Baylor > Sociology > Graduate Program > Ph.D: Emphasis in Applied Sociology

	Applied Sociology
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The applied sociology track for a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology provides the opportunity for qualified students to do graduate work in this discipline at the highest university level. It provides preparation for a career path in government agencies, institutes and corporations in which specialists in applied research are desired; or for a career path in teaching and research at the college and university setting.

Graduates from our program are highly trained in mail and telephone survey methodology, needs assessment, interviewing and focus group research skills, mock juries and jury selection, demographic modeling, GIS, and the ability to use major statistical techniques and programs to analyze and interpret the results of such research.

What’s involved?
The program prepares students for university teaching/research and applied research institutions. It consists of coursework, a publishable paper, qualifying examination, a doctoral dissertation and a final oral exam in the fall.

The program concentrates the first three years of coursework, leading up to comprehensive exams. Students will complete research resulting in a journal article or its equivalent by the end of the second year, and are admitted to Ph.D. candidacy after passing the exams following the third year. The Ph.D. program is research intensive and a foreign language is not required.

What experiences can I have outside the classroom?
Students of the applied sociology track work at the Baylor Center for Community Research and Development. The CCRD is a multi-disciplinary/method laboratory in which sociologists perform most of the research, while experts from varying fields lend their support. CCRD researchers employ several methods, and oftentimes extend their studies beyond the Waco metropolitan area.

The philosophy of the CCRD is to encourage Baylor faculty and students to engage in “hands-on” projects that positively and tangibly change organizations and communities. Students learn to apply sociological methods to real-life settings and gain an understanding of an exceptional model for relations between community and academia.

What about an M.A. degree?
The Sociology Department offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Students admitted into the PhD program will also earn an M.A. at completion.

The M.A. in sociology is only available to students admitted into the Ph.D. program. The admissions committee evaluates the work of students who enter with post-baccalaureate experience for a maximum of twelve semester hours of graduate coursework to be applied toward their graduate work at Baylor University.