Admission to the graduate program is based upon the student's academic record, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and other information relevant to the applicant's chances of being successful in the program.  Access the Sociology Department Brochure.

Although a previous major in sociology is not required, students entering our graduate program should have had the following in undergraduate courses: (1) mathematics through college algebra, (2) elementary statistics, (3) sociological theory, and (4) sociological research methods. Students who have completed prior graduate coursework in Sociology may petition to waive one or more courses in Social Theory, Statistics, or Research Methods.

Interested in Applying?

Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply online.  Application materials may be found at:  http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/welcome/application_process.html

If for some reason you cannot complete the Online Application, you may also download an Adobe PDF document version of the application booklet.

Please note: Due to the high volume of mail that the Enrollment Services Operations office receives in the months of December and January, applicants who are submitting their mailed materials should anticipate processing delays of two to three weeks during this time period. If you are applying for the Fall semester, please plan ahead and send your materials at least two weeks in advance of our posted deadlines. In addition, if your materials are not marked as received in your application three weeks after they have been sent, please contact Graduate Coordinator Jessica Gray at jessgray [at] umd.edu. Thank you in advance for your patience during the ESO's peak time.

Summary list of what our application entails

• A completed application
• A non-refundable application fee of $75.00 (*the application fee is charged by the Graduate School and the Department of Sociology is unable to waive this fee*)
• A complete set of transcripts reflecting all undergraduate and graduate work completed or in progress.
• Three letters of recommendation submitted by professors or others who can assess the quality of the applicant’s record and academic potential.  Either paper or online letters are acceptable.  Information about online letters is available in the Application Supplemental Form.
• A statement of goals, experiences and research interests
• A writing sample 
• OPTIONAL: Fellowship in Support of Diversity and Inclusion essay. Click for instructions. 
• TOEFL scores or IELTS scores (for international students only)
• The GRE is NOT required 

Fall Admissions Application Deadline (ALL APPLICANTS):

• January 4th: Deadline for all applicants 

Additional questions?

With our combination of size, intellectual diversity, strong specialty areas, and Washington area location, we believe that we offer an ideal setting in which to study sociology. If you have any questions about the department's graduate program, please feel free to contact:

Jessica Gray, Department of Sociology, University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-1315  301.405.6430 (gradsoc [at] umd.edu)