Graduate Curriculum
The graduate curriculum of the Department of Sociology at Brown University involves two components: a CORE program in the fundamentals of the discipline and a range of recognized areas of specialization within sociology. These components are interrelated, providing a foundation for diverse areas of depth and breadth within the discipline of sociology. We expect that after completing the curriculum of our graduate program and receiving a doctorate in Sociology, students should have the basis for teaching fundamental undergraduate courses in Sociology and more advanced courses in their areas of specialization. The program equips students with the conceptual, methodological, and research tools to carry out research in their areas of expertise, to guide the research of others, and to publish their research in the leading sociology journals.
CORE Program
The goal of the CORE program is to enable students to learn the fundamentals of the discipline, to construct a challenging program of research, and to develop a basis for selecting areas of specialization in breadth and depth. The CORE will normally be taken in the first year of graduate study and focuses on the theories, methods, and research that characterize sociology. It builds on the strengths of research and teaching of the faculty and emphasizes those themes of sociology that inform their professional contributions. The faculty cover a broad range of sociological expertise and experience that provides a solid base for sociological analysis and the development of the sociological imagination. They are committed to engaging sociology with other disciplines, and they encourage the graduate students to do the same.
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