Graduate Program Application Requirements

Religious Studies
History
Philosophy

Religious Studies MA Application Requirements

The admissions committee in religious studies seeks applicants whose research interests can be well served by the members of our graduate faculty at ASU. We have a very diverse faculty with a wide range of interests, which you can explore on our website. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the faculty member(s) they may want to work with during their time at ASU. Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Transcripts must show evidence of having completed the equivalent of 15 credit hours of undergraduate work in the study of religions, including advanced courses in both western and Asian or other nonwestern religions. Applicants who have not met this requirement may be required to take additional coursework beyond program requirements to remedy this deficiency. Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.30 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of a student's first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. The most competitive applicants will have a GPA of 3.50 or higher.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15

Online Electronic Application: Fill out Graduate Admissions application.
References: The name, institution/company, and exact email addresses of three (3) electronic references from faculty or others qualified to provide an accurate evaluation of your potential as a graduate student.
GRE: Official GRE Scores are sent to ASU code 4007 (leave department code blank). Scores should be no more than five years old.
Statement of Purpose: Upload a statement of purpose of about 1,000 words (3-4 pages double-spaced) describing your academic background, reasons for wishing to pursue an M.A. in Religious Studies, the proposed area of specialization, and specific research topics you plan to engage in at Arizona State University.
Writing Sample: A sample of the applicant's original scholarly writing should be submitted as part of the electronic application. The sample should be between 15 and 30 pages in length and represent the applicant's strongest academic writing.
CV: Upload into online application.
Transcripts: Official transcripts must be sent directly to Graduate Admission Services from the issuing institution(s).
TOEFL: An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must follow Graduate Admission guidelines for demonstrating English language proficiency. The religious studies program requires an iBT TOEFL score of at least 80 or a PBT TOEFL score of 550. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically from ETS (Educational Testing Services) to ASU.

All uploads must be in either .doc or .pdf format.

Religous Studies PhD Application Requirements

When considering the Religious Studies PhD program at ASU, know that in the admissions process we look for students whose research interests can be well served by the members of our Graduate Faculty at ASU. We have a very diverse faculty with a wide range of interests, which you can explore on our website. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the faculty member(s) they might want to work with while they are at ASU.
Regular acceptance normally requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.5, GRE scores of at least 600.
Provisional acceptance may be based on a weak undergraduate record or GRE scores, and require that the student complete 9 graduate hours in religious studies with a B (3.00) or better during the first semester. Students admitted provisionally are generally not eligible for assistantships. For applicants whose background in Religious Studies is weak (fewer than 15 hours of undergraduate course work in Religious Studies), but who have a strong undergraduate record and good GRE scores, the acceptance letter may stipulate deficiencies, which are undergraduate courses to be taken in the first year of the program in addition to the regular M.A. requirements.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15

Online Electronic Application: Complete Graduate Admissions application.
References: The name, institution/company and exact email addresses of three (3) electronic references from faculty or others qualified to provide an accurate evaluation of your potential as a graduate student
GRE: Official GRE Scores should be sent electronically to ASU code 4007 (leave department code blank). Scores should be no more than five years old.
Statement of Purpose: Upload a statement of purpose that explains why you wish to pursue an advanced degree in religious studies, your academic background, and the area of special emphasis you plan to study in the program.
Writing Sample: Upload a sample of your original scholarly writing. The sample should be between fifteen and thirty pages in length and should represent your best academic writing.
CV: Upload your current curriculum vitae.
Transcripts: Official transcripts sent to the Graduate Admissions Services.
TOEFL: Students applying from outside the U.S. whose native language is not English must follow Graduate Admission guidelines to demonstrate English language proficiency. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically through ETS to ASU. The minimum TOEFL requirement is 550 PBT or 80 iBT. You can find more information about these requirements at Graduate Admissions Services.

All uploads must be in either .doc or .pdf format.

Admission FAQs

History MA Application Requirements

Admission to the History MA program is selective. The most competitive applicants will meet the following academic criteria:

A strong record of relevant coursework (18 hours of previous coursework in history and/or other humanities or social science disciplines)
a GPA of 3.3
a strong writing sample
academic letters of recommendation
a minimum TOEFL score, for international students, of 90 for the iBT, or 600 for the PBT.

Applicants who do not meet the above criteria will still be considered and all students hoping to pursue graduate study in history are encouraged to apply and emphasize their strengths and research goals in their letter of application.

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

TEMPE CAMPUS: February 1 and April 15 (Fall admission)
ONLINE CAMPUS: July 15 and September 15 (Fall admission); December 1 and February 1 (Spring admission); April 15 (Summer admission)

APPLICATION COMPONENTS:

Online electronic application: Applicants must submit an online Graduate Admissions application and application fee.
Transcripts: Should be mailed to Graduate Admissions Services from the issuing institution(s).
Statement of Purpose: The statement of purpose should be addressed to the history admission committee and should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue, and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU (about 500 words in length). It is not necessary to specify a research topic, but the applicant should include it if they have one in mind.
Resume: Upload into online application.
Writing sample: A sample of the applicant's written work should be submitted electronically as part of the online application. Compelling writing samples will include a strong thesis, demonstrated use of primary and secondary source evidence, and solid writing foundations (such as proper grammar and logical organization). The writing sample may be an article (published or unpublished), a research paper, or any other extended sample of expository skill no longer than 35 pages in length. Longer writing samples should not be submitted without first consulting the Director of Graduate Studies. Documents and files may not be password protected. Acceptable file types are .rtf, .pdf, and .doc.
References: Applicants are required to submit a minimum of 3 email addresses from faculty or others qualified to speak of the applicant's suitability for graduate study in history. Academic letters of references will be given the most weight. Applicants should avoid asking friends or family members for references. References will be contacted by the University and asked to upload letters and evaluations online.
TOEFL: An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must follow Graduate Admission guidelines for demonstrating English language proficiency. The history program requires an iBT TOEFL score of at least 90 or a PBT TOEFL score of 600. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically from ETS (Educational Testing Services) to ASU.

History PhD Application Requirements

Admission to the History PhD program is selective. Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of a student's first bachelor's degree program or a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. The most competitive applicants will have a GPA of 3.30 or higher.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
January 15

APPLICATION COMPONENTS:

Online Electronic Application: Applicants must submit an online Graduate Admissions Application and application fee.
Official transcripts: Official transcripts must be sent directly to Graduate Admission Services from the issuing institution(s).
GRE scores: Official scores must be sent by ETS to ASU using the university code 4007 (department code can be left blank). Scores should be no more than 5 years old.
Letter of application: Addressed to the history admission committee, the letter of applications should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, the primary field the applicant wishes to pursue, the proposed research specialization (including faculty they would like to work with), and why the applicant wants to pursue graduate study at ASU (about 500 words in length).
Resume/CV: Upload into online application.
Writing sample: A sample of the applicant's written work should be submitted as part of the electronic application. The writing sample may be an article (published or unpublished), a research paper, or any other extended sample of expository skill no longer than 35 pages in length. Writing samples are expected to include a strong thesis, demonstrated use of primary and secondary source evidence, and solid writing foundations (such as proper grammar and logical organization). Longer writing samples should not be submitted without first consulting the graduate director. Documents and files should not be password protected. Acceptable file types are .rtf, .pdf, and .doc.
References: Applicants are required to submit a minimum of 3 email addresses from faculty or others qualified to speak of the applicant's suitability for graduate study in history. References will be contacted by the University and asked to upload letters and evaluations online.
TOEFL: An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must follow Graduate Admission guidelines for demonstrating English language proficiency. The history program requires an iBT TOEFL score of at least 90 or a PBT TOEFL score of 600. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically from ETS (Educational Testing Services) to ASU.

Admission FAQs

Philosophy MA Requirements

Prospective students are encouraged to correspond with faculty who share their interests and to visit campus. Talented students with strong interests in graduate study in philosophy are encouraged to apply whether or not they have an undergraduate degree in philosophy. Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

APPLICATION DEADLINES:
February 15 AND May 1

Prospective students are encouraged to correspond with faculty who share their interests and to visit campus if interested.

Talented students with strong interests in graduate study in philosophy are encouraged to apply whether or not they have an undergraduate degree in philosophy.

Online Electronic Application: Submit an online electronic application through Graduate Admissions and application fee.
References: Applicants are required to submit a minimum of 3 email addresses from faculty or others qualified to speak of the applicant's suitability for graduate study in philosophy. References will be contacted by the University and asked to upload letters and evaluations online.
GRE Scores: Official scores must be sent by ETS to ASU using the university code 4007 (department code can be left blank). Scores should be no more than 5 years old.
Statement of Purpose: Applicants must include a statement of purpose discussing their specific intent in pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy. Statements should be no longer than 600 words.
Writing Sample: A sample of the applicant's written work should be submitted as part of the electronic application. The philosophy admissions committee prefers seminar papers or published articles to theses or dissertations. Writing samples should be no more than 20 pages.
CV: Upload into online application.
Transcripts: Official transcripts must be sent directly to Graduate Admission Services from the issuing institution(s).
TOEFL: An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must follow Graduate Admission guidelines for demonstrating English language proficiency. TOEFL scores should be sent electronically from ETS (Educational Testing Services) to ASU. The philosophy program requires an iBT TOEFL score of at least 80 or a PBT TOEFL scores of at least 550.

All uploads must be in either doc or pdf format.

Philosophy PhD Requirements

Prospective students are encouraged to correspond with faculty who share their interests and to visit campus. Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.