The MA and the PhD in Sociology and Criminology are awarded by the Graduate College. Instruction is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The MA is offered with or without a thesis.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the Admission Requirements of the Graduate College and the department offering the degree program (review the department's website or the General Catalog for departmental requirements).

Admission to graduate study in sociology or criminology usually requires a 3.25 undergraduate grade-point average.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Tuition and fees vary by degree program and the type of student you are.

Graduate Programs in Liberal Arts & Sciences - Estimated Costs - Domestic

Application Procedures

The graduate application process has two steps

• You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
• Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation. A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI, our online service center for applicants and students. You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

• A Department of Sociology and Criminology Application Statement
• Application for Graduate Awards

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

• Three letters of recommendation

Materials to send to Admissions

• A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment. For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official.  Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
• International students may also be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores to comply with the university's English Language Proficiency Requirements.
• Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.

F.A.Q.

Are GRE scores required?

No, GRE scores are not required to be submitted and will not be used to evaluate your application. 

Could you please send me application materials?

We do not send materials by postal mail, since all of the needed information and required forms are available on this website.

Can I apply to begin the program in the Spring semester?

We strongly discourage applications to begin the program in the Spring and only rarely admit students who submit applications.  The reasons are that (1) courses that are offered only in the Fall semester are often prerequisites for Spring semester courses; (2) funding is rarely available in the Spring for new students; and (3) office space is rarely available in the Spring.

How many students apply each year?  How many are admitted?

Application volumes can vary substantially from year-to-year.  Lately, we are seeing about 50 applications per year. Incoming cohorts are generally 5-8 students. The number of admittees usually depends on the availability of funding to support the students.

What proportion of admitted students receive funding?

Currently, all of the students admitted to our program have some form of funding.  Most receive teaching or research assistantships.  Some have external (i.e., non-University of Iowa) funding.  A very small number of students receive fellowships from the University of Iowa's Graduate College.

What is the difference between a fellowship and a teaching or research assistantship?

A fellowship generally includes a 12-month stipend and a full tuition scholarship, renewable for four or five years (provided that the student is making adequate progress in the program).  Usually, the first and last year of a fellowship are free from assisting faculty with research and teaching (while the middle years require that the student work with faculty on assignments related to teaching or research).  In contrast, teaching and research assistantships are generally 9-month appointments, carrying a stipend and partial tuition scholarship.  Students who receive teaching or research assistantships are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week on assignments related to teaching or research.

Is funding available for students who are not U.S. citizens?

Yes.  Students who are not U.S. citizens are eligible for teaching assistantships, and in most cases, research assistantships.  Note, however, that students who receive teaching assistantships must be certified by the English as a Second Language Program.  International students are also eligible for Presidential Fellowships.  International students do not apply for the Presidential Fellowships themselves.  The Department will decide if a student should be nominated for a Presidential Fellowship and, if so, will submit the nomination to the Graduate College.

Am I eligible for a graduate application fee waiver?

Non-international applicants may be eligible for an application fee waiver based on financial hardship, see here for more information. International students are not eligible under any circumstances.