Student Directory
Frequently Asked Questions for PhD Students
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
- Can I apply to both the Masters in Public Policy (MPP) and Doctoral in Public Policy programs?
- Should I apply for the MPP or Ph.D.?
- Can I apply for spring admission?
- Can I apply for part-time study?
- Can I participate in the program from off-campus?
- Is it possible to be accepted into your program without taking the GRE (GRE and TOEFL for International students)?
- What is the application deadline?
- How do I know if the program is the right fit for me?
- How do I apply?
- Can I send materials electronically or by fax?
- Should I check my application status?
- When will I find out whether I am accepted or denied admission?
- How will I be notified about a decision on my application?
- Are interviews required?
- Can I visit campus?
- Can I reapply if I have been denied admission?
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
ADMISSION STATISTICS
FINANCIAL AID
- Can international students get financial aid?
- Will my chances of admission be affected if I apply for financial aid?
- What kinds of financial aid are available for Ph.D. students?
- What does a typical financial aid package look like?
POST ADMISSIONS
- What is the program’s time frame?
- Can I apply for a leave of absence?
- How is advising done?
- How many advisors are needed for a thesis committee?
POST-GRADUATION
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Q. Can I apply to both the Masters in Public
Policy (MPP) and Doctoral in Public Policy programs?
Yes.
Q. Should I apply for the MPP or Ph.D.?
If you are interested in a research career in think tanks or government,
or if you are interested in a research/teaching career as a faculty
member in a social science department or professional school you should
apply for the Ph.D. If you are primarily interested in working in the
public sector as a manager, running government programs, or evaluating
government programs you should apply for the MPP.
Q. Can I apply for spring admission?
We accept applications for fall admission only.
Q. Can I apply for part-time study?
The joint doctoral program is a full-time program.
Q. Can I participate in the program
from off-campus?
The joint doctoral program requires a full-time presence on the Ann
Arbor campus through at least the end of the third year.
Q. Is it possible to be accepted into your
program without taking the GRE (GRE and TOEFL for International students)?
Complete GRE (General) test scores (and TOEFL for International students)
are required. The Admissions Committee will be unable to consider your
application unless we receive these test scores. We do not accept the
LSAT, GMAT, or other test scores.
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Q. What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is December 15th. This means that we must have
all of your materials by the beginning of that day. It is a firm deadline.
We must have all of your materials, letters of recommendation, and test
scores by the deadline in order to be able to review your application.
Q. How do I know if the program is the right
fit for me?
Read through all of the program information for both the FSPP Joint
Doctoral Program and the Social Science department of your choice (Economics,
Political Science, or Sociology). If you begin with the information
on the FSPP program you will be able to link to the department from
our site. Contact faculty who share your interests via e-mail (see “are
interviews required?” below). You can also contact the Program
Office at fordschoolphd@umich.edu
with questions. Finally, there is an excellent website that addresses
the issues surrounding the process of applying to a doctoral program.
It's called "Questions
to Ask When Thinking About Pursuing a Ph.D."
Q. How do I apply?
You should apply on-line through
the Rackham Graduate School. Additional materials such as letters
of recommendation should be sent to:
JOINT DOCTORAL PROGRAM
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Joan and Sanford Weill Hall #4300
735 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-3091
Please be sure to direct your materials to the JOINT DOCTORAL PROGRAM. Unspecified mail often ends up in the Master’s Program Office and does not make it to the Doctoral Office until long after the deadline has passed. It is your responsibility to make sure your materials reach the doctoral office by the deadline.
Q. Can I send materials electronically
or by fax?
Yes. We encourage you to apply on-line and to send additional materials
such as writing samples electronically to fordschoolphd@umich.edu.
You can also fax materials, but be sure to use a cover sheet directing
your fax to the Joint Doctoral Program. The fax number is 734-763-9181.
Please do not fax any more than 5 pages. Anything longer should be sent
as an e-mail attachment or by mail.
Q. Should I check my application status?
It is highly recommended that you check with the Program Office to make
sure that we have received all of your application materials. You can
do this via e-mail at fordschoolphd@umich.edu.
Please note, the FSPP does not contact applicants automatically.
Q. When will I find out whether I am
accepted or denied admission?
Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by early April.
Q. How will I be notified about a decision
on my application?
You will be notified of the decision by mail.
Q. Are interviews required?
Interviews are not required, but it is a good idea to make contact with
faculty who share your interests when you are deciding whether or not
this is the right program for you. You can do this directly via e-mail.
Use the UM gateway directory to
find faculty contact information. Read through the section on this topic
in "Questions
to Ask When Thinking About Pursuing a Ph.D."
Q. Can I visit campus?
You are welcome to visit at any time. As a prospective student you are
responsible for arranging your visit. The Ford School brings applicants
who have been offered admission to the program to campus during the
spring recruiting season.
Q. Can I reapply if I have been denied
admission?
Yes, but you should contact the Director of the Program first to find
out why you were denied admission before and what might be different
in a new application.
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
Q. What is the most important part
of the application?
Every part of the application is important, but your statement of purpose
provides the admissions committee with the most important information
from you about your goals in the program.
ADMISSION STATISTICS
Q. How large is the applicant pool?
We receive about 100 applications per year.
Q. How many students are accepted?
On average, each part of the joint program enrolls two new students
each year: two in Economics, two in Political Science, and two in Sociology.
More specific admissions information is at the end of this section.
FINANCIAL AID
Q. Can international students get
financial aid?
All accepted students receive a five-year funding package.
Q. Will my chances of admission be affected
if I apply for financial aid?
Your application will be considered equally regardless of whether or
not you seek outside funding.
Q. What kinds of financial aid are
available for Ph.D. students?
Students will be supported by a combination of fellowships, research
assistantships, and teaching stipends. Students are encouraged to seek
both teaching and research experience. All students who apply to the
joint program are considered for financial aid from the Ford School.
Students are strongly encouraged to seek out fellowships from external
sources. The Rackham Fellowships office provides an exhaustive list
of university and non-university sources for graduate students. Applicants
can access this information on Rackham’s
Web Page (follow links for prospective students, fellowships, and
recruitment).
Q. What does a typical financial aid
package look like?
Most students receive a full fellowship their first year in the program,
which covers tuition and fees, pays a monthly stipend during the academic
year (September 1 through April 30), and offers health insurance. Students
work as a GSI (Graduate Student Instructor) in their social science
department during their second and third years earning full tuition
& fees, monthly stipend, and health insurance. Support during the
fourth and fifth years varies widely. Most students receive outside
funding from competitive fellowships.
POST ADMISSIONS
Q. What is the program’s time frame?
The joint doctoral program is a five-year program. Students spend most
of their first year in a department taking the same sequence of theory
and methods courses as typical first-year departmental students and
are assigned a departmental faculty member as an advisor to ensure they
are integrated into the department and receive an adequate grounding
in the theory and methods of their disciplines. Years two and three
are spent taking courses in the department and policy courses in the
Ford School. In year three, students finish up the course requirements
and write an original policy research paper. In years four and five,
students complete a dissertation under the supervision of Ford School
and departmental faculty.
Q. Can I apply for a leave of absence?
A leave of absence must be approved by the chair of the Ford School
doctoral program and by the chair of graduate studies in the social
science department.
Q. How is advising done?
Students are assigned a departmental faculty advisor and a Ford School
faculty advisor in their first year.
Q. How many advisors are needed for
a thesis committee?
Dissertation committees must have at least four faculty members, three
of whom are regular faculty members of the Graduate Faculty. Two of
these advisors must be from the doctoral candidate’s home program
and one must be from the Ford School.
POST-GRADUATION
Q. Where have Ford School Ph.D. graduates
accepted jobs recently?
The joint doctoral program is a new program, with its first contingent
of students having started in September 2001. We anticipate that most
students will go onto careers in research centers, think tanks, government,
or academia.
