Applying for PhD in Political Science and MPP

[jiklomiki83]

Hi all! Has anyone got experience with applying to both a PhD and MPP program in the same year? I'm applying for Fall 2021 at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Yale and UCB. 

I know that it's possible to apply to HKS MPP and Dept of Govt PhD but I'm cautious about how it might look to faculty. I would love to do a PhD but I could see myself as happy going down a different career route with the MPP. 

Thanks in advance!

[GradSchoolGrad]

13 hours ago, jiklomiki83 said:

Hi all! Has anyone got experience with applying to both a PhD and MPP program in the same year? I'm applying for Fall 2021 at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Yale and UCB. 

I know that it's possible to apply to HKS MPP and Dept of Govt PhD but I'm cautious about how it might look to faculty. I would love to do a PhD but I could see myself as happy going down a different career route with the MPP. 

Thanks in advance!

So the honest answer is that 2 things have to match 1. A Department’s outlook and 2. Each individual person’s background and story.

I isn’t that common but I have seen some MPPs go PhD route (the stats I have heard among various schools range from 1 to 2% to any PhD program.

If you have the grades and background to apply to PhD now as a concurrent program attendee. I recommend you do try it. You don’t want to stress out with PhD applications during MPP. 
 

At the end of the day it helps if you have a relationship or discussion with someone from the program to understand what their perspectives are. I have heard of programs that respect professional degrees (Harvard being one them), but others view it as extraneous.

Edited November 29, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[Westpolicy]

I believe some schools only allow you to apply to one program/ degree a year.