ABSTRACT
Introduction: the changes in the academic life of graduate students due to the pandemic generated complex socioemotional processes that need to be explored.Objective: to compare the socioemotional processes in graduate students during the closure of universities according to the area of knowledge and sex.Method: exploratory-descriptive -comparative quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. A total of 119 questionnaires were analyzed using the Mann -Whitney U non-parametric statistical test to determine significant differences in the independent variables. Results: significant differences were identified before and during the pandemic in prosocial emotions and mood affectations in both groups of students due to the overload of academic-work activities and the differentiated conditions by area. Women in area 2 were more affected.Discussion: the socio-structural and situational context and the educational level condition socioemotional processes in a statistically significant way. Scope and limitations of the study are discussed.