Ph.D. Scholarship in Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame

The Ph.D. program at the Kroc Institute empowers students to become outstanding scholars and teachers who contribute to a growing body of peacebuilding knowledge and practice with the goal of addressing violence and alleviating human suffering.

Peace studies Ph.D. students entering the program have formal training and/or a degree in one of six partner disciplines for research and course work: anthropology, history, political science, psychology, sociology, or theology. The peace studies curriculum is integrated with these traditional disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to create a unique framework of study for each student. Students also have access to extensive research opportunities at the Institute and across Notre Dame.

Upon graduation, students are fully trained and equipped for a wide variety of scholarly, teaching, and professional careers, including:

• Interdisciplinary academic positions;
• Positions requiring expertise in the peace and conflict subfields of anthropology, history, political science, psychology, sociology, or theology; and
• Scholar-practitioner roles in intergovernmental, governmental, or nongovernmental organizations.

All admitted students receive a full tuition scholarship, generous stipend (Cost-of-living in South Bend), health insurance, and additional funding for conference travel and research activities.

Apply to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies

The application for Fall 2024 admission will open in early September. Applications are due by December 15, 2023.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, domestic or international, to be eligible for admission to a graduate program at the University of Notre Dame. It is also anticipated that applicants will have formal training and/or a degree in the joint area to which they are applying. Previous graduate work is not required except in the case of Peace Studies and Theology for which a master’s degree in theology is required. Prospective students interested in a master’s degree in peace studies should explore the Master of Global Affairs in International Peace Studies program.

Application for Admission

All applicants must submit the Graduate School Application for Admission online. All required materials must be uploaded to the application; no paper materials will be accepted for consideration. A limited number of fee waivers are available to select applicants to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies. To request a fee waiver, please complete this form.

Applications must be completed and submitted by December 15 preceding the fall semester of admission.

Required Materials

The Graduate School Application for Admission requires the applicant to provide the following materials:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV);
• Statement of intent;
• Writing sample;
• Names and contact information for three recommenders;
• Unofficial transcripts from prior institutions or in-progress degrees;
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score – required for Sociology and Theology only;
• TOEFLT or IELTS score for international applicants only (students from Anglophone countries or who hold a University degree from an English-speaking institution are exempt from this requirement).

The statement of intent (maximum 1,000 words) should describe your areas of interest and experience as explicitly as possible and also list the faculty with whom you wish to study. The statement will be considered both by the Kroc Institute Doctoral Admissions Committee and by a committee or faculty representative from the joint department. Please address both your interest in peace studies and in the discipline of the partner department in your statement.

The writing sample (maximum 30 pages) must be single-authored and should demonstrate your skills in writing, analysis, and peace research. It should represent your best sample of academic writing. If you send part of a longer work (for example, a senior or master’s thesis), please include an abstract of no more than 250 words describing the whole piece and its argument. Writing samples should be in English.

Our Admissions Process

After December 15, all completed applications will be reviewed by the Kroc Institute Doctoral Admissions Committee. Select applicants will be invited to a Virtual Visit Week with the Institute during the second week of February. They will meet with faculty, administrators, and current students; participate in an admissions interview; and observe classes and other sessions. Official offers of admission will be made soon after the virtual visit.

Financial Support

All graduate students admitted to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies are offered a full tuition scholarship, a generous stipend (view a cost-of-living comparison here), and additional support for research travel, conference presentations, and other professional development. Detailed financial arrangements are included in the formal offer letter from the Graduate School.

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