Graduate Admissions

Students with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university may apply to the M.A. or to the Ph.D. program. Admission is granted without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, national origin, or disability. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Only completed applications are considered. MA applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for Fall or Spring admission (but see priority application deadlines below). PhD applications are reviewed after the January 1 deadline for Fall admission. Applicants can indicate interest in departmental funding at the time of application (see https://polisci.unl.edu/student-funding for more information). Please do not email application materials as we cannot review them outside of the online application system.

Spring 2024 priority deadline (MA applicants only): October 1, 2023

Fall 2024 priority deadline (MA and PhD applicants): January 1, 2024

A completed application includes:

1. A completed UNL Graduate Studies application form
2. Payment of the Graduate Studies application fee ($50)
3. Official grade transcripts from all colleges attended
4. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty members familiar with one's potential for graduate study
5. GRE Scores (optional)
6. Writing sample (a college term paper, research report, or essay)
7. Personal statement (2 pages)
8. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (1-2 pages)
9. TOEFL or IETLS score (international students only) - see https://graduate.unl.edu/admissions/english-proficiency for more information on university language requirements

Degree Requirements