APAN admits one (1) cohort each year, in the Fall semester. An overview of
the application requirements and the process is provided below. Be sure
to also check out this additional useful information as you consider our
program:
*Our applications for the 2022-23 academic year are now closed. Below are the deadlines for the 2023-24 cohort.
Application Deadlines
- Deadline for 4+1 (All 4+1 applicants must submit materials by this date)
- International students (standalone MS only)
- March 1, 2023 - Note this date is earlier than the Graduate School's International applicant deadline
- Deadline for Consideration
(The number of spots available will be dependent on how many Best
Consideration applicants accept their invitation to enroll)
- Rolling basis through June 30, 2023
Application Requirements
In addition to the application form, admitted students will submit:
1: A statement of
purpose that explains their interest in political data analysis and
their plan for using the degree professionally
2: Official copies of all transcripts (MS applicants) OR a unofficial transcript AND a detailed, applicant-generated, academic course plan for the senior year (4+1 applicants)
3: A SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION to
upload to your graduate application -- you will need to download the
form, fill out, and upload in your application portal [MS track] or
before submitting your Google form application [4+1 track]
*Applicants must have earned a 3.0 GPA in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework.
*International applicants
must fulfill all requirements relating to international academic
credentials, evidence of English proficiency, financial certification,
and visa documentation, as required by The Graduate School.
*Undergraduate work focused on statistics or quantitative methods in the social sciences is preferred.
Standalone MS:
*Applicants must have
earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
institution, or an equivalent degree from an institution outside the
U.S.
Combined 4+1:
*Applicants must be in junior standing at the University of Maryland.
*Applicants must affirm completion of ALL requirements for all undergraduate majors and minors by May before their fifth year. All undergraduate work MUST be completed in order to apply to The Graduate School in the summer before the final year. Students will be asked to officially affirm this requirement in their application. Please visit https://gvpt.umd.edu/undergraduate/major-requirements
for a description of program requirements for GVPT. Students with a
minor, or multiple majors, need to confirm expected completion of each
of those undergraduate requirements separately.
*Students must choose undergraduate courses that satisfy the following three requirements:
1 – GVPT 201 (or equivalent)
2 – GVPT 320 (or equivalent) **Applicants may propose taking this course in their senior year course plan (see Step 1 below)
3 – Two additional quantitative methods courses that focus on data
analysis in the social sciences. Courses that would apply include
GVPT420, 421, 422, 424, and some sections of 429. Courses from other
academic departments are also applicable if they include a strong
quantitative focus. Questions about the applicability of any course can
be discussed with the Director of the APAN program.
