Apply to Pardee RAND
Make a strategic decision
Pardee RAND will begin accepting applications for fall 2023 starting September 1, 2022. Visit our Application pages to learn more about the process.
Learn more about the Ph.D. Learn more about the M.Phil.Receive individualized feedback on your qualifications!
Submit a pre-applicationThe Pardee RAND Graduate School Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.), and our selective, multidisciplinary doctoral program (Ph.D.), both focus on policy analysis and the ways it can shape our world.
Pardee RAND is backed by the brainpower and resources of the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.
Our students come from diverse personal and academic backgrounds; about a third of them come from outside the U.S. All students undertake experiential learning to provide real-world research experience as well as financial support. Ph.D. students also receive a combination of fellowships and scholarships that cover tuition, include a living stipend, and can enable them to graduate debt-free.
Meet Our Ph.D. Students
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Khadesia Howell
Cohort ’20
Health policy and bioethics, public health policy, women’s health, the social determinants of health, and vulnerable populations
Heather Gomez-Bendaña
Cohort ’19
Academic achievement gaps, education policy, education equity, and disadvantaged students, as well as the social determinants of health
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Jamie Ryan
Cohort ’17
Health policy, immigration, violence prevention, and counter-extremism
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Andrew Scruggs
Cohort ’21
Economic development and sustainability; international organizations and migration
Carlos Calvo Hernandez
Cohort ’19
The intersection of international development and sustainability, including climate change, migration, resource management, and emerging technologies
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Diana Myers
Cohort ’19
International relations and strategic defense policy with a focus on North Korea
Follow an Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Policy analysts need more than mastery of one focused area; they must also be able to work with and understand colleagues across a range of areas of expertise. Pardee RAND's interdisciplinary curriculum provides all students a broad base of policy analytic experience.
Additionally, students applying for the Pardee RAND Ph.D. choose a policy engagement stream that best fits their interests:
- Research, Analysis, and Design: mastering analytic tools and methods for addressing complex policy problems
- Community-Partnered Policy and Action: partnering with and working in communities to effect real and sustainable change
- Technology Applications and Implications: creating technology-focused solutions to policy problems and understanding the societal implications of changing technology
What We Look for in Our Applicants
All applicants must:
- be available to participate in our full-time combined research-and-study program at RAND’s headquarters in Santa Monica, California
- have completed a bachelor’s degree; an advanced degree and/or some work experience is desired for Ph.D. applicants
- demonstrate strong quantitative skills, although all majors and disciplines welcome
Our students are driven to change the world. Does that describe you?
Learn more about what we look for in an ideal candidate »Application Elements
- An online application
- Resume or CV
- Two essays to understand your motivations to work in the field of policy analysis (three essays for the Ph.D.)
- Test scores on the GRE or GMAT optional; TOEFL or English proficiency test for some international students
- Three letters of recommendation
- School transcripts
Receive early feedback on your candidacy
If you are interested in receiving preliminary feedback on your candidacy prior to investing your time in the 2022 admissions process, please consider submitting a pre-application.
Contact us
If you have any questions or wish to be in touch, please contact us at prgsadmissions@prgs.edu.