areas of study, plans for graduate work and overall career objectives. The statement should be as specific as possible about applicants' intended areas of study and reasons for choosing sociology at Michigan. Because this statement is used to evaluate applicants' scholarly potential, it should be well written, cogently argued, and well conceived.

A personal statement, which should be relevant information about the applicants' personal background and life experiences, including educational, cultural, familial, or other opportunities or challenges.

A sample of written work (e.g., a senior thesis or term paper) that provides evidence of creative and critical thinking, quality of writing, and potential for engaging in independent research.

Please send your application and all supporting materials to:

Graduate Program Admissions
Department of Sociology
The University of Michigan
500 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1382

RACKHAM SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit the following for admission to graduate study within the University of Michigan’s Rackham School of Graduate Studies:

Application fee. (Applications received without fees will NOT be processed by the Admissions Office.)

One official copy of all transcripts

International students must also send the items listed here.

Please submit above materials to:

Graduate Admissions
Rackham Graduate School
915 East Washington
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070

"Many students think they know what they want to do when they begin graduate school, only to find out later that their interests lie elsewhere. At Michigan, that's not a problem -- even if you want to change to a completely different sub-field, use completely different methods, or incorporate strong interdisciplinary work into your research. All of this is available at Michigan."