Program Goals
Graduate Program Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes
To enable students to conduct original, empirical research
The program aims to provide a variety of experiences, inside and outside of the classroom, that help students to:
- Formulate an important, viable sociological research question within their field of expertise, including situating that research question within the relevant literature;
- Collect or identify data from which to draw conclusions about the research question;
- Apply appropriate research methods to sociological questions and describe the research methods accurately;
- Appropriately analyze research data and present results in a clear, concise manner;
- Draw conclusions about the research questions in a way that effectively locates the conclusions in the larger body of knowledge;
- Draw implications about sociological knowledge from research findings.
To prepare students to contribute to scholarly dialogue about their area of expertise and communicate sociological knowledge to relevant audiences
The program aims to provide a variety of experiences that help students to:
- Present their research at local, regional, national, and international professional conferences and symposia;
- Present research to broader audiences through publication in professional, peer-reviewed journals;
- Develop a comprehensive knowledge of past and current research in their field of expertise and demonstrate that knowledge. (preliminary exams);
- Broaden their professional knowledge through undergraduate teaching and other experiences.
To enhance the national and international reputation for excellence of the graduate program in sociology
The program aims to:
- Attract and retain exceptional and diverse graduate students;
- Provide effective mentoring that encourages students to graduate in a timely manner;
- Place students in positions in academia, government, and the private sector;
- Attract and retain nationally-recognized research-active faculty who are engaged in the sociology graduate program.