Political Science - Applied Community and Economic Development

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to this program must:

• Have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so by the time of program matriculation.
• Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term.
• If admitted, official domestic transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 208 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.
• If admitted, official international transcripts can be emailed directly from the international institution to InternationalAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, International Admissions, Campus Box 6180, Normal, IL 61790-6180.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Graduate School Admission Requirements.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

You may apply to only one of the Applied Community and Economic Development programs at a time.

GPA

You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for either the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or 9+ hours of coursework in a master's program.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) of all undergraduate credentials earned in the United States that are used for graduate degree admission evaluation is calculated by the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. International credentials are evaluated by using cumulative GPA (CGPA) in lieu of the GPA from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.

Coursework

You will need to have successfully completed 15 hours of undergraduate coursework in the Social Sciences.

If you do not meet this requirement, you may still be admitted into the program, but you will be expected to take additional coursework before starting graduate study to remedy designated deficiencies.

GRE

The GRE is not required for the fall 2024 application cycle. However, if you wish to submit your score, use institutional code 1319.

Resume

Upload your current resume to the application system.

Statement of Purpose

Write and upload a two-page statement of purpose. Your statement should address:

• Your motivations for graduate school
• Your career goals
• How this master's degree in your specific academic discipline (anthropology, applied economics, kinesiology and recreation, political science, or sociology) will help you reach these goals
• Any additional information about your interest in our program

Writing Sample

Submit a sample of your academic writing (at least five pages). The paper should demonstrate your research skills.

Recommendation Contact Information

Submit the names and email addresses of three references for letters of recommendation within the online application.

Service Document

Upload one of the following:

• Letter of Service (Applied Community and Economic Development Fellows Program)
• Official Description of Service (Peace Corps Fellows Program)

Assistantship Application

Complete the Political Science, ACED sequence graduate assistantship application, available through the Stevenson Center. Only applicants selected for both admission and the political, ACED sequence graduate assistantship are admitted to the ACED sequence.

Check the job title before applying. An assistantship for anything other than Political Science, ACED sequence will not fulfill the requirement for admission consideration to the program.

Interview

Applicants who submit all materials according to the posted instructions and by the posted deadlines, and whose materials indicate potential for success in their chosen program, will complete a required interview (by phone or in person).

Application Deadlines

• Fall (August) Term — February 1

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