Department of Sociology, NCCU

The duration of study and the required credits

The maximum duration of study for doctoral students is two to seven years.

Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 27 credits to graduate, including 12 required credits. Up to 7 credits from courses taken at other institutions can be transferred. Courses taken by doctoral students in master's programs will not be counted towards graduation credits.

Required Courses:

• Sociological Theory
• Advanced Quantitative Methods
• Advanced Qualitative Methods
• Seminar on Public Issues and Sociology

Doctoral students must pass at least once course in each of two chosen fields from the five major fields of study, including both “Common Research Filed Courses” and “Other Research Field Courses,” in order to be eligible to take the Research Field Qualification Examination.

Common Research Field Courses:

• Social Network and Big Data Analysis
• Political Sociology
• Population, Family and Social Stratification
• Science, Technology and Society
• Globalization and Asia Comparison Study

Starting from the academic year 2016, master’s students are required to complete the “Academic Research Ethics Education Courses” in accordance with the “Implementation Guidelines for Academic Research Ethics Education Courses at National Chengchi University.”

Curriculum Planning

For details of other courses offered in previous years, please refer to the “NCCU Course Search System”: https://nccu_soc.pse.is/682uy7

Dissertation Advisor

Ph.D. candidates must select a dissertation advisor. Preferably, the advisor should be a full-time or joint-appointed professor within our department or a chair professor within our university. If an external faculty member is to be invited to co-advise, they must co-advise with a full-time faculty member in the department.

Research Field Qualification Examination

In the courses taken within your chosen field of study (“Common Research Field Courses” and “Other Research Field Courses”), select any two courses that you have passed to be considered as subjects for the professional qualification examination.

Foreign Language Proficiency Test

Before applying for the doctoral degree examination in our department, students should meet the foreign language proficiency standard in either of the following ways:

1. Pass a language test.
2. Presenting a paper orally in English at international conferences, both domestic and international, and submitting corresponding proof documents approved by the departmental affairs committee.

Research Output Evaluation

Ph.D. students are required to publish two papers in domestic or international journals. Their names must appear among the top three authors, and they must submit relevant review documents to the departmental affairs meeting for evaluation of research achievements. Upon approval by the departmental affairs meeting, they can apply for the doctoral degree examination.

Ph.D.’s Dissertation Review

Upon the advisor's approval, Ph.D. candidates may apply for a dissertation review.

Dissertation Presentation

Before applying for the doctoral degree examination, Ph.D. candidates are required to conduct a dissertation presentation. The department invites the supervising professor, relevant scholars, department faculty, and graduate students to attend.

Doctoral Degree Examination

Ph.D. candidates must complete “Academic Research Ethics Education Courses”, “Research Field Qualification Examination,” “Foreign Language Proficiency Test,” “Research Output Evaluation,” “Dissertation Presentation,” and complete all required credits before applying for the degree examination.