Students may be admitted to the graduate program in Comparative Studies after completing a baccalaureate degree in a relevant field. Students who have completed a master’s degree in a relevant field ordinarily apply directly to the Ph.D. program. At the time of admission, the Graduate Studies Committee will decide the number of credits from the student’s M.A. program that may be applied to the doctoral program (typically no more than 30 credits). Students will need to request credit transfer through the Graduate School by using GradForms (see https://gradsch.osu.edu/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/GRADFORMS‐TransferOfGraduateCredit.pdf) Students with the B.A. degree only may apply either to the M.A. program or to the M.A./Ph.D. program.
Criteria for admission to both the M.A. and the Ph.D. programs in Comparative Studies include the following:
1. A minimum of 3.0 cumulative point‐hour ratio (on the 4.0 scale used at this University) in all previous undergraduate work. Students with an undergraduate cumulative ratio below 3.0 who wish to be considered for admission must petition the Comparative Studies Graduate Studies Committee for special consideration. The committee then petitions the Graduate School for permission to accept the applicant. Acceptance is contingent on the success of both petitions.
2. A minimum of 3.0 in all previous graduate work.
3. Graduate Record Examination scores for all applicants.
4. Minimum TOEFL score of 79 (internet‐based), 213 (computer‐based), or 550 (paper‐based); or MELAB score of 82; or IELTS score of 7.0 for non‐native speakers of English.
5. Applicants are advised to contact the Graduate Studies Chair, a Comparative Studies faculty member with whom they are interested in working, or the Academic Program Coordinator in the Department of Comparative Studies before applying. The purposes of this contact, whether by telephone, e‐mail, videoconferencing, or in person, are to clarify the student’s research interests, needs, and goals; determine the suitability of the Comparative Studies program to the student’s intellectual and professional goals; and to advise the student in completing the statement of purpose required for admission to the graduate program in Comparative Studies. Students should make such contact well in advance of the application deadline.