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How to Apply to the PhD Program

Beginning in February, 2008 Florida State University moved to an electronic, paperless application process that is accessed through the University's Online Graduate Admissions website.

The materials that must be submitted to apply for the PhD Program include:

University Graduate Application Form. All students must submit an application online by starting at the University's Online Graduation Admissions site.
Official Transcripts of all Prior University Course Work. All applicants should have these mailed directly to the University Office of Admissions. International applicants may be required to provide certified translations of their transcripts and degree certificates with certified translations.
Official GRE scores (including the analytic writing score). All applicants should have these mailed directly to the University Office of Admissions.
Official TOEFL scores (required only of international applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a degree from a college or university in an English-speaking nation). These should be sent directly to the University Office of Admissions.
Two Letters of Recommendation. Please return to the University Application, select "Recommendations" and follow the instructions. Ideally these recommendations should come from faculty who have taught or advised you, or have supervised your work on a research project.
The Department's Supplemental Form for PhD Applications. This is a WORD document that should be saved to your computer, completed, and uploaded in the Supporting Documents page of the University Application as Document 1.

Overview of Application Process

Applications for admission to the doctoral program are welcome from persons holding a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States, or the equivalent from an institution abroad. No specific major is required. Our students come from a wide diversity of majors in the social sciences, design professions, sciences, business, and humanities.

The minimum university criterion to be considered for admission to graduate school is a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for previous undergraduate study, or a combined verbal and quantitative score for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) of 1000. Average GPAs and GRE scores for doctoral degree students in this department substantially exceed these minima. In making admissions decisions, the department carefully considers other credentials including the analytic writing GRE score, letters of recommendation from faculty, work experience, and extracurricular and civic activities. Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a degree from a college or university in an English-speaking nation, also must submit an official transcript of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum TOEFL score of 213 (computer-based) or 550 (paper-based) is required for an applicant to be considered for admission. Ultimately admission is based on judgment that the applicant is capable of successful graduate work and that the applicant will make a meaningful contribution to planning research and policy.

Application Deadlines (see also: Summary Table of Deadlines)

Students in the doctoral program usually begin their studies in the fall term in late August. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. For fall admission, all required application materials from U.S. students must be received no later than July 1 of the year in which the student wishes to enroll. Applicants who wish to be considered for department financial aid must submit all required application materials by February 15 of the prior spring. Students who wish to apply for a University Fellowship must submit all required application materials by January 15 of the prior spring. Application materials for fall admission from international applicants must be received by November 15 of the year prior to which the student wishes to enroll.

We admit a few highly qualified applicants on a space-available-basis to begin PhD studies in the spring term, which begins in January. To be considered for spring admission, all required application materials from U.S. students should be received no later than November 1 of the preceding year. Materials from international applicants must be received by September 1. Ordinarily no financial aid is available to students beginning studies in the spring term.