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Phd in social policy.

The PhD programs in Social Policy award either a PhD in Government and Social Policy or a PhD in Sociology and Social Policy. This is a joint PhD program for students who wish to combine the full disciplinary depth of a doctoral degree in political science or sociology with multidisciplinary study of issues of Social Policy.

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Our PhD in Social Policy (SPOL) doctoral students are registered at the  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) and delve into a range of research areas during their time at Harvard.

Our current SPOL students are listed below.

Brian Highsmith

Fiscal federalism, state/local tax and budget policy, public goods, residential segregation, criminal punishment, political economy, antitrust and corporate power, and law and legal institutions.

Andrew byrne Keefe

Crime, criminal law, and criminal justice; economic inequality; empire; mass incarceration; network analysis; policing; political economy; political sociology; and race and racism.

Evan MacKay

Inequality and social policy; crime, deviance, restoration, and punishment; social stratification; race and ethnicity; gender; discrimination; geography; poverty; and quantitative methods.

Alexandra Mitukiewicz

Work, inequality, social policy, demography, aging, retirement.  

Nefara Riesch

Race and ethnicity, poverty and inequality, criminal legal system, labor markets, policing, quantitative methods, and social policy.

Cierra Robson

Racial inequality, technological advancement, surveillance, criminal justice, policing, social policy, and AI ethics.

Lauren Taylor

Stratification and inequality, demography, labor markets, and the welfare state.

Elizabeth Thom

American politics, social policy, political economy, and geography. 

Michael Zanger-Tishler

Criminology, sociology of punishment, race, ethnicity and migration, quantitative methods, comparative sociology, social theory, inequality and social policy, antisemitism, Middle Eastern studies, and law and society.

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Department of Sociology

Applications for admission to the PhD program in Fall 2025 are due December 1, 2024. We do not accept applications at any other time.

Please be advised: In the interest of treating all applicants equally, the Sociology Department at Harvard University has a policy of not scheduling meetings between faculty and prospective doctoral students until admissions decisions have been made.

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

Please note, Harvard Sociology continues to require GRE scores for application review. Our application process as described on the website is accurate and reflects any COVID-related changes. 

GSAS does not accept scores from the TOEFL ITP Plus examination. This is because the TOEFL ITP Plus does not provide a robust assessment of the candidate’s proficiency in spoken English, which is one of the most critical components of our English proficiency requirement. Applicants unable to take the TOEFL IBT, IELTS or IELTS indicator exams may apply without these scores, and if programs recommend these applicants for admission, their admission will be provisional until they provide scores from one of the accepted tests that demonstrate the required level of English proficiency.

The following materials are required for application to the program. All materials must be submitted electronically. 

• Application
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal Statement
• Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendation
• Writing Sample
• TOEFL Scores (for International applicants only; see note above)
• CV or Resume
• Application Fee

Visit the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  for all detailed application information, deadlines, and forms.

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Earning A Ph.D. In Sociology: Everything You Need To Know

Updated: May 30, 2023, 2:17am

Earning a Ph.D. in sociology helps you build a high-level career in a competitive field. As the discipline’s terminal degree, a doctorate in sociology qualifies graduates for roles in academia, business, government and nonprofits.

Ph.D. in sociology programs provide a strong grounding in sociological theory and practice and the opportunity to conduct original research.

If you want to explore a Ph.D. in sociology, this article is for you. We’ll explain what to expect from a doctoral program in sociology, including admission criteria, common requirements and sociology careers for graduates.

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What Does a Ph.D. in Sociology Entail?

What is sociology ? This field studies societies and the human relationships within them, often with the goal of addressing inequities and divisions.

A sociology Ph.D. prepares you to conduct independent research or teach at the college level. Here’s what you should expect if you plan to earn a Ph.D. in sociology.

Ph.D. in Sociology Admission Requirements

Admission to Ph.D. in sociology programs is highly competitive, with acceptance rates at some schools as low as 4%.

Admissions committees look at several factors when considering grad school applicants . Ph.D. in sociology programs typically require a minimum GPA of 3.0 to 3.5, plus a statement of purpose, scholarly writing samples, a résumé, recommendation letters and GRE scores.

Competitive applicants hold strong social science backgrounds with completed coursework in sociological theory, statistics and research methods. Most doctoral programs in sociology accept candidates with a bachelor’s or master’s in sociology or a related field. Those with bachelor’s degrees in sociology typically earn a master’s midway through the doctoral program.

Applicants without a sociology background can use their personal statement to explain how their experience and interests align with a sociology program.

Ph.D in Sociology Program Formats

Most doctoral sociology programs are traditional on-campus programs. Fully online Ph.D. programs in sociology are rare, though students may take individual courses online.

Ph.D. candidates spend less time on campus once they begin their dissertations. However, it’s wise to select your school and living situation with regular campus visits in mind.

Learners set on an online program are more likely to find an online Ph.D. program in a related major, such as a doctorate in social work .

Common Ph.D. in Sociology Degree Requirements

Sociological theory.

Many Ph.D. in sociology programs include one or more required theory courses. Understanding sociological theory helps future sociologists engage with the discipline’s history and its contemporary debates as researchers, thinkers and teachers.

Theory courses cover seminal theorists like Karl Marx, Max Weber and Émile Durkheim and explore how contemporary writers and researchers apply, challenge and adapt classical sociological thought to current issues and perspectives.

Social Data Analysis and Research

Courses in social data analysis and research bring theory into practice. A Ph.D. is a research-oriented degree that prepares graduates to produce independent research projects like dissertations.

Students learn to conduct sociological studies, draw conclusions and present findings. Data analysis and collection methods include interviews, field notes and statistical analysis.

In some programs, candidates build hands-on skills in a research practicum. Learners can also gain research experience (and help pay for their degrees ) through faculty research assistantships.

Complete Residency Credits

“Residency credits” refer to how many courses you take at your degree-granting institution. Most Ph.D. candidates fulfill residency requirements simply by completing their program’s coursework. Sometimes, a doctoral student can earn residency credits by completing a master’s degree in sociology from the same school as their doctorate.

However, transfer students and those intending to study abroad should consult an advisor or registrar to ensure they meet residency credit requirements.

Careers for Ph.D. in Sociology Graduates

What can you do with a sociology degree ? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports only 3,000 sociologists working in the United States as of 2021, though many individuals with doctorates in sociology hold other job titles. Doctoral degrees demonstrate research skills and specialized training to set candidates apart in a tight job market.

For many roles, particularly in academia, a Ph.D. is mandatory. Below, we highlight some common career paths for Ph.D. in sociology graduates. All salary data mentioned below is sourced from the BLS.

Sociology Professor

Median Annual Salary: $79,640 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +12% Job Description: Sociology professors train the next generation of sociologists. Depending on their institution and experience, sociology professors teach undergraduates from other majors as well. Along with classroom responsibilities, sociology professors may conduct research, publish articles and books, attend academic conferences and serve on administrative committees.

Human Resources Manager

Median Annual Salary: $126,230 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +7% Job Description: Sociologists use data to understand human behavior and can apply this knowledge to many business subfields, especially in people-focused fields like human resources . Human resource managers have many personnel-centered responsibilities, including hiring and training, mediating disputes and helping shape an organization’s workplace culture.

Sociologist

Median Annual Salary: $92,910 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +5% Job Description: Sociologists in and out of academia can pursue research roles. According to the BLS , more sociologists hold research and development roles in social sciences and humanities than in any other industry. Sociologists study social behavior, design and conduct research studies, and present their findings through reports, articles and presentations.

Social and Community Service Managers

Median Annual Salary: $74,000 Projected Job Growth (2021-2031): +12% Job Description: A social and community services career suits Ph.D. in sociology graduates seeking applied—rather than research-based—careers. Managers in this sector plan, shape and oversee programs and services that support public well-being.

Social and community service managers work for nonprofit and for-profit social services organizations and government agencies and target needs such as elder services, child and family services, food security or mental health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Ph.D. in Sociology

What can i do with a sociology ph.d..

Many Ph.D. in sociology graduates go into academia and research-focused careers. However, sociology graduates can also find work in human resources, marketing and social services.

How much do you make with a Ph.D. in sociology?

A Ph.D. in sociology qualifies graduates for various high-paying jobs. One of the highest-paying jobs is human resources manager, with an annual median salary of $126,230 as of 2021, according to the BLS . Sociology professors and research sociologists earn median annual salaries of $79,640 and $92,910 as of 2021, respectively.

How many years does it take to get a Ph.D. in sociology?

A typical Ph.D. in sociology program lasts five to six years. Students with work or family obligations may take longer to complete their degrees. Conversely, candidates with a master’s in sociology may finish faster. Some programs allow candidates to take up to nine years in certain circumstances.

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Resources for PhD Careers from Scholarly Societies

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A list of recent resources, events, and programs related to PhD career diversity from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)

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Meet the 6 new faculty members joining MIT Sloan in 2024

Meredith Somers

Jul 8, 2024

Large language models, workplace inclusion, algorithms, and intergroup conflict: Meet the six new experts bringing their knowledge and skill sets to the MIT Sloan faculty.

Ali Aouad, Assistant Professor of Operations Management

Comes from:   Aouad joins MIT Sloan after working as an associate professor of management science and operations at London Business School. He earned a PhD in operations research from MIT.

Research:  Aouad’s research focuses on the intersection of algorithm design under uncertainty, and digital platform operations. Among his recent research is a study of pricing controls and online service platforms , a paper on  spatial matching under multihoming (when multiple platforms share the same suppliers, such as a driver who works for both Lyft and Uber), and a collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands to optimize its exhibits.

Find out more:   On his  Google Scholar page  and  X .

Chelsea Lide, Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies

Comes from: Lide has a PhD in business administration from Stanford University. She was previously a program manager at Google.

Research: According to Lide, she studies organizational behavior, specifically, “how employees form beliefs about social information and how these beliefs shape their perceptions of — and behavior toward — others in the workplace.” Among her most recent work is a paper on the under- and over-communication of leaders . She’s currently working on research around prejudice accommodation and workplace inclusion.

Find out more: On her personal website and X .

Haihao (Sean) Lu, Assistant Professor of Operations Research and Statistics

Comes from: Before joining MIT Sloan, Lu was an assistant professor of operations management at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He was also a visiting faculty researcher at Google Research. Lu earned a PhD in mathematics and operations research from MIT.

Research: Lu’s research includes solving large-scale optimization problems that appear in data science, machine learning, and operations research.

Find out more: On his Google Scholar page .

Ellen Muir, Assistant Professor of Applied Economics

Comes from: Muir has a PhD in economics from Stanford University and was a prize fellow in economics, history, and politics at Harvard University.

Research: Muir is a microeconomic theorist with a focus on mechanism design, market design, and industrial organization. Her recent publications and working papers include an optimal lockdown management plan for an epidemic and the optimal design of rights related to the  control of an economic resource .

Find out more: On her personal website and her  Google Scholar page .

Austin van Loon, Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies

Comes from: Van Loon earned a PhD in sociology from Stanford University. Van Loon previously held the position of postdoctoral associate in  Duke University’s Polarization Lab , which conducts research on the political divide in America.

Research: According to van Loon, his research focus is on the “interplay between culture and identity in the context of intergroup conflict” and how computational social science can be used to better understand social phenomena. Among his recent research is a study of attitudes toward immigration policy, how negative word associations predict anti-Black bias , and how using virtual reality can increase cognitive empathy for others.

Find out more: On his personal website , his Google Scholar page , and X .

Felix Vetter, Assistant Professor of Accounting

Comes from: Vetter was previously an assistant professor in accounting and taxation at the University of Mannheim in Germany. He earned a PhD in accounting from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Research: Vetter’s research focuses on audit and financial gatekeeper labor markets and on regulation. Among his research is a paper on the effect of supervisors on employee misconduct at U.S. financial institutions, and an analysis of a 2010 change to the investment adviser qualification exam and its impact on misconduct.

Find out more: On his Google Scholar page  and X .

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Finding Secrets in Fossils

Sarah Losso, PhD ’24

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Sarah Losso is a 2024 PhD graduate in the Department of Biology, where she investigates trilobites, a group of ancient arthropods. Losso discusses the findings of some of her work, how her fascination with rocks led her to Harvard, and the traveling opportunities she has had while at Harvard Griffin GSAS.

Tracing Evolution through Trilobites

Insects, crabs, lobsters, and scorpions are all part of the most diverse group of animals—arthropods. Arthropods live in oceans, in the air, and on land. I’m interested in understanding how the first arthropods evolved. To do that, I study early arthropods like trilobites that are 500 million years old. 

Naturally, a lot of my work involves the fossil record. It’s an incomplete source of information. To become a fossil, an animal had to die in the right environment, be lucky enough to actually fossilize and not be scavenged, and usually have a body with bones or shells (soft tissue tends to decompose more easily). Then it has to be found by people. So a lot of the fossil record is incomplete skeletons, pieces of bone, individual teeth, and things like that. Trilobites had a hard exoskeleton made of calcite that allowed some parts of them to fossilize easily, although their legs and gills were not as hardy. In some cases, the softer legs, gills, and guts also get preserved, but only under special conditions. 

I have been researching a defense mechanism used against predation seen in trilobites and other living arthropods. Essentially, trilobites will completely roll up their bodies for protection if they feel threatened. We also see this in insects, isopods, millipedes, and armadillos. It prevents them from being eaten. 

What’s interesting is that all of these groups have the same mechanism of protection despite not being closely related. They independently evolved this mechanism. Also, there are morphological constraints that the animals have to get around to roll their bodies up. It’s like they have a line of hard plates on their stomachs, and they have to figure out how to roll themselves up without breaking or bending the plates. Yet all of these animals figured it out, and they all do it the same way. Studying trilobites gives us insight into how these different animals developed this mechanism. 

Combining Biology and Geology

I’ve always liked animals and rocks. Growing up, my pockets were always full of sand, because I would go to the beach and pick up rocks. When I went to college, I studied biology, and I was also really interested in environmental science and geology. One of the classes I took was on the history of the Earth. It was fascinating to understand how old our planet is and all the processes that made it the way it is now. 

In my senior year in college, I had a bit of a crisis because I didn’t know how to combine my biology and geology interests into further research. My professor said, “Well, that’s basically what paleontology is.” I did a master’s degree studying trilobites, and while I was doing that research, I went to a conference to present my work. I happened to meet Professor Javier Ortega-Hernández , who was just about to start a lab at Harvard , and we had a great conversation. I applied to Harvard and now I’m his first student here. 

Fossils and Fieldwork

At Harvard Griffin GSAS, I’ve had opportunities to travel and go to a lot of cool places. As a researcher, I have been all over the world—Estonia, Spain, England, and Ireland as well as in the US in California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—to present my work. It’s amazing to go to a new place and talk about science with other people and get the chance to start new projects together. You get people in one room to share these fascinating ideas.

Another part of my job as a paleontologist is fieldwork. We go and try to find new fossils. For that work, I have gone to places as close as Upstate New York and as far away as Morocco. In your downtime, you get the chance to explore and chat with the researchers on your team, and while you’re working, you start finding things that no one has seen for hundreds of millions of years. That’s just out of this world. 

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