Masters or Phd program in sociology? Which has a better chance?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm about to get my B.S. in sociology and I want to go to graduate school for sociology. And so I'm not sure if it would be easier to get into a Masters or a Phd program??</p>

<p>The reason I ask this is because I don't have the "best" GPA (currently I have a 3.34 but I'm hoping to raise it up to a 3.5 by the time I graduate... I just messed up my freshman year). But, within my major I have 3.57 and hopefully raise to a 3.7 by the time I graduate. Also, I haven't taken the GRE yet but I'm hoping to get somewhere around 1000-1200. I'll also be published with my professor on a research project but I don't know if that even helps. </p>

<p>The graduate schools I'm looking into have both a Masters and a Phd program so I don't know if I would have a better chance if I applied for the Masters program instead of the Phd?
(I heard from a few people that it is easier to get into a school that only offers a masters program but I don't if that also applies for schools with both.) </p>

<p>Also, I've looked at the graduate school rankings for sociology and I was wondering if the rankings affect my chances of getting in? Some of the universities that are generally highly ranked (or well-known) are on a lower ranking for the sociology program... </p>

<p>And so here are the list of schools I'm looking at:
Northeastern University,
Boston University,
Boston College,
SUNY-Binghamton, Stony Brook
Fordham University
UC-San Francisco, Riverside
CUNY-Brooklyn College
University of Illinois-Chicago, U-C</p>

<p>I'd appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>It is always much easier to get into a masters program than a PhD program, for the simple reason that most universities with PhD programs commit to funding their PhD students fully for a number of years (i.e., no tuition or fees, and some level of guaranteed income, maybe from work like being a TA and maybe just as a fellowship), while terminal masters students are very rarely funded fully, and often have to pay significant tuition. Decent PhD programs get hundreds of applications and accept 5-10 candidates/year. </p>

<p>Masters programs are far less competitive. But I’m not certain what it is that a masters degree in sociology gets you, other than a chance to apply to a PhD program (and maybe have to re-do your masters if you are accepted). Some more specialized programs, like criminology or demography, can qualify you for research or management jobs in those fields.</p>

3

<p>@ JHS</p>

<p>You can get a lecturer position with a master’s degree. The OP would probably have no problem finding an adjunct lecturer position with a master’s from any of those schools.</p>

<p>One caveat however, adjunct is a trap most professors never find their way out of, and the pay absolutely sucks.</p>