Apply

Those seeking admission to an MSU graduate program must complete an online university graduate application and pay the application fee. We are unable to offer waivers of this fee.

When completing the Test Scores section of the university graduate application:

• The CITE program does not require nor accept Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.
• International applicants with English Language test scores to report should provide those here. To determine if you need English Language test scores, please see the Graduate School’s English Language Competency web page. Please note: Official test scores must also be sent directly to MSU.

Once the university application is complete (including payment), applicants will have access to the Graduate Education Application Portal to upload: CV, Statement of Professional Goals (if not already uploaded), and Writing Sample (if not already uploaded). Please upload only one copy of each of these materials.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants should identify three (3) individuals to write recommendation letters in support of their application. Recommenders should be able to attest to the applicant’s academic ability and/or professional qualifications as related to success in a doctoral program (e.g., course professor, master’s degree advisor, professional supervisor). Letters from university faculty (e.g., instructors at the master’s or undergraduate level, researchers with which the applicant has worked) are particularly effective for this purpose. 

Applicants provide contact information for recommenders and choose whether to waive or not waive their access to the letters as part of the university application. Once that information has been submitted, MSU will contact the recommenders to request letters. 

Statement of Professional Goals

Applicants submit a Statement of Professional Goals. (Specific points that should be addressed in this statement are outlined below). Applicants should not upload separate Personal and Academic Statements. Instead, these should be integrated into a single Statement of Professional Goals.

The Statement of Professional Goals should be uploaded either with the university application or in the Graduate Education Application Portal. If uploading to the Portal, please select “Statement of Purpose” as the file type.

This statement is a very important part of the review process. Applicants should present a thoughtful and extended verbal portrait (3-page, single-spaced) that describes their background and reasons for pursuing a doctoral degree in the CITE program. In particular, the statement should address the following questions: 

• How have your experiences and intellectual growth shaped the questions you hope to explore in a doctoral program?
• What questions or major issues are you most interested in exploring in a doctoral program?
• How do your experiences and scholarly interests center issues of justice? (This could include, but is not limited to, issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.)
• What sorts of leadership roles do you envision the CITE doctoral program helping you to assume?
• How do your goals match characteristics of the CITE doctoral program? For example:
  • Are there professors whose work is particularly meaningful to you?
  • Are there aspects of the program that seem well-suited to your goals?
  • In what ways do your experiences and scholarly interests reflect some of the Department of Teacher Education Core Principles (PDF download)?
• Optional (as applicable):
  • What leadership roles have you held?
  • What professional/personal obstacles have you overcome?

Writing Sample

Applicants submit one or more examples of their academic writing (e.g., something that they have published, a master’s thesis or a paper submitted to fulfill graduate course requirements).

The Writing Sample should be uploaded either with the university application or in the Graduate Education Application Portal. If uploading to the Portal, please select “Writing Sample” as the file type.

The writing sample should be at least 10 pages long (double-spaced) and must have been authored exclusively by the applicant. Because analytical writing is a central component of advanced doctoral study, the purpose of the writing sample is purpose is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to write in academic English. The writing sample is particularly important for international students to demonstrate their command of English. (For this reason, a translated abstract of a master’s thesis cannot be used for this application requirement.) 

If an applicant does not have an appropriate extended piece of academic work in English that can be submitted along with the application, please contact the Ph.D. Program Director. 

Current Curriculum Vitae

Applicants may choose their own format for the curriculum vitae (CV). A copy of the CV should be uploaded to Graduate Education Application Portal. (Applicants will have access to this portal after completing the university application and paying the application fee.) 

Transcripts

University admissions requires official degree-granting transcripts, sent directly from the degree institution. (Transcripts for degrees from MSU are not required.) Transcripts may be sent in one of two ways:

1. Hard copies should be sent to the Office of Admissions (426 Auditorium Road, Room 250, East Lansing, MI 48824-2604) directly from degree institutions in sealed university envelopes.
2. (Domestic institutions only) Electronic copies may be sent directly to cite@msu.edu through Parchment or the National Student Clearinghouse. We cannot accept transcripts sent as email attachments.

All applicants should also upload unofficial transcripts to the Graduate Education Application Portal to be reviewed with other application materials.

International applicants should refer to the information below for more specific requirements.