Graduate School Planning
Thinking about an MA or PhD program in the humanities or social sciences? We are here to help you learn more about liberal arts advanced degrees, prepare for a future application and navigate the application process.
Liberal Arts Career Services can help you:
- Decide if graduate school is in alignment with your short-term and long-term career goals
- Come up with a game plan/timeline for your application materials and discuss each component piece by piece, including GRE preparation
- Put together your academic Curriculum Vitae (CV) for graduate study and get involved with research on campus
- Navigate the process of obtaining strong letters of recommendation
- Review your personal statement/statement of purpose
- Explore programs and discuss areas of interest
Thinking about an MA or PhD program in the humanities or social sciences? We are here to help you learn more about liberal arts advanced degrees, prepare for an eventual application and navigate the application process.
Liberal Arts Career Services can help you:
- Decide if graduate school is in alignment with your short-term and long-term career goals
- Come up with a game plan/timeline for your application materials and discuss each component piece by piece
- Put together your academic Curriculum Vitae (CV) for graduate study
- Navigate the process of obtaining strong letters of recommendation
- Brainstorm ideas for personal statement and statement of purpose
- Edit and review your personal statement and statement of purpose
- Get involved with research on campus to help build your CV and hone your research interests
- Come up with a realistic timeline for preparing for the GRE
- Explore programs and discuss areas of interest
- Getting Started
Applying for and attending graduate school is a huge committment. Ask yourself the following questions to ensure you are attending graduate school for the right reasons and to set yourself up for success.
- What are my motivations for considering graduate school?
- What type of academic or professional degree am I seeking?
- What are my career prospects?
- What is the cost to attend?
- How long will this take?
- What will my career earnings be in the long-run?
- Will this make me a more competitive applicant for future positions?
- What is my return on investment?
- Should I take a bridge/gap year?
Making an Appointment:
- Log-in to Handshake
- On the left side menu, select “Career Center”
- Select “Appointments”
- Select "Schedule New Appointment"
- Choose “College of Liberal Arts”
- Select "Graduate School Admissions"
- Select an appointment time and medium (in-person or virtual). Some appointment slots will only be offered virtually.
- Fill out the "What can we help you with?" field with information about where you are in your graduate school planning, programs you are interested in, or anything else you'd like your coach to know.
- Select “Request.” You will receive a confirmation email with your appointment details.
- Application Components
Below you will find a list of common graduate school application components. Keep in mind, each school is unique and may require different materials. Be sure to read through each program's requirements carefully to ensure you are preparing the right materials.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE): The GRE is an exam conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is generally mandatory if you wish to apply for admission into a Masters or PhD program in the U.S.
- Quantitative (arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis)
- Verbal (reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence)
- Analytical Writing (analyze an issue + analyze an argument)
Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Resume: The CV is a longer document that details the whole course of your academic and professional career. Click here to view our CV template. A resume is typically used for job/internship applications and is generally one-page in length and tailored to a specific position.
Statement of Purpose / Personal Statement: All programs will require either (or both) a Statement of Purpose and/or a Personal Statement with their application. Each should be about 1-3 pages in length. What's the difference?
- Statement of Purpose - academic and professional background, skills, and accomplishments; research interests; academic/career goals; why this program is a good fit for you. More formal.
- Personal Statement - personal motivation for applying; how you developed your research interests; any relevant experiences, challenges, or accomplishments. Less formal.
Please be advised that all University employees are legally required to report any Title IX violations referenced in your admissions essays to UT's Title IX office.
Letters of Recommendation (LoR): Graduate programs require you to submit letters of recommendation in order to complete your application. Masters programs generally require three, while PhD programs can allow up to five. The people you choose to ask to write your letters are extremely important - think about professors you've had interactions with or built close relationships with.
Transcripts: You will need to submit an official or unofficial (depends on graduate school requirements) copy of your transcript for every institution you've received college credit from.
Supplemental Essays: Some programs may require you to submit supplemental essays in addition to your other materials.
Writing Sample(s): Some programs may require you to submit a writing sample for your application.
Graduate School Application: Complete the online application and pay the fee ($50-$125) per application. Inquire about fee waivers if possible.
- Sample Application Timelines
Sample Masters Timeline:
Fall 2026 Entry
- Spring 2025: Lay the foundation – gather GRE study materials; begin researching programs; speak with professors and graduate students in your field of interest; create a spreadsheet that houses programs of interest.
- Summer 2025: Preparation – begin studying for the GRE; update/maintain spreadsheet of programs; sign up for information sessions if they are available; update/revise CV; stay in touch with potential letter writers.
- Early Fall 2025: Action – take the GRE; confirm programs you’d like to apply for; begin reaching out to faculty and graduate students at programs of interest; begin crafting SoP/PS drafts; request transcripts from all institutions attended; inform letter writers of deadlines; complete graduate school applications.
- Late Fall 2025: Deadlines – December-March (sometimes later)
- Spring 2026: Submitting Apps/Waiting and decision time – still submitting applications; waiting to hear back from programs; typically no interviews for masters programs but check your specific program for requirements.
Sample PhD Timeline:
Fall 2026 Entry
- Spring 2025: Lay the foundation – gather GRE study materials; begin researching programs; speak with professors and graduate students in your field of interest; create a spreadsheet that houses programs of interest.
- Summer 2025: Preparation – begin studying for the GRE; update/maintain spreadsheet of programs; sign up for information sessions if they are available; update/revise CV; stay in touch with potential letter writers.
- Early Fall 2025: Action – take the GRE; confirm programs you’d like to apply for; begin reaching out to faculty and graduate students at programs of interest; begin crafting SoP/PS drafts; request transcripts from all institutions attended; inform letter writers of deadlines; complete graduate school applications.
- Late Fall 2025: Deadlines – early November – December 15
- Spring 2026: Waiting to hear back – programs will begin to alert you if you’ve received an interview offer beginning in early January.
- Resources
Masters Portal: Identify masters programs from around the world in all disciplines
PhD Portal: Identify PhD programs from around the world in all disciplines
CACREP Find a Program: Identify accredited counseling and clinical mental health counseling programs
UT Graduate School: Learn more about graduate school at UT and preparing to apply
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- Determining If You Should Apply
- How to Be a Competitive Applicant
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Applying for and attending graduate school is a huge committment. Be sure to ask yourself the following questions to ensure you are attending graduate school for the right reasons and to set yourself up for success. Schedule an appointment with a Graduate School Admissions Coach to discuss your motivations for graduate school further.
Check your motivations.
- Do I know where this is going?
- Why do I want to do this now?
- What type of academic or professional degree am I seeking?
- What are my career prospects?
- What is the cost to attend?
- How long will this take?
- What will my career earnings be in the long-run?
- Will this make me a more competitive applicant for future positions?
- What is my return on investment?
- Should I take a bridge/gap year?
- Maintain a strong GPA
- Forge strong connections with professors - visit their office hours, schedule times outside of class to meet
- Join a research lab to gain research experience and to figure out what your research interests are
- Attend an info session in The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)
- Browse Eureka for undergraduate research opportunities
- Review research opportunities through CoLA
4. Get involved on campus
- Browse campus involvement opportunities
5. Volunteer in the community
6. Participate in internships
7. Gain experience through part-time jobs / on-campus employment
8. Take challenging coursework; build-up your writing skills
9. Schedule an appointment with a Graduate School Admissions coach to discuss your goals further
Below you will find a list of common graduate school application components. Keep in mind, each school is unique and may require different materials. Be sure to read through each program's requirements carefully to ensure you are preparing the right materials.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE): The GRE is an exam conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is generally mandatory if you wish to apply for admission into a Masters or PhD program in the U.S.
- Quantitative (arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis)
- Verbal (reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence)
- Analytical Writing (analyze an issue + analyze an argument)
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) / Resume: The CV is a longer document that details the whole course of your academic and professional career. Click here to view our CV template.
A resume is typically used for job/internship applications and is generally one-page in length and tailored to a specific position.
3. Statement of Purpose / Personal Statement: All programs will require either (or both) a Statement of Purpose and/or a Personal Statement with their application. What's the difference?
- Statement of Purpose - academic and professional background, skills, and accomplishments; research interests; academic/career goals; why this program is a good fit for you. More formal.
- Personal Statement - personal motivation for applying; how you developed your research interests; any relevant experiences, challenges, or accomplishments. Less formal.
- Length - ~1-3 pages
4. Letters of Recommendation (LoR): Graduate programs require you to submit letters of recommendation in order to complete your application. Masters programs generally require three, while PhD programs can allow up to five. The people you choose to ask to write your letters are extremely important - think about professors you've had interactions with or built close relationships with.
If you need assistance coming up with a plan to reach out for LoR, schedule an appointment with a Graduate School Admissions Coach.
5. Transcripts: You will need to submit an official or unofficial (depends on school requirements) copy of your transcript for every institution you've received college credit from.
6. Supplemental Essays: Some programs may require you to submit supplemental essays in addition to your other materials.
7. Writing Sample(s): Some programs may require you to submit a writing sample for your application.
8. Graduate School Application: Complete the online application and pay the fee ($50-$125) per application. Inquire about fee waivers if possible.
Sample Masters Timeline:
Fall 2024 Entry
- Spring 2023: Lay the foundation - gather GRE study materials; begin looking at programs and talking with professors/graduate students in your field of interest; begin creating a spreadsheet of programs of interest.
- Summer 2023: Preparation - begin studying for the GRE, reach out to graduate students in programs of interest; update/maintain spreadsheet of programs; update/revise CV; think about who you would like to write your LoR.
- Early Fall 2023: Action - take the GRE; confirm schools; begin crafting SoP/PS drafts; gather transcripts, inform LoR writers of deadlines; complete graduate school application.
- Late Fall 2023: Deadlines - December-March (sometimes later)
- Spring 2023: Submitting Apps/Waiting & Decision Time - still submitting applications; waiting to hear back from programs; typically no interviews for masters programs.
Sample PhD Timeline:
Fall 2024 Entry
- Spring 2023: Lay the foundation - gather GRE study materials; begin looking at programs and talking with professors/graduate students in your field of interest; begin creating a spreadsheet of programs of interest.
- Summer 2023: Preparation - begin studying for the GRE, reach out to graduate students in programs of interest; update/maintain spreadsheet of programs; update/revise CV; think about who you would like to write your LoR.
- Early Fall 2023: Action - take the GRE; confirm schools; begin crafting SoP/PS drafts; gather transcripts, inform LoR writers of deadlines; complete graduate school application.
- Late Fall 2023: Deadlines - Late November - December 15.
- Spring 2023: Submitting Apps/Waiting & Decision Time - will start hearing back from programs January-Late February. Make decision by April 15.