MIP Admissions

The MIP admits traditional students for fall semester only.

Applications must be complete and ready for review in the Departmental Graduate Office by May 15th of the year for which you are applying.

APPLICATION DEADLINES
December 1: Priority deadline for those wishing to receive priority consideration for graduate assistantships. A brief grace period is available for letters of reference and GRE scores, but the online application must be submitted by December 1.

March 1: International Application deadline

May 15: Final Application deadline

Students who submit a complete application by December 1 will receive first-round consideration for graduate assistantships, fellowships, and other forms of financial support. Application decisions are released on a rolling basis through June 1. Funding is awarded on a rolling basis until exhausted.

Please read and follow these instructions carefully to avoid delay in our handling of your application. Both the Graduate School and the Department handle each application, and it hinders rather than expedites the process to send incorrect or unnecessary documents to either address.

For further information about graduate programs or for answers to questions about your application, please email the Graduate Program Administrator at [email protected].

You should submit all materials on the Graduate School’s online application portal, Slate. For detailed information, please see the Graduate School Admissions Requirements. You will need to submit the following:

1. Online Graduate School Application and fee ($75 domestic / $100 international). Please note that the Graduate School does not issue fee waivers based on financial need. Some applicants, such as McNair Scholars and veterans, may qualify for an application fee waiver: a full list of qualifying programs is here.

2. One unofficial transcript from each institution of higher education attended. You may upload transcripts through the application portal or mail them directly to the UGA Graduate School.

3. Official GRE general test score report. The UGA institutional code for ETS reporting is 5813.  No departmental code is required. The GRE is required of all applicants (except Double Dawgs Pathway students), including those applicants whose native language is English.

4. International applicants please see additional requirements.

5. Personal Statement.

Your personal statement should be no longer than two pages and should address the following three topics.  First, briefly discuss your career aspirations, e.g., where do you aspire to work after graduation (an international organization, federal government, 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, e.g., what knowledge and skills do you hope to gain, are there any 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.

6. Curriculum vitae/resume

7. Three letters of recommendation.
We recommend that at least two of these letters come from faculty who have taught you, but letters from a supervisor who can speak in detail to your qualities are also allowable. Brief form letters from elected officials, etc., are generally not useful. The most convenient way for recommenders to submit letters of recommendation is through the online application process. List the names and email addresses of your recommenders on the online application. They will be sent a link to access a secure page where they can submit your recommendation online. If your recommender prefers to send the letter as a hard copy or an email, it should be sent directly to the Departmental Graduate Office at [email protected].

Please upload all materials through the online application portal at gradapply.uga.edu. The departmental materials may be uploaded under the “Department-Specific” section. If you have difficulty uploading, departmental materials may also be emailed to [email protected].

The Double Dawgs program was created to give ambitious and motivated students a competitive advantage in today’s knowledge economy. By earning both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years or less, students can save time and money while positioning themselves for success after graduation. SPIA offers seven different Double Dawgs programs. For more general information about the Double Dawgs program, click here. For SPIA-specific programmatic information, click here.

Undergraduates will begin taking graduate courses in the fall semester of their third year following the timetable that all MIP students utilize. At the end of their fourth year, they are expected to finish their undergraduate courses, after which they will matriculate into the graduate program to complete their graduate degree. Students interested in this program should contact Paul Welch in the Undergraduate Advising office, Ashley Tiller (the Graduate Advisor), and Dr. Joshua Massey, the Director of the MIP program.

If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact the Graduate Advisor at [email protected].

Application Questions

• I missed the Dec 1 deadline. Will I still be considered for assistantships and other financial aid?

Yes. The priority consideration deadline is December 1, but we continue to consider applications received after that date for assistantships until all awards have been exhausted.

• Are there minimum requirements for GPA, GRE, etc?

Our program conducts holistic application review and considers the applicant’s entire application when considering offers of admission. As such, there are no minimum requirements set by the program. However, the Graduate School at the University of Georgia has the following minimum requirements:

GPA
The minimum undergraduate GPA standard for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia for applicants who do not have a prior graduate degree is 3.0.

GRE
The GRE is required and cannot be waived, but the Graduate School does not set a minimum score. Successful applicants to our program generally have GRE scores ranging from 300-330.

TOEFL
The minimum TOEFL score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 80, with no subscore lower than 20.  It is highly recommended that international applicants have a combined score of at least 90.

IELTS
The minimum IELTS score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 6.5 overall band score with no lower than 6.0 on any band.

Duolingo English Test

The Graduate School will also accept the Duolingo English Test for Fall 2022 admissions. A minimum score of 105 is required.

• What should I include in my statement of purpose?

We are most concerned with your academic background, intellectual interests and professional plans. A strong statement of purpose will explain why you wish to pursue the MIP at UGA and how you will use the MIP in your future career plans.

• What kind of recommendation letters should I include in my application?

We require letters from professors who have taught you. Their letters should describe your academic work in detail so that the Graduate Committee can be assured that you can complete a rigorous graduate program. If you have done significant independent research, such as a thesis, the committee normally expects a letter from the professor who supervised that work. Letters from elected officials or “personal” references tend to be less valuable in determining your academic capability.  Letters from work supervisors are of little value unless your job entailed research.  In addition, letters from counselors, student affairs officers, and other non-faculty personnel on your campus generally provide little useful information for the committee. For those applicants who have been out of the academic setting for some time, getting letters from prior instructors can be difficult, but should be pursued nonetheless.  In this instance, the committee will grant some flexibility, but once again, references must be able to address your academic and related abilities to some degree.

• How are admissions decisions made?

The six-member Graduate Committee considers your entire application file:  previous academic record, GRE scores, personal statement, CV, and recommendations. There are no “automatic” acceptance or refusal factors. The committee’s main concern is the likelihood that you will do well, not only in the graduate program you are applying for, but as a professional in the field once that degree is in hand. We also consider whether your interests are a good “fit” for the faculty, courses, and research centers available in the School of Public and International Affairs.

• When will I hear whether I’ve been accepted for admission?

Once your file is complete, it will be considered at the next Graduate Committee meeting. The committee will discuss and vote on your application and then send its recommendation to the Graduate School, which makes the official decision on your application. The Graduate School normally contacts you 1-2 weeks after the Departmental recommendation is submitted. If your application is received by the priority January 15 deadline, you can anticipate receiving our decision in February.

• If I have a strong application, am I automatically admitted?

No. Our graduate programs are small and selective to enable faculty to focus on building strong, supportive relationships with our graduate students. Our program receives many more applications each year than we have available places. Thus, admission is highly competitive and is based on holistic, comprehensive review of your application materials.

Program Questions

• Should I apply for the MA or the MIP?

The MA in Political Science and International Affairs is designed for students who intend to enter a PhD program or, sometimes, law school after completing the MA. It is tailored toward academic research interests and allows the pursuit of a broad course of study in political science and international affairs. The MA focuses on research rather than applied courses.

The MIP is designed as a terminal professional degree. Students who complete the MIP usually go directly into their chosen field as professionals rather than pursuing additional graduate study. However, it is possible to pursue a PhD after completing the MIP if your interests are more aligned with academia.

• Can I attend the program on a part-time basis?

Although our graduate programs are not designed for part-time students, it is possible for students to take less than a full course load (three courses per semester), thus extending their time in the program.

• Are graduate courses offered online or off campus?

All graduate courses are held on the UGA campus in Athens, GA.  No online or distance learning options are available.

• Are classes offered in the evenings or on weekends for working professionals?

The graduate course schedule is not created for working students.  Depending on the semester, there may be a course or two offered on a weekday evening, but this is not guaranteed.  There are no courses offered on weekends.

• What is the cost of tuition?

As of Fall 2024, the current cost of graduate study per credit hour is $399 (in-state), $1,182  (out-of-state), and $1,204( out of country). Fees are currently assessed at $708 per semester. A full-time student would thus pay $4,784 (in-state), $12,593 (out-of-state) $14,449 (out-of-country) per semester for a 12-credit load, not including fees. More information about current tuition rates can be found on the Bursar’s website.