MA or PhD: Which Graduate Program is Right for Me?

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We welcome welcome applicants to both our MA and our PhD programs. The PhD is a highly selective track that enrolls between 5 and 8 students each year. Students choosing to do a PhD have a strong commitment to resarch and writing, and most intend to pursue an academic career or a high-level career in applied research. Students who have completed our PhD program have secured academic jobs around the country, and many have found jobs in the Boston area. Locally, they are working in both teaching jobs and in research positions at prestigious universities and research organizations and centers. We offer five guaranteed years of funding.

Students enrolling in the MA do so for a wider variety of reasons. Some are interested, but not yet committed to the PhD route, and choose the MA as a first step. MA and PhD students enroll in the same courses, so that course work done for a MA can substitute for PhD work should the student decide to pursue the higher degree. Our MA students have an excellent track record of moving on to highly competitive PhD programs. Starting one's career by earning and MA at Boston College can be a successful strategy for eventually attaining a PhD.

Others enter the MA program to gain skills and credentials for jobs in education, applied research, social service, government and business. MA students undertake a rigorous program of theory and methods, and have done on to a wide variety of positions. Both course work and thesis research can be used to develop and expertise in a topic area or a methodology, which becomes the basis of future employment. The department has funded some spots for MA students, and the university also provides a number of part-time positions that carry tuition waivers and renumeration. MA students in socioogy have historically been successful in securing such positions. Our graduates have gone on to a number of challenging and high-level positions, including research jobs in the Boston area.

If you are unsure about which program is right for you, please feel free to contact the Director of Admissions, Professor Charles Derber, or any other faculty member to discuss your candidacy. We look forward to hearing from you.