Education and Social Policy: Admissions Requirements

To apply for admission in the education and social policy Ph.D. program, see http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/apply/ for detailed instructions, web-based forms and contact information.

Program-specific admissions requirements include:

• Completed University of Delaware Graduate Studies application. In the application, prospective students should indicate the area of interest they wish to study (though the program is designed to be flexible as students clarify their area of interest).
• A writing sample, such as a college paper, master’s thesis, journal publication or report.
• A personal statement, between two and three pages, which should address the following topics/questions:
  • Describe your interest in education and/or social policy, including your research area interest.
  • What is your prior experience, research or otherwise (for credit, as an intern, as a job or any other relevant practical or industry-related experiences)?
  • What are your specific research and educational goals?
  • What are your long-term professional career objectives?
  • How do you see this program assisting you with achieving your objectives?
  • Describe how your interests intersect with those of one or more education and social policy faculty members.
• GREs are OPTIONAL for the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Official, up-to-date transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate programs. Applicants are required to have a B.A. or B.S. All majors are eligible. A minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 is competitive.
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals with knowledge of the applicant's research experience, academic preparation and potential ability as a graduate student.
• International students must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (minimum score: 100) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (minimum score 7.0). TOEFL and IELTS scores more than two years old cannot be considered official.

Application Deadline

The deadline for all applications is Dec. 15 for study beginning the following fall term.

In general, it is not possible to take required core courses before being admitted. The required core courses are generally restricted to students already admitted into the program.

Financial Support

Each student will receive a support package that includes an academic year stipend, tuition and health fees for four years. Summer support will not be guaranteed, but will be provided based on available grants and fellowships.

Students may seek financial aid opportunities, such as fellowships or scholarships, from sources within the University and from private and federal agencies. Students may review the Graduate College's funding opportunities listing for details.

Graduate students in the education and social policy program may be funded from different sources, including external grants, teaching assistantships or fellowships. Typically, graduate assistants (GA) will be funded by research grants and contracts provided by external funding agencies. The student’s GA advisor is responsible for defining the student's responsibilities and for evaluating the student's performance. The amount of service or research may vary from week to week, but the average is 20 hours per week.

As available and relevant to the student’s career goals, teaching assistantships (TAs) will be offered for graduate students to perform teaching and other instructional activities. The amount of service may vary from week to week, but the average is 20 hours per week. A teaching assistantship provides full tuition and a stipend.