What Makes A successful Application
Admission to the Ph.D. Program in Public Administration is highly selective. We are looking for students with strong academic records and professional experience in management and policy research, who have a commitment to develop the research skills necessary for successful careers in academic or policy research organizations. The Ph.D. Committee reviews each application carefully on the following
Graduate Experience
Applicants must have completed a Masters in Public Administration or a related field, or have the equivalent graduate credits, to enter the Ph.D. program. We have admitted students from a diverse range of related fields, including those with degrees in economics, demography, environmental studies and engineering. Applicants lacking coursework in selected foundational areas may be required to take courses in these areas while enrolled in our Ph.D. program. Students must have either completed the equivalent of the prerequisite courses listed below (all of which are required for the Maxwell MPA degree), complete the appropriate courses after they enter the Ph.D. program, or receive a waiver from the Ph.D. committee.
- PAI 712: Public Organizations & Management
- PAI 721: Introduction to Statistics
- PAI 722: Quantitative Analysis for Public Policy Analysis
- PAI 723: Managerial Economics for Public Administrators
- PAI 734: Public Budgeting
- PAI 755: Public Administration and Democracy
Quantitative Abilities
The Department of Public Administration does not require the completion of specific courses in economics nor statistics prior to application. However, due to the rigorous analytic component of our program, it is assumed that applicants will have a strong quantitative background. Applicants lacking a solid background in mathematics, economics and statistics are encouraged to remedy this deficiency prior to application.
Personal Statement
The personal statement is a critical component of a students application and should clearly explain the reasons an applicant is interested in applying to the Ph.D. program, the areas of specialization they are interested in pursuing, how their previous academic and work experience relate to their interest in obtaining a Ph.D., and their career goals once they graduate. We do not admit students unless we can identify a professor to serve as their research mentor. The personal statement provides important information to guide the selection of an appropriate research mentor. Strong applications have potential links with Public Administration faculty members. To find a list of Public Administration faculty, click here.
Letters of Recommendations
Students are asked to submit three letters of recommendation. It is preferable that your letters of recommendation come from academic sources. If you are an international student who has studied in the United States, at least one letter of recommendation from an American professor is strongly advised. The letters of recommendation should address your potential as a scholar based on their experience with you as a student, research assistant, or teaching assistant
Transcripts
Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities where undergraduate and graduate coursework was completed. One set of official transcripts are required for the application. Students from other countries must complete a degree comparable to the four-year U.S. undergraduate degree and graduate coursework comparable to a masters degree to be eligible for application to the Ph.D. program. If you do not feel that your grades in previous coursework accurately reflect your potential, this should be discussed in the appropriate location on the application form.
Required Tests
Students are required to submit scores from the GRE exam. International students are strongly advised to take the TOEFL exam. GRE and TOEFL test scores must be officially sent to the University from ETS. An application is deemed incomplete until the official test scores arrives at the University from ETS. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed for admissions to the Ph.D. program. In the cases where the GRE score is older than 5 yrs (and no longer on file with ETS), the student may send us the original score report or a certified (notarized) copy of this report. The codes for the GRE/TOEFL exams are: Syracuse University 2823.
We will accept the GMAT in lieu of the GRE, however the applicant must note this on the application.
Visits
We do not require an interview for admission, however, students often find a visit to the school to be a very useful in their decision to apply and/or attend the Maxwell School. We encourage visits and are happy to work with students to arrange a visit to Maxwell. Please contact Heather Binion in the PA office.