Department of Sociology & Crime, Law and Justice

How to apply

"Given my interests in stratification and health, our department is a great place to study.  Between the University's extensive resources and the department's student-oriented faculty, I have been able to work on a variety of projects related to my research agenda that have enhanced my educational experience at Penn State."

Jason Houle

Hometown: Buckfield, Maine
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maine (Class of 2005; BA in Sociology with Highest Honors,  Summa Cum Laude)

Degree Admission

Degree admission is granted jointly by the Graduate School and the graduate program. Each program has its own procedures for evaluating applications. An applicant must apply for admission to a particular program of study. Applicants may apply to only one graduate program at a time. The Graduate School will not consider concurrent applications for admission to more than one program and does not act upon an application without a program's recommendation.

Please note:

• U.S. applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution to apply for admission.
• International applicants must have a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree to apply for admission. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
• You may only apply to one graduate program and campus at a time.
• If you currently hold a doctorate, you are not encouraged to apply for a second doctorate.

Degree Application Process

Applying for graduate admission is a two step process. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate School and the program. When the Graduate School receives your degree application, your information will be made available to the program to which you are applying. The program reviews your program application and supporting documents and makes a recommendation to the Graduate School. Upon receiving the nonrefundable application fee and a recommendation from the program, the Graduate School reviews your file to verify that the minimum admission requirements have been met. The Graduate School does not act on your application without a recommendation from the program. Questions regarding the completeness or status of your application should be directed to the program.

Applications are accepted from September 1 to January 1 for admission the following fall semester. Selection is based on transcripts, three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic performance, a statement of goals, a sample of written work such as a term paper or thesis, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. International applicants must also submit TOEFL scores. Please do not submit information with your application that cannot be used in the admission decision process, e.g. Individual Education Plans (IEPs), medical records, statements from physicians or psychologists, or legal documents. Such information will be returned.

Complete The Graduate School Application Online

For information on how to apply, including fees, etc.: How to Apply

• Application to Graduate School: Graduate School Admissions and Information Portal

• Three letters of recommendation are required for admission. Your references will be contacted electronically to complete a recommendation for you.  In addition, they should either copy and paste a formal letter of recommendation into the comments section of the electronic form OR mail a formal letter directly to the program.  The mailing address is given below.
• A personal statement and at least one writing sample should be uploaded when completing the online application.

Materials sent directly to the department:

• Demography Program Application:  If you wish to apply to the dual-degree program in Sociology and Demography, please also complete a brief supplemental dual-degree program application. Send the Sociology and Demography Dual-Degree Program Application to the address given below.
• Transcripts:   Transcript Request Form.   (Two official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended, both undergraduate and graduate, are required.  International applicants must submit official or attested university records, with certified translations if the records are not in English. )
• Application for Visa Document (International Applicants Only):   Application for VISA document.      
• Official GRE and TOEFL (International Applicants Only) scores should be sent directly to the department at the address given below. The GRE Subject Test is not required.

Penn State University institutional code for both GRE and TOEFL exams is 2660.
The Crime, Law and Justice GRE code is 2202.
The Sociology GRE code is 2102.
 

Mailing Address:                Department of Sociology and Crime, Law, and Justice
                                               Graduate Admissions
                                               The Pennsylvania State University
                                               211 Oswald Tower
                                               University Park, PA  16802