Welcome to the University of Alberta’s Graduate Programs in Sociology!
Apply for graduate studies in our department and you could find yourself working with the top scholars in the field, while gaining key skills and experience to give you an edge in the modern workplace. Our excellent faculty and graduate students make our department a diverse and vibrant place to engage with sociological questions, approaches, and challenges.
Areas of Research
Our department welcomes a variety of research interests. We have nine key program areas, allowing students to tailor their degrees to their career goals and interests. Currently, our graduate students are undergoing research in areas that include:
- Urban and rural policing
- Gendered land rights and gendered intimacies
- The subject of law and the phenomenology of the subject
- Structural inequalities of global migration
- Public responses to environmental disasters
- The influence of provincial policies on social and political landscapes
Our dynamic programs and courses help students to think critically about the social world we live in and analyze complex issues, allowing them to gain essential skills in analytics and decision-making.
A graduate degree in Sociology provides students with a strong foundation for employment in a range of occupations in the government, non-profit, and private sectors or to pursue further education in a range of disciplines. Unlike other degrees, Sociology is a broad field that provides students with a distinct array of knowledge they can tailor to fit their career paths.
Our programs offer a variety of flexible options including full- or part-time study options, an accelerated masters program, and opportunities to complete a practicum or community-based project. Students learn from, and with, distinguished faculty who are committed to mentoring budding professionals.
Importantly, Sociology provides opportunities that allow students to have a meaningful impact on the discipline and the broader community. Our graduate students and professors are highly published and committed to the dissemination of their research. For example, in August 2025, Sociology swept the public exposure of the Conversation making up 63.4% of all University of Alberta reads – where our students and faculty highlighted key issues around back-to-work mandates, climate change, and homelessness. Whatever your interests are, a graduate degree in Sociology grants you the opportunity to research real-world interests and issues.
The Department of Sociology understands the importance of financial support for graduate students. We have substantial funding in the form of research and teaching assistantships, and access to dozens of internal and external scholarships.
We value providing students with professional experience while pursuing their graduate degrees. Our research and teaching assistantships give students hands-on experience in the field. In addition, our faculty lead multiple ground-breaking research projects that graduate students may have opportunities to be a part of. Students are given opportunities to learn how to present themselves and their research through various workshops and presentations, such as the Three Minute Thesis Challenge.
Our department is dedicated to ensuring that graduate students are supported throughout their journey. Our newly established research-innovation spaces are equipped with the necessary equipment and facilities needed to successfully complete your degree. The Department of Sociology is also home to the Centre for Criminological Research and Intermedia Research Studio – renowned spaces designed for our students to connect with faculty and fellow graduate students, and conduct cutting-edge research.
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Testimonials
“The Sociology MA program at the University of Alberta fosters a collaborative and supportive environment that emphasizes innovative research and methodological rigor. With expertise ranging from gender, criminology, human rights, and the street community to environmental Sociology, the program empowers students to engage critically with diverse social issues through interdisciplinary scholarship." (Maddy Rousseau, MA Student)
“The research opportunities here are truly unparalleled; I’ve been able to take on meaningful projects, contribute to large-scale studies, and share my work in both academic and public settings. I also really appreciate the strong sense of community within the program and being part of a team that genuinely supports one another.” (Emily Stewart, PhD Student)
“The MA program has allowed me to grow not just as a student, but as a professional. I have been able to gain knowledge in various sociological areas while building transferable skills through my research and teaching assistantships. The department, professors, and my fellow students are extremely supportive and dedicated to ensuring I’m prepared to enter the job market upon graduation.” (Samantha Knapp, MA Student)