How to Apply?

• A master's degree with minimum GPA 3.5 (4 Scale)
• Overall GPA 3.3 (4 Scale) in undergraduate education
• GRE is optional, though applicants may upload it if they wish
  
• TOEFL /IELTS Required  (If Applicable)

Students may apply to the ASPECT Ph.D. Program on the basis of actual completion of an M.A degree or equivalent (e.g., M.S, M.Arch., M.B.A., or J.D.) or on the promise that an M.A. degree or equivalent will be obtained prior to entering the ASPECT Ph.D. program. Assuming that students accepted into the ASPECT program with a Master's degree or equivalent have completed 30 credit hours, they will then undertake a minimum of 60 semester hours of further study, leading to the defense of a Ph.D.

Ordinarily, applicants must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for all courses already taken as a graduate student. A minimum 3.3 grade point average is expected from their undergraduate education.

Bachelor degree holders (B.A./B.S.) and those in their graduating year of their bachelor's studies have the option of applying to the MA Program in Political Science, and subsequently (typically after their first year) qualify for an Accelerated Master's-ASPECT Ph.D. Sequence. In the five year sequence, students will complete an MA degree in Political Science and a Ph.D. in ASPECT.

Transcripts

You will need to supply a scanned copy of your college transcripts with your online application, then arrange for an official copy to be sent to us after you receive an offer of admission. Official and current transcripts are of all undergraduate and graduate coursework completed prior to applying to ASPECT (this is in addition to the set to be sent directly to the Graduate School). You are welcome to submit any additional information with application material that would be useful in the evaluation of your application.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required as part of your application. You will be asked to include the email contacts of three referees in your online application to upload into the online application portal. Referees will be prompted to upload their confidential letters into the portal. Applications submitted without letters of recommendation will be considered incomplete. You must ensure that all referees submit their letters prior to the deadline, or your application may not be considered during the admission cycle.

Writing Sample

You will need to submit a sample of written work. The writing sample may be a seminar and/or research paper, up to two chapters from a thesis, a conference paper, or a publication. The sample must be uploaded into the graduate school application portal alongside your other application materials.

Graduate School Testing Requirements

GRE scores are not required for the current application cycle. Applicants may upload a copy of their GRE scores in the application portal if they wish them to be considered as part of their application.

Letter of Interest and Curriculum Vitae

You will need to supply a letter of interest (3-4 pages) statement with a mature sense of research interests explaining how the ASPECT program, its faculty and mentoring opportunities will contribute to your research and career goals. This letter is required by the ASPECT along with your latest Curriculum Vitae.

Please address the following questions in the letter of interest:

• Why do you want to undertake graduate work?
• Why do you qualify to pursue a graduate degree at Virginia Tech?
• What do you expect to derive from your program of study?
• If you have a concentration or area of interest in mind, briefly outline your interests in this area.
• What do you expect to contribute as a student and subsequently as a member of the profession?
• If you have not previously indicated in your application the names of faculty members you are interested in working with, please include that information in this statement.

Applying as an International Student

International students might be required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores, immigration documents, and other additional materials with their application.

Additional Information/Supporting Material

Application Fees

Degree-seeking students must include a $75 fee with their application. Some applicants may qualify for a waiver or a reduced fee, based on Virginia Tech Graduate School policies. All application fees are non-refundable.

Application Fee Waivers

Veterans and other applicants are eligible for waivers of the application fee. This form includes the eligibility requirements.

To apply to the graduate program, students must submit the Virginia Tech Graduate School online application. 

Include a scanned copy of your college transcripts with your online application, then arrange for an official copy to be sent to us after you receive an offer of admission.

The official transcripts showing degree conferral should be sent directly from your institution(s) to Graduate Admissions:
_{Virginia Tech Graduate Admissions
120 Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown (Mail Code 0325)
155 Otey Street NW
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061}

 Send official scores to Virginia Tech Graduate School, code 5859.

ASPECT has a limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships available for students applying for full-time study on the Blacksburg Campus. Entering students can apply for such funding as part of their admissions application. There is no separate application required.

The Graduate School sends an official offer of admission to applicants upon the recommendation of the department faculty. Admitted applicants offered graduate assistantships at Virginia Tech are not required to commit to the assistantship offer until April 15. See the assistantships page for more details.