Applicants are admitted for Fall Quarter only to the Sociology PhD program.  December 15 was the deadline to apply for admission in Fall 2012. No late applications are considered.

For detailed application instructions and requirements - and to apply online - see Graduate Admissions.

To be admitted as a graduate student at UCSC, you must have a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited undergraduate institution of acceptable standing. All applicants are required to complete the application package and pay a $70 application fee (or $90 for international applicants). The following are required to apply to the Sociology Ph.D program:

• An online admissions application form
• A statement of purpose (2-3 pages)
• A personal history statement (2-3pages). The personal history statement may have some similar information, but should not duplicate the statement of purpose.
• One official transcript from the Registrar at each institution for all coursework completed since graduation from high school
• Three letters of recommendation
• Graduate Record Examination scores (general test only). Scores must be received by the application deadline. The UCSC School Code is: 4860. There is no department code. (Official scores are required for full consideration of your application; self-reported scores are placeholders only.)
• One writing sample, approximately 20-25 pages, preferably in sociology or a related field. (This sample can be a term paper, a field report, a research proposal, or an essay written especially for the application.) The writing sample must be submitted online; hardcopies will not be accepted.
• Applicants from countries where English is not the primary language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System test (IELTS). The minimum scores for admission are lower than those required for consideration for teaching assistantships.

It is very important to answer the Preliminary Questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Sociology PhD Program and Admissions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Graduate Admissions (all programs)

Please do not send materials to the Sociology Department. All hard copy materials should be sent to the following address. Please do not send unsolicited materials.

Graduate Application Processing Center
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

Additional inquiries about the Sociology PhD program can be made to the Department of Sociology, UCSC, College Eight Faculty Services, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064. You may phone the Graduate Program Coordinator at (831) 459-3168, but if you leave a message, please clearly state your name and leave an email address - not a phone number - as the primary contact. Or email questions to: socyga@ucsc.edu.