Admission to the Human Development and Family Sciences Program (HDFS) is based on academic merit; a personal statement outlining the applicant’s background, research interests, and career goals; letters of recommendation; and work samples or other evidence of academic promise. Past experience as a research assistant in a faculty research lab is highly valued. The Admissions Committee also examines the fit between applicants’ goals and the goals of the program. Applicants are encouraged to identify one or more HDFS faculty whom they would like to serve as their research mentor and to contact them before applying to ensure compatibility of research interests and space in the faculty mentor’s research lab. Applicants are required to have an undergraduate degree prior to beginning the graduate program. A master’s degree is not required for admission. HDFS only accepts applicants for the Ph.D. program and only for the Fall semester.
The application submission deadline is December 1st, for Fall Admission only.
A select group of applicants will be invited to the UT Austin campus in late January to participate in in-person interviews with faculty, to meet current graduate students, and to visit UT and the city of Austin. Final admissions decisions will be made after this campus visit. Any of this select group who cannot attend the interview weekend will be interviewed via phone or Skype.
Approximately 15% of applicants are accepted for admission. Admissions decisions are made by the Graduate Admissions Committee on the basis of review of each applicant’s particular profile of strengths. Admitted students have different profiles. Some, for example, have extremely high test scores or grade point averages, whereas others have unusually strong prior research experience. International students should first contact the Graduate School for information on application to the University of Texas at Austin.
Click here to learn specifics about applying to the HDFS graduate program.
