Double Dawg Programs

Each semester the MIP director hosts an in-person information session for students interested in participating in one of the MIP Double Dawg programs.

Fall 2025 information sessions dates

Monday, September 8th @ 4 PM
Tuesday, September 9th @ 4 PM

Spring 2026 information sessions dates

Monday, February 9th @ 4 PM
Tuesday, February 10 @ 4 PM

Each session will be held in CITS Conference Room located on the 6th floor in the old Bank of America Building (110 E. Clayton Street).

The information sessions will last approximately 1 hour and will discuss the MIP program, how to apply, and application materials.  Additionally, representatives from SPIA’s undergraduate and graduate advising will be present to answer student questions.

Deadline to Submit Pathway Application Materials

The deadline to submit MIP Double Dawg Pathway Application materials for students intending to enroll in graduate courses for Spring 2026 is Friday, October 17th.  Students will be notified via email of their acceptance or denial to the pathway prior to registration for fall semester but no later than Monday, November 3rd.

The deadline to submit MIP Double Dawg Pathway Application materials for students intending to enroll in graduate courses for Fall 2026 is Monday, March 16th.  Students will be notified via email of their acceptance or denial to the pathway prior to registration for fall semester but no later than Monday, April 6th.

The Double Dawg program has two distinct application phases. Phase I is applying for acceptance to the pathway. Acceptance to the pathway permits students to register for MIP graduate courses. If students successfully complete graduate coursework in the pathway, they may progress to Phase II, applying for admission to the Graduate School and formally matriculating into the MIP program.

Phase I:  Applying for Acceptance to the Pathway 

Step 1: Login to Athena and select “apply” for the appropriate pathway. 

Step 2: Complete the MIP Double Dawgs Pathway Application form and submit to your respective undergraduate advisor to confirm eligibility and sign. Following are the minimum requirements for applying to the pathway:

-Minimum 3.5 UGA GPA

-Minimum 60 hours in-progress with at least 30 hours of UGA coursework (excluding AP, IB, or transfer credits)

-9 hours of major coursework completed or in-progress

*Note:  Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance to the pathway. There are limited seats for pathway students and acceptance is competitive.

Step 3:  Meet with your undergraduate and graduate advisors to develop a personal program of study using this form. The personal program of study outlines the specific courses and number of hours that the student plans to take each semester to successfully complete the Double Dawg program. The Graduate Program Administrator must sign off on this form before you submit it with the Pathway application.

Step 4:  Draft a resume

Step 5: Personal statement.  Your personal statement should be no longer than two pages (11-12 point font and approximately 500 – 600 words) and should address the following three topics.  First, briefly discuss your career aspirations, for example, where do you aspire to work after graduation (an international organization, federal government, or industry), what are your long-term professional goals, et cetera?  Second, please discuss how you envision UGA’s Master of International Policy (MIP) program assisting you with achieving your career goals.  For example, what knowledge and skills do you hope to gain, are you primarily interested in energy security, human security, or nonproliferation issues, are there particular classes in which you hope to enroll, or professors you would like to work with, et cetera?  Finally, expound on any education, work experiences, language skills, et cetera, that are exceptionally relevant to or have informed your career goals.

Step 6:  Submit all application materials to Dr. Joshua Massey ([email protected]) with Ashley Tiller ([email protected]) in CC prior to the respective semester deadline for review by the admissions committee. A full application includes applying via Athena and submission of the the following materials:

MIP DD Pathway Application

MIP DD Program of Study Form

-Resume

-Personal Statement

Phase II:  Applying to the Graduate School and Master of International Policy (MIP) program

Upon successful completion of graduate coursework while in the pathway, students may apply to formally matriculate into the Master of International Policy program.  Students typically spend two semesters in the pathway prior to applying for admission to the Graduate School and formally matriculating into the MIP, however, the number of semesters spent in the pathway may vary. Please note, students participating in the Double Dawg pathway are not required to submit a GRE score for admission to the Graduate School. Additionally, Double Dawg students may matriculate into either the Spring or Fall semester.

Applicants must provide the following in their application to the Graduate School:

-Personal Statement

-Resume or CV

-3 letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty who have taught you in graduate-level classes

Applications are completed online. You should submit your complete application by the priority deadline (December 1 for Spring matriculants, February 1 for Fall matriculants) in the semester prior to which you plan to matriculate.