PhD in Public Policy

PhD Admission Requirements:

• A four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and a 45-quarter (equivalent) credit hour graduate degree from an accredited university.
• A master level degree from an accredited university with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. 
• Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the GRE is now optional for applications.
• Course transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
• Three letters of recommendation and recent resume. Reference letters and resumes should be submitted through the Graduate School application system.
• Statement of purpose concerning why the applicant would like to pursue the PhD in Public Policy at Oregon State University. The statement should include your reasons for applying to the program, academic and professional background information, policy interests, and any personal experiences or history that are related to your interests in public policy. 
• A writing sample. 
• Domestic students are strongly encouraged to submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Student Aid Report and to indicate if they are a veteran and/or a first generation college student.
• Identification of at least three possible mentors from the PhD Public Policy Faculty.
• Only applicants interested in a full-time resident PhD program should apply.

Satisfaction of minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants may far exceed the number of places available. As a consequence, many well-qualified applicants may not be accommodated.

OSU Graduate School Admissions Online Application

International Student Requirements:

General graduate admission standards for international students are available at: Graduate School Admissions Information; for specific country requirements also see: http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/international/requirements.html#country_requirements

All international applicants must meet minimum requirements as detailed above.

For calculation of U.S. equivalent grades, see: http://www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide/index.asp 

Please note that the Public Policy PhD Program does not consider Conditional Admission for international students who do not meet the minimum OSU TOEFL scores or that is below a combined 90. IELTS scores must be 7.0 or higher for consideration of admission to the PhD. 

Application Process:

Application forms required for admission are available on the OSU Graduate School website.

Deadline:

All applications for the PhD in Public Policy at Oregon State University must be complete by February 15 for full consideration for a Graduate Assistantship (for Fall Quarter admission only).  

For students who want to be considered for a Provost's Fellowship or Scholarship, the application deadline is January 20 for Fall Quarter admission.