Graduate Student Handbook

This handbook offers guidance specific to doctoral students and faculty in Cornell’s Graduate Field of Sociology. It should be read in conjunction with the Code of Legislation, which sets the core policies governing graduate education throughout Cornell. Both sets of policies clarify and establish mutual expectations for achieving degree progress.

Cornell’s Graduate Field of Sociology provides exceptional training toward the PhD in Sociology and has long been known for its emphasis on both theoretical innovation and methodological rigor. Our graduate training is highly individualized, and candidates for advanced degrees benefit from close relationships with their major professors and other mentors. Its graduates have achieved professional success in academia, industry, and the non-profit and public sectors.

In addition to the regular PhD in Sociology, the Field offers a track that allows students to earn a PhD in Sociology with a focus on public policy. For students in the public policy track, TA and RA funding come from the Brooks School for Public Policy. Sociology students can also earn minors in affiliated fields, such as the PhD Minor in Demography through the Cornell Population Center. 

The Field of Sociology sets five key goals for our graduate students. Students who complete a Ph.D. in Sociology should be able to:

• Conduct original, publishable research.
• Demonstrate a broad knowledge of theory and research in two subfields within the discipline.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge at the research frontier of one area of specialization.
• Write and speak effectively about sociology to professional and general audiences.
• Design a course and teach effectively. 

• Semester 1 (year 1): Take 5010, 6010, 6080 and 6130 or a substantive seminar; connect with faculty, peers, and research centers; apply for external fellowships
• Semester 2 (year 1): Take 5020, 6020, 6080 and a substantive seminar; plan for first concentration exam, connect with faculty mentors, apply for external fellowships. Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training and obtain an ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID).
• Summer 1 (year 1): Prepare for and take first concentration exam; conduct research either independently or with a faculty member 
• Semester 3 (year 2): Take 6130 and other relevant courses; form Special Committee by the end of the year; think about QP ideas; apply for external fellowships
• Semester 4 (year 2): Take courses; take second concentration exam; make detailed plan for QP
• Summer 2 (year 2): Write QP; collaborate on research or work as a research assistant
• Semester 5 (year 3): Finish QP; take A exam
• Semester 6 (year 3): Complete the A-exam; Revise QP and submit it to a journal
• Summer 3 (year 3): Outline dissertation prospectus; work on independent or collaborative research; RA or teach own course
• Semester 7 & 8 (year 4): Write and defend proposal; apply for dissertation fellowships; work on independent or collaborative research
• Summer 4 (year 4): Work on independent or collaborative research; RA or teach own course
• Semester 9 & 10 (year 5): Write dissertation and work on other independent or collaborative research
• Summer 5 (year 5): Polish main job market paper; write statements for job applications
• Semester 11 & 12 (year 6): Defend B exam; finish and file dissertation; go on the job market

To make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing, students in the Field of Sociology must:

• Make timely progress toward the major milestones (see Timeline, above): forming a Special Committee, taking concentration exams, writing a QP, passing the A exam, defending a prospectus, and writing and defending the dissertation (B exam). 
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in courses taught by Sociology field members. 
• Complete an annualStudent Progress Review (SPR) and receive a rating of ‘Satisfactory’ or ‘Excellent’ from their Chair. (First year students do not need to complete the SPR.)
• Submit annual Summer Research Plans
• Complete required teaching responsibilities
• Meet all other Field and Graduate School requirements outlined in this handbook 

Students are encouraged to work closely with their Special Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to ensure they are making good academic progress and to stay on track with the recommended timeline. They should be proactive in communicating any delays or challenges to their Chair and DGS. 

Failure to meet the Field expectations means that a student is not making satisfactory academic progress and is deemed not in good academic standing. This may affect eligibility for funding and continued enrollment in their degree program. See the Accountability and Due Process section for more information. 

Per the Code of Legislation, the Graduate Faculty requires both research master’s and doctoral students to have identified (or been assigned) a special committee chair or a temporary advisor no later than three weeks after the first registration in the Graduate School (submitted to the Graduate School via Student Center).

Additionally, in accordance with the Code, the Graduate Faculty requires doctoral students to form a complete special committee by the end of their third semester, and research master’s students by the end of their second semester. The Code includes specific exceptions for graduate students in economics and physics (Code VI.B.6.).

In the field of Sociology, students are assigned a temporary advisor, the DGS, upon matriculation. Students are encouraged to form a Special Committee of at least three faculty members by the beginning of the second year, and they are required to form a complete, three-member Special Committee no later than the end of the third semester. 

The Chair of the Special Committee must be a member of the graduate faculty of the Field of Sociology. The two Minor members of the Committee can be members of the faculty of any graduate Field at Cornell. In rare circumstances, a student may wish to identify two co-Chairs, who must both be members of the Field; in this case, the Committee only needs one Minor member. Additional members of the Special Committee are optional and can be from either inside or outside Cornell. All Committee members must meet Graduate School requirements and reflect relevant areas of expertise.

Students are encouraged to discuss the composition of their Special Committees with the DGS and the Committee Chair, once one is identified. They should also discuss their interests and expectations with potential Committee members, and secure their agreement to serve, before entering or changing the Special Committee in Student Center.

If a Chair or committee member steps down from the Committee, students must find a replacement within the timeframe outlined inthe Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty to remain in good standing. Students may not remain registered in the Graduate School if they fail to reconstitute a committee. If a student is unable to find a new chair within the required timeframes, they will be withdrawn from the Graduate School.

The membership of the Committee can, and often does, change as a student’s intellectual interests develop. Doctoral students may make changes to their Special Committee at any time prior to the A exam. Changes after the A exam require the dean’s approval.

Doctoral candidates in the Sociology field are required to complete a dissertation that demonstrates original research and contributes new knowledge to the discipline. The dissertation should address significant theoretical questions and may take the form of a traditional monograph or a set of three publishable papers.

Before starting dissertation work, candidates must submit a dissertation proposal, also known as a prospectus, to the Special Committee. The proposal should give details on the theoretical problem to be addressed in the dissertation, the methods for collecting and analyzing data, and the likely contribution of the research to sociological knowledge. 

Students will defend their dissertation proposal at a meeting of the Special Committee, with all members present. Once a student’s prospectus is defended, they must submit the Dissertation Prospectus form to the Graduate Field Assistant. 

The completed dissertation must be defended in the B exam (see below). It must include an abstract and follow a recognized academic style guide, such as the Style Guide of the American Sociological Association, approved by the Special Committee chair, and meet theGraduate School’s formatting requirements for doctoral dissertations.

Sociology graduate students take two concentration exams, write a Qualifying Paper (QP), defend the Qualifying Paper and concentration exams (which constitutes the A exam), and take the B exam. The A exam and B exam must be documented and reported through official Graduate School processes. The concentration exams are internal to the Field and reported to the GFA.

Concentration Exams

Early in their training and before the A exam, students must complete two concentration exams, sometimes called area exams, in areas of their choice. These exams help students develop a comprehensive knowledge of the major scholarly works within the area, giving them a mental map of the field, familiarity with its intellectual history, and facility with its major concepts, key questions, and debates. 

Students must select the two exam areas – two major areas, or one major and one minor area – from the approved list on the department website. The website also describes the general exam format, including the option to take a course in partial fulfillment of the requirement. Students who take the course option can choose any Sociology field member, including but not limited to the instructor of the course, to fulfill the final part of the exam.

The examining faculty member determines the format and expectations for the exam. The examiner may also ask students to revise and resubmit a concentration exam in response to feedback. In this case, the examiner and student should agree on a reasonable deadline for the revisions that will allow the student to stay on track with the program timeline.

After passing each concentration exam, students need to submit a Concentration Area Completion Form to the Graduate Field Assistant. The form must be signed by the faculty member who supervised the examination and by the chair of the student’s Special Committee. If a student took a course in partial fulfillment of the exam with one faculty member and completed the exam with another, both must sign. If a student has not selected a Special Committee Chair by the time they take an exam, the DGS will serve as the default Chair.

The Qualifying Paper (QP)

The Qualifying Paper (QP) is designed to be a major, independent research experience. It can, but need not, serve as the first phase of the dissertation research. It is expected to be a high-quality, publishable (but not published) paper with empirical research and theoretical analysis that will contribute new knowledge to the relevant subfield. The paper should follow the style and format of an article in a flagship journal, such as the American Journal of Sociology or American Sociological Review. 

The Special Committee must approve of the QP. The paper must be complete, with all major components of a published paper (e.g., abstract, theoretical background, data and methods, results, discussion/conclusion, references) in place before it is approved.

The Qualifying Paper form is internal to the department and certifies that the QP meets the Special Committee’s expectations. It must be signed by all members of the committee and delivered to the Department’s Graduate Field Assistant. 

After successfully completing the two area exams and the QP, students can take their Admission to Candidacy exam (see below). Students should receive their Special Committee's approval of the QP before scheduling the oral A-Exam defense. 

The Committee may decide that QP needs modification after the oral A-Exam defense. In such cases, the student has four weeks after the defense to revise the QP, submit the revised version to the committee members, and submit the QP form with each committee member's signatures to the Graduate Field Assistant.

Masters’s Thesis 

Although it is uncommon, graduate students in Sociology can complete a Master’s thesis instead of a Qualifying Paper. Students do not need to formally defend a Master’s thesis prospectus, but they should discuss expectations with their Special Committees before starting their projects. The thesis must also follow Graduate School guidelines. A Master’s thesis fulfills the Qualifying Paper requirement for the Ph.D. program, and an oral presentation of the Master’s thesis satisfies the A-Exam.

Students are not admitted to the program to receive a terminal Master’s degree. Occasionally, students choose to leave before completing their PhDs. If these students have completed a minimum of five semesters of enrollment, they may be able to earn a non-thesis Master’s. They should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies and their Special Committee about the requirements for this degree.

Admission to Candidacy (A) Exam 

To complete the A exam, students must orally present their Qualifying Papers and, if the Committee wishes, be assessed on the expertise in the concentration exam areas. The nature and venue (e.g., colloquium, workshop, meeting) of the oral presentation is at the discretion of the Special Committee, but all members of the Committee need to be present. By Graduate School legislation, A exams are open to any member of the Field and the examinee may invite guests to the examination if they wish. This is common if the Qualifying Paper is defended in a colloquium or workshop, but rare if it is defended in a special meeting of the Committee. 

At least seven calendar days before the date of the A exam, students must file a “Schedule of Examination” form with the Graduate School. They will need to obtain signatures from all members of the Special Committee, the DGS, and the Graduate Field Assistant. 

Within three business days after the A exam, students need to file a “Results of Examination” form with the Graduate School. This form must also be signed by all members of the Special Committee, the DGS and the Graduate Field Assistant. Once the Special Committee has approved the A-exam, the student is admitted to candidacy in the Ph.D. program. 

Both forms can be found on the Grad School Form page.

If a student chooses to write a Master’s thesis instead of a QP, the steps are similar: after receiving approval from their Committee to defend the thesis, students file a Schedule of Examination Form in seven days in advance, orally defend the thesis, and file a Results of Examination Formwithin three business days. 

Doctoral (B) Exam

The B Exam is an oral defense of the dissertation. In this defense, doctoral students must demonstrate mastery of the relevant literature, justify the research questions, defend the data analysis and interpretations, and identify the dissertation’s contribution to the relevant sociological literature. Students are encouraged to receive feedback on drafts of their chapters, especially from their Chair, throughout the dissertation phase. They must obtain approval from their Chair to defend and send a complete draft of the dissertation to each committee member at least 2 weeks before the proposed B exam date. 

The B exam must be scheduled through The Graduate School and attempted before the end of the 11th semester. Conditional outcomes (“conditional pass”) must include a written remediation plan and timeline. If the Committee agrees, one retake is allowed within 3 months. Failure to pass the exam after 2 attempts will result in withdrawal from the program.

The final, approved version of the dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School within 60 days of passing the B exam. Enrollment in future semesters is not permitted after passing the B exam, even if the 60-day submission window extends into a subsequent semester.

The graduate program requires a minimum of six courses in addition to the first-year proseminar (Soc 6080). Beyond the minimum coursework requirements, a doctoral student can and should take other courses in specific subfields or methods. These courses can help develop broad expertise, spark new ideas for research, and, for students who go on to an academic position, signal the ability to teach a wide range of courses.

• Soc 5010: Basic Problems in Sociology 
• Soc 5020: Basic Problems in Sociology II
• Soc 6010: Statistics for Sociological Research
• Soc 6020: Intermediate Statistics for Sociological Research
• Soc 6080: Proseminar in Sociology 
• Soc 6130: Logics and Methods of Sociological Research (effective AY 23-24 for incoming doctoral students)

• At least one graduate-level substantive seminar in sociology

   

In addition, doctoral students are strongly encouraged to take a third methods course in Sociology or an allied social science field. 

PhD students are strongly encouraged to take additional substantive seminars beyond the one that is required. The students’ Special Committee can suggest other courses compatible with students’ interests. Students may also take courses taught by faculty who are not in the Field of Sociology, but these courses should supplement, not replace, courses taken within sociology. 

Exceptions or substitutions to course requirements require approval by the Special Committee and must be submitted before the semester begins. Failure to meet course requirements will trigger an academic review, the results of which can affect eligibility for exams or continued funding.

Doctoral students in Sociology can earn a Minor, which requires completing minor-specific requirements and including a faculty member from the minor-granting field on their committee. Graduate minors in which Sociology doctoral students may be interested include: American Studies; Asian American Studies; Computer Science; Data Science; Demography; Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Information Science; Latina/o Studies; and Statistics.

Students who have completed graduate research methods classes at other institutions are required to take the Cornell methods sequence. Exceptions can be made for students who choose to enroll in advanced methodological training offered in other fields (e.g., the advanced econometrics series offered in Economics). Other exemptions are unusual and require the permission of the instructor of the course(s) in consultation with the DGS and, if one has been identified, the Special Committee Chair.

Students must complete 18 credits of required coursework by the end of their fourth semester, earning a minimum GPA of 3.5 in courses taught by Sociology field members. (This includes courses taught by members of the Field in course catalog subjects other than SOC.) A GPA below the threshold triggers a formal academic warning and requires a remediation plan. If the GPA is not raised within 1 semester, the student faces loss of funding or dismissal, following Graduate School and CGSU‑UE due process procedures. For more information, see Cornell’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

In addition to the course work, examinations, the qualifying paper, and dissertation research, the Field expects students to develop a set of professional skills, embodied in the following requirements and recommendations.

Proseminar

All first-year graduate students are required to attend the Sociology Proseminar (Soc. 6080). The proseminar introduces students to aspects of their graduate and professional careers and to members of the graduate faculty.

Summer Research 

As a condition of receiving summer funding, each student is required to be involved in research during the summer months, under the supervision of a faculty sponsor who is a member of the Field of Sociology. This sponsor will work with the student to structure the summer research experience and set goals and expectations. The sponsor may involve the student in one of their ongoing research projects, work with the student on a new project, or provide support for the student’s independent research.

Summer research experiences should be supplemented with other academic activities. Most students will also be taking concentration examinations, working on their QPs, or working on their dissertation prospectuses, depending on where they are in the program.

The summer research sponsors are often, but are not required to be, the Special Committee Chairs. Regardless, students should discuss their summer plans with their Chairs. Chairs should ensure that the summer research plans will help the students develop research skills and make academic progress.

For first-year students, the summer research experience is not explicitly linked to Special Committees. However, first-year students often work with faculty members who later become members of their Special Committees.

In the Spring semester, all students (except those on leave) must submit a Summer Research Plan form to the GFA. This form must be signed by the Special Committee chair or another Sociology Field member who is willing to serve as the sponsor of the research project for the upcoming summer. 

Research Assistantship

Understanding the process of research — from formulating the question and arranging funding through evaluating the data and presenting the results of the analysis — is an essential component of graduate study. It is important not only for students who expect to be employed as faculty, but also for those who will work in public or private sector organizations in jobs where data collection and evaluation are among the job duties.

The research assistantship is designed to be a learning experience for students. By working on a collaborative project, students learn about the research process and its potential pitfalls under the guidance of a mentor. The research assistantship may take many forms, ranging from working on data collection or management tasks assigned by the faculty member to managing undergraduate research assistants to more co-equal collaboration on major research work, depending on prior experience and abilities. 

Faculty who are supervising research assistantships should communicate early and clearly with their RAs about the expectations (skills, job duties, frequency of reporting, and so on), potential co-authorship (if any), and pay (if relevant). Research assistantships often lead to a product such as a coauthored paper.

The Field recommends that students obtain at least a semester’s worth of collaborative research experience, usually with a faculty member in the Field. Students typically work on collaborative research projects in their second or third years. However, first-year students are encouraged to begin working with at least one faculty member, particularly in the summer after Year 1.

The Special Committee can help students find an appropriate mentor, but ultimately students are responsible for arranging their own research assistantships. For an updated list of the available projects, students should peruse Field members’ home pages and the web sites of the research centers.

Students who are funded externally should still spend at least one semester as a research assistant to develop their skills. They will not receive both the external fellowship and research assistant stipend for that semester. 

Professional Paper Presentations

At some point in their graduate careers, students are expected to present research findings at conferences or other public settings. Most of our students present papers at generalist conferences such as the American Sociological Association meetings, the Population Association of America meetings, the Sociological Science conferences, or the regional sociology associations (e.g., Eastern Sociological Society) or area-specific conferences. Other presentation opportunities are available at Cornell, including workshops and informal forums organized by the Department of Sociology or the Brooks School of Public Policy, the sociology-affiliated research centers, the Sociology Graduate Student Association events, and in allied academic units. Graduate students are also encouraged to enroll in and present their work in Sociology 6030, the Graduate Research Practicum.

The “Travel Funding Opportunities” section below provides information about sources of financial support for students who want to present their papers at external conferences or workshops.

Participation in the Sociology Colloquia and Practicum Series

All graduate students are expected to attend Department of Sociology colloquia, job talks given by candidates for positions in the Department, brown bags, and practice job talks given by advanced Cornell graduate students, even if the talks are not in a student’s areas of concentration. These events are valuable for learning the current state of sociological research, as well as how to structure presentations, ask and answer scholarly questions, and give constructive feedback.

Teaching

Teaching is a useful skill, even for students who do not intend to become professors. The Field requires that all students perform at least one semester of teaching assistantship. All Ph.D. students must meet the teaching requirement within their first 5 years of enrollment.

The teaching requirement must be met at Cornell. The most common way to meet the requirement is to serve as a teaching assistant for an existing course that has discussion sessions for which a TA is responsible. 

The teaching requirement may also be met by acting as the primary instructor for a 3- or 4-credit course. Except in rare circumstances, graduate students can only solo teach Department-designated courses (e.g., Introduction to Sociology, Social Inequality) during Summer or Winter terms or a First-Year Writing Seminar during Fall or Spring terms. Students who want to teach a summer course must have passed their A exam. Students who want to teach a First-Year Writing Seminar, or to TA for a Writing in the Majors Course, must complete training offered through the Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines. 

The Field urges students to improve their teaching skills by taking advantage of the University’s resources for teaching assistants offered by the Center for Teaching Innovation, participating in internal programming focused on teaching (e.g., through the pro-seminar), and observing and discussing pedagogical methods with colleagues and faculty members.

Supervising faculty will share constructive feedback about the student’s teaching throughout the term to help them develop pedagogical skills. Faculty should also promptly share any concerns about students in their roles as teaching assistants with the student, the DGS, and the graduate field administrator (GFA). If teaching performance is found to be unsatisfactory or incomplete, the student will not be considered in good academic standing.

Application for Outside Funding

Students are expected to apply for outside funding, preferably at two points in their academic careers: in the first year (or even prior to the first year), and before the dissertation stage. 

To be eligible to receive the second, dissertation-year Sage and Dean’s Excellence fellowship, all eligible students in Sociology must apply for an external fellowship that will cover a substantial share of the stipend and tuition. (“External” means external to Cornell, not just external to the Field or Department of Sociology.) This application should be submitted before the start of the dissertation-year fellowship. Students should consult with their Special Committees, the DGS, and the Grad School website to identify fellowships for which they are eligible. 

Qualified external fellowships will replace internal funding. If a student receives an external fellowship or grant, they should notify the GFA as soon as possible. Cornell will supplement qualified external awards.

Only students who have received external funding sufficient to cover a semester (or more) of stipend plus tuition and fees can use a dissertation-year Sage or Dean’s Excellence fellowship after their 12th semester. 

Required Research Conduct Training and ORCID ID

As described in the Code of Legislation, all research degree students must completeresponsible conduct of research (RCR) training before the end of the second semester. This includes training on authorship, peer review, and avoidance and consequences of research misconduct. This training is through the Cornell Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA).

Students must also create an ORCID by the end of their second semester of enrollment. Details about the ORCID are available on the graduate school website and through ORCID.

Doctoral students enrolled in the Sociology PhD program normally complete their degrees within six years. They will receive full financial support for the duration of their graduate studies if they remain in good academic standing, make satisfactory academic progress toward the degree, and perform satisfactorily in their teaching and research assistantship responsibilities. 

Students in Sociology are generally funded for two of their six years through a Sage Fellowship or Dean’s Excellence Sage. See above, “Application for Outside Funding” for requirements relevant to the second fellowship year. This and other academic requirements for these fellowships are described in more detail on theFellowships page. 

Students who are appointed to research or teaching assistantships are subject to the terms of the CGSU‑UE Collective Bargaining Agreement. Students appointed to fellowships are not included in the bargaining unit and therefore not represented by the union.

Travel Funding Opportunities             

The Graduate School provides some travel support for graduate degree students to enhance their scholarship. Eligible students are encouraged to apply for grant funding related to professional conferences, research travel, or summer language education.

If the total cost of the conference is not covered by the Graduate School conference grant, students can apply for supplemental support from the Department of Sociology. The Department may also be able to provide modest support for participation in training workshops. The DGS and GFA can provide information on current supplemental funding caps.

Travel grants may also be available through the Center for the Study of Inequality, Cornell Population Center, and other social science centers on campus. These grants are intended to supplement Graduate School and Department resources. They are typically available only to students who are active participants in these centers’ intellectual communities

All field policies will be enforced consistently across students and timeframes. A doctoral student is expected to design, execute, and manage an independent research agenda and meet their academic milestones (see above) in a timely way. If a student is not meeting expectations, their Special Committee chair and the DGS will provide written notice as soon as concerns become evident. This written notice will outline the issues, outcomes, and potential consequences, and include:

• A clear notice of a lack of academic progress or loss of academic standing (separate, and in addition to, the SPR).
• A clear explanation of the concerns and specific expectations for improvement.
• A reasonable timeline and opportunity to meet expectations before any adverse action (e.g., changes in funding status or withdrawal recommendations).

All students will be given the opportunity to meet with the DGS to discuss the concerns and plans for improvement.

If a student fails to meet the conditions of the remediation plan, the Special Committee (in collaboration with the field DGS) will consult with the Graduate School to review the case and determine next steps. This can include academic withdrawal from the student’s degree program and the Graduate School, accompanied by documentation showing that the process above was followed, and in accordance with Graduate School policy and the terms of the CGSU-UE Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Graduate students will be given an opportunity to respond or appeal as outlined by the Graduate School and CGSU‑UE policies. Final decisions will be documented and archived by the DGS and GFA and the Graduate School.

Cornell supports the Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) framework. This framework draws on a strengths-based and identity-informed approach to support mutual growth, development, and success (NASEM, 2019; Windchief, 2019).

The FAIM philosophy, key principles, and core mutual expectation areas for inclusive mentorship:

• support mentors and mentees as they seek to develop an understanding of one another’s expectations, cultures, values, and sources of motivation;
• help mentors and mentees develop a mentorship plan better aligned to a mentor’s and mentee’s strengths, needs, and goals; and
• provide resources and tools that can be adapted and adopted by mentors and mentees to be contextually relevant.

Please refer to the FAIM website for resources and tools to support mentoring relationships. The DGS can assist students in navigating mentoring challenges.