The University of Massachusetts Amherst
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PhD Admission

Deadline: January 15 for Fall admissions (no spring admissions)

Requirements: 

  • Application
  • GREs (waived for fall 2023 admission)
  • Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Transcript(s)
  • Personal Statement of Interest
  • Writing Sample

Accelerated MA Admission*

Deadline: November 1 and April 1

Requirements: 

  • Application
  • Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
  • Official Transcript(s)
  • Personal Statement of Interest
  • Writing Sample emailed to gradadm@grad.umass.edu
  • GREs are *NOT* required. A staff member will waive this requirement in your application AFTER you have applied.
  • Minimum of 3.5 overall GPA

*Only undergraduate students at UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College or Mount Holyoke College are eligible to apply

Contact Us

Department of Political Science
Thompson Hall
200 Hicks Way
UMass Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003
email: erwhite@umass.edu


Graduate Admissions Committee Chair: Regine Spector

 

Admissions FAQ's

How do I apply?

MA, PhD and Accelerated MA applications should be submitted through the Graduate School using their on-line application.

 
What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline for fall PhD and MA applications is January 15th. There is no spring admissions process for the PhD or MA programs. If you are interested in the Accelerated MA, you must apply by November 1st  or April 1st.

What is required in the application?

A complete graduate application will include:

  • Graduate School application
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Personal Statement of Interest
  • Writing sample 
  • GRE requirement is waived for fall 2023 admissions. 

Applicants to the Accelerated Master's program must have a minimum of 3.5 overall GPA from one of the Five Colleges. Hampshire College students are exempt from the GPA requirement since the College does not issue GPAs.

For other admissions questions and issues, please see the UMass Amherst Graduate School FAQ.

Does the department offer funding for graduate students?

Yes. We offer a limited number of teaching assistantships which come with a stipend, tuition waiver and waiver of most fees. Foreign students are eligible for TA appointments. Funding is only available for PhD students.

Do I need an MA to apply for the PhD program?

No. You also do not need to apply for the MA program before pursuing the PhD program. The Department admits the vast majority of students directly to the PhD program without an MA. The MA is not a prerequisite for the PhD. Funding is only offered to PhD students.

Suggestions

The Graduate Admissions Committee urges applicants to describe in their personal statements the kinds of questions they plan to pursue in graduate school, to indicate their familiarity with and interest in the particular subfield(s) of political science that they wish to study, and to discuss how our department fits their academic needs.

The Admissions Committee strongly suggests that applicants seek recommendations from professors with whom they have taken intellectually demanding courses. We further suggest seeking references from political science professors when possible.

Writing samples are examined carefully by the Admissions Committee to evaluate the applicant's writing ability. We recommend that applicants provide a research-oriented writing sample from political science or, if unavailable, a related discipline.

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