Department of Sociology | University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Admission

Applying to the MA or Ph.D. program in Sociology is a two-part process. All applicants must submit a set of application materials to the UNLV Graduate College and an additional packet of materials to the Sociology Department. The materials sent to each are different, so please review the guidelines below and on the Graduate College website carefully to ensure that you submit the correct materials to each place. The deadline for submission of all application materials is December 1st of each year.

Please see the UNLV Graduate College website and the Graduate College Catalog for a complete review of admission instructions. First, you must submit an application for admission, as well as official transcripts of all college-level work, bachelors and graduate as applicable, and a copy of your GRE scores directly to the Graduate College. If you are interested in applying for a Graduate/Teaching Assistantship, you must fill out the Assistantship Application form and submit it to the Graduate College with your other admissions materials.

International students must also submit official TOEFL scores, scores from your Test of Written English, as well as your completed financial statement (evidencing that you are able to satisfy financial eligibility requirements) to the Graduate College. These materials must be submitted before your credentials can be reviewed.

Also, please send the following packet of materials to the Graduate Coordinator, Department of Sociology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5033:

Application Materials

a. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from university or college faculty who can knowledgeably evaluate your ability to perform at the graduate level of study. These letters should discuss your academic performance, motivation, character, and promise for success in the M.A. or Ph.D. program.

b. A written statement from you explaining your academic background, objectives, interests in sociology, and tentative career plans. Be sure to highlight any relevant extra-curricular activities, and why you are interested in UNLV's program in particular.

c. An original copy of your GRE scores and transcripts of all college-level work, bachelor’s and graduate as applicable.

d. For Masters program applicants: one academic writing sample.

e. For Doctoral program applicants: send an M.A. level thesis and/or at least two original papers of substantial length and quality in an area of sociological inquiry, solely written by the applicant. If your thesis was written in a language other than English, you must translate it or send two papers in English.

f. International students must take both the TOEFL and the test of Written English and receive satisfactory scores on both.

g. If you are interested in applying for a Graduate Assistantship, please be sure to indicate this in your written statement and include a copy of the Assistantship Application form that you submitted to the Graduate College.

The department will consider all evidence for potential entry in the program. Keep in mind that admission is competitive and we only admit a limited number of students each year.

When Do I Apply?

The deadline for admission is December 1. If you want to apply for a graduate assistantship you must also do so before December 1st.

The department does not admit students at any other time except very rarely under special circumstances. Ignore any other information that states admission deadlines other than that above.

It takes a minimum of 30-60 days for the University and Department to process applications. You should receive notification on the status of your application at the end of that time.