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Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 956
Program number: 403.220.6501
Fax: 403.282.9298
Email address: socigrad@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL:

In addition to Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

a) A grade point average of 3.5 on a four-point scale over the last two years of coursework or 60 units.

b) Demonstrated competence, normally through course work, in classical and contemporary sociological theory, social research methods, and social statistics.

c) A written statement of intent.

d) A sample of written work.

e) Two reference letters.

f) Students must hold a four-year degree from a recognized/accredited institution. If degree was received from a university outside of Canada, refer to the country-specific degree requirements: grad.ucalgary.ca/prospective/admissions/international-admission-requirements.

Doctor of Philosophy

a) A grade point average of 3.5 on a four-point scale over a master’s program.

b) Demonstrated competence in sociological theory, social methodology, and social statistics, in addition to a substantive interest.

c) A written statement of intent.

d) A sample of written work.

e) Two reference letters.

Deadlines for submission of completed applications is available on the Future Students website:

Master of Arts, course-based: ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/sociology-ma-course

Master of Arts, thesis-based:

Doctor of Philosophy:

The applicant must make advanced credit requests as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to a required level for admission.

Master of Arts – Credit may be allowed for up to two 600-level Sociology courses (6 units).

Doctor of Philosophy – Credit may be allowed for up to three 600- or 700-level courses (9 units).

In addition to Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts, course-based

27 units of courses including:

a) Competence in sociological statistics, methods of sociological research, and sociological theory demonstrated by completing Sociology 611; 613, 615 or an alternative methods course offered by the Sociology Department; and 631.

b) 9 units of electives at the 600 or 700 level; at least 6 units must consist of courses labelled SOCI.

c) 3 units from Sociology 606 and 607 (1.5 units each).

d) 6 units of Sociology 680, a course (major research paper) taken in spring and summer terms.

Master of Arts, thesis-based

18 units of courses including:

a) Competence in sociological statistics, methods of sociological research, and sociological theory demonstrated by completing Sociology 611; 613, 615 or an alternative methods course offered by the Sociology Department; and 631.

b) 6 units of electives on substantive topics at the 600 or 700 level; at least 3 units of elective must be a Sociology Department offering.

c) 3 units from Sociology 606 and 607 (1.5 units each) and successful preparation and completion of a thesis prospectus.

d) Completion of the MA Thesis requirement.

Doctor of Philosophy

a) Course requirements:

• Sociology 611 (students who have completed this or an equivalent graduate-level statistics course may substitute any other 600- or 700-level course);
• Sociology 706, 707 and 731;
• 6 units of methodology courses at the 700 level;
• 6 units of electives on substantive topics at the 600 or 700 level; at least 3 units of elective must be selected from Sociology Department offerings.

b) Completion of the PhD Thesis requirement.

Copyediting Policy

Students may hire an editor to copyedit their theses. The student, supervisor and editor must abide by the following regulations:

1. Prior to hiring a copy editor, permission from the supervisor(s) must be obtained. An agreement outlining the permitted scope of editing must be signed by the student and the supervisor(s).

2. A disclosure statement is required in the thesis (e.g., a sentence in the preface or acknowledgment stating that the thesis has been professionally edited).

3. Under no circumstances should the copyediting alter the content, structure or contribution of the thesis.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

The Department of Sociology will not permit the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course applicable to the Sociology graduate degree; or apply any course awarded a grade of CG towards graduation requirements for the Sociology graduate degree.

Students may choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students' eligibility for internal awards.

No credit will be given for undergraduate courses.

Expected completion time is 20 months for the thesis-based Master of Arts; 12 months for the course-based Master of Arts; and four years for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Maximum completion time is four years for the Master of Arts (thesis-based and course-based) and six years for the Doctor of Philosophy.

An interim supervisor is assigned to all incoming students in the thesis-based MA and PhD programs.  Thesis-based MA students, after one term in the program, will make supervisory arrangements with a faculty member in the chosen area of research. PhD students, after two terms in the program, will make supervisory arrangements with a faculty member in the chosen area of research. In the case of PhD students, the supervisor and student will select two other faculty members to serve on the student’s supervisory committee.

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Doctoral students must complete a thesis prospectus, normally within fourteen months of initial registration in the doctoral program. Successful completion of the prospectus means that the Supervisory Committee has approved the thesis project, and a written copy of the prospectus is filed with the Sociology Department Student Administrator.

Doctoral students must pass a Field of Study examination with a written and an oral component, normally completed within twenty months of initial registration in the doctoral program.

For complete details of the candidacy requirements, see .

Thesis Examinations

Thesis examinations are open. In addition to Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations for thesis examinations, the program requires:

Scheduling of the Examination
All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s draft thesis document before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee
The Internal Examiner may be internal to the home program.

Students whose research involves human subjects must receive approval from Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board or the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (if applicable) before beginning data collection.

Thesis-based Master of Arts students are required to prepare a thesis proposal within nine months of the date of entry into the program.

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. Information on departmental funding is available in the online Graduate Student Handbook at . For further information on awards, please see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar.

Students applying for Graduate Award Competitions through the Faculty of Graduate Studies must submit their applications to the Department by January 15.