Political ScienceGraduate Program Admission
Applications for admission are welcomed from candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy as well as for the two-year Master of Arts (MA) degree.
Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, sex, age, or physical handicaps. Competition for admission is very strong and admissions decisions are made by a committee of the Department, in consultation with the Graduate School, on merit and promise and with a view to diversity of interests and backgrounds.
"Can you tell me what GRE score I would need to be competitive for the graduate program?"
There is no specific minimum GRE or GPA requirement. GRE scores and GPAs are considered alongside several other factors during the application review process. See the Duke Graduate School Admission Statistics section webpage for the average GRE scores and GPAs of previously admitted applicants.
Application Process
Deadlines
Deadlines are for receipt of application and supporting documents that includes transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, English language scores, and writing sample. Incomplete applications will not be considered until all supporting documents are received. Late applications will not be processed until all on-time applications have been handled.
PhD Applicants – We only offer a fall start for the PhD program, with a target class size of 8-12 students. Applications must be submitted online NO LATER than December 18 of the calendar year prior to admission.
MA Applicants – Students have the opportunity to start the MA program in the fall or the spring. The fall class target size is 7-10 students, and the spring class target size is 2-3 students. Applications for fall admission must be submitted online NO LATER than February 17 of the calendar year of admission. Applications for spring admission must be submitted online NO LATER than October 1 of the calendar year prior to admission.
Submission Requirements
- Duke does not accept applications for transfer into the PhD or MA programs from other programs.
- Applicants must offer verbal, quantitative and writing aptitude scores on the GRE.
- Ordinarily, applicants will have earned the BA or BS degree with at least 12 undergraduate semester hours in political science.
- Three letters of recommendation and an undergraduate transcript are required.
- English language proficiency test scores (if English is not your first language)
- A writing sample of 10-20 pages is requested.
- Application fee is $95.
To complete your online application, go to Duke Graduate School Application Instructions.
"Who should write letters of recommendation for my application?"
If you are a current undergraduate, your letters of recommendation should come from faculty members, especially political science faculty. If you are not a current undergraduate, not only do we want letters of recommendation from faculty who know you, we also want a letter from your current employer, if applicable.
Writing Samples
While the Graduate School does not require a writing sample, the Political Science Department finds them very helpful. The submission of a writing sample is required for all Ph.D. and master’s program applicants. This is generally a seminar paper written for a political science class or an article you have written/co-written and/or published/co-published.
Writing samples should be limited to fewer than 12,000 words. Works Cited and appendices do not count towards this limit. Samples should be uploaded to the Departmental Requirements section of the application.
English Language Proficiency Tests
The Duke Graduate School requires that any applicant whose native language is not English submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic modules of International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In response to the temporary closings of testing centers in countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Graduate School will also accept Duolingo English Test examination results for the 2020-2021 application cycle as an alternative to TOEFL and IELTS examinations. Only Duolingo English Test scores with subscores will be accepted. If you took the test prior to July 15, 2019, you will need to retake the test to comply with the subscores requirement.
To be eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo English Test waiver, you must have studied full-time for two years or more at a college or university where the sole language of instruction is English and in a country where English is the primary spoken language. The two years of study must be completed prior to the start of the program.
For more information see English Language Proficiency Test Scores.
"What are my chances of being accepted?"
We typically receive more than 350 applications to our PhD program but can only matriculate 12-15 students a year which means we must regretfully refuse admission to a large number of otherwise qualified applicants. No one factor determines whether an applicant is admitted or not. It is our practice to review all of the information included in admissions files before reaching a final decision.
Important Things to Know
DEADLINES – Applications deadlines for 2025
- PhD applicants – Due Wednesday, December 18, 2024
- MA applicants – Due Monday, February 17, 2025
- MA (spring start) – Due Tuesday, October 1, 2024
ORIENTATION – Our orientation begins in mid-August, two weeks before classes begin. It is mandatory for all new students to attend the Orientation Session.
SUBFIELDS – On the application, after entering Political Science as the “Proposed Department,” you will be offered a menu of subfields in the "Special Field" area. There are six subfields within political science:
- Normative Political Theory & Philosophy
- Political Behavior and Identities
- Political Institutions
- Political Economy
- Political Methodology
- Security, Peace & Conflict
On your application, please enter the subfield that best describes your area of interest.
RECOMMENDATION LETTERS – Please note:
- If you are a current undergraduate, your letters of recommendation should come from faculty members, especially political science faculty.
- If you are not a current undergraduate, not only do we want letters of recommendation from faculty who know you, we also want a letter from your current employer, if applicable.
GPA/GRE – Performing well on the GRE is important for a competitive application. We do not have minimum thresholds for the GRE scores.
The code number for Duke University Graduate School is 5156. Because you are applying for admission to the Graduate School at Duke University, you do not need a department code.
QUALIFICATIONS – No one factor determines whether an applicant is admitted or not. It is our practice to review all of the information included in admissions files before reaching a final decision.
- Our Admissions Committee screens each application for several factors:
- Does the applicant's academic background indicate the applicant's ability to successfully complete the PhD degree? (type/number/grade of courses taken as undergraduate, and where applicable, as master's student)
- Does the applicant's statement of purpose indicate the applicant's ability and desire to successfully complete the PhD degree? (background/field of interest/goals and/or ideas/theories/literature)
- Do the applicant's letters of recommendation indicate that the applicant has an outstanding aptitude, knowledge and record of performance?
- Is the applicant's writing sample of the highest quality?
- Is there a faculty match?
- Do the applicant's test scores indicate strong analytical, quantitative and writing abilities?
- If the primary language of the applicant is not English, does the applicant demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency?
- Our Admissions Committee also looks at the needs of the Department (e.g. how many students in a given subfield is desirable) and ranks the applicants accordingly.