Ph.D. application deadline: December 15, 2008
M.A. only application deadline: April 1, 2009
Applications are submitted online
Application to the Department of Political Science should be made through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). Apply online at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/.
Questions regarding the admissions process should be directed to the GSAS Office of Admissions at 212-854-4737 or gsas-admit@columbia.edu.
Applicants may submit hard copies of letters of evaluation online. Transcripts and standarized test scores should be submitted as hard copy.
Please direct application materials sent by mail to:
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Columbia University
107 Low Memorial Library
535 West 116th Street, MC 4304
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027
U.S.A.
ETS code for GRE and TOEFL: 2162
Application requirements:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent (a Master's degree is not required for eligibility)
- Online Application
- Application fee $85
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Writing Sample no longer than 20 pages
- 3 letters of recommendation, submitted on-line or in sealed envelopes
- Transcripts of all post-secondary (after high school) education, submitted in sealed envelopes
- GRE exam (required of all applicants including those with graduate degrees)
- TOEFL exam (required of international applicants including those with English-language graduate degrees)
About the Program
We offer two programs, the program leading to the Master of Arts in political science is called the MAO (standing for Master's only) program and the program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in political science is called the Ph.D. program.
The M.Phil. degree certifies that a candidate for the Ph.D. has completed all the requirements for the Ph.D. except for the dissertation. It is the equivalent of all-but-dissertation (ABD) status. It is not a separate degree program offered in this department, and therefore one cannot apply to the M.Phil. program.
- Applications are accepted for full-time study only, and for the fall semester of each academic year. No applications are reviewed for spring semester admission.
Note for PhD applicants: Applicants who do not hold graduate degrees should apply for the M.A./M.Phil./Ph.D. program. Applicants already holding the M.A. in political science should apply for the M.Phil./Ph.D. program. It is the same program as the M.A./M.Phil/Ph.D. program and the applicants will be considered together. The different name only distinguishes between applicants who won't be awarded the M.A. from Columbia but instead must receive advanced standing. Applicants holding graduate degrees in other fields (philosophy, international relations/affairs, public affairs, area studies, journalism, economics, law) should apply for the M.A./M.Phil./Ph.D. program.
- The GSAS Admissions office phone number is (212) 854-4737.
- The GSAS Admissions office fax number is (212) 854-2863.
- The ETS code (the GSAS Institution Code for submitting TOEFL and GRE scores) is 2162. There is no separate departmental code for political science.
Please visit the FAQ section of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions web page for more information on submitting the application:http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/pstudents/admissions/faq/index.html
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Procedural Matters
Q. How do I obtain information about the program?
A. The department does not print a paper brochure for distribution through the mail. Information about the program is available throughout this site and in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin at
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/departments/political-science/department.html
Please use the "View Printable Version" option at the top of each page on our site if you would like to print for yourself a hard copy of our program information.
Q. How do I obtain application forms?
A. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not distribute printed versions of the application through the mail. GSAS recommends that prospective students complete applications on-line at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/pstudents/admissions/apply/index.html. When using the online application process, you will still need to submit transcripts, supplemental material (optional writing sample) and standardized test scores separately. Letters of evaluation can be submitted on-line.
Q. Is it possible to waive my application fee?
A. You may request a waiver of your application fee if you are a currently
enrolled student at a U.S. college or university and your financial aid
office certifies your need for a fee waiver. Such a letter must
accompany your application.
Q. How many copies of my transcript do you need?
A. The application requires one official copy of each transcript from every post-secondary (college, professional school, university, etc.) institution you have attended. Even if the school was part of an exchange program with your primary college or university, you should contact the school for an official transcript. Although the courses should appear on your degree transcript, the grades may not, and we need to see grades for all courses you have taken.
*International Students - you must include official copies of each of your transcripts in their original language. You must also include a certified English translation for each foreign language transcript. (Students from countries in which English is the official language need submit only the official copies.)
Q. Do you require a writing sample or other supplementary material?
A. Yes, a writing sample is required for the GSAS application. The online application allows students applying to the Political Science Department to upload other supplementary materials. Please limit all submissions to 20 pages.
Q. Is it okay if my TOEFL scores arrive late?
A. Those applicants who are required to take the TOEFL cannot be considered without TOEFL scores. Mid-January is probably early enough for receipt of scores. Again, the Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications as soon as they are received in the department.
Q. How will I know if you have received all the parts of my application?
A. Letters submitted through GSAS's system, ApplyYourself do not automatically post to our tracking system. Their receipt must be manually entered by the admissions office, resulting in a delay between the notification of submission of the letter by your evaluator and posting of its receipt to GSAS's tracking site.
Also, application materials received are not posted to the tracking system until after an application has been submitted. There may be a delay of up to 10-15 business days after submission of the application in the posting of information to the online tracking system. So please check periodically before contacting the GSAS admissions office.
Columbia GSAS offers a grace period of two weeks after the application deadline for receipt of supporting
materials.
*Materials for the application should be submitted to the GSAS Admissions office at 107 Low Memorial Library. Any items received by the department will be forwarded to the Admissions Office without being opened, so that it can be catalogued. As the department does not hold any files at its office, inquiries as to the status of your application, including what items have been received or are missing, should be directed to the GSAS Admissions office. The GSAS Admissions office phone number is (212) 854-4737.
Q. Does the department conduct admissions interviews? Can I visit campus, visit the department, speak with someone about admissions?
A. Because we receive about 600 applications per year, we cannot conduct admissions interviews, and we lack the person power to provide general briefings to visitors. However, the Graduate Program Coordinator will be happy to try to answer any specific questions you have via email. Write to cc2500@columbia.edu. You can also contact specific professors whom you intend to work with to see if they are available to meet with you or whether you can attend a session of their class.
Feel free to take a self-guided tour of campus. Or you may take a campus tour through the Visitors Center. Please call (212) 854-4902 to make arrangements or see http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/visiting/ for more details.
Q. I have previously applied to the Graduate School. Do I need to resubmit all the application material, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, etc.?
A. Yes. If you are reapplying for the next academic year you do need to submit all new materials such as a new application and all new supporting documents. The one exception is GRE scores. Your GRE scores are kept on file in the admissions office for up to one year and therefore do not need to be resubmitted if you are applying for the next academic year.
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Other Questions
Q. What are my funding opportunities?
A. All Ph.D. program applicants, including international applicants, are eligible for fellowship support. Except in very rare cases, students admitted to the program are admitted with an offer of multi-year fellowship support guaranteed for up to five years.
The fellowship covers tuition, the health services fee and medical insurance, and pays a stipend of $21,000 this year. Several fees are not covered. These include the university transcript fee, which is charged to you only once, and the other fees which recur every term. These are the international student fee, where applicable; the student activities fee; and the university facilities fee. The fees not automatically covered add up to about $180 (excluding the int'l student fee).
Unfortunately, there is no fellowship support available for the M.A. only program.
Information on GSAS tuition and fees can be obtained from the brochure available at the following web address: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/fees.pdf.
Q. What is the minimum level you require on the GRE exam?
A. We have no set minimum, and since our applicants come from all over the world, actual GRE scores vary quite a bit. In general, persons offered admission to the program have GRE scores in the 90th percentile. Verbal scores are sometimes lower for applicants whose first language is not English.
Q. I have already taken the LSAT or GMAT. Can I use that instead of the GRE?
A. No. You must take the GRE. Other scores are not comparable.
Q. When should I take the GRE's?
A. If you take the "pencil-and-paper" GRE, we recommend that you do so no later than October. This will ensure that we receive the scores before the admissions deadline.
The computerized GRE may be taken later. Please contact the Educational Testing Service for the schedule. Phone ETS at 609-771-7670, or access the web site at www.ets.org/.
Q. Are GRE Subject Tests required?
A. No. Only the GRE General Test is required for consideration.
Q. I've heard that Taiwanese, Chinese and Korean students may only submit scores from the paper-based GRE, not the electronic version. Is that true?
A. In the past, students taking the GRE in these locations were stongly urged to take the paper-based test. According to the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the issues related to the unreliability of the computer-based GRE examinations in these locations have been resolved.
If the computer-based examination is offered where you are, please use that version.
Q. What is the minimum GPA that you require?
A. We have no set minimum. Our applicants come from all over the world. Not every institution uses a 4 point grade scale and actual GPA’s vary quite a bit. In general, persons offered admission to the program have GPA’s that are high for the institutions they come from -- top 5-10% of their class and 3.6 and above at U.S. institutions.
Q. What is the minimum TOEFL that you require?
A. We require a minimum of 600 on the paper-based exam and 250 on the electronic version. Applicants whose scores are below these levels should not apply.
Q. Am I exempt from taking the TOEFL if I have a Master’s degree from an American university?
A. No, you must take the TOEFL.
Only students who have a bachelor’s degree from the United States (not including Puerto Rico) or an equivalent degree from an institution in a country whose official language is English are exempt from taking the TOEFL exam.
Q. Are international applicants treated the same as American applicants in consideration for admission and financial support?
A. Yes.
Q. What are the main criteria that determine the likelihood of being accepted into the program?
A. We have about 600 applicants and we have an entering class of 20. So it is difficult to answer this question. The main thing we are looking for is evidence that the person will make an excellent professional political scientist. There are no weights assigned to the separate components of the application and the faculty members of the admissions committee will review each component carefully.
Q. I am pursuing other academic opportunities for the coming year. If I receive a grant to conduct research abroad, will I have to mention it on my application? If I were to get it, can I also incorporate it into my PhD program or will I have to defer my admission into the program?
A. If you are admitted to the program and instead choose to go to elsewhere that year, we will not register you in the program and we are also likely to refuse to defer your admission. You would have to reapply.
A. Am I allowed to apply to other MA or PhD programs in the Graduate School, or other Schools at Columbia University (such as SIPA, the Law School, etc.) at the same time that I am applying to the Political Science Department?
Q. In any given term, a student may only apply for study under one department, program or subcommittee, including the biomedical Ph.D. programs housed at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Applicants who file more than one application in a given semester will be notified and asked to withdraw one of the applications.
Separate applications for other schools at the University may be submitted, however.
Q. What is the difference between SIPA and Political Science?
A. The Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Political Science are offered through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Although there is obvious overlap in the subject areas of the degree programs of SIPA and the Political Science Department, and in practice quite a bit of overlap as well (students in each program can and do take classes in the other), GSAS and SIPA are wholly separate institutions and the MA and PhD degree programs in the Department of Political Science are distinct from the master's and doctoral degrees offered through SIPA .
Generally speaking (and for this you'd be best served by contacting an admissions counselor at SIPA), the MIA, MPA, and other degree programs at SIPA are professional degree programs for people who intend to work on policy, whether for the US or foreign governments, inter-governmental organizations, non-government organizations, think tanks, etc. The courses in the political science department focus on theoretical and research approaches in the discipline, and the program is geared towards training students for a future in academia.
Note that students in and graduates of the MA program typically go into similar fields and careers as do the graduates of SIPA's master's degree programs. Additionally, the MAO program is flexible to serve the many interests of its students and so political science MA candidates often take full advantage of the course offerings of the School of International and Public Affairs. However, the MA program in political science can be designed to be more similar to a first-year PhD course of study. Indeed, many of the students enroll in the MA program to figure out whether they want to continue on to PhD programs in political science.
Although, as above, it is possible to submit applications both to SIPA and GSAS, students considering both the Political Science Department's MAO program and the MIA/MPA programs at SIPA should carefully review the information available on both programs before submitting an application.
Q. I keep seeing the term "Residence Unit." What is a Residence Unit?
A. Each residence unit is the equivalent of one semester of full-time tuition. Two RU's are required for the M.A., and an additional four are required for the M.Phil. A Residence Unit does not mean you have to live at Columbia in a dorm or Columbia Real Estate (although you are expected to live in the the greater metropolitan area during the academic year).
Q. How does Advanced Standing work?
A. See here.
Q. Can I incorporate previous graduate work into the Ph.D. program offered at Columbia?
A. We will be able to count some of your courses toward requirements, e.g., toward "research tools" requirements or quantitative requirements if you've taken courses of that kind. Depending on what courses you previously completed, there might also be one or two additional courses we can count toward requirements. But our main requirement is to pass the Ph.D. comprehensive examination (or “comps”), which is to be done after four semesters of coursework. Your courses at another institution will probably also be helpful to some degree in passing these. Overall, however, it's not likely that your previous coursework will shorten the time that it takes you to prepare for the comps -- if at all, probably by only one semester.
Q. Are there fellowships and teaching assistantships available?
A. The department's current practice is to only admit those students whom we have the budget to fund completely, and to make a guaranteed multi-year commitment of 4 or 5 years to each admitted student. In other words, an admission offer is a fellowship offer. Additionally, all students in years two through five of the program are on fellowship, as are some students in years six and seven. Most fellowships include a teaching obligation beginning after the first year. There are no separate teaching assistantships; the teaching assistantship program is incorporated into the fellowship program.
Q. If I do not get a fellowship, can I get a teaching assistantship?
A. See preceding item.
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Decisions
Q. When will I receive a decision from Columbia University?
A. Decision letters are mailed to Ph.D. program applicants no later than mid-April. Decisions for the M.A. program are made on a rolling basis; letters will begin being mailed in early May and through the summer as decisions are made on each file.
Note: A prospective student whose application to the Ph.D. program is rejected may be considered for the MAO program. Once you receive your decision notice from GSAS, if you would like to be considered for the MAO program, please notify GSAS in writing.
Q. If I'm accepted, can I defer my admission?
A. Generally, deferrals are not permitted; however, on very rare occasions it may be possible to defer your admission from Fall to Spring. Deferrals from one academic year to the next will not be granted. If you are unable to register in the term for which you were admitted, you must make a written request to the Office of Admissions to reactivate your application. Fellowship awards are not deferred.
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