Admission Requirements

Master's in Sociology

Admission requirements:

Applicants must possess an honours BA degree (4 years) or its equivalent with at least B+ average in the final two undergraduate years. Students who do not meet departmental requirements, e.g., students whose undergraduate degree does not include basic courses in Sociology, may be admitted provisionally and required to complete appropriate make-up courses from offerings in the undergraduate program. Students apply directly to the departmental graduate secretary for admission.

Application procedure:

Graduate students are admitted in the fall semester only. The deadline for application is February 1 each year and the application fee is currently $100. All applicants must apply on line.

Applicants must send the following material to: Graduate Secretary, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 before the application deadline:

1. The PDF summary of your on-line application.
2. A one-page statement that clearly outlines your proposed area of interest.
3. All official university transcripts. We do not require transcripts from community colleges, unless you have been given credit for them in your BA program.
4. TWO academic letters of reference - you must use the assessment forms from the downloadable application form.
5. TOEFL scores or other English Language tests from all students whose first language is not English.

Questions about the program or admissions procedures can be directed to: Graduate Secretary: Shelagh Daly (daly@uoguelph.ca) Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Vivian Shalla (vshalla@uoguelph.ca)

Master's Public Issues Anthropology

Admission requirements:

Only students with a 4-year undergraduate honours degree will be admitted into the program. Students must have a minimum B+ average in the final two years of their program. The expectation is that the undergraduate degree will be in Anthropology, but students with at least five courses in Anthropology may be admitted as long as these were part of a major in another social science or humanities program. We will also accept students with a background in the natural sciences, as long as the five Anthropology courses they have taken include both ethnography and anthropological theory.

Combining the PIA MA with an MA in International Development Studies:

Students can choose to combine their PIA MA with an MA in International Development Studies. Students complete requirements for the PIA (departmental) degree, and take development-related courses from other core disciplines (please see IDS MA Degree Information).

Application procedure:

You must apply online. The deadline for application is February 1, 2013. 

In addition to applying online, you must send the following material to: Graduate Secretary, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1before the application deadline:

1. The PDF summary of your on-line application MUST be printed out and submitted to the department with your other documents.
2. A one-page, single-spaced Statement of Interest. This is a key part of your application, and helps the admissions committee make admissions recommendations. Your Statement of Interest should include a brief description of your MA research project and goals and the name(s) of a potential MA advisor(s). Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact their potential MA advisor(s) before sending in their application.
3. All official university transcripts. We do not require transcripts from community colleges unless credit has been given towards your undergraduate degree.
4. Two academic letters of reference - you must use the assessment forms from the on-line application site.
5. TOEFL scores or other English Language tests from all students whose first language is not English.

Questions about the program or admissions procedures can be directed to: Graduate Secretary: Shelagh Daly (daly@uoguelph.ca Dr. Satsuki Kawano (skawano@uoguelph.ca)

PhD in Sociology

Admission requirements:

Normally, only applicants with a recognized MA degree in Sociology and with high academic standing (80% or higher) in their graduate-level studies will be admitted into the program. Students are normally expected to have successfully completed Master’s-level courses in sociological theory as well as Mastes-level qualitative and quantitative methodology courses in Sociology. It is also expected that students will have taken courses across the breadth of Sociology.

Application procedure:

Graduate students are admitted into the program in the fall semester only. The application deadline is February 1. The application fee is currently $100 (CDN). Applications can only be made online at Graduate Studies.

In addition to the completed online application form, applicants must assemble all supporting documentation and forward the complete package to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Please note that applications are not considered complete until all the information has been received by the Department. The application package must include:

1. A printout of the completed online application form.
2. A one- to two-page statement of intent that clearly outlines your research interests. 
3. All official university transcripts. Transcripts must be provided in an official, sealed envelope that has been mailed directly to you.
4. Letters of reference from two professors familiar with your most recent academic work. Applicants must use the electronic Assessment of an Applicant for Graduate Studies form. Referees must complete their assessments in confidence. All references must be provided in sealed envelopes that have been signed on the back by the referee.
5. TOEFL scores or other English-language test results, not more than two years old, from all applicants whose first language is not English.  

The complete package must be submitted to: Graduate Secretary Department of Sociology and Anthropology University of Guelph Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.

Questions about the program or admissions procedures can be directed to: Graduate Secretary: Shelagh Daly (daly@uoguelph.ca) Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Vivian Shalla (vshalla@uoguelph.ca)