Admission Requirements

Applicants are required to submit portfolios of documents as evidence of their qualifications. Qualified applicants are recommended for admission based on the International Conflict Management (INCM) Program Admissions Committee evaluation of the submitted materials. The MA/MS degree in a related discipline is highly recommended as the basic requirement. Evidence of relevant full-time work experience or international experience is strongly recommended, but not required.

To be considered for admission to the PhD in International Conflict Management, applicants must complete the electronic Application for Graduate Admission with a non-refundable application fee and submit the following supporting documents by the August 1 deadline to be considered for Spring semester or the February 1 deadline to be considered for Fall semester. (International Application Deadline- July 1 for Spring and February 1 for Fall)

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    Official transcripts from each college or university attended. 

    International transcripts must be evaluated by any of the credentialed agencies.. Evaluations must include a course-by-course listing and a calculation of the applicant's GPA. 

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    A GRE score is not required, but may be submitted; if submitted, the GRE score will be considered alongside the other application materials. Applicants who submit GRE scores are not favored over those who do not.

  • Statement of Intent describing the applicant's interest in the study of international conflict management and any relevant experiences and an outline of how the Ph.D. program could further those interests. Applicants are also encouraged to identify a research topic area and are encouraged to list potential faculty mentors. The statement of intent should be 2-3 pages maximum.
     
  • Submit a solo-authored writing sample demonstrating research and analytical abilities related to higher education and/or professional experience. There are no length requirements, however longer samples (e.g., a senior or master's thesis) should be accompanied by an abstract or executive summary.
  • Submit a document showing the chronological progression of educational and work experiences including any additional information relevant to support the application.
  • Letters of Recommendation from three references, at least two of which describe the applicant's qualifications, motivation and prospects for success in the program. 
    The recommenders would ideally be academic and/or professional references.  
    The references will be sent an email with a link to a reference form to be completed electronically. 
  • Information regarding Kennesaw State University’s International Student Requirements 

    For assistance with:  

    • English Proficiency Requirements TOEFL/IELTS (Waiver Request)
    • Foreign Credential Evaluation (International transcripts must be evaluated by any of the credentialed agencies. Evaluations must include a course-by-course listing and a calculation of the applicant's GPA).
    • Housing 

    Please contact Graduate Admissions Counselor- Swati Kulkarni: Kulkar4@kennesaw.edu. 
     
    International Student and Scholar Services

    • F1 Students 
    • J1 Exchanges 
    • Fulbright Programs 

    For assistance please contact: isss@kennesaw.edu 
     

 

Upcoming Virtual Sessions

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EDT

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Start your application today to the KSU INCM program 

Application Deadlines

To be considered for admission to the PhD in International Conflict Management, applicants must complete the electronic Application for Graduate Admission with a non-refundable application fee along with documents* by the August 1 deadline to be considered for Spring semester or the February 1 deadline to be considered for Fall semester.

*International applicants have additional requirements; see Graduate Admissions.

Please contact us directly at conflict@kennesaw.edu with questions you may have about the program.

Funding

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This is a traditional, fulltime PhD program. We expect that individuals will complete the program in 3-7 years. Coursework is typically completed in 1-3 years. All incoming students already hold an advanced degree in a related field.
  • Yes, if you must defer your enrollment, you will need approval from the program and you will only be able to defer for one year. Funding cannot be held, but funded students who defer are eligible to be re-evaluated for funding in the following academic year.
  • You should submit one thesis, published or publishable quality paper approximately 10 to 20 pages in length. You should submit whichever piece you think best shows your academic thinking and writing skills.
  • We do not have a minimum requirement for the GRE scores; however, we recommend that applicants target a minimum score of 150 on the quantitative and verbal sections and 3.5 on the analytical writing. Although our doctoral program is competitive and we do attract applicants with high GRE scores, admission to our program is not based solely on test scores. We consider the overall profile of the applicant when making admissions decisions.
  • With the approval of the Curriculum Committee, students may transfer a maximum of 17 graduate-level credit hours with grades of “B” or better. Preadmission credits must have been taken within three years of admission to the INCM degree program to be accepted. Foreign university credits must be evaluated by a reputable credentialing evaluation service and be shown to be equivalent to U.S. graduate level standards to be considered for transfer.
  • This is a traditional PhD program - not a professional doctorate. Tuition costs will vary depending on whether a student is considered in-state or out of-state. Cick the following link for current Tuition and Fees for Graduate Students. Students awarded an assistantship through the program will receive a tuition waiver and a $15,000.00 annual stipend.
     
    Cost of Attendance
  • No. The nature of the program requires that our students be in-residence while they are taking classes, although they do not need to be in-residence while they are researching or writing their dissertations. The teaching and research assistantships that fund our doctoral students also require them to be present.
  • There is no official limit, but a year is considered reasonable. Field work is most likely to occur when a student gathers data for dissertation research. Field work is not required to complete a dissertation; dissertations can be based on existing datasets, but are generally expected to be evidence-based and data-driven.
  • Accepted students select a dissertation chair after they have begun taking courses. It is recommended that a student have a dissertation chair by the end of their second year if not before. In the personal statement in your application, you may indicate the faculty member(s) with whom you would like to work (you do not need a professor's advance approval to do so).
  • Incomplete applications that are missing one or more of the requirements may not be reviewed
  • Successful completion of the program will require students to defend a doctoral research dissertation. Students, working with their faculty research adviser, will be expected to submit research papers to competitive conferences and to peer-reviewed outlets. Student research projects should be aligned with their dissertation research for maximum effectiveness.
  • Students need a minimum of 75 credit hours to graduate, 60 of which must be based on course work (including any approved transfer credits). Students therefore need between 1 and 15 dissertation credit hours. While there are no requirements for when these must be taken, students cannot register for INCM 9900 until they have selected a dissertation chair.
  • The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree. Students are prepared for conducting research and utilizing their analytical skills in universities, policy institutes, government positions, military, humanitarian organizations, development agencies, and nonprofit organizations. For an indication of the types of jobs available to our graduates, check out the Peace and Development Collaborative Network.