Overview
Stony Brook University’s master’s program in Political Psychology welcomes applications from students interested in hands-on research and in-depth analysis of specific political issues and the psychological foundations of political behavior. This program is designed to build the expertise and skills needed to excel in a variety of careers and doctoral programs.
This program brings together a diverse and ambitious cohort of students with different experiences and backgrounds who enrich the community and advance the field. Students may pursue either a literature review to prepare them for professional roles or a thesis project to prepare them for further academic study.
Information on the MA in Political Psychology can be found here.
We look forward to learning about you.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Accepting Fall Admissions Only
Domestic Applicants: July 15
International Applicants: May 1
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.
How to Apply
You'll need to gather the following materials and submit them 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, 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 Political Psychology at Stony Brook University. Your statement should address:
- Research interests
- Background in political science, psychology, or similar fields
- Career plans
- Additional interests or information that can assist the admissions committee in evaluating your application.
The Statement of Purpose should be approximately 750-1,250 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 that 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.
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 minimum test scores 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.