Thank you for your interest in Duke's Ph.D. program in Sociology. Admission requirements may be found at the Graduate School Admissions page. The Admissions Team at the Graduate School is helpful for information on transcripts, application fees and questions concerning how to navigate the application process. The deadline for applications for 2025 admission is December 19, 2024. We do not offer fee waivers in the department. Requests for fee waivers should be directed to The Graduate School.
We do not offer spring admissions.
Our program is a doctoral program. All students admitted to the program are offered financial aid, which includes tuition and fees coverage and a stipend. Details of the financial aid package are provided in the admission letter.
GRE Scores
In order to meet the application deadline, GRE tests should not be taken later than the preceding November test date. GRE scores older than five years at the time of application will not be accepted as official. Only the GRE general test is required, not the subject test. The Ph.D. program does not accept, nor will it review, the GRE subject test or the GMAT in lieu of the GRE general test for admissions purposes.
Please request an official score report to be sent directly to the Graduate School, institution code 5156. No department code is necessary.
Transcripts and Test Scores
Applicants should upload unofficial copies of transcripts. Official, paper copies of transcripts will be requested if the applicant is offered admission. Applicants should provide official copies of GRE and TOEFL scores. If transcripts are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by an official, certified translation, which most universities and/or embassies provide. For statistics on GRE, TOEFL and GPAs for students admitted see the statistics section of the Graduate School's website.
Writing Samples
Writing samples are required for application submission. We strongly encourage students to submit a 10-20 page seminar paper written for a sociology class. However, if you have been out of school for a while, majored in a field other than sociology, and/or otherwise do not have such a sample, an alternate writing sample should be submitted. Such a sample may be a published paper, an unpublished report, or some other document that demonstrates your writing skills and applicability to sociologically relevant topics.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The Duke University Graduate School requires that any applicant whose native language is not English submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), regardless of whether or not you have attended another U.S. institution or participated in an ESL program. Applicants can request an exemption from this requirement if they studied full-time for two or more years at a college or university where English is the language of instruction. The request should be sent to grad-admissions@duke.edu.