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Stevenson Center

Admissions

We take the time to consider your application as a whole. It is critical that you submit a complete application by the application deadline. There is no one component that weighs more heavily than another; being less strong in one area can be balanced out by another. Additionally, your personal statement is an opportunity to address any deficiencies in your application.

Successful applicants take the time to complete each piece of the application. They also ensure the entire package represents who they are as a student and how they envision using a master's degree from our program.

Important note: The university has a minimum grade point average (GPA) for graduate assistantship eligibility campus wide. SO, to be eligible for the Fellows Programs, you must have at least a 2.8 GPA for your last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Alternately, if you have taken nine or more hours of graduate credit, you must have at least a 3.0 GPA for your graduate courses.

Application and Timeline

Graduate Application for Admission

September 1st: application opens.
February 1st: application deadline for anthropology, applied economics, kinesiology and recreation, political science, and sociology.

Program Requirements

Students are accepted by both a department and the Stevenson Center, so it is in your best interest to understand what your department is looking for in a successful applicant and to be certain that you meet all department requirements.

Stevenson Center students must satisfy certain prerequisites (listed by department below). Prerequisites can be completed at any accredited institution, including community colleges and online courses, and students must earn a "C" or better. It is possible to be accepted with the understanding that you would complete any necessary class(es) before starting the program in August. This is called being admitted with a deficiency. You will need to document completion of prerequisites with an official transcript after the final grades have posted.

Prerequisite requirements include the following:

  • All Stevenson Center students must complete one college-level, graded (not pass/fail) economics class. The preferred method is to earn a "C" or higher in an introductory (e.g., 100-level) class at an accredited institution. Alternate methods include (official documentation is required):
    • High school AP credit for microeconomics or macroeconomics: must score 3, 4, or 5
    • High school International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program: must score at least 4
    • CLEP exam in Principles of Microeconomics or Principles of Macroeconomics: must score at least 50. Students must schedule the CLEP exam far enough in advance to a) send the test score well before the first day of fall semester, AND b) initiate a contingency plan if the score is lower than 50, since CLEP exams in economics are rigorous and there is a waiting period of at least three months between exams.
  • Master's in Anthropology: while an undergraduate degree in anthropology, history, geography, biology, or a related social science field is desirable, it is not required
  • Master's in Applied Economics: principles of economics, calculus, statistics, intermediate microeconomic theory, and intermediate macroeconomic theory
  • Master's in Kinesiology and Recreation: while an undergraduate degree in kinesiology and recreation or a related field is desirable, it is not required
  • Master's in Political Science: at least 15 hours of coursework in the social sciences
  • Master's in Sociology: depending on applicants' overall qualifications, courses in sociological research methods, statistics, and theory, or their equivalents, may be required

As you are exploring options, we can connect you with the Graduate Advisor in your department to help you determine which classes would meet the requirements for that degree program. The prerequisites establish a foundation for success in your graduate program.

AmeriCorps and the Stevenson Center

We welcome former AmeriCorps Members to our Applied Community and Economic Development (ACED) Fellows Program. Service with AmeriCorps counts toward the requirement to have at least one year (1,700 hours) of full-time experience in community development or social services (as either a paid professional or a volunteer) or the equivalent prior to the start of classes. The ACED Fellows Program matches the AmeriCorps education award by providing an assistantship, full two-year tuition waiver, and paid 11-month internship.

We have a partnership that allows some of our current students to serve as AmeriCorps Members during their year on campus and/or their internship placement. Our AmeriCorps Members have completed the equivalent of 55 full-time service-years and received education awards totaling over $300,000.

AmeriCorps Alumni, request more information!

Required Application Materials

Applicants who submit all materials according to the posted instructions and by the posted deadlines and whose materials indicate potential for success in their chosen program will complete a required interview by phone or in person.

Select anthropology/ACED, applied economics/ACED, kinesiology and recreation/ACED, political science/ACED, or sociology/ACED to indicate the appropriate master’s degree plan and sequence.

It is in your best interest to submit your application as soon as you have completed all attachments (résumé, etc.) and entered all email addresses for your references. You don't need to wait for GRE scores or official transcripts to be uploaded to the system.

You may NOT apply to more than one program at a time.

Required attachments include:

A current résumé.

A two-page statement of purpose.

The statement of purpose should describe why you would like to be in the Peace Corps Fellows Program in your chosen department at Illinois State University. A strong personal statement provides us with a sense of your trajectory as a student and professional. It helps us to understand where you have been and how this master's degree will help you achieve your future goals. Why are you interested in your specific academic field?

Applications are considered by both your department and the Stevenson Center. We want to understand why a degree in a given discipline is the best choice for you and how you plan to use your degree in the future. What will you gain from your work with your department, the Stevenson Center, and your fellow students, plus your professional practice? How will you contribute?

A sample of academic writing.

Samples should be at least five pages and reflect your best work as a student. Again, we understand some of our applicants have a significant time period between their last academic experience and application to our program. If you don't have an academic paper, you can choose another piece of work.

An ideal writing sample is one that you feel best demonstrates your ability to write well, think critically, and handle sources. The writing sample helps demonstrate your readiness to research and to write well at the graduate level. A grant application, project proposal, or professional report could serve this purpose. If you are concerned about the document that you choose to submit, you might consider having one or more of your references specifically address your writing and/or research skills.

(Kinesiology and recreation applicants should upload the writing sample IN PLACE OF a "cover letter" in the online application for kinesiology and recreation/ACED.)

Unofficial transcripts from EACH college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned.

The unofficial transcripts should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses, and course grades for each term. If you are accepted, official transcripts must be emailed from the colleges or universities to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to:

Graduate School, 209 Hovey Hall
Illinois State University
Campus Box 4040
Normal, IL 61790-4040

International Students

An international student holding the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree from a recognized international post-secondary college or university, as determined by the Graduate School, may apply for admission by submitting additional documentation.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test official scores, depending on the degree program.

Applied economics:

The GRE General Test is required. Illinois State University's GRE Institution Code is 1319. Be sure to take the GRE in plenty of time for your scores to ARRIVE at Illinois State University BEFORE the application deadline above. You can find more information on the timing of score reporting on the GRE FAQ page.

Anthropology, kinesiology and recreation, political science, and sociology:

The GRE General Test is not required. If you wish to submit scores, use institution code 1319.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must also submit contact information for a minimum of three references. This information can be entered directly into your online application, as well as a personal message if you choose. Your references will each then be contacted by the university to supply a letter of recommendation for you. You should have at least one letter from a former professor, preferably more, but we understand that applicants are often returning to school after a hiatus. Letters from supervisors, project partners, or others who have known you in a setting that is pertinent to your admission to the Stevenson Center are acceptable. You will be able, through the online application portal, to monitor the submission of recommendations, though you will not be able to read the letters.

Letter of Service

Signed official DOS - Peace Corps Fellows Program only

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers must submit a signed official Description of Service (DOS). Current Peace Corps Volunteers may upload an unofficial Description of Service (DOS) signed by your country director, to be replaced with the official DOS at Close of Service.

All other Applicants

Submit a letter from an organization(s) confirming that you have had at least one year of full-time experience in community development or social services or the equivalent (1,700 hours)—as either a paid professional or a volunteer. (AmeriCorps alumni can generate a letter through the My AmeriCorps Portal).

Graduate Assistantship Application

Complete the one assistantship application that corresponds with your intended degree program. Your chosen academic department can also access your assistantship application.