Quantitative methods in education: MA and PhD admissions
Timeline
Before you apply, contact a faculty member to discuss your interests by completing our contact form. Be sure to select “quantitative methods in education” as your program of interest.
QME will waive the application fee for up to 10 prospective students who apply before the December 1 deadline. (Students applying in the spring are not eligible for this waiver.) Review the Application Fee Waiver page for information on how to request the waiver.
All 10 fee waivers for the 2024–25 academic year have been used. QME will not be waiving any more application fees for this academic year.
Applications for fall 2024 will open the day after Labor Day. Until then, you may start your application in the system. Just be sure to change the term to fall 2024 prior to submitting.
Submit your application for the fall semester following the deadlines below. Note the dates are the same for both MA and PhD applicants.
December 1
To be considered for fellowships and departmental financial assistance, application materials must be submitted to the program and the Graduate School by the December 1 deadline. (If you are requesting a waiver for the application fee, the last day to apply is 11/17/24.)
March 1
If you're not seeking a fellowship or departmental financial aid, you have until March 1 to submit your application materials.
The admissions committee considers a variety of factors including your prior academic achievement, GRE scores (optional), relevant employment and life experiences, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and compatibility of your clinical and research interests with those of the program and faculty. Although interviews are not required, you may be called by the program for more information. If you do not have a quantitative background (coursework or professional experiences), we strongly encourage you to submit GRE scores.
When you hear back from the program will vary based on the date you applied and the volume of applications received. All applications will be reviewed by the end of March. For updates on the status of your application, visit the graduate application or send an email to psyf-adm@umn.edu.
The Graduate School makes the official admissions determination and will inform you of their decision via the email address provided on the graduate application.
How to apply
Upload and submit all application materials, including transcripts, directly to the graduate application. For additional information on how to apply, visit the Graduate School website.
Graduate school application
Required fields: Program Selection, Term Selection, Biographical Information, Personal Background, Academic History (including transcripts), English Language Test Scores (for non-native English speakers), Employment, Materials (including: Personal Statement, Resume/CV, Graduate Program Supplemental Application) and three letters of recommendation
Optional fields: Diversity Statements are optional but highly encouraged. All other fields or application materials are optional, but will be taken into consideration if submitted.
Please see further down for more information on the content of each of these fields.
Visit the Graduate School website for more information.
Please note: If you apply for more than one program in educational psychology (e.g., quantitative methods in education and psychological foundations of education), you will need to pay more than one application fee.
Before you apply, contact a faculty member to discuss your interests by completing our contact form. Be sure to select “quantitative methods in education” as your program of interest.
Application fee waiver applications are no longer being accepted for this year and Spring 2025.
Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the graduate application “under the “Academic History” section. International students should also upload an English translation if the transcript is not in English. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcripts, there is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial review.
If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies of this material.
Report your TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB scores (non-native English speakers only) in the “Test Scores” section.
Three letters of recommendation are required. Recommendations should be from professors or others who are able to comment on your educational and professional goals and potential.
You must input the names and contact information for each recommendation provider in the graduate application. They will be sent directions on how to upload their letter directly into your application.
Materials
Required materials
Note: The GRE is no longer required for admission into the quantitative methods in education program.
The personal statement is an integral part of your application and will be weighted heavily in its evaluation. The purpose of this statement is to help us understand your academic and professional background, and also evaluate whether the University of Minnesota is a good fit for you. You should write the personal statement as a narrative and it should not exceed three double-spaced pages.
Begin your personal statement with a brief professional bio. Within this bio, tell us about your academic journey to date, including any quantitative training or data-based experiences you may have had.
In the remainder of the personal statement, address each of the following:
Describe why you want to pursue a graduate degree in quantitative methods.
- Why do you want to come, specifically to the UMN to pursue a graduate degree in quantitative methods?
- Describe specific factors that led you to apply to the University of Minnesota.
- If you are applying for the PhD, you should address why you are interested in research. (The PhD degree is about doing research, not just taking courses!)
- If you have an idea of potential research topics or methods of interest, you can also indicate those. (This is not required, but it does help us assign an advisor.)
- If you have research experience, briefly describe those experiences. (Again, this is not required.)
- Describe any strengths that will make you successful in graduate school.
- Anything else you would like us to know about you.
Upload the essay under “Personal Statement” in the Materials section in the graduate application.
Upload it under “Resume/CV” in the Materials section of the graduate application.
Complete the Course Abstract form [DOC]. (Required only if you've previously taken a course for graduate credit. See form for details.) Upload it under "Ed Psych - QME" in the graduate application.
Optional materials
Supporting the development of a diverse student body is central to the University of Minnesota's mission. This mission is enacted by the inclusion of academically excellent students with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and/or a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please write a statement that identifies the distinctive characteristics and/or life experiences, such as successfully overcoming obstacles or hardships, that you would bring to your graduate program and how that could contribute to the education and enhanced perspective of fellow students at the University of Minnesota. This statement may be used to nominate exceptional applicants for graduate fellowships.
Tip: Tell your story. If you learned from obstacles you personally overcame, write about them. If you grew up with privilege, write about how you discovered your privilege. It might be tempting to write about someone else’s experience, an entire group’s experience, or diversity and inclusion in an abstract way. However, most often, admissions teams want to understand how you personally came to be empathetic, reflective, resilient, and aware of inequalities. Describe how your background, experiences, and achievements will contribute to the program and the University’s goals of promoting excellence through diversity. Submitting the diversity statement is optional, but highly encouraged.
Upload the essay under “Diversity Statement” in the Materials section in the graduation application.
If you do not have a quantitative background (coursework or professional experiences), we strongly encourage you to submit GRE scores.
GRE General Test Scores should be entered in the "Test Scores" section in the graduate application. The GRE (General Test) is optional for all applicants and must have been taken within five years of date of application. You do not need to take any GRE subject tests. Due to the length of processing time all applicants should take the GRE test no later than the October testing date to meet the December application deadline. Be sure to request that ETS send your scores to the University of Minnesota Graduate School (using institution code 6874).
Upload publications and articles in the graduate application under “Writing Samples.”
You may upload a brief statement explaining any extenuating circumstances that may have affected your grades or your test scores under “Extenuating Circumstances” in the Materials section of the graduate application.
If you wish to be considered for a Common Ground Consortium assistantship (PhD applicants), please be sure to indicate this on your program application, and then upload a statement (no more than 250 words) briefly addressing the following statement: Given that the University of Minnesota is a public grant institution, it is imperative that CGC scholars can both benefit personally from their membership in the program as well as further the university’s founding mission to contribute to scholarship that benefits the local and greater communities.
Please describe how your participation as a CGC scholar would do the following:
- Enhance your graduate student experience
- Prepare you for your chosen career
- Benefit the public
Tuition and funding
Visit the College of Education and Human Development's Finance and Funding page for information on tuition.
Submit your application materials by the Dec. 1 deadline, and you’ll automatically be considered for Graduate School fellowships and departmental awards based on scholastic achievement. Notification of awards will be sent in March.
Note: Spring, summer, and fall (March deadline) applicants will not qualify for fellowships.
Get paid to work as a teaching assistant, graduate instructor or research assistant. Graduate assistantships are available through the department, College of Education and Human Development, and the University.
All University of Minnesota graduate assistantships
Note: Applicants who complete their applications by the March 1 deadline will be less likely to receive graduate assistantships than students who meet the Dec. 1 deadline.
Visit OneStop Student Services for more information on available financial aid.
Visit the College of Education and Human Development’s Awards page for scholarship information.