Candidate Statement

A candidate statement should discuss your academic and career objectives in a concise, sharply-focused, and well-crafted essay. Within the online application you will find specific instructions for what should be included in your essay; these are listed below as well. Generally speaking, this should include what you plan to research, how you plan to research it, how your work fits within the department or program, and how you have prepared for further graduate study. MA programs are also interested to know how the MA program fits with your future academic or professional goals.

Typically, a statement is 2 to 4 pages in length, depending on spacing and formatting.

A candidate statement is required to be entirely your own work and should be written in your own voice. Use of generative AI in the production of a candidate statement is considered plagiarism and should not be used.

Candidate Statement Prompts

PhD Programs

Anthropology: In evaluating candidates, faculty are interested in a candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: (1) the candidate’s topics of research interest (as pertains to a future dissertation project), (2) what has brought you to those specific research interests (e.g., intellectually, personally, etc.), and (3) why the University of Chicago’s Department of Anthropology is a good fit for you to pursue your dissertation work. The candidate statement should be limited to 1,500 words.

Comparative Human Development: The admissions committee is interested in candidate statements which clearly and specifically address: 1) your specific research interests, questions, and academic objectives; 2) the personal and educational trajectory which has brought you to these interests and prepared you to address them; 3) why the Department of Comparative Human Development’s PhD program is a particularly good fit for you to pursue your interests. Please limit your statement to 1500 words.

Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science: The candidate statement provides us with vital insight into the intersection of your intellectual goals and personal trajectory. It should communicate: 1) the ambitions you wish to pursue through doctoral work in the historical and conceptual studies of science; 2) your envisioned pursuits in the history, philosophy, anthropology, or sociology of science through your doctoral studies; 3) the personal and intellectual trajectory that has guided you to those themes and questions and prepared you to pursue them; and 4) the rationale behind your belief that the University of Chicago and its faculty are well-matched to your doctoral plans. The statement should be a concise, sharply focused and well-crafted essay; depending on formatting, it should be around two to four pages in length.

Economics: Please provide a concise essay discussing your current and anticipated research interests.

History: The candidate statement provides us with vital insight into the intersection of your intellectual goals and personal trajectory. It should communicate: 1) the ambitions you wish to pursue through doctoral work in history; 2) the specific questions and themes that will shape your dissertation research; 3) the personal and intellectual trajectory that has brought you to those themes and questions and prepared you to pursue them; and 4) the reasons that the University of Chicago and its faculty are well-matched to your doctoral plans.

Political Economy: Faculty on the admissions committee are interested in a candidate statement that clearly describes 1) your research interests and academic objectives, 2) relevant educational and professional experience, and 3) why Chicago’s PhD Program in Political Economy is a good fit for you. The statement should be between one and three pages, single-spaced.

Political Science: The statement should address relevant aspects of your educational experience, the focus of your academic interests, and reasons for applying to our program. Please be as specific as possible in discussing your academic objectives and research interests. The statement should be a concise, sharply focused and well-crafted essay. Applicants are encouraged to include a description of a challenge you have overcome that highlights skills and strategies that you can use to be successful during graduate school.

Psychology: In evaluating candidates, faculty are interested in a candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: (1) your research experiences that have contributed to your intellectual goals and skills, (2) your topics of research interest, (3) why the University of Chicago’s Department of Psychology is a good fit for you to pursue your research interests.

Social Thought: The candidate statement required by the University application should take the form of a letter to the Committee which addresses the following questions: What intellectual interests, concerns, and aspirations lead you to undertake further study and why do you want to pursue them with the Committee? What kind of work do you propose to do here? If you can, include your intentions for the Fundamentals requirement, further language study, and dissertation research. How has your education to date prepared you? The candidate statement must be limited to 2,500 words.

Sociology: The Department of Sociology has two required statements:

The admissions committee is interested in candidate statements which clearly and specifically address: 1) your specific research interests, questions, and academic objectives; 2) the personal and educational trajectory which has brought you to these interests and prepared you to address them; 3) why the Department of Sociology’s PhD program is a particularly good fit for you to pursue your interests. Please limit your statement to 750 words.
Write a concise, well-articulated 750-word research proposal for what might become your dissertation project. We understand that, after taking more courses, you may or may not actually undertake this project. Make sure to have a clear question. Reflect on a) the relevance of your subject for sociology and society, b) potential methods their advantages and disadvantages, c) theories brought to bear on your question, and d) potential data sources you could use.

MA Programs

Computational Social Science (General): Please provide a 2-4 page candidate statement, outlining your research interest, your relevant training, your prior academic accomplishments, as well as your career plans and why you think MACSS is the program that will best help you advance those plans.

Computational Social Science (Economics): Please provide a 2-3 page candidate statement that discusses your post-graduation plans and how the resources that MACSS-Econ will make available to you will help you achieve them. You may want to discuss the coursework you would like to complete in the context of your career goals and your prior background.

Your statement should also discuss the research plan you wish to develop while a student in the MACSS-Econ program:

Provide a description of 1 or 2 research topics that you would like to pursue and explain how your prior research background supports them.
Place the research questions in context of the coursework that you plan to complete during your MAPSS-Econ year.
Provide the name of a member of the research faculty who you believe will be the ideal advisor and explain why.

International Relations: In evaluating candidates, faculty are eager to read a candidate statement that specifically describes a focused proposal for your intended research during the MA program. A strong candidate statement will include:

A clear research question or area of inquiry you intend to pursue in the program. Be specific: What do you want to study? What are the central questions driving your interest?
The academic preparation and training you need to undertake this research. What kinds of methods, theories, or regional or thematic expertise will you need to gain through the program?
Potential faculty members you hope to work with and how their expertise aligns with your research goals. You do not need to secure a supervisor in advance, but you should demonstrate how your interests fit with the program’s strengths.
A concise account of your intellectual trajectory, such as how your academic, professional, or personal experiences have led you to this project.

Avoid vague language or approaching the candidate statement as a personal statement. We want to see how you articulate a research direction and the kinds of questions you want to answer.

Candidate statement should be limited to 1500 words.

Master of Arts in Economics (MAE): Please provide a 1-page candidate statement that discusses your post-graduation plans and how the resources the Master of Arts in Economics will make available to you will help you achieve them. You may want to discuss the coursework you would like to complete in the context of your career goals and your prior background.

Applicants to the Research Intensive Track (RIT) must also provide a 1-2 page research statement in addition to the above statement.

Provide a description of 1 or 2 research topics that you would like to pursue and explain how your prior research background supports them. 
Place the research questions in context of the coursework that you plan to complete during your year in the program.

Please be sure to provide the name of a member of the research faculty who you believe will be the ideal advisor and explain why.

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS): You must submit a 2-4 page candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: 1) your topics of research interest (as pertains to a potential MA research project), 2) what has brought you to those specific research interests, and 3) why MAPSS in particular and the University of Chicago broadly are a good fit for your research interests and goals.

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) Psychology: You must submit a 2-4 page candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: 1) your research experiences and how they have contributed to your intellectual goals and skills, 2) your topics of research interest, and 3) why MAPSS-Psychology in particular and the University of Chicago broadly are a good fit for your research interests and goals.

Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) QMSA: You must submit a 2-4 page candidate statement that clearly and specifically describes: 1) your topics of research interest (as pertains to a potential MA research project), 2) what has brought you to those specific research interests, and 3) why MAPSS in particular and the University of Chicago broadly are a good fit for your research interests and goals.

Applicants to Quantitative Methods and Social Analysis should indicate a strong interest in rigorous quantitative training, identify a domain of substantive interest in the social or behavioral sciences, outline their intended research, and name two QMSA faculty members they most hope to work with.