Graduate Application Instructions
Applications for graduate admission to the School of History and Sociology (HSOC) are submitted online. To apply, please go to the Office of Graduate Admissions website.
Applicants are asked to provide:
- College and/or University Transcripts
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (IELTS or TOEFL) scores (international applicants only). For more information, click on English Proficiency Requirements.
- A Statement of Purpose
- Writing Sample
For application to the graduate programs in HSOC, your statement should be an intellectual biography and should include your reasons for applying to the M.S. or Ph.D. program (specify), your interest in the history and/or sociology of technology and science, and your plans subsequent to receiving the degree.
Deadlines
The general application deadline is February 15. Students seeking financial assistance should submit their materials no later than January 10. Students are admitted for the fall semester.
Choosing a Program
Students who clearly intend to pursue the Ph.D. should apply for the Ph.D. program, regardless of whether or not they already have a master’s degree. All students in the Ph.D. program acquire a master’s degree along the way. This typically involves a three-semester course of studies, though highly motivated students or those with advanced standing may complete the degree in a calendar year.
Students who are interested in the master’s and those who are uncertain if they would like to continue on to the Ph.D. should apply to the master’s program.
Financial Support
Financial aid for graduate students takes many forms. Ninety-four percent of full-time Ph.D students currently in the School of History and Sociology attend tuition free and eighty-three percent are also supported by teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or by research grants and fellowships. More information about these opportunities can be found on the Assistantships, Fellowships, and Grants tab above.
Students may also receive financial aid in the form of loans and grants. These are administered through Georgia Tech’s Graduate Financial Aid Office.
Part-Time Study
Though most students enroll full-time, it is possible to pursue the degrees on a part-time basis. Students wishing to attend part-time should be aware that required courses are usually taught just once a year. HSOC graduate courses typically meet one day per week for three hours in the late afternoon. Part-time students are not eligible for financial aid.
Additional Information and Contacts
For additional information about the programs, feel free to contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Helen Anne Curry, at hacurry@gatech.edu. Applicants may also wish to make direct contact with faculty in whom they have a particular interest, and can do so using our list of faculty profiles. Keep in mind that faculty have multiple responsibilities and may take some time to reply.
We encourage prospective students to visit the School of History and Sociology and Georgia Tech and to meet in person with the director of graduate studies, other relevant faculty, and current graduate students. To arrange a visit, please contact Professor Curry or LaDonna Bowen. HSOC offices and classrooms are located in Tech’s Old Civil Engineering Building (221 Bobby Dodd Way).
The status of your application may be checked on the Office of Graduate Admissions website.
For more information on demographics, admissions, and time-to-degree for doctoral students in our program, visit the History and Sociology of Technology and Science page on the Georgia Tech Graduate Education website.