Who applies to Social and Political Thought?
Applicants interested in an interdisciplinary field of study to support research and coursework we encourage applicants to establish a background in interdisciplinary work and critical theory. Applicants tend to have a very clear direction in regards to their research project prior to entering the program, and frequently initiate contact with specific faculty members prior to applying to the program. Applicants identify themselves as being primarily in one of the three strands within SPTH. These strands, (or fields) are:
1) History of Social and Political Thought,
2) Society and Economy and
3) Consciousness and Society.
Where can I find an application?
Applications are generally available through the Admissions office in late September or early October for the following September admissions process. The Admissions office provides applicants with an on-line application (for additional information, please refer to the York Admissions web site: http://www.yorku.ca/admissio/graduate.asp, or applicants who do not have access to the internet, may request a hard copy application form by contacting the Admissions office at (416) 736-5000. (The Social and Political Thought program office does not keep application packages for distribution.)
When should I apply?
Admissions for both the MA and the PhD program is always for a Fall (September) start date. This program does not admit students for a Winter or Summer start date.
The deadline for a Fall (September) start is January 15th each year, though applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early, and ensure that all required documents are submitted by either sending the documents or confirming with Admissions that the documents have arrived. Please note: if January 15th falls on a weekend in any given year, then the application and documents may be submitted on the monday following the deadline.
Due to the limited number of places in the program, applicants are advised that a strong application package is essential. Incomplete applications may be reviewed by the Admissions committee, but naturally, may be at a disadvantage because incomplete applications will not be able to provide as much information to the Admissions committee as needed to compete with other, complete applications
What else do I need to know?
The application form itself is straightforward. Any questions may be directed to the Admission office (416) 736-5000.
In addition, applicants will need to have official transcripts submitted from all the post secondary institutions you have attended. Applicants are urged to request transcripts early, and have all transcripts sent from your institutions directly to the Admissions office, where they will be matched with your application.
Can you give me information regarding the various supporting documents?
Written Work Sample
The written work sample - we suggest an essay that you have submitted recently that exhibits your work in an interdisciplinary nature. Where possible the paper should be pertinent to the interests the student wishes to pursue in the program. Most essays submitted are between 15 and 50 pages. If you are not sure which sample of your work would be best suited for the program, you may want to discuss your work samples with your references. Be sure to also provide the referees with information on the Social and Political Thought program, so that they may be able to have a point of reference for your discussion. Applicants are asked to note that the submission of the written work is not only essential, but that the written work sample is often a decisive factor for the Admissions committee in selecting the candidates for the program.
Statement of interest
The statement of interest should outline information about your academic background and the nature of your studies that will support your application, the future direction of your research, (and if there are SPTH faculty members you would like to study with, or specific courses that are of interest to you), as well as any information you feel would support and strengthen your application. The Statement of interest should provide evidence of a mature academic outlook, displaying a strong sense of where the applicant wants to go. The statement may be as brief as one page, or as long as 4 pages. The committee is not focused on the length of the statement as much as the content of the statement.
Additional information
SPTH recommends that students submit a resume or curriculum vitae. Although the Admissions committee does not require this information, the program office finds it invaluable when we begin working with the files of the applicants we have admitted. The CV or resume can help the program match you with areas for either your Graduate Assistantship (for Masters students), or Teaching Assistantships (generally for PHD students. although once we have sent out offers of admissions to applicant. (We send out the Graduate Assistantship and Teaching Assistantship applications once students are admitted, but the early information can be invaluable when trying to place students with unique skills.
References
Applicants are encouraged to discuss the program and your academic goals with references as early as possible. Please let your referees know that York University now uses an on-line format for all graduate references and that an email will come to them directly from the Admissions office requesting the reference. The reference will them be returned directly to the Admissions office by the referee.
If a referee needs to use an alternative format, Admissions or the program office can arrange for the referee to be sent a PDF form by email. If the referee returns the letters to you, the letters must remain in the sealed envelope with the referee's signature on the back of the envelope. The referee may also send the reference directly to the Admissions office if they wish. All letters received will be matched to your application and forwarded to the program office.
When are the supporting documents due?
The admissions office forwards the documents to the program as soon as they have completed their work with any of the documents. The program then sets up the files and has the program's admissions committees start reading the files. The committees will not wait to make a decision on an incomplete file, therefore missing documents may result in a lower ranking by the committee, thus we recommend all documents be submitted at the deadline or as soon after the deadline as possible.
Can I resubmit an old application?
Applications from previous years cannot be submitted for current application submission, although letters of references, statements of interest and writing samples are generally held for one year, and if the information is on file, it can be used.
I am applying for more than one program at York. Do I need to submit work samples for each program?
Yes. The writing sample which you may select for one program may be different from the one you want to go to SPTH. Even if it is the same writing sample, Admissions will not be making copies and distributing them to each program, so you need to submit one for each application, and to indicate your name, “Writing sample for SPTH application” and the title of the writing sample on the front of each submission.
What if I am already enrolled in another graduate program and wish to switch to SPTH?
In some cases, students currently in other graduate programs and considering attending the Social and Political Thought program should be aware that they must seek entry into the program through the admissions process. Advanced standing - if applicable - would be accessed only after student is admitted and registered in the program through a petition process to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
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