Faculté des sciences de la société Sciences de la société

Notre Doctorat en Sociologie

Our PhD in Sociology

Doing a PhD in Sociology at the University of Geneva

For students who wish to pursue an academic training in Sociology, beyond a University degree or a Postgraduate Diploma, may apply as a candidate for a PhD in Sociology. The Institute of sociological research is included in the Geneva School of Social Sciences (G3S) at the University of Geneva.

The procedure is as follows: 

  • Visit the website of the Sociology Department and check the section « Qui sommes-nous ? » in order to learn more about the specialization areas and research fields covered by the faculty.
  • Make direct contact with the professor who could supervise your thesis, according to your research interests. Submit her/him your research ideas and interests with a tentative title and 1-2 pages explaining the purpose of the research.
  • Once you have found a director or a thesis supervisor who has agreed to work with you, fill in the scientific and administrative application required by the G3S. Write a cover letter, which states all the relevant information about your thesis project (research focus + tentative title).

The information required for your application is listed in the document on the page web of the G3S  where you will find the regulations for a PhD program as well as its guidelines. Make sure to conscientiously follow all the given steps precisely.

Caution: do not contact the head or any member of the Scientific Committee for the PhD in Sociology (CSDS). However, and only when needed, please refer to the Academic Advisor (+41 (0)22 379 89 66).

Once your thesis admission has been confirmed, you will be notified by the Scientific Committee of Sociology (CSDS). You will receive a letter from the Dean of the G3S. You will be asked to register at the University of Geneva again. This time, you will need to register for the Doctoral Program in Sociology (PDRS) via mycuso . You will also be required to submit your thesis proposal within a given deadline (two semesters). This is done using the electronic form.

At this stage:

  1. Register on the online form and attach a PDF document (3-5 pages) which states the subject of your thesis, the methodology that you will use as well as a bibliography.
  2. Fill in the form. Print it and have it signed first by your thesis director or thesis supervisor and then by the director of the Scientific Committee for PhDs in Sociology.
  3. Send the signed document to the Academic Advisor , who will forward it to the College of Professors for approval .

As for the thesis committee, you must indicate at least the supervisor (and if so, the co-director) as well as the chairman of the jury. External members can remain "yet to be defined ". This having been said, we do expect you to provide us with a potential composition of the thesis committee. However, it need not be final at this stage of the procedure.

Once your thesis admission has been confirmed, you will have to submit annually (deadline: 15 December) a report on the progress of your work to the your thesis director.

Instructions for the preparation of the annual report on the progress of your work are detailed: Preparation of the annual report

The models for the presentation of your thesis and its cover are available here.

 

The PhDs in Sociology delivered by the University of Geneva are placed under the responsibility of a Scientific Committee (CSDS) consisting of: