Sociology & Anthropology
Interested in Graduate School?
The Graduate School Admission Process
Applying to graduate school can be a lengthy and involved process, so we recommend that students begin the process as soon as they know they are interested. Applications for PhD programs are typically due in December or January. Some graduate programs have two separate deadlines (one for admissions and one for financial aid) and applicants are encouraged to submit everything before the earlier deadline. Because admission to graduate programs is extremely competitive, we suggest that students send applications to at least five schools. We encourage students to use the rankings below to choose the schools to which they will apply. Students should use the internet to begin learning about graduate schools’ strengths and specialties and to request paper applications or access to on-line applications.
Once the student has chosen the schools to which they will apply, they should then begin the process of putting together their application. Typically, graduate school applications require the following
- Transcripts
- GRE scores
- Letters of recommendation (usually three)
- Personal statement or Statement of purpose
- Application fees
- Writing sample
- Financial aid application
Some applicants also choose to send additional materials, such as a CV (curriculum vita). While many aspects of the graduate school application are straightforward, others require careful thought. Students are encouraged to discuss their interest in graduate school and their applications with professors in the department.
Rankings of Top Graduate Programs in Anthropology and Sociology
Anthropology
Anthropology research-doctoral programs were evaluated by the National Research Council in 1993. The methodology is described in “Rankings of Research-Doctorate Programs in 41 Disciplines at 274 Institutions,” Chronicle of Higher Education 42: A21-A30, September 25, 1995. The ranking is reprinted in Lynn C. Hattendorf Westney (Ed.), Educational Rankings Annual: 2003, Detroit: Thomas Gale, 2003.
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- University of Chicago
- University of California – Berkeley
- Harvard University
- University of Arizona
- University of Pennsylvania
- Stanford University
- Yale University --. UCLA --. University of California – San Diego
- University of Florida
- University of Texas – Austin
- New York University
- University of Illinois – Champaign-Urbana
- University of California – Davis
Sociology
Rankings of Top Graduate Programs in Sociology-2009 (from US News and World Report)
1. University of California – Berkeley2. University of Wisconsin – Madison
3. Princeton University (NJ)
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
5. Harvard University (MA)
Stanford University (CA)
University of Chicago
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
9. Northwestern University (IL)
University of California – Los Angeles
11. Columbia University (NY)
Indiana University – Bloomington
University of Pennsylvania
14. Duke University (NC)
New York University
University of Texas – Austin
17. Cornell University (NY)
Ohio State University
University of Washington
20. Pennsylvania State University – University Park
University of Arizona
University of Maryland – College Park
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Yale University (CT)
25. Brown University (RI)
Johns Hopkins University (MD)
27. University of California – Irvine
28. CUNY Graduate School and University Center
SUNY – Albany
University of California – Santa Barbara
31. Rutgers State University – New Brunswick (NJ)
University of California – Davis
University of California – San Diego
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Vanderbilt University (TN)
36. Emory University (GA)
University of Iowa
University of Virginia
39. Florida State University
University of Southern California
