<p>I just withdrew from an economics PhD program after deciding to pursue a PhD in Sociology. I am interested in the Sociology of work and I am wondering which departments are good in that area. I have a perfect undergraduate gpa and decent (although I know decent is a relative term) GRE scores. I have not taken any formal course in Sociology and I am wondering if that is going to be a serious obstacle for me. I also have a weak graduate gpa (first semester). I am wondering if getting into a PhD program in Sociology with funding is a possibility for me. All comments and recommendations will be appreciated.</p>
<p>Not having an undergraduate sociology degree isn't necessarily a problem, but graduate programs in sociology will expect you to have completed significant coursework in sociology as an undergraduate, especially core courses in sociological theory and the like. A weak graduate experience in economics won't help a sociology department view your application favorably. They will look for something in your background that explains your sudden interest in sociology, as well as some sort of evidence that you will be more committed to a graduate program in sociology than you were to the graduate program in economics. What you want to do is possible, but you will have an uphill battle packaging and selling your self, especially since you require funding. Plenty of applicants to graduate programs in sociology don't apply with your baggage i.e. they have an undergraduate degree in sociology and have perhaps worked summers in the field in some fashion, so you will need to give the folks who make admissions decisions reasons to want you in their program.</p>
<p>Thank you for your feedback so far. The reason I changed my mind is that I have been attending seminars in economics and I became more familar with the research and methodology used in econmics than I were as an undergraduate. I have done readings in Sociology and looked at the research done in the field. What changed my mind is that I learned to dislike the methodology used in economics and I believe that sociology is rich enough to introduce me to other methodologies that I will appreciate more. I agree with what you guys have said, but I do believe that a PhD program in econoimcs is not a good predictor of how people will do as a PhD student in Sociology as long as the problem does not have to do with the very nature of graduate school.</p>