Scholarships, Fellowships, Honors, & Awards

Graduate Student Honors & Awards

The Catherine C. and Bruce A. Bastian Scholarship

The Catherine C. and Bruce A. Bastian Scholarship fund was established to increase students' awareness of and involvement in international activities. Fellowships are awarded in summer ($3,000) and academic ($10,000) year.

George L. Beslow Graduate Paper Award

The Beslow Graduate Paper Award is for a relevant paper on any sociological subject/area. The paper may be published or unpublished. The annual award is $100 and is funded from the Beslow Endowment.

Douglas Barnes Graduate Scholarship

Recipients of the $1,000 Douglas Barnes Graduate Student Scholarship shall be students whose research relates to development issues, with preference given to development in developing countries—to which Barnes has dedicated his career.

Harold L. Geisert Graduate Student Fellowship

The Harold L. Geisert Graduate Student Fellowship recognizes and supports one outstanding graduate student in year six or above who has demonstrated excellence in research (publishing, conference presentations, awards), teaching (high evaluations from students and supervisors, CITL certificates), and service to the department and beyond (attending department colloquia, serving on committees in the department and professional associations, conference organizing). The fellowship offers a stipend of $10,000 for the fall semester.

Clark McPhail Collaborative Research Award

Nomination from a graduate student and faculty advisor jointly developing and submitting a paper for publication between May and May of current academic year.  The award is $2,000 for student and $500 for faculty.

Vivian Lin Thurston Graduate Fellowship

The Vivian Thurston Lin Graduate Student Fellowship is awarded each year to recognize the “Outstanding Performance” of a graduate student in our department who has demonstrated excellence in research, teaching, and service. Thanks to the generous gift of an alumnus, Ms. Vivian Thurston Lin, one $10,000 Fellowship will be granted every fall semester to support a student during the following spring semester.

Znaniecki Publication Prize

The Znaniecki Publication Prize is for a paper published by a graduate student during the current academic year. It may be on any subject, but it must be published. The award is $300 and is funded by the Sociology Department.

Undergraduate Honors & Awards

Departmental Distinction

The process for Departmental Distinction eligibility review begins when the College of LAS sends the Department a list of students whose overall GPA is greater than 3.25 which occurs in the latter part of the Fall and Spring semesters. This honor is reflected on your transcript and diploma. 

In order to achieve distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction, a sociology major must meet the following requirements:

  • Have completed SOC 495 or 490*
    *SOC 490 is allowed if taken during a semester that SOC 495 is not offered AND if approved by the department.

AND

  • Attain a University of Illinois GPA of 3.25 or higher

If both of these requirements are met, then the MAJOR GPA distributes as follows:

  • 3.25 - Distinction
  • 3.50 - High Distinction
  • 3.75 - Highest Distinction

Enrollment in Sociology 495 is restricted to juniors and seniors who have permission. Keep in mind that Sociology 495 is usually offered only in Spring semesters. Sociology 490 is an Advanced Independent Study course, which requires permission from the Academic Advisor as well as coordination with a faculty member.

Highest GPA for a Sociology Senior

This award acknowledges the Senior in Sociology who has attained the Highest Overall Grade Point Average. This award is determined by final grades, no application is required.

Student Engagement Award

The Student Engagement Award highlights a student in Sociology who has been active in the University of Illinois and/or Champaign-Urbana community.  This student stands out for their engagement, activism and leadership within the community. Must be a Sociology major, open to all grade levels.

Apply Here

Applications open in Mid-March annually with winners selected in early May. 

Outstanding Senior in Sociology Award

This award is given to a senior who demonstrates involvement with the community, has leadership achievements, academic success, and a dedication to their sociology education. Must be graduating within the academic year that the award is being given.

Apply Here

Applications open in Mid-March annually with winners selected in early May. 

Best Undergraduate Student Paper

The Best Undergraduate Student Paper Award recognizes outstanding achievement in a Sociology student’s research and writing abilities. Students are nominated by a faculty member. The paper must be written/submitted during the current academic year, and priority is given to students whose major/first major is Sociology. No application required.

LAS & Campus Honors Programs

To be eligible to graduate with LAS College Honors, you must do one of the following:

  • Graduate with departmental distinction.
  • Complete 25 hours of honors courses 
  • Earn 35 hours of advanced course work (see LAS Student Handbook).

Admission to LAS Honors

Information for James Scholars

Information for Chancellor Scholars or Campus Honors Program

Alumni Awards

Outstanding Alumni Award

Each year, the department solicits nominations for graduates of our program who have made a significant impact on their field. Up to three awards (BA, MA, and PhD) are presented each year.

See past award recipients here.