Sociology & Peace Studies

Students in the Ph.D. in Sociology and Peace Studies normally take: Classical Sociological Theory, Sociological Research Methods, Advanced Social Statistics, and Proseminar. They also enroll in 4 sociology electives (one in advanced methods, one in advanced theory, and one in global sociology).

In addition, students normally take 6 peace studies courses: Peace Research: Design, Methods, and Findings; Global Politics of Peacebuilding; Culture and Religion in Peacebuilding; Conflict Transformation and Strategic Peacebuilding; Political Economy of War, Peace, and Development; and Ethnic Conflict and Peace Processes. Students can earn 12 additional hours in independent study, dissertation credit, and elected courses.

Semester 1 [12 credit hours]
International Peace Research: Origins, Methodologies, Results
Global Politics of Peacebuilding
Elementary Statistics
Sociology proseminar

Semester 2 [12 credit hours]
Conflict Transformation and Strategic Peacebuilding
Culture and Religion in Peacebuilding
Sociological Research Methods
Advanced Social Statistics

Summer 1
Study language or take foreign language exam

Semester 3 [9 credit hours]
Contemporary Conflict and Peace Processes
Classical Sociological Theory
Elective course 1, area 1
(Sociology)

Semester 4 [9 credit hours]
Global Sociology Elective course 2, area 1 (Sociology)
Write Master’s paper

Summer 2
Reading for comprehensive exams

Semester 5 [6 credit hours]
Political Economy of War and Peace
Elective course 1, area 2
(Sociology)
Prepare for and take comprehensive exam in area 1

Semester 6 [6 credit hours]
Elective course 2, area 2 (Sociology)
Advanced Sociological Theory or advanced or qualitative research methods
Take comprehensive exam in area 2
Prepare proposal for external funding for dissertation research

Summer 3
Manuscript submitted to scholarly publication

Semester 7 [3 credit hours]
Directed readings or independent study
Take comprehensive exam in peace studies
(area 3)
Preparation and approval of dissertation proposal
Perform teaching assistantship in Peace Studies

Semester 8
Dissertation research and writing (6 credit hours)
Perform teaching assistantship in Sociology

Summer 4
Dissertation research and writing

Semester 9

Dissertation research and writing (6 credit hours)

Semester 10 [0 hours]
Completion and defense of dissertation Preparation of Job Placement Dossier