PIPS/Department Degree Program Requirements

Please consult the Graduate Student Handbook and your Home Department handbook for complete guidelines.  Below are yearly requirements at a glance for a typical sociology/population studies student:

Yearly Requirements at a Glance (SOC/PIPS)

First Year:

  • Take POP 501 – Survey of Population Problems
  • Take POP 502 -  Research Methods in Demography
  • Take Statistics Sequence (SOC 500; SOC 504)
  • Take Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory (SOC 501 and SOC 502)
  • Take Techniques and Methods of Social Science (SOC 503)
  • Take Proseminar (SOC 508, Fall)
  • Take Demography General Exam (May)
  • Attend Notestein seminars and sociology department colloquia

Second Year:

  • Take POP 503 – Evaluation of Demographic Research (Year 2 or 3)
  • Take SOC 506 – Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity (approved Responsible Conduct of Research course) (Year 2 or 3)
  • Take Empirical Seminar (SOC 505, Fall, Spring)
  • Take additional POP electives
  • Complete two general/field exams in population subfields (May)
  • Complete publishable Empirical Paper
  • Complete Precept AI hours
  • Attend Notestein seminars and sociology department colloquia

Third Year:

  • Take POP 503 – Evaluation of Demographic Research (Year 2 or 3)
  • Take POP 506 – Responsible Conduct of Research (or approved equivalent) (Year 2 or 3)
  • Take additional POP electives
  • Dissertation Prospectus with Oral Defense (End of Yr 3)
  • Attend Notestein seminars

Fourth Year:

  • Work on dissertation research. 
  • Present a Notestein seminar (Yr 4 or 5)
  • Attend Notestein seminars

Fifth Year:

  • Complete and defend dissertation.
  • Present a Notestein seminar (Yr 4 or 5)
  • Attend Notestein seminars

Additional information for current students can be found on the Ph.D. program SharePoint site.