Students entering the Doctor of Philosophy program in Public Administration & Policy should meet the minimum university admission requirements (Graduate Admission)

Applications are accepted year-round with a March 1st deadline for the immediate fall. Review of applications begins mid-March and finishes mid-to-late April. Please visit the department website for application details and financial assistance.

To apply, you will need:

• Two letters of recommendation from academic sources (e.g., professors from previous degree work). If it is not possible to secure three academic references, please contact the GPD for advice on acceptable substitutes.

• A resume that reflects academic and professional achievements and experience.

• A three- to six-page double-spaced written statement of academic and professional goals. The focus of the essay should be on how the Ph.D. degree in Public Administration and Policy will assist the applicant in advancing his/her professional development, and why the applicant wishes to pursue these goals at Old Dominion University and in the School of Public Service.

• Transcripts from a regionally-accredited institution or a comparable foreign institution showing completion of a master's degree by the time of enrollment with a minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

• Aptitude scores on the GRE taken within five years prior to applying for admission. The GMAT may be accepted as a substitution. Scores from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) are not accepted or considered for admission.  The GRE can be waived under specific circumstances – Please visit the department web pages for information.

• For students whose native language is not English, a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL, or 6.5 on the IELTS is required.