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Student Opportunities

Graduate Awards

Lester Frank Ward Award

To be awarded annually to a sociology graduate student, or group of graduate students, who meet(s) the following requirements:

  • Must be an original piece of empirical work that is based on the analysis of either primary or secondary data, including replication.
  • Empirical research must have been undertaken in our sociology graduate courses.
  • Award will only be given if merited.
Process for nomination and award:
  • Students will be nominated by a tenure-track faculty member of the Sociology Department.
    1. Award may be given to a project completed by a group.
  • Nominating faculty member must write a letter to the Director of Graduate Studies:
    1. Letter must be in support of the student(s) and
    2. State why the original student work merits the award.
    3. Submitted letter must be accompanied by the original empirical work submitted by the student(s).
  • The Director of Graduate Studies will review the materials and then disseminate them to all tenure-track faculty members.
  • Faculty will determine whether the work is of sufficient scholarly quality to merit the award.
  • A simple majority vote among the tenure-track faculty will determine which nominee will win the award.

Typically, only one award per academic year will be made, and it will be conferred in the spring semester.