MS ILR Application

UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, or an equivalent international degree. Many applicants have an undergraduate or master’s degree in the social sciences (e.g., anthropology, economics, government, history, psychology or sociology), although this is not a prerequisite.

You must upload unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended. There is no specific minimum grade point average used as a cut-off, although undergraduate coursework and grades are a factor in the admission decisions. Please note that admitted applicants who accept their offer will be required to submit official electronic transcripts to the Graduate School Admissions Office. Official transcripts are not required unless admitted.

RESUME or CV

Recently updated work history and experience, skills and areas of expertise, academic achievements, and any information that is pertinent to your application.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (2)

We recommend that you submit two academic recommendations. If you are unable to submit two academic recommendations, we strongly encourage you to submit at least one academic reference with one professional reference. You can submit your application without completed letters of recommendation, but your recommenders must upload their letters within 10 days of the application deadline.

ACADEMIC STATEMENT OF PURPOSE (1-2 pages)

In the form of an essay, describe:

1. your academic interests,
2. your academic background, preparation, and training, including any relevant experiences,
3. your reasons for pursuing graduate studies in this specific program, and
4. your academic and/or professional goals.

PERSONAL STATEMENT (1-2 pages)

The personal statement allows you to provide the admissions committee with a sense of who you are as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree.

WRITING SAMPLE

The writing sample should be academic in nature and may be in the form of an essay, short paper, research paper, etc. It can be published or unpublished. We do not recommend co-authored works unless you provide excerpts that were entirely completed by you. The document you provide should help the review committee better understand your writing, analytical, and/or communication abilities. It does not necessarily need to be on the same topic of your application field.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAM

All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. There are 3 ways this may be done:

1. Submit Scores – Provide official IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT test scores that meet the Graduate School’s minimums. For TOEFL, ILR recommends applicants have a minimum total score of 100 score and sub-scores of 25 in each category.
2. Request a Standing Exemption in your application for admission – On the first page of the application form, you will attest that you meet one of the standing exemptions. Provide documentation if required.
3. Request a Special Exemption – In exceptional cases, applicants may ask for a special exemption.

Applications are considered in entirety and in comparison with other applications for the same class. The Graduate Admissions Committee, composed of representatives from each of the areas of academic specialization within the ILR School, makes admissions decisions for the MS program. These decisions reflect consideration of both applicants’ academic record, and whether applicants’ academic interests, as expressed in their statement of purpose, can be pursued effectively at ILR, given the interests of faculty members.