The School of History and Sociology (HSOC) graduate students are immersed in a culture of scholarly inquiry and research.
Through courses, seminars, and individual meetings, they interact closely with faculty and colleagues who have earned international reputations for their outstanding scholarship. Numerous special initiatives and programs help HSOC sustain and reinvigorate this vibrant, creative atmosphere.
To prepare themselves for professional life, students are encouraged to make use of resources in the Communication Center, or CommLab, to improve their writing and communication skills as well as their marketability. CommLab offers a dissertation "boot camp" each semester to support writing strategies and productivity, and HSOC Ph.D. candidates also creat writing groups that foster support among cohorts of graduate students, within and outside of HSOC. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides courses and workshops in course design and teaching and learning that help graduate students gain knowledge, skills, and experience in college teaching. CTL also supports graduate students in the academic job search process by helping advanced candidates with teaching statements, research statements, job talks, and other materials required for an academic job search.
To read more about the activities of the HSOC graduate students, including theses topics, publications, and conference presentations, visit the graduate research section of the website.
Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) and Technology and Culture (T&C) at Tech
The School of History and Sociology has a long history of engagement with the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), the leading professional society in history of technology, and its journal, Technology and Culture (T&C). Former HSOC professor Melvin Kranzberg was a founding member of T&C and served as a SHOT president, as did former professor Bruce Sinclair. Current McEver Professor Steve Usselman continued the tradition with a two-year stint as president beginning in January 2007, followed by HSOC Kranzberg Professor John Krige in 2017. The School’s close ties of SHOT and T&C enrich graduate students’ exposure to leading scholars and research.
Center for Women, Science, and Technology (WST)
An interdisciplinary center based in Ivan Allen College, the Center for Women, Science, and Technology (WST) conducts a variety of research and educational programs on campus. Graduate students in the School frequently assist in conducting research and organizing programs, such as speakers series, conferences, and workshops.