How to Apply to Stony Brook University's Political Science MA's

Overview

Stony Brook University’s master’s programs in Public Policy and Political Psychology welcome applications from emerging and established professionals, as well as recent graduates. These programs are designed to build the expertise and leadership skills needed to excel in a variety of careers.

Each program brings together a diverse and ambitious cohort of students with different experiences and backgrounds who enrich the community and advance the field. Depending on the program, students may pursue internships, thesis projects, or capstone experiences that prepare them for professional roles or further academic study.

Information on the MA in Political Psychology can be found here. (Note: The MA in Political Psychology only offers Fall Admission.)

Information on the MA in Public Policy can be found here. (Note: The MA in Public Policy offers both Fall and Spring Admission.)

We look forward to learning about you.

Application Deadlines

Public Policy

Fall (Domestic Applicants): July 15
Fall (International Applicants): May 1

Spring (Domestic Applicants): December 15
Spring (International Applicants): October 25

Political Psychology

Fall (Domestic Applicants): July 15
Fall (International Applicants): May 1

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Admissions Criteria

Admission is open to all qualified applicants, regardless of undergraduate major. The following criteria are required for admissions consideration:

Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited college or university or a foreign equivalent. This degree can be in any subject.
A minimum 3.0 grade point average in prior academic work. In exceptional cases, a GPA below 3.0 will be considered for conditional admission. The committee considers the rigor and GPA trend of prior coursework, any post-undergraduate coursework, years of professional experience, quality of writing of the personal statement and essay, and strength of the letters of recommendation. Conditionally admitted students must achieve a 3.0 GPA after 6 credits of graduate work to continue in the program.

GRE scores are waived for the 2025 admissions cycle.

How to Apply

You'll need to gather the following materials and submit by the deadline date for the semester you wish to apply. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

You will need to submit unofficial and official transcripts.

Unofficial (uploaded by you)

You will be prompted to submit your unofficial transcripts in our application portal.

Official (sent from your institution)

You will need to request an official transcript from your previous institutions. An e-transcript sent directly from the Office of the Registrar at your institution is acceptable. E-transcript orders should be sent to gradadmissions@stonybrook.edu.

If you request to have a paper transcript, sent, please note that all physical mail is forwarded to an imaging service for digital conversion, therefore, receipt of physical mail may be delayed.

International Students

Please review the transcript information presented on The Graduate School's International Students page.
Describe why you are applying to the Master of Arts in Public Policy in at Stony Brook University. Your statement should address:
- Research interests
- Background in political science
- Career plans
Additional interests or information that can assist the admissions committee in evaluating your application.

The Statement of Purpose should not exceed two double-spaced pages (approx. 500 words).
These letters should be academic, but consideration will also be given to non-academic letters. Letters must be uploaded online by the recommender using the link which will be sent via email. Please do not email them directly to the department.

Letters submitted by anyone other than the letter writer will not be accepted.
Graduate Record Examination
GRE scores are waived for the 2025 admissions cycle.

Language Proficiency Tests
If your undergraduate education was conducted in a language other than English must also submit TOEFL/IELTS scores directly to Stony Brook (code 2548). Please visit Graduate Admissions for mimimum test score and language proficiency requirements.

Permanent Residency
If applicable, you will need to provide appropriate proof of your status as a Permanent Resident.
There is a $100 non-refundable application fee, payable online by credit card .

Fee waivers:
The department does not issue fee waivers. Only applicants meeting the Graduate School fee waiver requirements will be granted waivers. Please see fee waiver instructions within the application. Details are available in the Graduate Catalog.

Stony Brook University: Department of Political Science 3rd Annual Elections, Public Opinion, and Voting Behavior Conference in the DeVries Center.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that as soon as you enter your recommender’s e-mail address in your application and save it, they will be sent a link (even if you have not submitted your application). It is therefore recommended that you do this as early in the application process as possible.
Your letter writers should submit their letters by the posted deadline. Applications with missing letters of recommendation may still be reviewed by the committee for consideration. While recommenders may upload outstanding letters after the deadline, there's no guarantee they will be read by the committee.
If you have uploaded your transcripts, but we have not received the official mailed versions, your status will show it as either “missing” or “received unofficial.” The system will not show the status of your application as “complete” however your file can still be reviewed.

Test scores usually take longer as they enter a central database before being manually applied to applications.

Admissions

Applying to the Master of Arts in Public Policy or Political Psychology

Overview

Admissions Criteria

How to Apply

Frequently Asked Questions