Admission Information

Students are admitted to the Ph.D. program in Urban Studies in the fall semester only. Students entering the program with a master's degree are expected to have a grade-point average of 3.5 or better. Both undergraduate and graduate grade-point averages are considered in determining eligibility for admission. Cleveland State also permits students with bachelor's degrees to enter the program. Bachelor entry-level students must have achieved at least a 3.5 grade-point average in their undergraduate work.

Applicants are expected to have earned a minimum combined 50th percentile on the quantitative and verbal sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), plus at least a 4.0 on the analytical writing section. In addition to the application requirements of the College of Graduate Studies, an applicant must submit three letters of recommendation, a writing sample (preferably a recently graded research paper), a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and a statement of purpose for seeking a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Public Affairs. The application deadline is January 31st.

The statement of purpose should address the following issues:

• Why do you want to pursue a Ph.D. generally, and at Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs specifically?
• Within the field of urban studies and your intended concentration of Public Administration or Urban Policy and Development, what are you expecting to research at Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs?
• Which faculty members at Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs are you interested in working with, and why?

Ready to apply? Find out how to apply here.