University of Calgary offers PhD in Sociology, a doctorate in Sociology programme in Calgary, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,859 per semester (CAD 1,225 per semester for local students).
Also offered as: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Sociology
Duration: 4 years
Local tuition: CAD 1,225 / semester
International tuition: CAD 2,859 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This is a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology at the University of Calgary, a thesis-based doctoral program. Students complete seven courses covering classical and contemporary social theory along with qualitative and quantitative research methods, including required work in social statistics and advanced methods and seminars in sociological theory, before completing an original thesis defended in an open oral examination. Optional coursework covers topics such as health and illness, ethnicity and racialization, gender, urban sociology, Indigenous issues, and deviance and social control. Applicants are expected to have a master's-level background and demonstrated competence in sociological theory, methodology and statistics. As a doctoral program, the emphasis is on independent, supervised research rather than coursework alone. It suits students aiming for academic careers as professors, instructors or postdoctoral researchers, as well as research-oriented roles such as data analyst, educational consultant, program evaluator or policy analyst in government, health, and non-profit settings. The program is delivered on the University of Calgary campus.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.50 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a completed master's programme with a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, plus demonstrated competence in sociological theory, social methodology and social statistics and a substantive research interest in the field. The programme page defers English-language proficiency to the Faculty of Graduate Studies' general requirement, published in the UCalgary Graduate Calendar and How to Apply page: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 86 with no section below 20, or Duolingo English Test 125 with no sub-score below 105. Applicants must submit a sample of written work, a written statement of intent and two reference letters; no standardized admission test is required.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:For Fall 2027 entry, the University of Calgary opens undergraduate applications for domestic applicants on 1 October 2026 and for international applicants on 15 August 2026, both closing on the same firm application deadline of 1 March 2027, with supporting documents due by 15 March 2027 and offers accepted by 1 May 2027. International applicants follow the identical March 1 deadline; the university publishes no separate, later international closing date. Applications are not accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline for most direct-entry programmes, though a small number of programmes (e.g. Nursing) run further selection rounds into the summer while space remains. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
