Application Requirements

Where can I find detailed application instructions?

Detailed application instructions and requirements are included in the Online Application .

What are the application requirements for 2008-2009?

A completed application to a Doctoral or Master's program consists of the following:

• Online Application Form
• $85 Application Fee – paid via credit card with the online application
• Statement of Purpose
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Resume
• Official Transcript(s) from each Postsecondary Institution Attended
• Standardized Test Score(s):
  • GRE (mandatory for all applicants)
  • TOEFL (if applicable)

Please note: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process at HGSE.

Please note that there is no downloadable or paper application form. You must submit all of your required documents online except for your academic transcripts. We prefer that you collect all of your academic transcripts (each individual transcript should be in a signed and sealed envelope) and place them together in one envelope before sending them to the Admissions Office

After you enter the contact information for your three recommenders on your application, we will send each of them an e-mail with instructions about logging onto our system. At that time, they will have the opportunity to fill out the Recommendation Form and upload a recommendation letter.

What information should be included in the Statement of Purpose?

In your statement, please discuss:

• Your background: how your experiences (education, work, volunteer, and/or personal) have prepared you for graduate study;
• Your objectives for graduate study: your career goals, possible faculty mentors, and (for doctoral students) initial research interests;
• Your decision to apply to HGSE: why you think there is a good fit between your objectives and our program;

Several programs have additional requirements. Please visit the individual program pages for more information.

Your statement should be written by you alone and represent your original work. The statement should be no more than 1,500 words.

What is the minimum GPA required of applicants?

HGSE does not require a minimum GPA of our applicants. Committees will not admit or deny an applicant based solely on academic performance or GPA.

What part of the application is the most important?

The Admissions Committee takes a very holistic approach when reviewing an application. No single credential is weighed more heavily than any other.

Who should write my letters of recommendation?

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in either an academic, employment, or community service capacity and who can comment on your intellectual ability, creativity, initiative, sensitivity to others, and leadership potential.