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What fields will be accepting Ph.D. candidates for entry in Fall 2008?
The following fields will accept Ph.D. applications for Fall 2008 entry: What are the procedures and deadlines for applying to the Ph.D. program?
The Admissions Office must receive all Ph.D. application materials by February 1st. All Ph.D. applicants are required to submit an application form and fee, a resume, a personal statement, a proposed dissertation topic, a writing sample, official transcripts, two recommendation letters, and standardized test scores. Application materials and instructions are available through our website. Ph.D. applicants who have completed the SAIS M.A. within the past five years or who are currently enrolled in the program may request to use materials that were submitted for their M.A. application. These individuals should include a cover letter with their application listing the materials that they would like to use from their M.A. file.
What standardized tests are required for application to the Ph.D. program?
All applicants to SAIS who have spent less than two years at an institution where English is the medium of instruction and whose native language is not English are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. Applicants who do not have TOEFL scores of at least 600 for the paper-based exam, 250 for the computer-based exam, or 100 on the Internet-based exam will not be granted admission. Applicants who submit the IELTS must receive a score of 7.5 or higher. Additionally, the GRE or GMAT is required of all applicants to the Ph.D. program. No exceptions are made to this policy. Educational Testing Services (ETS) stipulates that TOEFL score reports are valid for two years, and GRE and GMAT score reports are valid for five years. Applicants with expired scores must retake necessary examinations and have official results arrive at SAIS before the February 1st deadline. A SAIS application is not considered complete and ready for review until all required official test scores have been received. Photocopies and personal copies of score reports can be forwarded to our office, but only official scores received directly from ETS will fulfill this requirement. The ETS school code for SAIS is 5610. No department code is necessary (you may use 0000). The SAIS Admissions Office does not administer any aspect of the ETS process. It is the responsibility of the applicant to coordinate the sending of score reports to SAIS.
What guidelines should be followed in selecting a writing sample to submit?
The writing sample should be a piece of analytical writing that you have prepared for an academic program or an employer. Ideally, you should submit a research paper based on sources in the academic field to which you will be applying. However, a piece of analytical writing in another field is acceptable. Please include a cover sheet that provides current contact information of the person for whom the paper was originally written. The writing sample should be between fifteen and forty double-spaced pages, and the applicant must be the sole author.
Can holders of a Bachelors degree apply directly to the Ph.D. program at SAIS?
In order to apply for the Ph.D. program, individuals must hold the SAIS M.A. degree, be a resident SAIS student who has completed at least twelve courses toward the M.A. degree, or be a student or graduate who has comparable academic qualifications from another institution. Holders of Bachelors degrees are encouraged to research the SAIS M.A. degree.
Which advanced degrees are considered to produce graduates with academic qualifications comparable to those of SAIS M.A. graduates? How successful are individuals with law or business degrees in the Ph.D. admissions process?
The Ph.D. Committee accepts applicants who have completed the Master of Arts in International Relations degree at SAIS, as well as applicants who have completed M.A. programs at other institutions. Competitive applicants who have not graduated from SAIS will often hold M.A. degrees in the social sciences, especially in the disciplines of international relations, political science, or history. Such degrees require graduates to have achieved competency in theoretical studies, research methodology, and extensive academic writing.
Advanced professional degrees such as a Juris Doctorate or a Master of Business Administration cannot act as substitutes for advanced work in international affairs. An advanced degree in strategic studies from a military institution would not be considered appropriate for admission to most Ph.D. fields but is sometimes acceptable for admission to the Strategic Studies field at SAIS.
How much consideration is given to the professional profile of a Ph.D. applicant? Are academic achievements and work experience weighed equally in the admissions process?
The principal weight is given to academic achievements, while an applicant’s professional experience is of secondary significance. Exceptions are possible, but only in truly unusual cases.
What is the review process for Ph.D. applications?
The Admissions Office prepares all Ph.D. application files for review by the Ph.D. Committee. The Ph.D. Committee makes final decisions on the basis of recommendations from the field directors, and applicants are notified of these decisions in early April. Each year, a small number of outstanding candidates are admitted into the Ph.D. program at SAIS.
Who can I contact for more information about pursuing the Ph.D. at SAIS?
Requests for general information about the Ph.D. program should be directed to the Admissions Office at 202.663.5700 or admissions.sais@jhu.edu. Students desiring additional information about a particular Ph.D. field should contact the relevant field director or program coordinator.
How much additional coursework is required of Ph.D. candidates who did not obtain their M.A. degrees from SAIS?
Non-SAIS courses can be counted as up to eight credits toward the Ph.D., and advanced standing is generally granted to incoming students with M.A. degrees from institutions other than SAIS. Candidates who did not obtain M.A. degrees from SAIS and who have been approved for the maximum amount of advanced standing are required to take a minimum of eight courses at SAIS. Two of these eight are courses in Research Methodology, which are required of all SAIS Ph.D. candidates. If fewer than eight non-SAIS credits are accepted, candidates will need to complete additional coursework to prepare for their comprehensive examinations.
Can coursework or fieldwork toward the Ph.D. program be completed at off-site locations?
Ph.D. students must be in residence at SAIS in Washington, DC during their first year of study, and all Ph.D. coursework must be completed in Washington, DC. Fieldwork begins after a student has completed all necessary courses, passed the comprehensive examinations, and successfully defended a dissertation prospectus. Fieldwork might be conducted at the Bologna campus or the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, but this would be appropriate for a limited range of topics and would require the field director’s permission.
Can the SAIS Ph.D. program be pursued on a part-time basis?
The Ph.D. program at SAIS requires a full-time commitment. Individuals should not apply with the expectation of completing the program on a part-time basis, as such an approach is often a recipe for personal unhappiness and, usually, failure to complete the degree.
How long does it take to complete the Ph.D. program at SAIS?
A doctoral candidate must complete a dissertation within five years of taking his or her first Ph.D. examination. As of August 2007, the average length of time from entry in the doctoral program to completion of the degree is five to six years.
What is the cost of the Ph.D. program at SAIS?
The resident Ph.D. tuition for 2007-2008 is $31,300 and the non-resident tuition is $3,130, not including living expenses. The resident tution is charged to Ph.D. students that are completing course work at SAIS (which usually consists of the first three years of the program).
What kind of funding is available for Ph.D. students?
Ph.D. applicants who submit the appropriate Application for Financial Aid before February 1st will be considered for financial aid. SAIS provides at least three years of support in the form of full or partial stipends for students with demonstrated financial need. Each year, continuing Ph.D. students can reapply for financial aid. The Ph.D. Committee will carefully evaluate each student on the basis of performance in class, satisfaction of degree requirements, and a written evaluation from his or her Ph.D. advisor. Ph.D. students are urged to seek outside support for their studies at SAIS. In the annual review process, applications for outside support will be treated as one sign of a student's seriousness of purpose.
Are Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships available for Ph.D. students?
Most SAIS faculty members have research assistants who are also Ph.D. students. These assignments are pursued and established after the admissions process has concluded. A small number of teaching assistantships are associated with SAIS courses of unusually large enrollments. Typically, however, most Ph.D. candidates do not have a teaching assistantship while at SAIS.
What kinds of jobs do SAIS Ph.D. graduates pursue?
Ph.D. graduates have taken jobs in the academic, policymaking, and non-profit sectors. Anecdotal evidence indicates that by comparison with the graduates of Ph.D. programs at other universities, a larger proportion of SAIS graduates establish careers in the policymaking and non-profit sectors.
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