Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
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Graduate Studies

Matt DeLisi and Taea Bonner having conversation

The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice offers a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in both sociology and rural sociology. Students seeking advanced degrees also may pursue co-majors and minors in these areas of study as well.

As a graduate student in sociology or rural sociology, you will become a capable and creative researcher by engaging in either independent or group research under the direction of award-winning faculty members. Preparation for the graduate degree is not confined to formal class work and activity on research projects. You will also work toward intellectual independence while developing an integrated grasp of the field. We encourage you to explore.

Hannah Bates

When I completed my coursework, I not only felt that I gained a degree, but that I also made a contribution to the public.

Hanna Bates, ’15 sociology and sustainable agriculture

Graduate programs

  • rural-sociology-grad-feature

    Rural Sociology: M.S., Ph.D.

    Some of society’s greatest challenges encompass issues related to hunger, rural community decline, environmental change, and sustainability. Students who seek a graduate or doctoral degree in rural sociology will be prepared to address these challenges by becoming effective leaders in agriculture-related companies, non-profit associations and organizations, and state and local government agencies.

  • sociology-graduate-studies-feature

    Sociology: M.S., Ph.D.

    At the core of sociology is the desire to help people. Students interested in pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree in sociology will help transform society through any number of careers. Your options are as unlimited as your ambitions – education, social services, counseling, business, government, or law. Your advanced sociology degree will give you the tools to explore the development, structure, and functioning of human society.

  • sociology-co-major

    Rural Sociology or Sociology M.S. and Ph.D. Co-Major

    The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice offers a master’s and a doctoral co-major in sociology and rural sociology. A co-major is a program of study for a single degree in which the requirements for two separate majors are met. A single degree is granted when the student fulfills the requirements of both majors. Although responsibility for determining the student’s coursework resides with the program-of-study (POS) committee, the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice has core courses that must be taken by all students.

A Masters thesis or a Ph.D. dissertation is required in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. For more detailed information, see the Department Graduate Handbook. General information about the Thesis and Dissertation process can be found on the Graduate College website. https://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/thesis/.

Areas of study

Social and Economic Inequalities

The social and economic disparities area of study focuses on theory, empirical research and the professional practices that have been at the core of sociology from the beginning of the discipline. The study of social and economic inequalities involves innovative research methods combined with the most advanced theories of social and economic inequality, demography, labor and employment, migration and immigration, and group/organizational processes in society

Agriculture, Environment and Development

Agriculture, environment and development is an area of study in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice that engages research, teaching and extension activities to help understand and solve problems related to agriculture and food, the environment and natural resources, development and social change, and rural and regional issues. The area of study is grounded in the disciplinary fields of rural sociology and development sociology, both of which share theory and methods with the larger discipline of sociology.

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Criminology and criminal justice is an area of study that engages in teaching, research and outreach activities around criminal offending, victimization and the societal and criminal justice system response to crime. The area of study incorporates a balance of practical and basic research in achieving the goal of helping stakeholders understand and manage the crime problem across the life span, from youth to prisoners serving life sentences. The area of study is grounded in the sociological traditions of criminology, but incorporates knowledge from many perspectives, heavily emphasizing interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

Sociology M.S. or Ph.D. Minor

Graduate students in sociology engage in either independent or group research under the direction of award-winning faculty members, developing extensive research skills in the process. Preparation for the graduate degree is not confined to formal class work and activity on research projects, however. Students also work toward intellectual independence while developing an integrated grasp of the field.

Graduate student resources