nyu phd sociology of education

Sociology of Education (PhD)

Program description.

This multidisciplinary PhD program in Sociology of Education prepares graduates to analyze educational problems and issues and social change using the theoretical tools and research methods of sociology. Students are expected to become thoroughly familiar with primary perspectives, theories, and questions of the discipline of sociology and the field of sociology of education. Candidacy, dissertation proposal, and dissertation are required. The Sociology of Education PhD program is 48 credits for students who matriculate with an MA and 65 credits for students who matriculate with a baccalaureate degree only.

The program prepares professors of educational sociology for schools and colleges of education or for universities with specializations in the area of sociology as it applies to education and researchers who can conduct basic and applied research in various public and private institutions in order to advance both the practice of education and the study of sociology.

Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:

• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• Proficiency in English

See  NYU Steinhardt's Graduate Admissions website  for additional information on school-wide admission. Some programs may require additional components for admissions.

See How to Apply for admission requirements and instruction specific to this program.

48-Credit Program

65-credit program, comprehensive examination, dissertation proposal, dissertation and final oral examination, program requirements.

Upon acceptance to the Sociology of Education PhD program, you will be notified if you are expected to complete 48 or 65 credits. 

Students who matriculate with a BA only, or an unrelated graduate degree, must follow the course list above, as well as take an additional 17 credits in consultation with an academic adviser. 

Students who matriculate with a BA only, or an unrelated graduate degree, must take an additional 17 credits from foundations, electives, research methods, or non-SOED specialized courses in consultation with an academic adviser.

Additional Program Requirements

After completing most of their coursework, and generally by the fall of their third year for full-time students, students take an oral comprehensive examination. The oral examination focuses on two areas: a list of core books and articles that our program considers to be foundational to the field of Sociology of Education and a list of readings in the area of the student's specialization as they begin to work towards their dissertation project.

Once a student has passed the comprehensive exam, they advance to candidacy. At this point, they focus on preparing a dissertation proposal, which is approved by the student's dissertation committee and then by two outside readers during an oral dissertation proposal defense. Generally, the proposal is written and approved by the end of the third year of full-time doctoral study.

At this point, if the student has an approved dissertation proposal and has completed all coursework, they are eligible for MPhil degree conferral on the way to completing the PhD.

During this stage the candidate will collect and analyze the data required for the dissertation, complete the writing of the dissertation, and pass a final oral examination. This stage typically takes one to two years when attendance is full-time.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GE 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Display an expertise in an area of specialization in the sociology of education through the production of a high-quality MA thesis.
• Think critically, undertake systematic investigations and research, and communicate effectively orally and in writing to academic and non-academic audiences.
• Ask research questions and formulate problems using a broad range of theoretical and methodological tools.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the larger social and cultural contexts that shape educational institutions and human learning.

NYU Policies

Steinhardt academic policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Additional academic policies can be found the  Steinhardt academic policies page . 

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

Social Science and Social Work

Explore the intricacies of social behaviors. Examine cultural interaction through a scientific or humanistic lens. Develop your ability to understand, interpret, and positively impact our global culture. When you pursue an advanced degree in the social sciences or social work, you prepare yourself for a career in fields that include anthropology, social intervention, quantitative analysis, clinical social work, and ethics.

• No. 6 Sociology of Culture programs
• No. 7 Social Stratification, Sociology of Population, and Macroeconomics programs
• No. 8 Information Systems programs
• No. 9 Microeconomics programs
• No. 10 Development Economics programs

Information Systems

Social science, social work.

Virtual Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Email: [email protected] Phone: 212-992-4723

Economics: MA , PhD , PhD/JD Graduate School of Arts and Science; dual JD w/ School of Law

Economics: MS NYU Abu Dhabi

Economics: PhD Stern School of Business

Public Policy: MS Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Public Policy Analysis: AdvC Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis: AdvC Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Real Estate: MS School of Professional Studies

Applied Urban Science and Informatics:   AdvC , MS Center for Urban Science and Progress

Bioinformatics: Cert , MS Tandon School of Engineering

Biomedical Informatics: MS Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Computer Science: MS , PhD * Tandon School of Engineering

Human Capital Analytics and Technology:   MS School of Professional Studies

Information Systems: MS Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

Information Systems: PhD Stern School of Business

Management and Systems: MS School of Professional Studies

Project Management: MS School of Professional Studies

Urban Infrastructure Systems: MS Tandon School of Engineering

*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program or the NYU Shanghai doctoral study and research program .

Applied Quantitative Research: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science

Applied Statistics for Social Science Research:   MS Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Archaeological Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Bioethics: MA * School of Global Public Health

Biological Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Counseling Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Developmental Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Digital Humanities: AdvC Graduate School of Arts and Science

Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting: MS School of Professional Studies

Food Studies: MA , PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Health and Human Rights: AdvC School of Global Public Health

Human Development and Social Intervention:   MA Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Human Resource Management and Development: MS School of Professional Studies

LGBT Health, Education, and Social Services: AdvC Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Linguistic Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Linguistics: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Psychology and Social Intervention: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Social and Cultural Analysis: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science

Social Psychology: PhD ✝ Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociocultural Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology: PhD NYU Shanghai and Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology of Education: MA , PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to earn an MD/MA in Bioethics dual degree in collaboration with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. ✝ Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program .

Clinical Social Work: DSW Silver School of Social Work

Social Work: ExecMPA/MSW , MSW ,  MSW/JD , MSW/MPH , PhD Silver School of Social Work; dual ExecMPA w/ Wagner Graduate School of Public Service; dual JD w/ School of Law; dual MPH w/ School of Global Public Health

Social Work: MSW NYU Shanghai and Silver School of Social Work

Social Work and Child Development:   MSW/MA Silver School of Social Work (w/ Sarah Lawrence College)

If you’re excited by more than one subject and would like to combine them to create your own individualized program of study, you may be interested in the MA in Individualized Study degree at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

Back to Programs and Degrees

• Resources for:
• Search Search

NYU Around the World

• New York Shanghai Abu Dhabi
• Accra Berlin Buenos Aires Florence London
• Los Angeles Madrid Paris Prague Sydney
• Tel Aviv Washington DC
• College of Arts and Science
• Graduate School of Arts and Science
• Liberal Studies

Sociology PhD Program

Supervising faculty, program structure, current students.

• Applications

In partnership with the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) and the NYU Department of Sociology, NYU Shanghai invites applications from exceptional students for PhD study and research in Sociology.   Participating students will be enrolled in the NYU GSAS Sociology PhD program, complete their coursework at the NYU Department of Sociology in New York, and then transition to a full-time residence at NYU Shanghai where they will undertake doctoral research under the supervision of NYU Shanghai faculty.

Highlights of the Program

• NYU degree upon graduation
• Graduate coursework at the NYU Department of Sociology in New York
• Research opportunities with and close mentorship by NYU Shanghai faculty
• Access to the vast resources of NYU GSAS and NYU Department of Sociology
• A cutting-edge research environment at NYU Shanghai, including the Center for Applied Social and Economic Research -- a thriving community of PhD candidates, post-doctoral fellows, and research associates, featuring activities such as a regular program of seminars and visiting academics, and connections with other universities within and outside China
• Financial aid through the NYU Shanghai Doctoral Fellowship , including tuition, fees, and an annual stipend
• Additional benefits exclusive to the NYU Shanghai program, including international health insurance and travel funds

Yilin Chiang

Sociology of Education, Social Stratification, Sociology of Family, Elites, Chinese Societies, Taiwan

Social Stratification and Mobility, Sociology of Education, Urban Sociology, Quantitative Research Methods

Urban Sociology, Population Aging, Health Inequality, Survey Methods, Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS Risks

Xiaogang Wu

Education, Inequality and Social Mobility, Survey Research and Quantitative Methods, Urban Sociology, Social Demography, Chinese Society

Recent Publications by NYU Shanghai Faculty

Chiang, Yi-Lin and Hyunjoon Park. 2023. “Three Decades of Educational Differentials in Attitude toward Divorce in Taiwan, 1985-2015.” Asian Population Studies 19(1): 22–39.

Chiang, Yi-Lin. 2022. Study Gods: How the New Chinese Elite Prepare for Global Competition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Sangsoo Lee

Lee, Sangsoo, and Jaesung Choi. 2023. "Gendered trends and patterns of attitudes toward remarriage among the divorced in South Korea." Population Research and Policy Review 41(1): 11. doi: 10.1007/s11113-023-09760-8

Lee, Sangsoo, and Myoung-Jin Lee. 2023. "Religious homogamy and marital satisfaction in South Korea: Exploring variations across religious groups." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (online first). doi: 10.1111/jssr.12861

Lee, Sangsoo, and Youngshin Lim. 2022. "The gendered playing field: Family socioeconomic status and national gender inequality in adolescents' out-of-school physical activity." Social Science & Medicine 305: 115062. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115062

Lee, Sangsoo, and Hyunjoon Park. 2021. "Trends and educational variation in the association between spouses' marital histories in South Korea, 1993-2017." Demographic Research 45: 857-870. doi: 10.4054/DemRes.2021.45.27

Miao, Jia, and Xiaogang Wu. 2022. Social Consequences of Homeownership: Evidence from the Home Ownership Scheme in Hong Kong. Social Forces. DOI: 10.1093/sf/soac011.

Miao, Jia, Xiaogang Wu, and Donglin Zeng. 2022. Promoting Ageing in Place in Hong Kong: Neighbourhood Social Environment and Depression among Older Adults. Journal of Asian Public Policy. 1-18. DOI: 10.1080/17516234.2022.2040087.

Miao, Jia, Donglin Zeng, and Zhilei Shi. 2021. Can neighborhoods protect residents from mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from Wuhan, Chinese Sociological Review 53(1): 27-54. DOI: 10.1080/21620555.2020.1820860.

Miao, Jia, and Xiaogang Wu. 2021. “Subjective well-being of Chinese elderly: A comparative analysis among urban China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.” Aging and Society, 41(3): 686-707. DOI:10.1017/S0144686X19001272

Miao, Jia, and Xiaogang Wu. 2019. “Neighborhood, social cohesion, and the elderly’s depression in Shanghai.” Social Science & Medicine 229: 134–143. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.08.022.

Miao, Jia*. 2017. “Birth weight, family socioeconomic status and cognitive skills among Chinese adolescents.” Chinese Sociological Review 49(4): 362–381

Miao, Jia*, and Xiaogang Wu. 2016. “Urbanization, socioeconomic status and health disparity in China.” Health & Places 42: 87–95

Chen, Y., Wu, X., Hu, A., He, G., & Ju, G. (2021). Social prediction: a new research paradigm based on machine learning. The Journal of Chinese Sociology, 8(1), 1-21.

Hu, A., Wu, X., & Chen, T. (2021). Changing subjective wellbeing across the college life: survey evidence from China. Chinese Sociological Review, 1-21.

Kan, M. Y., He, G., & Wu, X. (2021). Satisfaction with Family Status and Housework Participation in Modern China. In Chinese Families: Tradition, Modernisation, and Change. Emerald Publishing Limited.

Miao, J., & Wu, X. (2021). Subjective wellbeing of Chinese elderly: a comparative analysis among Hong Kong, Urban China and Taiwan. Ageing & Society, 41(3), 686-707.

Wu, X., Li, X., Lu, Y., & Hout, M. (2021). Two tales of one City: unequal vulnerability and resilience to COVID-19 by socioeconomic status in Wuhan, China. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 72, 100584.

Xu, D., & Wu, X. (2021). From political power to personal wealth: Privatization and elite opportunity in post-reform China. Journal of Contemporary China, 1-21.

Zeng, D., Wu, X., & Zhang, Z. (2021). Residential and industrial enclaves and labor market outcomes among migrant workers in Shenzhen, China. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 1-23.

Bai, X., Li, Z., Chen, J., Liu, C., & Wu, X. (2020). Socioeconomic inequalities in mental distress and life satisfaction among older Chinese men and women: The role of family functioning. Health & social care in the community, 28(4), 1270-1281.

Hu, A., Kao, G., & Wu, X. (2020). Can greater reliance on test scores ameliorate the association between family background and access to post-collegiate education? Survey evidence from the Beijing College Students Panel survey. Social Science Research, 88, 102425.

Chen, Wei, Xiaogang Wu, and Jia Miao* (corresponding author). 2019. “Housing and subjective class identification in urban China.” Chinese Sociological Review 51(3): 221–250

Hu, Anning and Xiaogang Wu 2019. "Science or Liberal Arts? Family Background, Cultural Capital, and College Major Choice in China" British Journal of Sociology 70 (1):190-213

Miao, Jia, Xiaogang Wu, Xiulin Sun. 2019. “Neighborhood, social cohesion, and the Elderly's depression in Shanghai” Social Science & Medicine 229:134-143

Miao, Jia*, and Xiaogang Wu. 2019. “Subjective well-being of Chinese elderly: A comparative analysis among urban China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.” Aging and Society. 1-22.

Wu, Xiaogang 2019. “Inequality and Social Stratification in Post-socialist China." Annual Review of Sociology 45: 363-382

He, Guangye, Xiaogang Wu. 2017. "Marketization, Occupational Segregation, and Gender Earnings Inequality in Urban China." Social Science Research 65:99-111

Zhang, Zhuoni and Xiaogang Wu. 2017. "Occupational Segregation and Earnings Inequality: Rural Migrants and Local Workers in Urban China." Social Science Research 61:57-74

Wu, Xiaogang and Xi Song. 2014. "Ethnic Stratification amid China’s Economic Transition: Evidence from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region." Social Science Research 44:158-172​

Selected Faculty Features

" Social Science Research for a Better Society " (Xiaogang Wu, CASER)

" NYU Shanghai CASER Organizes Child Development Workshop with UPenn " (Xiaogang Wu, Jia Miao)

" NYU Shanghai, SHU and HKUST(GZ) Launch Ambitious Collaboration on Urban Research " (Xiaogang Wu)

" NYU Shanghai Professor Inducted into Sociological Research Association " (Xiaogang Wu)

" How Are Neighborhood Organizations Helping Residents During the Shanghai Lockdown? "  (Jia Miao)

" How Does Homeownership Affect One’s Life? Sociologists Study Its Social Consequences "  (Xiaogang Wu, Jia Miao)

" A Researcher's Journey Home " (Xiaogang Wu)

"NYU Shanghai Hosts International Chinese Sociological Association’s First Conference in China"  (Xiaogang Wu)

" The Neighborhoods Behind Wuhan's Recovery " (Jia Miao)

" Leading Scholar to Direct New Social Science Research Center at NYU Shanghai " (Xiaogang Wu)

" NYU Shanghai Launches New Sociology PhD " (Xiaogang Wu, Jia Miao)

Students complete the PhD degree requirements set by the NYU Department of Sociology in accordance with the academic policies of NYU GSAS. Each student will develop an individualized course plan in consultation with the Director of Graduate Study at the NYU Department of Sociology and the student’s NYU Shanghai faculty advisor. A typical sequence of study is as follows:

Begin program with funded research rotation up to 3 months preceding first Fall semester. Become familiarized with NYU Shanghai and faculty and lay a foundation for future doctoral study.

Complete PhD coursework at theDepartment of Sociology alongside other NYU PhD students. 

Return to Shanghai for second funded research rotation to solidify relationships with NYU Shanghai faculty and make further progress in research.

Under supervision of NYU Shanghai faculty advisor, pursue dissertation research and continue coursework. Depending on each student’s individualized course of study, return visits to New York may also occur. Complete all required examinations and progress evaluations, both oral and written, leading up to submission and defense of doctoral thesis.

To learn more about the NYU Sociology PhD program degree requirements, please visit this page .

Application Process and Dates

Submit applications through the NYU GSAS Application portal . Select the Sociology PhD as your program of interest, and then indicate your preference for NYU Shanghai by marking the appropriate checkbox when prompted. Applicants will be evaluated by a joint admissions committee made up of New York and Shanghai faculty. Application requirements are set by the NYU Department of Sociology, and are the same for all NYU PhD applicants regardless of campus preference. However, candidates are encouraged elaborate on their specific interest in the NYU Shanghai program and faculty in their application and personal statements.

For admission in Fall 2024, the application deadline is December 15, 2023.

Interested students are welcome to contact Vivien Du , PhD Program Manager, at [email protected] with any inquiries or to request more information.

• Skip to Main
• Current PhD Students
• PhDs on the Job Market
• Affiliated Faculty
• Global Network Faculty
• Undergraduate Advising Information
• Major in Sociology
• Major in GPH/Sociology
• Minor in Sociology
• Minor in Law and Society
• Transfer Students
• Sociology Honors Program
• Independent Study/Internship Information
• Undergraduate Course Offerings
• Requesting a Letter of Recommendation
• Ph.D. Program
• NYU Shanghai Ph.D. Track
• PhD Job Placement
• Puck Seminar - Pilar Gonalons-Pons
• CASSR and NYU Pop Center Seminar- Xiang Zhou
• Puck Seminar - Patrick Egan
• Puck Seminar - Raul Perez
• Puck Seminar - Gil Eyal
• CASSR and NYU Pop Center Seminar- Rebecca Sandefur
• Puck Seminar - James M. Thomas
• CASSR and NYU Pop Center Seminar- Per Engzell
• Puck Seminar - Michael Burawoy
• Puck Seminar - Sanyu A. Mojola
• Puck Seminar - Victor Ray
• Author Meets Critics - Iddo Tavory, Sonia Prelat, and Shelley Ronen's Tangled Goods
• 2023-2024 Workshops
• Crime, Law and Punishment Workshop
• Economic and Political Sociology Workshop
• Sociology of Culture
• Inequality Workshop
• Ethnography Workshop
• Race and Ethnicity Workshop
• Teaching Resources

Sociology students who wants to study away or GPH/SOC co-major who are required to study away for one semester have opportunities to complete Sociology courses at various NYU study away sites. The Department of Sociology offers opportunities for Sociology students to  study away , including an extensive curriculum at NYU Berlin, where students can elect from a wide array of variable topic courses. Students stay on track with the major while reaping the benefits of being part of an inclusive and nurturing NYU community abroad. Students can also find Sociology courses at other Global Pathway sites: Accra, Florence, London, Madrid, Prague, Sydney and Tel Aviv.

Students are highly recommended to discuss your study away plans with your CAS advisor and your major advisor (including GPH advisor, if applicable).

Students can review the list of pre-approved Sociology courses at study away sites . Pre-approved study away courses will NOT count toward substitutions limitations. Courses that are not on this list would require a petition to be used toward the program requirements. Courses that are officially cross-listed with a Sociology section (SOC-UA) can be used toward the major too. Students must confirm the courses are cross-listed prior to registration.

Search NYU Steinhardt

Astor Study Abroad Scholarship

Astor study abroad scholarship for nyc teachers.

The Astor Study Abroad Scholarship, made possible by a generous gift from Brooke Astor, supports NYU students who are full-time teachers in the New York City public school system and who are pursuing study abroad opportunities. Awards range from $500 to $2500 and are applied as a credit to the student's Bursar bill for the term in which study abroad takes place.

Eligibility

To be eligible, participants must:

• Be currently matriculated as a student in an NYU graduate degree program
• Be employed as a full-time teacher in a New York City public or charter school (verification of employment is required at the time of application)
• Be accepted to an NYU Steinhardt short-term graduate study abroad program

Participants are ineligible if they:

• Are enrolling as a non-credit participant
• Receive tuition remission from NYU or their home university (this includes employees, spouses, and dependents)
• Received any graduate-level fully-funded fellowship or scholarship from NYU (including Steinhardt Fellows, Founders Fellows, and Research Assistants) during the current academic year. Recipients of externally funded (non-NYU) fellowships and scholarships are eligible

How to Apply

Once you have submitted your study abroad program application, complete the Brooke Astor Scholarship Eligibility form .

Astor Scholarship Application and Notification Deadlines

Students who submit an Astor scholarship application concurrently with their program application will receive notification of their scholarship status within two days of receipt of their program application status. Review the program application notification timelines on the "How to Apply" page (scroll down to "Application and Notification Timelines").