Welcome to the UW Department of Sociology. We are excited that you are considering the University of Washington as your next academic home. We offer a PhD program (students who have not previously earned a MA degree in sociology or a closely related field complete a MA degree along the way). We encourage you to explore our website to learn more about our program and determine whether it would be a good fit for you.
When you are ready to apply, then the information on this page should answer many of your questions.
Tess McShane is the Graduate Program Advisor. If you have questions, you can contact her at tmcsha@uw.edu or 206.685.3197.
Process
Graduate applications at the University of Washington are submitted online through the Graduate School.
We suggest starting your application early so you can familiarize yourself with the requirements and leave ample time to request test scores and letters of recommendation. You can return to your application as often as needed before submitting. When you are ready to apply...
- Go to the UW Graduate School Application. Create an applicant profile and start a new application.
- Prepare application materials, request letters of recommendation, and order unofficial transcripts and test scores (when applicable).
- Submit your application and pay the application fee. The nonrefundable application fee is $90 (USD) or $75 for Graduate Non-Matriculated applications.
IMPORTANT: The initial application process is handled through the UW Graduate School. Our department has no authority to offer application fee waivers. In addition, because the only source of funding our department can offer is through Teaching Assistantships (TAs), which require graduate students to speak and interact with undergraduate students on a regular basis, our program has a strict English Language Proficiency Requirement. If you are not a native English speaker and you do not submit passing test scores, your application will not move forward.
Deadline
The application deadline for any year's admissions cycle is December 1st, with the application opening in the late summer. Please contact Tess McShane at tmcsha@uw.edu with any specific questions.
Criteria
Applicants should meet both the UW Graduate School and Departmental requirements.
Academic Requirements
The Graduate School requires a BA degree and a minimum GPA. You can find more information on the Understanding the Application Process page
English Language Requirements
Native English speakers automatically meet the English language requirement. Non-native English speakers must satisfy an English language proficiency requirement. We consider all applicants for funding in the form of a Teaching Assistantships. Therefore, non-native English speakers must also meet additional requirements to serve as a TA at the time of acceptance. These requirements are outlined in the following document:
Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements
Non-native English speakers must submit 1) TOEFL iBT speaking score of at least 26 and total score of 92 or higher, or 2) IETLS speaking score of at least 7.0 and a total score of 7.0 or above.
Timeline
The admissions committee begins to review applications in January, with decisions expected in February and March. All decisions will be finalized by April 15th.