Sociology

Degree Types: PhD

The Doctoral Program in Sociology has particular strength in several substantive specialties – the sociology of culture; social organization, institutions, and social movements; sexualities; social inequality, labor markets, race, and gender; comparative and historical sociology; law and society; economic sociology – and we welcome research that falls outside of these areas as well.

Additional resources:

Degrees Offered

Sociologists study systems made up of relations among people, such as families, formal organizations, ethnic groups, or countries and their politics. The Northwestern Sociology Department concentrates especially on those relations that create and maintain inequalities, looking at the social movements, legal and economic systems, institutions, organizations, and cultural forms that shape, redress, or defend these systems of inequality.

We teach courses and do research on relations between men and women, racial and ethnic groups, rich and poor, and workers and managers, and the feminist, civil rights, and labor movements that grow from them. As a discipline, Sociology blends scientific and humanistic approaches. This department uses and teaches four main methods: quantitative survey methods, historical and comparative methods, ethnographic methods, and cultural analysis.

Milestone Requirements

Second-Year Paper
  • Learning Objectives:  Students should be able to demonstrate mastery of a substantive area of sociology and demonstrate ability to conduct sociological research.
  • Assessment Strategy:  A committee composed of two faculty members evaluates a research paper written by the student over the course of their second year in the program.
  • Criteria for Success:  Familiarity with the relevant literature and with appropriate research methods. Reflects the ability to conduct original sociological research. Approaches journal-article quality. 
Special Fields Paper
  • Learning Objectives:  Produce critical analysis of scholarship.  Demonstrate broad and deep knowledge of a sociological subfield, sufficient to teach a related course.
  • Assessment Strategy:  A committee composed of two faculty members evaluates a literature-based paper written by the student over the course of their third year in the program.
  • Criteria for Success:  Clear analysis of the subfield’s core empirical and theoretical claims, the evolution of the subfield over time, areas of current debate and consensus, and ideas about future directions for research in the subfield.
PhD Prospectus
  • Learning Objectives: Write a significant research proposal.
  • Assessment Strategy:  A committee composed of three faculty members evaluates a dissertation proposal written by the student over the course of their fourth year in the program.
  • Criteria for Success:  Clear and innovative research questions. Clear methodological design that aligns with the research questions. Viable plan and timeline for implementation.
PhD Dissertation
  • Learning Objectives:  Make a major contribution to the field based on an original research project.
  • Assessment Strategy:  A committee assesses the quality of the dissertation, requests modifications, and approves a final draft.
  • Criteria for Success:  Excellency in implementing the proposed study and analysis. Findings and conclusions. Contributions to the field of sociology. 

Sociology Courses

SOCIOL 400-0 Introduction to Statistics & Statistical Software (1 Unit)  

This course is designed to teach students the basics of single variable calculus, probability, set theory, random variables, and hypothesis testing. The course prepares students for the next class in the statistics sequence. The fundamental math used in this course will be covered in a review course prior to the start of the quarter. By the end of the course, students will understand the intuition behind statistical analysis, have practice applying the statistical techniques covered, and be familiar with different types of statistical analysis.

SOCIOL 401-1 Statistical Analysis of Social Data: Applied Regression Methods I (1 Unit)  

Introduction to the theory, methods, and practice of linear regression analysis: descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, ordinary least squares (OLS), non-linear models with linear regression, and regression diagnostics. For first-year graduate students in sociology.

SOCIOL 401-2 Statistical Analysis of Social Data: Applied Regression Methods II (1 Unit)  

Regression models with categorical and discrete outcomes: categorical variables, ordinal outcomes, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), probit and logistic regression, logit models. Other advanced methods may also be covered.  For first-year graduate students in sociology.

SOCIOL 402-0 Event-History Analysis (1 Unit)  

Statistical techniques for the analysis of longitudinal data to explain or predict the occurrence of discrete events.

SOCIOL 403-0 Field Methods (1 Unit)  

Application of the methods of case study, interviewing, and participant observation.

SOCIOL 405-0 Research Design (1 Unit)  

This course provides an overview of the major components involved in designing an empirical research project and writing an empirical paper including (i) developing and refining a research question; (ii) situating the question in the relevant literature; and (iii) constructing an appropriate research strategy to explore the question.  Throughout the course, students will gain familiarity with (i) academic writing and the academic article format; (ii) the peer review publication process; (iii) the practice of giving constructive feedback on peer work; and (iv) presenting research in conference presentation style. By the end of the course, students will have developed a detailed research proposal that will resemble the front end of an academic journal article. This class will emphasize strategies conducive to writing a peer review journal article that can be applied to other academic endeavors as well (e.g. dissertation proposal development etc.). 

SOCIOL 406-1 Classical Theory in Sociological Analysis (1 Unit)  

Marx and Weber: comparison and contrasts of their theories. Also, theorists such as Lukacs and Gramsci, who combine elements from both.

SOCIOL 406-2 Race, Gender, Du Bois & Sociological Theory (1 Unit)  

This course addresses the role that social factors play in in the development of sociological perspectives and schools of thought. Attention will focus on the role of race, gender and power in the rise of American sociology. The case of W. E. B. Du Bois will be highlighted to shed light on the origins and development of American sociology.

SOCIOL 406-3 Contemporary Theory in Sociological Analysis (1 Unit)  

Contemporary approaches to important theoretical issues. Emphasizes the relationship between theory and current research. Topics may include functionalism, neo-Marxism, rational action, feminism, or symbolic interactionism.

SOCIOL 408-0 Sociology of Law (1 Unit)  

Classical and modern theories of law. Modes of inquiry in sociolegal research. Patterns of legal development; comparisons among capitalist, socialist, customary, and indigenous legal systems. The relationship of law to social control, inequality, and social change. Social organization of legal institutions, including systems of dispute resolution and litigation, the legal profession, and regulatory and enforcement agencies.

SOCIOL 410-0 Race, Racism, and Resistance (1 Unit)  

Survey of sociological theories about and empirical study of race, racism, and resistance. Course content will cover at least three of the following five topics: 1) historical formations; 2) relations of power and resistance; 3) comparative perspectives; 4) intersection of race/racism with other categorical hierarchies; 5) race, racism, and resistance in specific institutional and social contexts.

SOCIOL 420-0 Cultural Sociology and the Sociology of Culture (1 Unit)  

Production, distribution, reception of culture; culture and meaning; cultural approaches to social boundaries, social problems; local and global cultures.

SOCIOL 437-0 Economic Sociology (1 Unit)  

This course provides an introduction to economic sociology. It poses the key idea of "embeddedness" and develops it by exploring various connections between economic behavior and social processes and relations.

SOCIOL 439-0 Comparative and Historical Sociology (1 Unit)  

Theoretical and methodological issues in the comparison of whole societies and other macrosocial units. Contrasts approaches that emphasize variables with those that emphasize cases (i.e., countries) and their histories. Content varies. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

SOCIOL 440-0 Stratification, Race and Gender (1 Unit)  

Issues in current research and theory in stratification, race, and gender. For graduate students.

SOCIOL 441-0 Social Movements (1 Unit)  

Issues in research and theory in organizations, institutions, and social movements. For graduate students.

SOCIOL 476-0 Topics in Sociological Analysis (1 Unit)  

Advanced areas of graduate student interest. Content varies. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

SOCIOL 480-0 Introduction to the Discipline (0 Unit)  

Introduction to the department, faculty, and adjunct faculty. Faculty discuss their research and teaching interests. Mandatory two-quarter weekly seminar for first-year students.

SOCIOL 490-0 Research: Second Year Paper (1 Unit)  

Independent study for work on second-year paper.

SOCIOL 499-0 Independent Study (1 Unit)  

SEE DEPT FOR SECTION AND PERMISSION NUMBERS.

SOCIOL 519-0 Responsible Conduct of Research Training (0 Unit)  

SOCIOL 570-0 Seminar on College Teaching (1 Unit)  

This course should be seen as a first step in a never-ending mission for developing one's own pedagogical skills. Students will learn each stage of the collegiate course design and implementation process: creating syllabi, teaching effectively, and evaluating both student and teacher. Assignments throughout the course are designed primarily to help students improve and reflect on their teaching. The final assignment is to create a teaching portfolio that will lay the foundations for what students would use on the academic job market. As part of the course, students gain hands-on teaching experience by the department's 110 course: Introduction to Sociology. TAing for 110 will require students to lead a discussion section every week along with grading essays, midterms, and the final exam. The first two weeks of the course will prepare students to quickly learn and execute their responsibilities.

SOCIOL 576-0 Topics in Sociological Analysis (0.33-0.34 Unit)  

Workshops in areas of expressed student interest. Open to advanced graduate students. May be counted for credit with instructor approval.

SOCIOL 590-0 Research (1-3 Units)  

SEE DEPT FOR SECTION AND PERMISSION NUMBERS.