Thank you for your interest in a graduate program in political science at Arizona State University.  

Both our MA and PhD programs provide a strong foundation in research methods and substantive content, and allow our students to craft a program of study that meets their individual interests. Our diverse and distinguished faculty have strong commitments to excellence in research and teaching, and to working with our graduate students to help them reach their career goals.

We have strengths in nationalism and ethno-religious dynamics, conflict and human rights, Latino politics, women and politics, political economy, and political psychology. Our programs offer one of the best student-to-faculty ratios in the U.S. of almost 1:1.

The School of Politics and Global Studies is host to the Future Security Initiative, the Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research, and to an experimental lab. Many of our faculty are active in collaborative, interdisciplinary research at ASU and with scholars at other universities, and have won major grants and awards

Please note that these programs have a fall-entry only admission cycle. Applications for the following fall are due on January 2 of each year for the PhD program, and April 1 of each year for the MA program.

Review the application information available on the ASU Graduate Admission’s website for information on admission procedures. If you have any questions, please contact our Graduate Coordinator, Jenna Roelle, at Jenna.Roelle@asu.edu. Thank you again for your interest in our programs and we look forward to speaking with you soon!

Timothy M. Peterson 

Associate Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor

Email: timothy.m.peterson@asu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are GRE scores required?

A: SPGS is waiving the GRE requirement for the PhD in Political Science for fall 2024 admissions. The GRE is not required for the MA in Political Science.

Q: When is the deadline to apply?

A: The deadline for the following fall is January 2 each year for the PhD program; the deadline for MA applications is April 1 each year. These programs do not offer spring admissions. All materials must be received by the application deadline to be reviewed by the faculty admissions committee. This includes test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. We encourage all applicants to monitor deadlines to ensure application materials are received by the deadline. All materials must be submitted by this date in order to be reviewed. All application materials must be submitted through ASU Graduate Admissions.

Q: How many students will you be accepting?

A: The number of students accepted into the incoming cohort fluctuates every year and is determined by the strength of the applicant pool.

Q: When will I find out about the status of my application?

A: All applications will be evaluated by a faculty committee after the deadline. Once a determination has been made on a candidate’s status, accepted students will see a “congratulations” letter on their MyASU page. Applicants not accepted to the program will be also be notified via their MyASU page. If you have not received communication in one of these two formats within 8 weeks of the application deadline, please contact the Graduate Coordinator (Jenna.Roelle@asu.edu). Please note an application must be complete or “Under Review” status for an admission determination to be made.

Q: How do I send ASU my transcripts/TOEFL scores/IELTS?

A: ASU accepts unofficial transcripts only as part of the online Graduate Admissions application. This is the only way ASU accepts unofficial transcripts. Please note that only one transcript document can be uploaded to the application, so applicants should combine multiple transcripts into one PDF document before uploading. Emailed transcripts from applicants are not acceptable. If you are admitted to ASU, you will be required to send official transcripts to Graduate Admissions. At that point, the applicant should contact the degree-granting institution and ask for official transcripts to be sent to the ASU Graduate Admissions office at the address below.

Test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) need to be official, and by definition, not emailed or scanned by the applicant. The applicant should contact the test administrator and ask for official test scores to be sent to the ASU Graduate Admissions office at the address below. Do not send any scores or application materials to the department either electronically or by postal mail. 

https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/apply

If utilizing postal mail services, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit scores and transcripts at least two weeks prior to the deadline. It is recommended not to wait until the last week to send ASU scores or information; the Office of Graduate Admissions can take up to 10 business days from the date of receipt to upload any information into an application.

Please see https://admission.asu.edu/transcripts for a list of electronic transcript services accepted by ASU. Transcripts being sent via one of these three services may be sent directly to gradtranscripts@asu.edu

Official transcripts, and other application materials should be sent to:

Regular Mail

Admission Services Applicant Processing

Arizona State University

PO Box 871004

Tempe, AZ 85287-1004

FedEx, DHL, UPS

Arizona State University

Admission Services Applicant Processing

1150 E. University Drive, Bldg. C, Room 226

Tempe, AZ 85281

Q: What are the guidelines for the personal statement and writing sample?

A: The personal statement (1-3 pages) should describe the area(s) of political science you wish to study, your post-graduation goals, and why you feel the School of Politics and Global Studies is the best fit for you. You may also mention any particular faculty members with whom you are interested in working and why, as well as provide context for any discrepancies in your previous educational background.

The writing sample is typically a previously written research or other similar paper that best demonstrates your critical thinking and writing skills in political science or a related field. There is not a length requirement for the writing sample, but it should be of sufficient length to allow the admissions committee to evaluate your knowledge and skills.

Q: I’m having trouble with my letters of recommendation, what should I do?

A: The letter of recommendation request will be generated when the applicant submits their application and pays the application fee. Letter writers will receive an email inviting them to write a letter on the applicant’s behalf and a link to follow. The letter of recommendation process requires the writer to score the candidate and upload a recommendation letter. This link will stay active for only 30 days from the date it is opened. If a letter writer is working and does not finish the process, they need to save their work. Please see https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/letter-of-recommendation for more information.

Applicants can manage the status of their letters through their MyASU page, send reminders to letter writers, and be alerted when materials have been received. It is the applicants’ responsibility to assist letter writers well before the application deadline to ensure materials are received in time. For assistance with letters of recommendation, contact the Graduate Admission Services technical support team at gograd@asu.edu or 480-965-6113.

Q: What is the minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score?

A: The School of Politics and Global Studies follows university standards for English proficiency. Please see the ASU Graduate Admissions website for information on the various requirements for English proficiency and exemptions: https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency.

Admitted International doctoral students offered a funded Teaching Assistant position must fulfill an additional English language speaking requirement. Please visit the International Teaching Assistant website for multiple ways to meet this requirement: https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/special-programs/international-teaching-assistant.

Q: What are the Teaching Assistant (TA) or Research Assistant (RA) opportunities available to me?

A: All PhD applicants are considered for funding; no separate application is required. Students who are selected for admission will be notified about funding opportunities if eligible. At this time, funding is reserved for students pursuing the PhD degree only. Our typical PhD funding package includes up to five years of support, contingent on continued satisfactory progress in the program, including a stipend, health insurance and tuition coverage. Students are responsible for paying mandatory university fees. A small number of Research Assistant positions are typically available each year.

International graduate students who are offered a TA funding package must fulfill an additional spoken English language requirement. Funding offers are contingent on meeting one of the four options described at https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/special-programs/international-teaching-assistant.