Admission to Ph.D. Program in Family Science

Admission Criteria

Admission to FSOS is based on a review of multiple sources of information. We take a holistic perspective when reviewing applications; no one score or factor determines an applicant's success or failure. Three overall criteria guide our admissions decisions: Applicants are required to submit specific information to provide evidence and documentation for faculty to evaluate each applicant on the following three overall admissions criteria:

1. Evidence of strong academic preparation and the ability and desire to perform graduate level scholarship, including research.
2. Fit of applicant's professional goals with FSoS faculty scholarship and with the overall FSoS mission, that is, enhancing the well-being of diverse families in a changing world.
3. Unique contributions applicant would make to FSoS values, including social relevance, collaboration, inclusiveness, excellence, innovation, and diversity.

Application Procedures

Complete applications are due no later than December 1st. Start early, as every year individuals fail to meet the deadline. Faculty are not obligated to review incomplete applications. Except under unusual circumstances, applications for the doctoral program and master's Plan A program (with thesis) are reviewed only once each year, a few weeks after our December 1 deadline. Applications for the master's Plan B program (with project, not thesis) are considered during the academic year but not later than April 1, and students may begin graduate study the semester after the application is approved.

Apply Online Starting fall 2011, the Graduate School Admissions Office will be transitioning to a paperless application process for all new applications. A key part of this transition will be the introduction of an applicant transcript self-upload process. The Graduate School application for admission must be submitted online. Program supplementary information must also be submitted online (e.g. writing sample). Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the online application. If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies of this material.

You do not have to complete the online application in one sitting – you may access your application and change your answers as many times as you like with your PIN and Password from any computer with Internet access. However, you can submit your application only once and once submitted, you will not be able to make changes to your application information using the online application system. For more information visit the Graduate School's prospective student's page.

Family Social Science Program Requirements. The following information is requested specifically by Family Social Science to help faculty evaluate applicants using the admission criteria.

Family Social Science Admissions Checklist (PDF) . Indicate if you are applying for a Master's, Ph.D. or Masters/Ph.D. If pursuing a Ph.D. indicate if you are applying for a Family Science or MFT specialization. Verify that all required information has been submitted for your application to be complete. Make sure to add the link for your brief video presentation.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required by our program. The department will not accept GRE reports that are more than five years old. For testing purposes, the University of Minnesota code is 6874 and the Department code is 2299 (Social Sciences – other). More information about the GRE is available here.

TOEFL, MELAB, IELTS – English language assessment tests. The TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS is generally required of all applicants whose native language is not English, regardless of U.S. Citizenship status. Applicants who have completed 24 quarter credits/16 semester credits (within the past 24 months) in residence as a full-time student at a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States or other English-speaking country before entering the University of Minnesota are generally exempted from this requirement. The operational standards for admission to the Graduate School are: TOEFL Internet based test – 79 or above with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading (Paper based test – 550 or above); IETLTS 6.5; MELAB 80. More information about English language assessment test can be found here.

Transcripts/Credentials. You must list on your online application each institution of higher learning from which you have earned credit. You must also submit transcripts or academic records for each of these institutions. This includes partial or incomplete transcripts. Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the online application. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcripts, there is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial review. If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies of this material.

Transcripts are evaluated for:

• GPA. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) is preferred for admission. The most competitive applications will have higher GPA's.
• Significant social and behavioral coursework (i.e. family and consumer sciences, human development, psychology, economics, sociology) highly preferred
• Course work in research methods as well as statistics for Master's and PhD degree applicants including:
• One course in advanced undergraduate statistics for Master's degree applicants
OR
• Two courses in advanced statistics and/or research methods for PhD applicants. This coursework ideally includes descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, probability, correlation, ANOVA, or regression.

Letters of Recommendation.

A minimum of three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors or supervisors, are required. Letters should address your potential for research and successfully completing the FSoS degree program. IF applying to the MFT specialization, letters should be from individuals familiar with the research and clinical experiences, skills, and potential.

• Provide writers the Letter to Writers of Letters of Recommendation (PDF) regarding the content for letters of recommendation.
• Our program uses the online letters of recommendation system. Carefully follow the instructions provided online for listing your recommendation providers. An email address for the letter writer is required. Once the recommendation provider information is saved, an email will be sent to the individual with an access code and instruction on how to proceed with the online recommendation. Please notify the individual that he/she will be receiving an email from the online application system with the necessary access information.

Writing Sample. Demonstrated writing ability. Include a sample of your writing in English (e.g. a research paper or term paper that you feel best reflects your abilities. Submit online in Program Supplementary Information. Follow instructions provided to upload document.

Two Applicant Statements

• Statement #1 (online application)
  Write a statement of at least 500 words describing your immediate educational and long-range career objectives in relation to Family Social Science. Specifically address: how your academic background and research and/or community experiences prepare you for graduate study in the field of Family Social Science, and particular areas of research in FSoS you intend to pursue.
  PhD APPLICANTS, include evidence of interest in research and prior development of research competencies, names of faculty with whom you want to study (review faculty web pages on this website for scholarly interests and feel free to contact faculty), and your longer term professional goals.
• Statement #2 (online application)
  Enrolling and graduating a diverse student body is central to the University of Minnesota's mission. Please write a statement that identifies the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to your graduate program and to the education of fellow students at the University of Minnesota. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success. (Please do not exceed one page in length unless your program has provided separate instructions)

After Applying: What's Next?

The number of graduate applicants admitted into the program varies from year to year, depending on applicant qualifications (academic preparation, fit, and unique contributions), the availability of faculty advisers, and available financial support. A typical incoming graduate student cohort includes 9-12 students, a few Masters and a majority PhD degree seeking students. Decisions are typically made by the end of January. Accepted applicants are invited to a Welcome Weekend in February. Students must inform Family Social Science of their final decision to attend or not attend by April 15th.