How to apply

For Accelerated Program Applicants Only:

Students interested in applying for the Accelerated Masters should schedule a meeting with the Graduate Director to learn more about how to start the Soaring Scholar application process. (The University refers to the undergraduate phase of Accelerated Masters as the Soaring Scholar Program, so the two terms are used interchangeably here.)

The Accelerated Masters in Political Science is limited to UofL Political Science majors at this time. 

The department requests Accelerated Masters/Soaring Scholar applicants to email the following to polsgrad@louisville.edu with the subject line “Accelerated Program application”:

• Student identification number
• Expected graduation semester and year for undergraduate degree (e.g., Spring 2027)
• Personal statement of 300-500 words: Please explain your reasons for applying to the master's program in political science at the University of Louisville. Discuss your professional or occupational objectives and how you envision the department’s program fitting into those objectives. Describe the areas of political science you find especially interesting for study and/or research and identify the political science faculty with whom you might be interested in working.
• Two letters of recommendation emailed to polsgrad@louisville.edu. Students should NOT compile the letters themselves for submission, but rather recommenders should send directly via email. Letters from faculty who can speak to your ability to handle challenging academic coursework are best, rather than having someone from an employment setting write a letter.
• An unofficial transcript.

In addition to the departmental application procedure, the university now requires applicants for Accelerated Masters/Soaring Scholars to submit a common form at this link, so some of the information does not pertain to our program. You should upload the same Personal Statement that you sent to the department, as well as your unofficial transcripts. You do not need to upload a suggested flight plan or a resume, and please do not handle your letters of recommendation. (Those should be emailed to the address listed above.)

Be aware that a Soaring Scholar student is officially considered an undergraduate student until a bachelor’s degree is conferred. While in undergraduate status of the Accelerated Masters, the student enrolls for graduate credit but pays the appropriate undergraduate tuition for graduate courses and remains eligible for undergraduate financial aid and scholarships. Once formally admitted to the master's program, the Graduate School will matriculate the student as a graduate student.

Only grades B or better will be eligible to count toward a student's master's program. Soaring Scholars are assessed each semester and can be dismissed from the Soaring Scholar program for failing to make academic progress towards their undergraduate degree, or for not maintaining the minimum GPA required for the master’s admission. Upon dismissal from a Soaring Scholar program, students are still eligible to apply for a m