A PhD in Sociology is a research degree that also qualifies one to teach in a college or university. Our PhDs in sociology hold teaching, research and administrative positions in public and private agencies and research organizations in Hawaiʻi and throughout the world. Our doctoral program provides a strong foundation in the theories and methods of sociology (both qualitative and quantitative), specialized graduate seminars in a variety of subfields of sociology, and a series of opportunities to deepen particular areas of knowledge and develop professional research, writing, and presentation skills under the guidance of a faculty committee. <br><br>Our very international faculty and graduate students form a close-knit, supportive community centered on common research interests. Our students also have opportunities to develop their teaching skills through serving as teaching assistants in the department and then teaching independently in face-to-face and online courses offered through the university's summer session and extension programs. Much of the initial required coursework overlaps with the MA program, but students with sufficient background and promise may be admitted directly into the doctoral program and earn a Plan B MA when they pass the qualifying review. Our sociology graduate program is unique in its expertise and research focus on the sociology of Asia and the Pacific. Graduate students from all over the world gather here to study American sociology with a particular applicability to Asian and Pacific societies, working closely with internationally recognized research scholars who study the sociology of Asia and the Pacific. Virtually all members of our faculty have specialized expertise and do research related to Hawaiʻi, Asia, or the Pacific. We offer graduate seminars within the sociology department that focus on specific Asian societies as well as seminars that take a comparative perspective. Graduate seminars on standard subfields of sociology are also enriched by the Asian and Pacific research experience of our faculty and graduate students. With a critical mass of faculty and graduate students who focus on Asia, particularly East Asia, we offer an unparalleled environment for sociological study that draws from and relates to Asia and the Pacific.