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Admission FAQs for Prospective MA Students See our M.A. Program FAQs for more general information about the program. What
are the minimum requirements for admission? The
minimum requirements for admission to our Master's program are as
follows:
How
can I apply? Applicants
can apply via mail or the web, but online applications are
preferred. The online application can be found here. We also prefer that
applicants submit most of their documents online,
including letters of recommendation, the personal statement, writing samples,
and resume. The only credentials that must be mailed separately are
academic transcripts and any submissions that are not word-processed
documents (e.g., videotapes, artwork, photocopies of articles).
Students applying on-line should also note that all supporting
documentation must be submitted before the
January 4th deadline of the respective year they are applying for.
When
is the application deadline? The
application deadline is the January 4th prior to the Fall semester
you are applying for. In the case where January 4th falls on a
weekend day, then the deadline will fall on the Monday immediately
following. While applicants are
guaranteed consideration when submissions are received by January 4th,
if spaces are still available, applications received after that date will be
considered on a rolling basis. Is
there anything else I need to know about the application process? It
is very important that you send your application and supporting documentation
in one package. Your physical application will be sent to various offices, and
it is possible that any credentials that are sent separate from your
application may not make it into your file in time for review. For this reason, when possible, have
the application components sent to you in a sealed envelope and, without
opening the documents, include it in your submission. Must
my bachelor's degree be in Political Science in order to apply? No.
Who should write my letters
of recommendation? The Graduate School requires that at least one letter be from an academic. For the others, you should choose individuals
who are best able to evaluate whether you are qualified for an MA program in
Politics. Usually, but not always,
the best people to get these letters from are academics. However, if you have been out of school
for a number of years, you may want letters from non-academics, but please remember
that they are not always in a good position to tell the admissions committee
what we need to know. Choose references
that are in the best position to give the admissions committee relevant
information, remembering that at least one of these must come from an
academic. What
must I include in my statement of purpose? This
should be clear and concise
statement of what you want to accomplish while enrolled in the MA program. One or two pages should suffice. Can
the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) be waived? No.
Under no circumstances can the GRE be waived. They are required for all
students. Please note that GRE scores are valid for only five years. Should
your GRE scores expire before the application deadline for the year you are
applying, then you must retake the GRE and submit the new scores. What
are the minimum GRE scores for admission? Based
on past accepted applicants, the median scores fall into the 80th
percentile for each section of the general GRE exam. For information on the GRE
please visit the official website at www.gre.org. Can
the TOEFL be waived for international students? International
students can waive the TOEFL or TOEFLC only if their first language of
instruction at the institution in which they received their degree was in
English. Or if the official language of the country in which they reside is
English. The TOEFL or TOEFLC cannot be waived under any other circumstance. Can
the Master's program be done on a part-time
basis? Yes,
the Master's program in politics can be completed on a part-time basis.
Part-time students usually take one to two courses a semester. What
is the typical amount of time it takes to complete the Masters Program? Students
can complete the Master's program in as little as 9 months, though it is a very
intensive route. On average, students take a year to a year and a half to
complete the program. Part time students usually finish in 2 to 3 years. There
is a time limit of 5 years for students to complete the program. How
can the language requirement be satisfied? The
language requirement must be satisfied post admission. Any language coursework completed prior to
being admitted will not satisfy this requirement. There
are three ways to satisfy the language requirement: á
students can take a
language proficiency exam, á
students can take a
departmental statistics course, which substitutes for a language, á
or students can take an
undergraduate, second semester, intermediate language course and earn a grade
of B or better. Can
the language requirement be waived? Students
can petition to waive the language requirement only if;
Student's
who petition to waive the language requirement via field research must produce
supporting documentation from the institution who supervised their research. Can
I take courses without being in a degree program? Applicants
may apply as non-degree students, but they still must meet all the admissions
requirements and deadlines set for applicants pursuing a degree. Can
I transfer from the Master's Program to the Doctoral Program? Rarely
does a student transfer from the Master's Program to the Doctoral Program, but
it does open opportunities at other universities. Can
I enroll in the Doctoral program once I complete the Master's Program? Once
a student has completed the Master's program, he or she may apply to the
Doctoral program, but acceptance is by no means guaranteed. How
can I get an application? New
York University no longer mails hardcopy application bulletins. The application
and all applicable information are available online from Graduate Enrollment
Services at www.nyu.edu/gsas/Admissions/.
How
much is tuition? For
current tuition rates and fees please visit the New York University Bursar's
office at www.nyu.edu/bursar/tuition. Is
there funding available for Master's students? In general there is no
funding available from New York University for Master's students. Students are
encouraged to obtain funding from external sources. For more information on
funding resources please visit the Financial Aid Department at www.nyu.edu/financial.aid. The
only instance in which a Master's student is eligible for funding is through
the Tuition Incentive Program (TIP). To be eligible for the TIP, a student must
have been awarded an external scholarship, fellowship, or grant. For more information
on TIP please visit www.nyu.edu/gsas/admissions/financial_gsas. Is
there an open house or information session I can attend? The
Graduate School of Arts and Science hosts one open-house per year, usually in
November. For more information please contact Graduate Enrollment Services at
(212) 998-8040. Can
I meet with faculty or sit in on a class? This
is entirely up to the discretion of the specific faculty member. Contact
information for our faculty can be found at www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/politics/office_hours.
When addressing faculty we request that you keep your questions
academic in nature. Administrative questions can be directed to the Graduate Administrative
Aide, Carlos Rios. |