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[ATBMNTB]

Well- after a lot of soul searching...I have come up with a new plan.  

I can't seem to find the job of my dreams just yet (I have a pretty cushy Residence Life position currently), and I am planning on going back to school for a PhD anyhow (I have a BA in English and a MS in Student Personnel), so perhaps it's time NOW (or within the next year, anyway) to go on for the next degree while I am not commited to the dream job.  Granted, I am freshly out of graduate school by a full 2 years...I guess I'm just too ambitious and I need something new!  MY OBJECTIVE is to teach ultimately...then move up in the ranks and become a Director, a Chair, a Dean...MAYBE even a VP.  

Sociology is my field of choice.  

So, my questions...

1.   Which institutions are best known for their Graduate Sociology programs?

2.  How does the future look for an academic in the field of Sociology?

3.  Any advice from current Sociology faculty...for a budding colleague?  Any things that you wish you had known when you applied for a PhD program?  Anything that worked well for you?  Anything that you would have done differently?

I am very interested in your comments!

Many thanks!!!

[Nardo]

You were up here a month ago trying to ask how to become a College President . . . I recognize your writing style.

Sociology? Good luck getting a job.  If you are not a troll, I suggest you stay in residence life, get a Ph.D. / Ed.D. in higher ed admin, and try to become a dean of students, and also get in the position where you deal with budgets.  You might make provost or comptroller . . .

But you'd be better off realizing that higher ed admin is all drudgery and very little power . . . tenured faculty make change difficult at best, and the administration does the bullsh*t work the faculty don't want to be bothered with, despite their best efforts to shove the peprwork down to the department level.

[ATBMNTB]

"You were up here a month ago trying to ask how to become a College President . . . I recognize your writing style."

You must be mistaken, Nardo.  I have never posted with applying for the College/University President position in mind.  I suppose I should thank you for your comments, but I am not sure where "not being a troll" and "administration doing the bullsh*t work" helps me in my original questions.  So, if one is a troll...one should move into academics?  Bullsh*t work...how do you define bullsh*t work?

Thanks for the words of...discouragement.

[Dale]

I don't think that a PhD in sociology will help you if you want to be an administrator.  I do think that the Higher Ed administration PhD would be a good choice if you want to be a dean/VP of Student Affairs.

I also think that the JD (law degree) is coming into more prevalence as a degree suited to student affairs, especially given the litigious nature of college students, parents, and other stakeholders.  The JD is quicker and also gives you options outside of higher education.

[ATBMNTB]

"MY OBJECTIVE is to teach ultimately...then move up in the ranks and become a Director, a Chair, a Dean...MAYBE even a VP."

I mean Director or Chair of an Academic Department...and VP of Academic Affairs.  I'd like to teach though!  That's why I'm nailing down a subject.

[anon]

if you do not already know the breadth and scope of the field of sociology and in particular the appropriate graduate programs for your particular interests, then it is not advisable to pursue a ph.d. in that field.

[Dale]

Ok - then you can still do a PhD in Higher Ed Administration and teach, and become dean/vp, if that's your cup of tea.  But the higher you go, the less student contact you are going to have, and the less rewarding it may be for you - you don't get to see as many small victories, I don't think.

[somewhat amused]

I must start with the disclaimer that I am NOT in sociology; however, there are a few suggestions you may find useful (see below).

I agree with anon. You need to have some idea of the field (i.e., what SPECIFIC area/branch of sociology you want to study). You don't need to know EXACTLY what your specialty will be, but the general area should be clear for at least three reasons (probably more):
1. areas of study differ greatly within a discipline (e.g., some are heavily quantitavie, others more qualitative, and so on)
2. programs can vary greatly based on the area YOU want to study (e.g., they may have strong background in area A, but not in area B)
3. market (area A may have a shortage of PhDs, but area B may have a plethora of PhDs)

Maybe it would be useful to take graduate level courses (I am assuming you have had some survey courses in sociology at the undergraduate level).  By the time you enter a PhD program, you should know what you are getting into, even to the level of who your future advisor should be. Otherwise, you may end up spending too much time in your PhD program or dropping out. Doing a PhD program requires (or it should require) significant focus, time commitment, and often financial sacrifice.

[Anon 2]

I think "somewhat amused" gave you some great advice.  And it sounds like your goal is to teach.

But, you have to be totally committed to getting a Ph.D.  It's hard work.  I think that it makes getting a Master's look like a walk in the park.  Once you have narrowed down a field then I'd look at certain programs and check out the faculty members.  Because they are your best friends.  It's through them that you will get the opportunity to work on top tier research projects.  And in a lot of the really good programs, you will have to put yourself out there.  You will have to go down beating down doors.

I'm sure it's not like that in every program.  But, I know the program that I am in, faculty do not come to students (at least not at first, not until they know you and have worked with you) when they want students to work with them on a research project.  They want the students seeking them out.

And when you graduate often it's the faculty that will open the doors for you in finding a job.   Or at least it has been for the people who have graduated from my program, and from those people I know who have graduated from other programs.