Admission Requirements

The MA in International Studies is an academically demanding two-year program.  The master’s program only admits in the Fall so students can begin their sequence of classes as a cohort.  There are no Winter or Spring admissions, and all of our graduate classes are offered in the evening.

This graduate program is committed to building a community of scholars and researchers who have demonstrated a commitment to engaging questions of power and inequality at an international level.   

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate institution
• GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Grade of B or better on an advanced  modern language course (other than English) beyond the standard two-year college language learning sequence, or the equivalent score on a language placement exam

Application Materials

A complete application for the International Studies master’s program includes the following:

1.___  Application Form : Online at go.depaul.edu/apply

2.___  A $40 domestic application fee, $75 international application fee: Submitted online with application     

3.___ An official transcript: Acquired from each institution you have attended, showing successful completion of a bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).  Unofficial transcripts can be submitted for initial review.  

4.___ Two letters of recommendation: At least one of the two letters must be written by a professor with whom you have worked, preferably in a class related to international studies. Both recommenders should address your:

• writing abilities,
• analytical skills,
• motivation and readiness for graduate study,
• ability to do independent work, and
• ability to see a project through to completion.

5.___ Statement of Purpose: 3-5 pages, double spaced that describes the following:  how this program will further your academic and professional goals, DePaul faculty you would like to work with, your primary research interests, and a possible research topic or project you would like to pursue. Your proposed topic or project of interest and any associated research interests should be explained in as much detail as possible. Our selection committee takes the statement of purpose seriously and will look for evidence that you are prepared for an academically rigorous program.

6.___ Writing Sample: Submit an analytical paper of 5-8 pages. Papers should demonstrate your writing and critical thinking abilities, ideally in a subject area related to international studies.

International Applicants

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please visit the International Students Application Instructions page for exact information.

Already applied?

To check the status of your application, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission directly by calling  (773) 325-7315 , or by email to lasgrad@depaul.edu. Be sure to include your name, telephone number and email address.

Applying to the Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, International Law Studies Joint Program

To be accepted into the joint JD/MA in international law studies program you must be a student in DePaul’s College of Law. Once students have completed the first semester of the College of Law, they may apply for admission to the joint program. They must complete the online graduate application for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, specifying the MA in International Studies. Include a detailed note in the comments section specifying that this is an application for the joint JD/MA program. Students will be required to show evidence of having passed the two economic courses and the basic language requirement as described in the admission requirements for the MA. Students should then contact the Admission Office of the College of Law to complete their application procedures.

Learn more about Graduate Admission.

Ready to apply?

If you need assistance to complete your application and/or have questions, contact the LAS Graduate Admission office at (773) 325-7315 or lasgrad@depaul.edu.