Admission Requirements

Admission Process

To apply for admission to the graduate program in sociology, you must apply for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Memphis: Apply for Graduate Admissions.  Please note the following is needed to complete your electronic application:

• A one-to-two-page personal statement explaining the reasons why you want to pursue graduate work in sociology.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on such things as your intellectual ability, communication skills, and work ethic.
• The submission of GRE scores is not required.

Application deadlines for domestic applicants are July 1 for the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, and May 1 for the summer semester. However, students should apply by March 21 to receive full consideration for a graduate assistantship.

International applicants must apply by May 1 for the fall semester, September 15 for the spring semester, and February 1 for the summer semester. International students should click here for additional information about the admission process.

Entrance Requirements

• International applicants must have a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 (80 on internet based test).  More information on alternative tests used in demonstrating English proficiency can be found here: https://www.memphis.edu/graduateadmissions/future/admission-requirements.php.  TRanscripts must be submitted in accordance with the requirements of the GRaduate College.  INformation on those procedures can be found here: https://www.memphis.edu/graduateadmissions/future/admproc.php.
• Students must have satisfactorily completed undergraduate sociology courses in research methods, theory, and statistics, or demonstrate equivalency. Students who have not taken these courses may still be considered for entrance into the program with the understanding that, if admitted, they will take these courses at the undergraduate level before taking them at the graduate level.