Admissions
The mission of Pardee RAND Graduate School is to educate high-level problem solvers who will take on some of the world’s toughest problems with rigor, a broad interdisciplinary perspective and a creative flair. Toward this end PRGS selects up to 25 doctoral fellows each year on the basis of intellectual power, creativity and a practical bent.
PRGS limits admission to students who can participate full-time in its combined research-and-study program. Because the courses are taught in sequence, students must begin their study in the fall quarter.
All applicants must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and possess superior communication, logical reasoning and quantitative skills. An advanced degree is not required. No preference is given to any particular undergraduate major or course of study, but all students must have a working knowledge of univariate calculus by the time of enrollment. Coursework in statistics, economics and more advanced calculus is helpful, but not absolutely required.
Beyond their academic capabilities, PRGS fellows share two attributes. They combine passion and discipline: a palpable passion to help change the world for the better, and the demonstrated discipline to master the intellectual tools that will help them do so.
PRGS also seeks diversity in the broadest sense of the term. An important part of the graduate experience is the learning that takes place as students interact with each other, especially about different life experiences and training, cultures, and ways of thinking.
Pre-Application
We advise all prospective candidates to complete an online pre-application. This is optional but will help us to ascertain if you have the appropriate qualifications for PRGS before you invest your time into the application process.
Information Sessions
The Pardee RAND Graduate School information sessions will provide an overview of the Ph.D. in policy analysis, the admissions process, and our degree requirements. In addition, attendees will have an opportunity to hear current students describe their experiences and share their own perspectives on the program. Information sessions are scheduled for October 9 and November 6, 2010 at PRGS in Santa Monica (RAND Headquarters) and October 23, 2010, at RAND's Pittsburgh office. The date and time for the PRGS information session at RAND's Washington, D.C. office will be posted in this location as soon as the timing is finalized. Details and RSVP instructions can be found in the following links.
Oct. 9, 2010 Session Details Oct. 23, 2010 Session Details Nov. 6, 2010 Session Details
Application
Thank you for your interest in the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Individuals interested in applying for the entering class of Fall 2011 can access our application at https://prgs.populiweb.com/application. The final deadline for all submissions is December 16, 2010. Applications submitted for Fall 2012 or later will not be reviewed.