JSP FAQ

How many applicants does JSP receive?

Between 80 to 110 applications are received. About 8 to 12% of applicants are admitted and about 70 to 80% of admitted students are accepted.

How large are the cohorts?

The cohorts are about 8 to 10 students each year.

What are you looking for in terms of an applicant’s qualifications?

We do holistic reviews of each applicant, but most important are indications for the applicant’s qualifications to be an outstanding academic. Thus, we will look at an applicant’s grades and the courses that they’ve taken in previous programs. A JD or MA could help aid this signalling process, but it’s certainly not the key factor in the decision. Furthermore, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and samples of academic writing will help the admissions committee decide how committed the applicant is to the high-level research done in the program. The...

Who should one ask for a letter of recommendation?

It’s best to choose someone who can comment truthfully and thoroughly on an applicant’s academic experience, rather than someone who is well-known in the field.

Do applicants need to have a dissertation topic picked out by the time they apply?

No, it is actually preferred to come into the program with no thorough plan prepared. This process of deciding on research questions that are important to the field, in addition to, especially at JSP, policy and law is one of the most important aspects to a Ph.D. program.

Does an applicant need to have academic writing experience past college classes before applying?

While a few students have already published a paper, about 80 to 90% of our students have not done so before.

Are certain academic areas more preferred than others?

No, all are equally preferred. The admission committee does try to balance out the areas that students are accepted for. Furthermore, students are especially encouraged to experiment with different academic areas during their time in the program.

Is work experience preferential in the application process?

Work experience is certainly not necessary for the application and is only helpful when a student’s experience helps them with regards to research direction or access to settings for research.

How diverse is your program?

The past five years have seen the most diverse cohorts in the 40-year history of JSP, with over 50% women and 40% self-identified, underrepresented minority students.

How do you make efforts to reach out to applicants from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds?

We direct JSP advertising to around a thousand colleges, including historically black colleges and universities in Canada, Europe, and other regions. Additionally, we reach out to academics to recommend diverse applicants to JSP and make efforts in our own JSP and Berkeley Law community to connect with affinity groups. We also have a standing JSP Diversity Committee in charge of working with the Graduate Admissions Committee and Berkeley Law to recruit and retain diverse students.