Visitation Day
Application Deadline
MA or PHD?
Recommendations
Personal Statement
How decisions are made
When will you hear from us?
Financial Aid


Q: What is a visitation day?

We host four visitation days each school year – one in the fall semester and three during the spring (January, March, and April). The events are held on Friday afternoons, 1:30-3:30 PM, and include three parts: (1) an overview of admissions, financial aid, and program characteristics; (2) group sessions with faculty members in the program’s major fields; and (3) a panel discussion with current graduate students.

These sessions usually include 5 to 20 prospective students. These visitation days allow you to meet other applicants, faculty, and current graduate students.  During the sessions, you will have an opportunity to ask questions and hear the questions others are asking.

We generally do not schedule individual faculty appointments, but you are always free to email faculty in the Departments of International Affairs and Political Science with questions about your academic interests and graduate study plans.

Q: When is the application deadline?

We admit applicants for Fall semester only. All of an applicant’s materials must be received by May 15 in order to be considered for admission.

Q: How do I know whether to apply for the M.A. or the Ph.D.?

Students who will have been awarded a master’s degree in political science or a related field by the Fall in which they plan to enroll can apply directly to the Ph.D. program. Those with only a bachelor’s degree completed must apply for the M.A. degree.

Those who will have completed professional degrees (J.D., M.B.A., M.Ed., etc) should apply to the Ph.D. If there is any concern about your qualifications given the nature of the professional degree, the Graduate Committee may require you to complete the M.A. at UGA before applying to the Ph.D. program.

Q: What kind of recommendations should I get?

Your references (at least three) should fill out the recommendation form required by the Graduate School and attach a letter to it. The references – not you – should mail these directly to our office.

We require letters from professors who have taught you. Their letters should describe your academic work in detail so that the Graduate Committee can be assured that you can complete a rigorous graduate program. If you have done significant independent research, such as a thesis, the committee normally expects a letter from the professor who supervised that work.

Letters from elected officials or “personal” references tend to be less valuable in determining your academic capability.  Letters from work supervisors are of little value unless your job entailed research.  In addition, letters from counselors, student affairs officers, and other non-faculty personnel on your campus generally provide little useful information for the committee.

For those applicants who have been out of the academic setting for some time, getting letters from prior instructors can be difficult, but should be pursued nonetheless.  In this instance, the committee will grant some flexibility, but once again, references must be able to address your academic and related abilities to some degree.

Q: What should I include in my personal statement?

We are most concerned with your academic background, intellectual interests and professional plans. Please do not include material that is not relevant to your academic background or interest.

Q: How are admissions decisions made?

The six-member Graduate Committee considers your entire application file:  previous academic record, GRE scores, personal statement, resume, and recommendations. There are no “automatic” acceptance factors – we have both accepted and rejected applicants whose Verbal and Quantitative GRE scores were 1400 or above.

The committee’s main concern is the likelihood that you will do well, not only in the graduate program you are applying for, but as a scholar and teacher once that degree is in hand. We also consider whether your interests are a good “fit” for the faculty, courses, and research centers available in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere at UGA.

Q: When will I hear whether I’ve been accepted for admission?

The Graduate Committee meets occasionally during the Fall but almost every week during the Spring semester. Once your file is complete, it will be considered at the next committee meeting. The committee will discuss and vote on your application and then send its recommendation to the Graduate School, which makes the official decision on your application. The Graduate School normally contacts you one to two weeks after your recommendation.

If you are accepted, you must submit final transcripts from your previous college or university before you may enroll. You are also required to attend orientation the week before classes begin in August. Those receiving assistantships have other obligations that are detailed in their award letters.

Q: How are assistantships awarded?

You must apply for all assistantships through the Political Science and International Affairs Graduate Program office. Do not contact the Graduate School about financial support.  Students who receive support from the Graduate School must be nominated by their department and go through a competitive process.

The Graduate Committee assigns scores to all those who apply for financial support. Those whose files are complete by February 1 are guaranteed consideration for the first round of awards. Students not receiving support during the first round are still eligible for funding in subsequent rounds. Awards follow the following timetable: