Admission to the Program

To learn more about the Kent State University Political Science MA/PhD program and/or file an online application:

• In terms of the admissions process, our application deadline for admission is February 28, 2013 for fall 2013 admission. Students are not admitted in the spring or summer. Admission is based on a combination of factors, including statement of intent/purpose, writing sample, transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Your GPA ought to be above a 3.0 in order to be competitive. No conditional admissions are permitted in the PhD program.
• A full description of our program can be found at our website. At that link you will also discover that we have a very diverse and exciting faculty to work with in pursuit of your graduate degree; and that we have a full range of graduate courses in American politics, transnational affairs, and public policy analysis. If you explore the web link you will find specific information on the courses in that and other tracks. In the program, you can seek a Master’s degree, or a Ph.D.
• Insofar as financial aid is concerned, please explore Kent State’s graduate student financial aid website for detailed information about how to fund your graduate education. For some graduate school applicants, and subject to available funds, the department may offer a stipend and a tuition waiver, to top students who are selected for aid in a competitive application process  that is determined at the time admission decisions are made in the spring. Generally only those with very high GRE and GPA's are considered for such aid.
• As for job placement after you get a degree, our department has had a solid track record of graduates securing jobs in the public and private sectors, typically in government institutions, private corporations, think tanks, and of course academic institutions. Please visit the American Political Science Association’s web page on careers in political science.
• In order to apply, you must do it electronically, either as a US citizen or as an international student. Please apply by visiting the Graduate Admissions website. The links provided will answer all of your questions about the admission process, so please work with those contacts as listed. Note that all application materials should be sent to the Graduate School, not the Department of Political Science.
• If you have questions or difficulties with the online application form please contact Michael Ensley, Graduate Coordinator (email: mensley@kent.edu; phone: (330) 672-8893).
• If you have technical difficulties with the website call: 330-672-2661 or email gradapps@kent.edu