Undergraduate

I am attempting to enroll into a Sociology course that has an “R” next to the course section number, and I am unable to get into the class. Why is this?
  • Any course with an “R” is a Residential Academic Program course. In order to take this course, you MUST live in the dormitory the course is taught in.
  • The Sociology Department cannot enroll you into these courses, and we have no additional information regarding course information. Any enrollment questions or requests to be enrolled in the course should be directed towards the instructor or RAP office of the specific dorm in which the course is taught. That information can be found in the RAP section of the Housing & Dining website at http://www.colorado.edu/campus-life/housing-dining.
I am attempting to enroll into a Sociology course, and it is giving me a notice that I do not have the required prerequisites to take the course. Why is this? What do I do?
  • First, please check if you have completed the requirements outlined in the course description.
  • If you have completed the requirements, and you still cannot enroll into the course, please contact the Sociology Department at 303-735-0091.
  • If you have NOT completed the requirements, you may not enroll in the course.
  • If you have a compelling reason as to why you should be allowed to enroll in the course despite not completing the prerequisites, please email the course instructor to ask for permission to enroll. If permission is given, please forward the instructor’s approval, as well as your name, ID number, and the course number(s) to Zoe Hurley (zoe.hurley@colorado.edu). Instructors’ email addresses can be found on the department website.
I have registered to take a course, but I am wait-listed for the recitation section I am hoping to get into. What will happen?
  • If you are waitlisted for a recitation- even if there are open spots in the lecture- you will NOT be enrolled into the course until you are fully enrolled into both the lecture and the recitation. You will be placed on the waitlist for the lecture and the recitation until you are enrolled into the recitation.
  • If other students chose to take the course, and register for the open recitation, they are entitled to be enrolled into the lecture before you, even if you registered first. The open spots in the lecture go first to students who are enrolled in the open recitations
  • After the first week of the semester, we recommend that any students who are still waitlisted for a recitation to switch into an open recitation. Otherwise, the chances of getting into the lecture and desired waitlisted recitation are slim.
  • If open registration is closed at this point, please contact the Sociology Office to enroll you into the OPEN recitation and OPEN lecture
  • If the recitation you are attempting to enroll in is closed, or if the lecture is closed, the Sociology Department cannot enroll you
I need to request a course to count as pass/fail. How can I do this?
  • Contact your course instructor
  • Request for the class to be pass/fail
  • The instructor will have to come to the Sociology Department and fill out a Special Action Form in order for this request to be processed
  • This process cannot be handled solely by the undergraduate student, it must be handled by the instructor and be processed through the Sociology Department
I need to add or drop a course after the enrollment/drop period has ended. How can I do this?
  • Contact your course instructor
  • Request to be enrolled in or dropped from the course
  • The instructor will have to come to the Sociology Department and fill out a Special Action Form in order for this request to be processed
  • This process cannot be handled solely by the undergraduate student, it must be handled by the instructor and be processed through the Sociology Department
  • Please note: tuition charges may apply if a course is dropped after the final drop date. The Sociology Office does not handle any inquiries regarding student tuition. Please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s website, or contact them directly by phone (303-492-6970).
I need to change my grade in a Sociology course from a previous semester, such as needing to increase a grade, change a grade to an incomplete, or change an incomplete to a new grade. How do I do this?
  • Contact the instructor of the course
  • Request the grade change and supply the instructor with any reasoning
  • The instructor will have to submit a request for this that usually requires Dean's signatures. Access directions for the online process here.
  • This process cannot be handled solely by the undergraduate student, it must be handled by the instructor with Dean approvals. 
I need to change my grade in a Sociology course from a previous semester to an Incomplete. How do I do this?
  • Make sure to first discuss this with your professor.
  • If the instructor agrees, they will Workflow request to change the grade to an incomplete (either by hard copy or online)
  • An Incomplete Agreement Form must be obtained by the instructor. The student and instructor will create an agreement outlining how and when the course must be completed. This agreement form will be turned in at the Sociology Department.
  • Once the student has completed the course, the instructor must submit another workflow request through webgrading. 
  • This process cannot be handled solely by the undergraduate student, it must be handled by the instructor and be processed through the Sociology Department.

Graduate

When is the application deadline? Is it okay if my application shows as incomplete after the deadline?

The application must be submitted by January 3rd to be considered. The deadline applies to all materials. Due to processing time, your application will likely show as incomplete for up to three weeks past the application deadline. This is normal and does not affect the consideration of your application.

Can you confirm that my application materials have been received?

Please submit all applications materials at: https://www.colorado.edu/graduateschool/admissions
The admissions application process allows students to log in and confirm which materials have been received.

I have completed a Master’s Degree—do I still need to submit GRE scores?

GRE scores are required of all applicants to our program and they cannot be waived based on academic or professional accomplishments.

Do I need to submit unofficial transcripts from all institutions even if my coursework shows up on another transcript as transfer credit?

Yes. An unofficial transcript must be submitted from every higher education institution you have attended regardless of the length of attendance or the number of credits earned—even if some credits show up on another institution’s transcript as transfer credit. Official transcripts will be required after students are ACCEPTED into the program.

How competitive is admission to the Sociology PhD program?

Admission to the program is quite competitive. On average we receive approximately 100-120 applications each cycle and admit approximately 20 students.

Do I need to have a Master’s degree or a degree in sociology in order to be considered for admission?

A master’s degree is not necessary to apply to our program. Approximately half of our incoming cohort each year comes in with a master’s degree. We accept students with a wide variety of backgrounds; a degree in sociology is not required

Can I take courses in your department prior to admission to the PhD program?

Generally, our PhD coursework is restricted only to students who have been accepted into the program. Certain exceptions can be made by the faculty teaching the course of interest. 

Can I transfer credits from another institution toward the PhD requirements?

We accept a maximum of 21 graduate level credit hours from another college or university toward fulfill-ment of the requirements of the PhD degree. Students can submit requests for transfer credit only after the successful completion of six credits of graduate level coursework at CU-Boulder with a 3.0 GPA.

I would like to earn a Master’s in Sociology, can I still apply to your program?

Our program is designed for students seeking a PhD and students obtain their master’s en route to the PhD.

Is prior teaching experience an important factor in being accepted into the PhD program?

Prior teaching experience is not an important factor in being accepted. However, an interest in teaching is a prerequisite.

How long, on average, does it take for a student to complete the PhD program?

In general, our students take between 5-7 years to complete the program.

Who can I contact to discuss my research interests to determine if the program is a good fit for me?

You can read through the faculty profiles on our website and contact faculty members whose research areas interest you. (Email is the best way to get in touch.) The following link will provide you with a list of faculty members in sociology: https://www.colorado.edu/sociology/our-people/faculty

Does the department offer funding to students?

We offer most of our incoming students a Teaching Assistantship. You would be assisting a faculty member to teach a class, and in return get a semester stipend, tuition remission, and most of your health insurance covered. This funding is based upon departmental funds, and cannot be guaranteed for a specific time, however, we are usually able to fund our students through their 6th year. The department also offers various funding awards for research, travel and teaching.