Dear Prospective Student:
Thank you for your inquiry about graduate study in political science at West Virginia University. We believe that our specialized and nationally recognized program in Public Policy Studies uniquely suits the needs and interests of persons desiring careers in policy analysis in the public service, the private sector, or in higher education. As you will see from this WWW page, the graduate program blends course work in policy analysis, political science, and economics, and features the development of special skills in identifying problems, collecting and analyzing data, and developing policy recommendations.
For students interested in a more general political science graduate degree, the department also offers the Ph.D. with an emphasis in any number of areas, including public policy, American politics, international relations, comparative politics, public administration, and law and judicial politics. Students electing the more generalized degree usually are strongly interested in careers in higher education teaching and research.
The department's graduate program is deliberately designed to be small and high quality in nature. It is currently selective in enrollment and highly interactive in both an intellectual and social sense. We believe that learning occurs outside as well as inside the classroom. Thus, if you are looking for a highly personalized academic experience, we invite you to apply for admission to our program.
The necessary papers to complete the application process are available upon request. In order for you to be considered for admission, we will need official copies of all transcripts of previous work, letters of recommendation, and your GRE scores. TOEFL scores may be submitted by international students applying to the MA program only if they have not previously studied in the United States. No action can be taken on your application until all these materials have been received.
Information on departmental assistantships and university fellowships is included. All students admitted to the program are considered for departmental financial assistance.
Please feel free to write or telephone me at any time should you have further inquiries about any of our graduate programs. I will be happy to talk with you about your career aspirations and how they may be served by our program.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Duval
Director, Graduate Studies