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How To Craft a Diversity Statement for Graduate School Application

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In recent years, more and more institutions of higher education are requesting applicants to graduate programs to write a statement of diversity. A diversity statement, also sometimes referred to as a personal history statement, is used by these institutions to gauge how their future student population will contribute to their ongoing efforts to promote and maintain a culture of equity and inclusion.

Typically, diversity statements are one-page double-spaced documents that highlight how you, as a future student, will foster diversity within the community. The narrative tends to be more personal than that in a statement of purpose, with particular emphasis on cultural competence and understanding of current issues and efforts surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion.  In composing such an essay, it might be helpful to include some of the following elements:

• Statements of values  as they relate to your understanding of historical barriers to diversity, inclusion, equity, and/or justice in higher education and your commitment towards dismantling those barriers. If you belong to a minority population, you can discuss how that experience shaped your outlook on life and your willingness to champion others who are in similar circumstances.
• Examples   of experiences  that highlight your efforts in promoting the success of underrepresented students, peers, and staff and supporting various viewpoints in the classroom, lab, campus, or community. For example, if you have taught a class, how did you ensure equitable learning in that environment? If you have volunteered in underrepresented communities, what did you learn from those interactions? Try to include at least 2-3 relevant experiences, and for any of those be sure to emphasize what you did to promote diverse perspectives.
• Relevant projects and coursework that address topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion. For example, if you have sat in on a workshop on how to address intrinsic or extrinsic bias, you could convey how you incorporated what you learned into your daily living. If you have undertaken a project for a class that touched on issues surrounding diversity, you could highlight that as well.
• Future plans  for continuing to advance inclusive excellence, diversity, or equity in your research, teaching, and service to the campus community. You can also talk about your personal growth as you continue to educate yourself on issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Be genuine in your narrative and present yourself as a person who is willing to learn and adapt to change.

Should You Self-Disclose Elements of Your Personal Identity?

Although most people are willing to share elements of their personal background and upbringing in their actual statement, it is ok if you do not. Nevertheless, if you do identify as a member of an underrepresented group, reflecting on your personal circumstance might provide context to the values that you articulate in your statement. Additionally, be sure to focus on your own experiences and accomplishments rather than those of your family or loved ones. If you have questions and/or concerns regarding any aspect of the diversity statement, do not hesitate to reach out to your mentors or pre-grad advisors to ask for

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• Diversity Statements

Though an increasing number of faculty search committees now ask candidates to submit diversity statements, guidance about how to compose an effective statement—indeed, even about what they are and why they can be valuable to institutions and candidates’ own professional development—remains scarce. You may think that diversity statements require you to locate diversity within your own social identities. You can, of course, note how your identities and life experiences motivate your commitment to diversity. However, beyond your motivation, universities and colleges want to know what you have accomplished in your career to this point and how you will contribute to their goal of making their institutions more inclusive and equitable. The most compelling diversity statements offer your definitions of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) and demonstrate how your research, teaching, and service actualize your EDIB goals.

Schedule a consultation on your diversity statement (Harvard FAS affiliates only) Download our "Composing Your Diversity Statement" worksheet

What is a Diversity Statement?

A diversity statement is a polished, narrative statement, typically 1–2 pages in length, that describes one's accomplishments, goals, and process to advance excellence in diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging as a teacher and a researcher in higher education.

The Building Blocks of a Diversity Statement

The following categories are core components of diversity statements. Effective diversity statements will address each of the following areas and answer some, if not all, of the associated questions.

• Defining your values
• Demonstrating your competency
• Evidencing EDIB in your research, teaching, and service
• Proposing future action

Equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) are defined in multiple ways across and within institutions. The mission for this component of your statement is to define how you understand these terms and identify your EDIB priorities.

• How do you define equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB)?
• What animates your approach to EDIB work in higher education?
• How do the principles of EDIB relate to your values, approaches, and goals as a scholar and teacher?

> Download a copy of our "Composing Your Diversity Statement" worksheet

EDIB practices, in part, emerge from scholarship that researches the following: (1) the benefits and significance of diversity in higher education; (2) the obstacles and oppression that people who hold marginalized social identities face in higher education; (3) the processes for creating research and learning environments that benefit everyone. The mission for this component of your statement is to highlight your awareness of these conversations and show where your EDIB practices engage with them.

• How do you regularly account for and address your privilege, bias, and EDIB learning edges?
• Can you demonstrate knowledge of key EDIB terms (e.g., equality vs. equity; anti-Blackness; race vs. ethnicity; non-binary; DACA; neurodivergent and neurotypical)
• Do you know how the following operate in the academy: implicit bias, different forms of privilege, (settler-)colonialism, systemic and interpersonal racism, homophobia, heteropatriarchy, and ableism? Can you identify how those factors currently and historically impact marginalized populations in your discipline?

EDIB refers to values, goals, processes, assessments, and outcomes. The mission for this component of your diversity statement is to provide examples of your processes and assessments for attaining your EDIB goals in your research, teaching, and service.

• How does your research promote or advance equity and inclusion?
• How does your research engage with and advance the well-being of socially marginalized communities?
• How does your research acknowledge or interrogate power and privilege?
• What strategies do you use to respond to the needs of students who are diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, age, nationality, sexual identity, ability, and religion?
• How do you facilitate challenging conversations on race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, age, nationality, sexual identity, ability, and religion? What are the benefits and outcomes of your approach?
• What EDIB theories and approaches do you draw from when teaching (e.g., critical inclusive pedagogy, anti-racist pedagogy, decolonial pedagogy, feminist pedagogy, universal design for learning, active learning)?
• How do you account for the power dynamics in the classroom, including your own positionality and authority?
• How do you design course assessments with EDIB in mind?
• How have you solicited feedback about your EDIB pedagogy from students? What did you learn? How did you incorporate their feedback, and what were the outcomes?
• How have you engaged in or led EDIB campus initiatives or programming? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? What skills or knowledge did you build in the process?
• Have you engaged in or led other EDIB service beyond your institution? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? What skills or knowledge did you build in the process?
• How has your past participation in EDIB service or activities prepared you to successfully take on your next position?
• How do you measure the success of your EDIB work?

Your diversity statement should not only showcase the EDIB work you have already accomplished but show how you integrate feedback and assess institutional needs to plan your future EDIB goals.

• How do you plan to continue advancing inclusive excellence, diversity, or equity in your research, teaching, and service?
• How do you solicit and respond to EDIB feedback from a range of academic communities?
• How do your future EDIB goals align with your target institution's EDIB mission and needs?

Some Final Tips and Advice

Some don’ts

Don’t (over)rely on self-disclosure. While you may choose to disclose the social identities you hold while narrating what motivates your commitment to EDIB work, your diversity statement should focus on the work you have done and will do to create diverse, inclusive, and equitable spaces of higher education. A diversity statement is about your commitment to furthering EDIB within the context of institutions of higher education, not about cataloguing everything virtuous you’ve ever done to prove that you’re an ally to a marginalized group. Also, never feel compelled to emotionally bleed for a search committee. Keep in mind that some diversity statement prompts may let you know what they prefer in terms of self-disclosure. For example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s published guidelines to writing a diversity statement emphasize their desire for candidates who share the institution’s commitment to inclusive excellence, “regardless of personal demographic characteristics.”

Beware of false equivalencies. A personally challenging circumstance or series of events is not equivalent to holding a marginalized social identity throughout your lifetime. Similarly, the experiences of having one socially marginalized identity are not the same as the experiences of having a different marginalized social identity.

Don’t use “diversity” to refer to a BIPOC individual or a homogenous BIPOC community. Diversity does not mean a BIPOC individual or a homogenous BIPOC community. Diversity refers to the condition when individuals or communities from different backgrounds, cultures, frames of reference, social identities, or perspectives come together in a social context. It does not refer to a person (including yourself) or a homogenous community who experiences marginalization.

Don’t tailor every statement. Your diversity statement should demonstrate how you have and would effectively plan to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across contexts, with clear EDIB objectives, expected outcomes, and forms of assessment. Your cover letter is the place for you to tailor your EDIB discussion, possibly referencing institutional contexts and departmental missions while describing specific initiatives you could plan and mentioning potential collaborations with centers and committees.

Learn more about the EDIB challenges and goals of institutions. Before you draft your diversity statement, take time to research a range of websites from the institutional offices of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the universities, colleges, and departments to which you may apply. Note any recurring EDIB challenges and goals, and consider how your experiences and skills might address their needs and further their initiatives.

Show your process. Avoid only stating your belief in EDIB principles without showing methods for attaining your EDIB goals. Additionally, you can also demonstrate how your process reflects your EDIB principles. For example, if decolonizing your pedagogy is your EDIB goal, your process to achieve this may be to revise the readings on your syllabus to include voices outside of the traditional canon. To make the process align with your decolonial approach, you might solicit feedback from students on the readings and curriculum rather than unilaterally selecting the required readings yourself.

State your outcomes and lessons learned. The strongest diversity statements show what you accomplished with your initiatives and how you learned from feedback. Be mindful to state any skills or knowledge you acquired.

Connect your EDIB practices with evidence. Evidencing the effectiveness of your EDIB practices can come from your own assessments and can also be bolstered by the research of scholars who have qualitatively or quantitatively assessed the EDIB practices you utilize.

For more information...

The Effective Diversity Statement (Inside Higher Ed)

Demystifying the Diversity Statement (Inside Higher Ed)

Framework for Diversity Research & Scholarship (National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan)

Sara P. Bombaci and Liba Pejchar, "Advancing Equity in Faculty Hiring with Diversity Statements"

Becoming an Anti-Racist, Equity-Minded Educator (Amherst College Center for Teaching and Learning)

Guidelines for Writing Your Diversity Statement (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

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How to write a Diversity Statement & Samples

What is a diversity statement in higher education.

• When do you need a diversity statement?

How to write a good Diversity Statement?

Diversity statement writing tips, how long should a diversity statement be, how to write a diversity statement if you are white, adapting your diversity statement to job application.

There are two types of diversity statements that are regularly used, and they are very different in terms of who is writing it, and how it is being used.

The first type of diversity statement is in relation to different types of applications in the higher education context; while the second type of Diversity Statement is in relation to the type of “diversity position” an organization position herself in the context of equity, diversity, and inclusion .

In this article, we are focusing on the first type of diversity statement which is related to the higher education sector .

Creating a diverse environment is not a top-down process, it is an environment that is co-created by the people who participate in it. In an academic environment, the people are the students, faculties, staff, senior administrators, and also the principal. In order to hire or add new members to the community, the institution typically prefers to hire or recruit new members who appreciate diversity and inclusion. A diversity statement is a form of an artifact that allows the new member to express their view on diversity.

The most common situation that you need to write a diversity statement includes:

Undergraduate and Graduate admissions Diversity Statement

Top tier schools have more student applicants than they need, so they get to be picky and select only the ones that fit their target student profile. Diversity and Inclusion views of the student have become an important factor to gauge the quality of students, such as in Law school.

Fellowship, Grants, and Awards Diversity Statement

When a graduate student wants to apply for a fellowship, it is common that a diversity statement is required as part of the application package. A fellowship provides financial support to graduate students to pursue graduate studies without associated teaching or research responsibilities (as they are in a teaching or research assistantship). Fellowships are generally merit-based  internal or external awards to support a student in a full-time course of study. 

Similarly, a diversity statement is often required for a grant application. Grants are need-based awards that do not need to be repaid as long as the student maintains eligibility. For certain funds, disbursement is dependent on enrollment status. Grants tend to be need-based and are available to students based on criteria such as family income. Federal and state government are the primary sources of grants, The Pell Grant is a well-known federal grant program. State-funded grants ordinarily go to students pursuing an education in that state.

Postdoctoral and Faculty Position Job Application Diversity Statement

Faculty job postings are increasingly asking for diversity statements, in addition to research and teaching statements. Diversity statements have become an integral part of the materials submitted as part of an application for employment. They are just as important as the resume, cover letter and writing sample. A diversity statement is a personal essay that is a depiction of your past experiences and explains how these experiences have contributed to your personal and professional growth. It allows the applicant the opportunity to explain to a search committee the distinct qualities and commitment s/he can bring to the table.

Promotion to Tenure position with a diversity statement

It has become more popular to list a diversity statement as a requirement for tenure promotion in higher education.  A  tenured  post is an indefinite academic appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances , such as financial exigency or program discontinuation. Tenure is a means of defending the principle of academic freedom, which holds that it is beneficial for the society in the long run if scholars are free to hold and examine a variety of views . A tenure assignment is an important process because it can seldom be reversed once assigned, knowing the point of view of a tenure candidate is becoming an important factor in tenure assignments.

You can write a diversity statement using a systematic approach.

• Research on the requirement
• Know your values
• Describe your experience
• Detail your future plan
• Draft, Revise, Revise, and Revise

Define your views on Diversity and Inclusion

When you write your diversity statement, you are to write what you believe. You shouldn’t write something that you don’t believe and otherwise, you are making a false statement or making a false representation of yourself. There are some questions that can help you to start.

• What do equity, diversity, and inclusion mean to you ?
• What quality of your personal experience inform your academia experience y?
• Why do you think diversity and inclusion are important and the benefits of diversity ?
• Why is diversity important to you or the classes you teach?
• in your new role of student, faculty, professor, how do you think you can help with diversity and inclusion
• Describe your values regarding diversity, inclusion, and equity in your professional life ?
• Why do you think DEI is important in Higher ed? How about in your domain?
• How do you work to ensure your classes are inclusive and welcoming to all students?
• Do you belong to any types of diversity ?
• Do you do any service or work with diverse or underrepresented populations? If so, what?
• Did you have any challenges with your gender identities ?
• Does your research connect to diversity efforts or our understanding of diverse populations? If so, how?
• Are you personally diverse in any way that might be relevant to your work? For example, were you a first-generation student, or were you a woman in STEM who aims to expands opportunities for these populations?
• What would you like to do in future departments related to diversity and equity?

After you have a good idea of how you define diversity and what diversity means to you, you can start by writing them down.

Another way to learn more about diversity is to learn what are the trending news in diversity in the workplace . You can learn the latest development of diversity and inclusion in different sectors or in the corporate world.

Describe your Diversity experience

After you draft out your beliefs and your point of views, now is your time to describe your personal experience about diversity. You can write about initiatives or actions that you have taken to promote diversity and inclusion. If you are part of a diverse group, talk about your experience and how it has impacted you.

If you have participated in any social or professional groups that promote diversity and inclusion, write about why you have decided to join such a group and the impact it has on you, and on the community.

Describe your future plan around Diversity and Inclusion

Write, review, and revise your diversity statement.

Draft, review, revise, having someone to proofread for you. I think you know what I mean.

Here are some tips on writing a diversity statement in academic or job application purposes.

Use Concrete Examples in Diversity Statements

Use actual, real examples in your life. Whether it is a mistake you realize you have made before, or you are a victim of discriminations. Tell your story with examples that the reader may be able to relate to.

Tell your own Story

Be sure you are telling your story, not generically as a group or just things you think the readers want to hear. Speak as yourself and tell your own story why you believe diversity and inclusion are important in your expected role, and how it can impact the institution or future team if diversity. If you don’t have tons of experience, then say it that you look forward to the opportunities to learn more. You don’t need to know everything, but it is an opportunity to be open-minded.

Don’t limit to your future role, think about Outreach

When you talk about your future plan to promote diversity, think about outreach, rather than reactive plans only. An example could be (if time permits), you want to join and participate in future diversity and inclusion initiatives in the new workplace. Or, how on your own, promote awareness of diversity.

Do Not Contradict yourself

Well, yes and do not contradict yourself. It is important to be admitted or get a new job, but be sure that you are telling the truth and it is really what you believe in, or what you have experienced personally.

Have a strong commitment with your diversity statement

First, check if there is a requirement of length to the diversity statement. Some applications require more serious thoughts and answers, and they need 2-3 pages to know you.

In general, I would recommend anything between 100-150 words would be enough to share your belief, experience, and future plan about diversity. It is an important topic, but a lot can be said within 150 words or 3 paragraphs.

A white person can experience diversity or even discrimination as well. Diversity doesn’t limit to a racial diversity only, it could be gender, age, and disability. You can think of the perspectives that you have experienced diversity discrimination or any other experience that you have witnessed diversity discrimination.

It is more important to show your awareness of the needs and impact of having a diverse environment and your beliefs or values on how to improve the situation.

In addition, a white person can be a champion or a leader in diversity and inclusion as well. In many cases, there are advantages in doing so.

It is not yet a popular ask for diversity statements in a job application , however, it is never a bad thing to summarize and put it on your application or resume to reflect who you are. Companies value team working and they embrace diversity in culture, work habits, age, skills, and gender. Knowing that you are ready and have experience with a diverse working environment is going to be a plus for your job application. Why not right?

What is a Diversity Statement?

The first type of diversity statement is in relation to different types of applications in the higher education context; while the second type of Diversity Statement is in relation to the type of “diversity position ” an organization position herself in the context of equity, diversity, and inclusion. more on How to write a diversity statement?

How to Write a Diversity Statement if You Are White?

A white person can experience diversity or even discrimination as well. Diversity doesn’t limit to a racial diversity only, it could be gender, age, and disability. More on this at Writing a Diversity Statement

There is not hard answer to the question. First, you should follow the requirement guidelines. Some institution may need 250 words, while some may need a 5 page essay.

More importantly, is the content. You should try the best to communicate the what, how, and your ideas to make diversity and inclusion a part of your focus in future work. Read more at How to write a great diversity statement ?

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How do I write a diversity statement?

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Many graduate school programs require or give the option to include a diversity statement in your graduate school application. Including an optional diversity statement can make you a more competitive applicant and offer an opportunity for you to stand out through your individuality, experiences, and potential contributions to the program.

One common misconception is that diversity statements are only written by applicants who identify as a member of an underrepresented group. Anybody can write a diversity statement. Within, you will want to communicate how you can contribute to the program and your views on topics like diversity, inclusion, and institutional racism. Reviewing the program and school’s student demographics, program features, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives can be a great place to start.

Be sure to address any specific questions or prompts the program’s application provides. The diversity statement is an opportunity to highlight new information about you, your identity, your personal and/or academic background and experiences, and how you can contribute to the program.

When there is little to no guidance given on what content to include, you can address these topics:

• Your background (family, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors)
• Lessons you’ve learned from unique experiences (how you have applied them or will apply them in the future)
• First-generation college student
• International work, school, or travel
• Community engagement
• Hardships you have overcome

Sample diversity statement prompts:

• How will you contribute to the program’s or school’s diversity?
• What experience have you had that set you apart from peers or the culture of the school?
• How has your background influenced your worldview?
• How will you contribute to a culture of inclusion?
• Describe your thoughts on systemic racism

Whether you need help getting started, are wondering what information you should disclose, or need someone to review your final draft, Greene Center career advisors are available to meet with you to brainstorm and discuss your diversity statement.

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Guidelines for Personal Statement and Diversity Statement

For applicants to our PhD program, we require a statement on diversity and inclusion, in addition to a personal statement. Below is a brief guide to how you may want to approach these two statements. 

Personal Statement

We want to know who you are and why you are eager to join our Microbiology PhD program. We want to know why you are so excited about microbiology research. Be sure to tell us about your research experience. What was the topic of your research experience and why was it important? What was the gap in knowledge you wanted to fill? What was your approach to address your questions and what did you learn from your research experience? What was the most exciting moment? We are seeking applicants who are well prepared and ready to delve into microbiology research in our program!

Please also tell us what your future goals are, and how joining our Microbiology PhD program will help you prepare for the next step toward your future goals. There is no word limit for the personal statement, but the expected length is typically 800-1,200 words. 

Diversity Statement (300 words or less)

A diversity statement is a one-page document explaining your experiences and commitments to diversity. In 300 words or less, please describe 1) your experience in overcoming any adversities related to economic, social and educational disadvantages, 2) your values and your experience in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, and 3)  how you aspire to contribute to our mission to promote diversity and inclusion in our community. 

In essence, we want to hear your story that shaped your view. Please tell us about any experiences in overcoming challenges you faced. If you grew up in a privileged environment, we would love to hear your values and your experience in promoting these values. Please tell us your experiences, lessons you learned, and how you might apply these lessons for your personal growth. We want to know what different perspectives you may bring to our community.

The University of Massachusetts Graduate School is equally committed to diversity and inclusion, and offers the Spaulding-Smith Fellowship , which is awarded to outstanding incoming PhD students from historically underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Upon reviewing your application, the Microbiology Admissions Committee may nominate you for this fellowship. 

Department of Microbiology

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6 Tips on Writing a Diversity Statement for Graduate Admissions

Diversity statements aren’t just for organizations or for faculty job postings. Many law schools and some graduate programs may ask applicants to provide a short statement about their personal background and potential contributions to the school or program.  

Students can feel stymied by these prompts - especially if they are optional - but these can provide a great opportunity to showcase your individuality and contributions to your future program. 

Here are some tips to help you compose a strong diversity statement:

• Consider why the prompt is there. Is the institution actively seeking to diversify its student body? Is it an opportunity to provide more personal detail that you haven’t addressed elsewhere? 

Think about what diversity might mean to that program. They may provide a description of what they define as diversity, but you can also do a little research by reviewing the facts and figures for that institution or program to find out details about the student body. If you aren’t sure that you are physically or representatively diverse, do you have experiences that will contribute to a different perspective to the community of the school or program at large?  How are you different from your peers or to the culture of the school?

Focus on adding new information for the review committee to consider,don’t repeat what you have already provided. You will likely be asked to provide a separate personal statement, which should address your reason for applying to the program (outlining your goals and expectations after admission). 

Keep the focus on what you can contribute. Start by thinking about the statement as having three sections - your background/experiences that responds to the prompt, lessons you learned, how you have applied them and/or how you will apply them. 

Stick to the word limit.  If one isn’t provided, try to fit the statement between 500-800 words. 

Check your work and get additional readers to help you catch typos and other errors. Each document you provide for your application should demonstrate your strength as a writer, so make sure that it is polished.

Center for Teaching

Developing and writing a diversity statement.

What is a diversity statement, and what purpose does it serve?

What topics might be included in a diversity statement.

• Getting Started

Writing Prompts

Adapting your statement for a job application, additional resources.

Increasingly, institutions of higher education are becoming more intentional and programmatic about their efforts to embrace principles of inclusion, equity, justice, and diversity throughout campus life. As they do so, they are more focused on finding faculty who have experiences and competencies that can contribute to these efforts. Consequently, universities and colleges frequently are requesting that job applicants address how they can contribute to a culture of inclusion and equity within the campus community in the form of a “diversity statement.”

Sometimes, a job ad will request that applicants address diversity in the cover letter or the teaching statement, but a request for a separate diversity statement is becoming more common. From the perspective of some universities, the purpose of such documents is to demonstrate that the applicant has commitments and capacities to contribute to the institution’s projects of inclusion and equity via their work, including scholarship, teaching, service, mentoring, and advising. Asking faculty applicants to speak to inclusive excellence in their application materials or during the interview process shows a university’s commitment to inclusion and ensures that new faculty share that commitment (2018). The document is also an opportunity for applicants to highlight their understanding of the barriers faced by under-represented or marginalized groups, as well as their own experiences meeting the needs of a diverse population of students, staff, and peers. For example, The University of California at San Diego requests a separate “Contributions to Diversity” statement from all faculty applicants, and its published guidelines suggest describing “your past efforts, as well as future plans to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.” (2.1.18, https://facultydiversity.ucsd.edu/_files/c2d-guidelines.pdf ).

The wording that universities and colleges use in framing the request for a diversity statement varies widely. Below are a few examples from job ads posted in the 2017-2018 academic year.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland (public liberal arts college, faculty posting in Psychology):

Applicants should submit a statement explaining how their teaching at the College will contribute to a culture of inclusion and campus diversity .

Denison University (private liberal arts university in Ohio, faculty posting in Anthropology):

A description of how the applicant would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at Denison through her/his teaching, research, and/or service .

Angelo State (public university in Texas, faculty posting in Engineering):

The required Other Document should be no longer than 2 pages and should discuss how the candidate would help achieve Angelo State University’s goal to attract and graduate more women, Hispanic, and students from other underrepresented groups .

Georgia College and State University (public liberal arts college, faculty posting in Psychology)

Qualified candidates should submit a research statement, and a diversity statement (describing how you incorporate diversity into your teaching, research, and/or service). Teaching, research, and diversity statements should be limited to two single-spaced pages.

Franklin & Marshall College (private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, Visiting Assistant Professor Position in Psychology)

Pursuant to the college’s vision for cultivating a diverse and inclusive community, the search committee will ask all applicants to address how their past and/or potential contributions might serve to advance F&M’s commitment to teaching and mentoring young people from a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews th at arise from differences of culture and circumstance.

Since the diversity statement is an emerging genre in the context of faculty job applications, there are few set guidelines on what must be included. Keeping in mind that the purpose of the statement is to demonstrate a commitment to fostering diversity, the following elements may be appropriate:

• Statement of values as they relate to your understanding and commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and/or justice in higher education.
• Examples of experiences that demonstrate your commitment to fostering the success of underrepresented students, staff, and peers, and supporting a diversity of perspectives in the classroom, lab, campus, or community.
• Future plans for continuing to advance inclusive excellence, diversity, or equity in your research, teaching, and service.

Getting started

• What are your values regarding diversity, inclusion, and equity in your professional life? Why do you think diversity is valuable in higher education settings? How about in your discipline specifically?
• What kinds of student, staff, or faculty diversity are you thinking of as you answer this question, and are there other ways in which diversity manifests in campus communities that might be valuable to consider?
• What elements of your own identity inform your teaching, research, or scholarship in a tangible way?

It is worth noting that diversity statements are fundamentally about your values, commitments, and capabilities, and not necessarily your identity and the ways it shapes your work. If you choose to disclose your identity in a diversity statement, you should be aware of some issues.

Should You Self-Disclose Elements of Your Personal Identity?

Note that some people wish to share elements of their personal background in their actual statement, and many do not. Reflecting on your own frame of reference can be useful regardless. Some degree of transparency may help readers contextualize the experiences and approaches you detail in your statement. For example, you may wish to share that you grew up in a bilingual household or that you attended graduate school as an international student, if either has influenced your approach to mentorship or teaching. A 2014 study investigated the content of 191 cover letters for faculty positions in which applicants were specifically asked to address diversity and inclusion; less than a quarter of applicants self-disclosed some aspect of their personal identity (Schmaling, Trevino, Lind, Blume, & Baker, 2014). Despite the low percentage of applicants who chose to self-disclose and despite the authors’ note that they could not determine which applications advanced as a function of the applicants’ choice to self-disclose, they write that “self-disclosing one’s diversity may reconceptualize membership in a previously stigmatized group as an advantage, particularly if the self-identification reinforces a coherent academic and professional identity (Schmaling et al., 2014, p. 10)..”

However, be advised that there is risk in disclosing details that may carry stigma or induce subtle biases on the part of readers. For example, some research confirms that biases toward African Americans and women influence evaluation of written application materials (Dovidio & Gaertner, 2000; Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Graham, & Handelsman, 2012), specifically when the application is not exceptionally weak or exceptionally strong (Dovidio & Gaertner, 2000). The potential benefit of self-disclosing one’s mental health history or sexual orientation, for example, should be carefully weighed against the risk. To be sure, an excellent statement can be written without sharing elements of personal identity, and some universities that request statements are beginning to highlight this. The University of San Diego’s published guidelines to writing a diversity statement, for example, emphasize their desire to identify candidates who share the institution’s commitment to inclusive excellence, “regardless of personal demographic characteristics.”

The following prompts are meant to help you identify areas of strength to highlight in your diversity statement. For each of the following areas, think about your past experience and what you plan to do in the future. You don’t need to answer every question, as all may not apply.

Research and Scholarship

• Does your research/scholarship directly address issues of diversity, inclusion, or equity? If so, how?
• Does your research/scholarship address issues specific to marginalized groups? If so, describe the connection.
• Has your research/scholarship been shared with the community or public in a way that promotes access to scholarship?
• Has your scholarship involved collaboration with diverse groups of colleagues or commentators?

Mentorship and Advising

• Have you worked with any students in a mentorship or advisory capacity who are from marginalized groups? If so, how did you help them identify and overcome barriers to success? Think about your experience with research mentorship, teaching or tutoring, academic advising, and community mentorship.
• If you plan to train undergraduates and/or graduate students in your future role, what efforts will you make to recruit and retain students from marginalized and underrepresented groups?
• How do you plan to serve a student body that is diverse in a multitude of ways? Think not just race, ethnicity, and SES, but about age, religion, academic preparedness, disability, gender expression, or other differences.
• How does your approach to course design take into account considerations of diversity? You may wish to reflect on using a range of assessments, preventing bias in grading, diversifying course content, using inclusive language in the syllabus and classroom, or utilizing student feedback to improve classroom culture or tone. Try to generate at least one specific example of how your decision affects student’s learning in your course. (Note: One prominent example of inclusive syllabus language is diversity statements within syllabi; see examples from Brown University , Yale Center for Teaching and Learning , and The Eberly Center at Carnegie Mellon University )
• What do you do as a teacher that creates a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere? How do you ensure that students in your class feel a sense of belonging?
• How does your approach to facilitating discussion (and/or structuring active learning activities) take into account considerations of positionality, power, and/or diversity? You may wish to reflect on using semi-structured discussion techniques, online access points for student participation, classroom seating arrangements, or other ways in which you create opportunities for student engagement. Try to generate at least one specific example of how your pedagogical choice facilitates student engagement in a particular course.
• Does your discipline lend itself to dialogue about diversity? If so, how do you incorporate this dialogue into your courses? Describe the impact of doing so on student learning and engagement.
• How do you ensure that your course readings and sources reflect diverse perspectives? Have you had any experience diversifying/decolonizing content for your courses, and if so, what has been the impact on student learning?
• Have you participated in any service activities (e.g. university committees, symposiums, workshops, volunteer work in the community) whose goals relate to diversity, inclusion, and equity? If so, describe your experience. What did you accomplish? What did you learn? What skills did you build in the process?
• If you have engaged in diversity-related service, how will you incorporate your experience into the job for which you are applying? (Note: here is where – having done your research on the school to which you are applying – you might consider referencing an existing diversity-related initiative to which you could contribute or which you could expand)

After you have developed a statement that reflects your strengths and experiences related to diversity, inclusion, and equity, you may wish to tailor it for individual job applications. Be sure to do your homework about diversity-related programs and resources at the schools to which you are applying, and consider including how you plan to contribute to or expand existing programs at that institution. For example, if you have been particularly active in social justice initiatives and are applying to a school with no existing programs addressing race, power and privilege in higher education, it may be appropriate to propose a program modelled on something you’ve already done. However, you do not need to propose a new diversity-related program to write an effective diversity statement. Perhaps you envision your contribution as serving on faculty committees related to diversifying curriculum in your department or advising LGBT-student groups or research initiatives. Be honest about where you are and how you can contribute.

• Golash-Boza, T. (2016). “ The Effective Diversity Statement .” Inside Higher Ed.
• University of California: Contributions to Diversity
• Dovidio, J. F., & Gaertner, S. L. (2000). Aversive racism and selection decisions: 1989 and 1999.   Psychological Science, 11 (4), 315-319. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00262
• Schmaling, K. B., Trevino, A. Y., Lind, J. R., Blume, A. W., & Baker, D. L. (2015). Diversity statements: How faculty applicants address diversity.   Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 8 (4), 213-224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0038549
• Moss-Racusin, C., Dovidio, J. F., Brescoll, V. L., Graham, M. J., & Handelsman, J. (2012). Science faculty’s subtle gender biases favor male students.   PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109 (41), 16474-16479. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1211286109

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Resources for Writing Diversity Statement

The Stanford BioSci Careers and Preparing for Faculty Careers course offer excellent resources for postdocs and graduate students preparing Diversity Statements.

When writing a Diversity Statement, just like when writing a grant, consider the mission & goals for the folks that will read the document. If you are applying for a faculty opening, does that university have a statement that includes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belong? Are there elements of that statement that appeal to you?

• Diversity Workshop Handout , The Writing Center, Ohio State University
• “ Guidelines for Writing a Diversity Statement ”, Academic Affairs, University of California, Davis
• “ Diversity statements for faculty job applications ”, UPenn Career Services
• “Diversity vs. Inclusion: Misconceptions and Things You Can Do“ – not a statement-specific article but can be useful to address common myths in diversity
• “How to Write a Diversity Statement for an Employer ”, Elizabeth Wolfenden – this is more employer-focused but has good guidance on finding out why an employer (or other other entity) is requesting a diversity statement

Another fantastic resource is from Drs. Deb Karhson and Shalia Kotadia. ( Click here to DOWNLOAD - Stanford login required ). It comes from Karhson, DS. and Kotadia, S. (2020). Certificate in Critical Consciousness and Anti-Oppressive Praxis Program Manual. Office of Faculty Development and Diversity, School of Medicine, Stanford University. Website: https://med.stanford.edu/diversity/content/certificate-in-critical-consciousness-and-anti-oppressive-praxis.html

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Diversity Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write a diversity statement in preparation for an academic job. Although it is geared toward academic jobs, much of the advice throughout this handout can be used to construct diversity statements for other fields. Overall, this handout offers insights into the form and construction of an effective diversity statement.

What is a diversity statement?

The diversity statement is a relatively new addition to the job application portfolio. It tends to be a one- to two-page document that explains your experiences with and commitments to diverse populations of students. A university that seeks this statement from applicants is typically concerned with ensuring that faculty hires are familiar with its diverse student populations and willing to support students in line with the university’s mission statement. A successful diversity statement talks about your background and how you will create a diverse and inclusive learning environment for all students.

What is diversity?

There is no universal definition that all institutions use for diversity. This lack of definition can be frustrating. You may find yourself at a loss for how to talk about a concept that is not defined. However, there are still clues, usually provided by the institution. You can ask:

• Does the university have a diversity statement on its website?
• Does the university have a diversity and inclusion office? If so, what is its mission statement?
• How has the university’s alumni magazine discussed the current student population?
• Does the office of institutional research publish public reports about diverse populations?

However, not having a definition can be freeing. It allows you to really consider your commitments to students and examine what diversity could mean. For example, if you are considering a college or university set in the mountains, it may mean a student population that identifies as Appalachian. Conversely, schools in North Carolina might be concerned with the enrollment and matriculation of Indigenous students. In other words, how diversity is interpreted depends largely on the institution, its location, and its current student population. Ask yourself:

• Have you worked with first-generation students? International students? Students from underrepresented minority groups?
• Have you worked with students from rural or urban environments?
• Are you familiar with students from the South, Northeast, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest?
• Have you worked with students who identify as neuroatypical?
• Have you worked with students who identify as LGBTQIA+?
• Are you familiar with students from a range of socio-economic backgrounds?
• Have you worked with non-traditional students?

This list of questions is not meant to be comprehensive but to help you think about how you consider diversity as a future instructor at a university. If you happen to have little to no experience working with diverse populations of students, do not fear. There are strategies, which will be addressed below.

Before you start writing

Bear in mind that writing this statement will require you to be flexible in both how you define diversity, as we discussed above, and how you have encountered diversity throughout your career. Below are some strategies for demystifying the expectations for diversity statements.

Consult models

Because the diversity statement is a new addition to the application portfolio, you may find that your usual mentors are unable to give you more direct guidance in its composition. However, it does not mean that you do not have options. You might:

• Reach out to colleagues and friends in the early stages of their career and ask them about their experiences writing diversity statements.
• Ask your university’s career services if they have any examples.
• Try to find examples from successful job candidates.
• Ask people who have recently served on hiring committees.

All of these suggestions can help demystify the process of writing a diversity statement. You also might want to reflect on how diversity is discussed on your current or most recent campus, and compare it to how diversity is discussed at the potential new campus.

In order to tailor a diversity statement to a specific institution, you need to think about the concerns of your audience and how your approach to diversity fits into the broader mission of the university and the department. In essence, this essay allows you to communicate how you will potentially serve the students at your new university in a way that is slightly different than your teaching statement and job application letter. Below are some questions you might consider:

• How has the university approached diversity recently?
• Does the university have a diversity and inclusion office?
• How has the university defined diversity in the past? How are they defining it now?
• What populations does the university serve?
• Are there any populations on the rise or in decline in the university or university system?
• Is the university in the midst of any diversity initiatives? If so, what are they?
• Whom does the department serve?
• Do certain student populations take more courses in the department than others?
• Is the department involved with any diversity initiatives?

These questions can help you consider the institution’s commitments and make clear the populations of students with whom you will be interacting. Moreover, they can help you understand your audience and anticipate what information might be most pertinent or interesting to them. After all, part of the goal in writing this statement is presenting yourself as capable and competent in teaching and interacting with the students whom the university serves.

Writing a draft

Because diversity statements continue to evolve, there is no set form. The lack of a standard form allows for creative freedom—hopefully a positive. As such, this section will provide a variety of considerations and strategies to compose a diversity statement.

Organization

You have many options for crafting your statement to emphasize the aspects of diversity most important to you. Below are a few examples of different organizational strategies:

Think of your statement as a narrative (past, present, future). This strategy allows you to build upon past experiences to point towards future development. You might consider these questions:

• How have your previous experiences informed your understanding of diversity?
• How do you currently approach diversity and inclusion in and outside the classroom?
• How do you think your current practices will translate to a new environment?
• If you have had little interaction with students from diverse backgrounds, how have you learned about diverse student populations? How might you make your classroom inclusive?
• How might you apply the knowledge you have learned in the future?

This approach can help you think about how your approach to diversity has changed over time and demonstrate your ability to adapt to new environments.

Structure your statement around your commitments to diversity. This strategy asks you to prioritize your commitments and expand upon them based on your past and current experiences, as well as your future goals. You might consider these questions:

• How have you made your classroom accessible and inclusive?
• How have you invested in diversity or inclusion in the past?
• Have you worked with specific groups of students or student organizations?
• Have you integrated your commitments into your research? If so, how?
• Have you integrated your commitments into your teaching? If so, how?
• How does your research inform your teaching?
• How have you or will you make the classroom inviting to a variety of students?

This approach ultimately helps you think about how diversity is an integral part of who you are as a researcher and instructor. It can help demonstrate how you connect your work inside and outside the classroom.

Narrow your focus to teaching. This strategy focuses on practical application of diversity in the classroom. It asks you to think about how you may have shifted your teaching to serve different groups of students. You might consider these questions:

• How do you foster diverse student perspectives?
• How have you integrated diverse perspectives in your teaching?
• How have you approached controversial topics, such as religion or politics, in the classroom? How did you include all students in these types of discussions?
• How does your course material reflect contributions from diverse perspectives?
• How have you modified class discussions and course materials to include all your students?
• How have you in the past and how will you in the future continue to encourage students to think about the effects of racial, cultural, gender, socioeconomic, and other differences?

This approach can characterize what is distinctive about your teaching and how it serves students, as well as how it expands their view of diversity.

Make it autobiographical. This strategy focuses on you as an individual, and it should explain how diversity has impacted your career. In this essay, some applicants might choose to self-identify. Others may instead choose to focus on their pedagogical experience with diverse populations over their career.

Talk about your own experiences as a member of an underrepresented group.

• Discuss how you have grown to understand diversity over your education and instructional experiences.
• Discuss how you have been impacted by diversity throughout your academic career, directly or indirectly.

Possible pitfalls

Not being specific. Make sure that when you talk about a certain strategy or a certain group of students that you provide a concrete example. The diversity statement is not simply a list of all the work you have done working with diverse student populations or a restatement of your CV, but it should highlight the most important aspects of how you have approached diversity in the past and include a reflection on those actions. To avoid falling into this trap of listing, you need to think about your specific experiences as evidence. This list is not exhaustive, but it will help you consider the type of examples that a reader might expect in a diversity statement:

• Specific topics you covered in class and student reactions.
• Specific assignments and students’ reactions.
• Specific strategies you have used to include all students in the classroom.
• Specific anecdotes and comments from students.
• Examples from course evaluations.
• Specific events or initiatives you participated in and their success.

Not telling the truth. Above all, be honest! If you have not had experiences with diverse groups of students or you are not a member of an underrepresented group, then you can talk about how you would approach working with students from diverse groups and backgrounds. You can mention that you have researched or studied pedagogy working with diverse groups of students. You can offer examples of techniques or classroom strategies that you would use or think would be helpful for the institution that you are applying for.

Forgetting to revise. Remember your first draft is not your last draft. For some, the revision process is the most difficult part of writing. However, sometimes the best way to tackle indecision about a draft is to receive feedback from a variety of different readers. Outside readers can help you see any shortcomings, point out places where you might need more information, and affirm that you have done a complete job. You can ask: your advisor, your mentor/s, colleagues, and other early-career scholars. For more information about the revision process, see our Editing and Proofreading handout or Proofreading video for some strategies.

Ignoring your audience. Make sure that you address the needs of the department and university. Neglecting to consider the short term and long term goals of the university or the needs of the student population at the institution makes you appear at best unprepared or ill-informed and at worst obtuse.

Not doing yourself justice. The statement should not be an exhaustive list of all the times you worked with diverse populations, a treatise on the ideal classroom, or the appropriation of a student’s or a student group’s experiences as your own. Nor should your statement fail to offer some personal reflections on your experiences in teaching or possibly outside of the classroom. The statement should share your thoughts and recognize the rewards, challenges, and difficulties of making course material and research relevant to diverse student and faculty populations.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Bryce, Leah. n.d. “Making Sense of the Diversity Statement.” Chronicle Vitae . Accessed April 4, 2014. https://chroniclevitae.com/groups/diversity-in-hiring/making-sense-of-the-diversity-statement .

Flaherty, Colleen. 2018. “Breaking Down Diversity Statement.” Inside Higher Ed , November 19, 2018. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/11/19/new-paper-explores-what-faculty-candidates-include-their-diversity-equity-and .

Golash-Boza, Tanya. 2016. “The Effective Diversity Statement.” Inside Higher Ed , June 10, 2016. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2016/06/10/how-write-effective-diversity-statement-essay .

Kelsky, Karen. 2015. “What Is a Diversity Statement, Anyway?” In The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide To Turning Your Ph.D. Into a Job , 185–90. New York: Three Rivers Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Diversity Statement & Considerations

The diversity statement is a document frequently requested in academic job searches across all disciplines and institution types. The form of the requested content can vary widely, from a stand-alone statement to components and themes presented across the application documents included in your portfolio. When requested as a stand-alone statement, the document should be no less than one page, and no more than two.

The purpose of your diversity statement content remains the same—to communicate how diversity impacts:

• Your own development as a researcher, educator, colleague, and community leader
• Others’ development and learning through your research, teaching, mentorship, and service

While statements are strong when built on the writer’s story, there is no expectation of identity disclosure. Rather, think of ways to highlight experiences you have that help you empathize with students and/or colleagues facing challenges in pursuit of their goals.

If you are uncomfortable disclosing examples of privilege and/or oppression from your personal life, think about studies or statistics that you can cite to ground your approaches and philosophy.

Example Postings

Consider the following examples of academic job postings that require content focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion:

From a small, liberal-arts college:

At our institution, we strive to make our campus a respectful, engaged community that embraces difference, with all the complexity and individuality each person brings. With your application materials provide a separate, one-page statement on inclusion that addresses how your teaching, scholarship, mentorship, and/or community service demonstrate a commitment to and/or evidence of engaging with issues of diversity and inclusion.

From a large, R1 public institution:

Applicants should provide a curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, and three letters of reference which address teaching qualifications.

We particularly seek candidates who will significantly contribute to the diversity and equity of our program, and who have experience working diverse and underserved populations, and have demonstrated a commitment to improving the diversity of academic communities. The College views inclusiveness and excellence as interconnected in the work of its faculty.

Note, the liberal arts school requests a dedicated statement addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in relation to specific aspects of the applicant’s work as a future faculty member. In contrast, the R1 outlines considerations to be communicated throughout the applicant’s CV, research, and teaching interests.

Content Considerations

As you develop your tailored content, determine how the job-seeking institution defines diversity, equity, and inclusion. Look through the job call and the institution’s website; they might have a statement of values or future-looking vision. In addition to the call itself, reflect on the following:

• Is the institution mission-driven?
• Are there explicit priorities expressed at a departmental or institutional level?
• Are there specific student populations the institution serves?
• In what kind of department is the position located?

Remember, you are creating a narrative for committees. Strive to connect the department’s priorities with the impact diversity and inclusion have on your scholarly identity. For example:

• What is the connection to diversity across your research, teaching, and service?
• How do your research, teaching, and service benefit your students, community, and/or field?
• How have you considered and fostered inclusivity in your teaching?
• What is your approach to mentorship and how are you inclusive and equitable in those practices?

Keep in mind, search committees are looking for a genuine commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – not just in your past work, but in your future as a prospective member of their community.

Maintain Authenticity

The most important part of either a dedicated diversity statement or diversity-focused content throughout your materials is to be authentic. Do not claim experiences you have not had but focus on those you know. Avoid writing a generic, “one size fits all” pitch; committees are invested in speaking with candidates who share their commitment and will read your documents carefully.

As with all of your application materials, try to have multiple sets of eyes on your content before submitting your statement. Be sure to engage with programs hosted by Northwestern’s Graduate Writing Place and Searle Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning for more guidance on developing your diversity statement.

Postdocs can make appointments for individualized feedback with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs .

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How to Write a Diversity Statement for Graduate School?

EssayEdge > Blog > How to Write a Diversity Statement for Graduate School?

The diversity statement is an important part of the application process. There are many things to consider and keep in mind when thinking about how to write a diversity statement as a part of your grad school admissions process. At first, it may seem overwhelming, but in actuality, a diversity statement is really just another opportunity to showcase to admissions officers who you are as an applicant as well as what you can bring to the university. With that in mind, here are some guidelines for how to begin the diversity statement brainstorming process to determine what kinds of things should be included in your diversity statement as you work on your application.

Table of Contents:

How To Start Your Brainstorm For Your Diversity Statement For Your Grad School Application:

• Maybe you’ve lived in the same place your entire life up until this point, or maybe you grew up in a lot of different places, moving around with your family. The experiences we have growing up shape who we are and who we become. With that in mind, consider what your unique and personal experiences were growing up. Whether you grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone or a racially diverse, thriving metropolitan area, these experiences are potentially worth including in a diversity statement for graduate school.
• Maybe you’ve traveled all around the world. Maybe you’ve never left the state where you were born. No two peoples’ journeys are the same, and so it contributes to your unique perspective. This is also a great opportunity to brainstorm about extracurricular experiences, research experiences, and work experiences that have opened your mind to new ideas or introduced new aspects of the world to you for inclusion in your grad school diversity statement.
• Brainstorm where and when you have been able to be around people who are different from you. Remember, diversity can mean racial diversity, gender diversity, age diversity, and more. Some people have a great deal of diversity within their own families. Others may have been exposed to people who are different from they are much later in life. All of these things contribute to who you are and why you are a unique applicant, so it’s worth thinking outside the box to what your own experience has been as you brainstorm for your graduate school diversity statement.
• Diversity of ideas is very important and can open our minds to new ways of life and new dreams and aspirations—even new things we may want to study at the graduate or undergraduate levels! Where have you had the opportunity to expand your mind? Who has helped expand it? Are there specific places you’ve been that have allowed opportunity to really think in a new and different way? These are areas that can help enhance a grad school diversity statement as well.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

What is a Diversity Statement?

Now that you’ve started the process of brainstorming what might be included in your diversity statement for your application, you may be wondering, “What is a diversity statement for graduate school, exactly?” It’s exactly what it sounds like—a statement of diversity experiences that you have had. Sometimes people write diversity statements for grad school applications that are focused on what they think that grad school admissions officers want to hear, and so they try to shoehorn in “diverse” experiences into their applications that are marginal or not vital components of their life experiences. Diversity can include a lot of things, whether that is a diversity of people, diversity of thought, diversity of opportunity or more. The most important thing when brainstorming for your diversity statement is to make sure that your experiences are truthful, relevant, and important to who you are.

Below are some topics from our EssayEdge editors that can be included in a diversity statement as a part of your grad school application process, or even undergraduate application, to craft a truly personal, relevant diversity statement:

• The diversity statement should focus on not just where you come from, but what is your personal background has contributed to your view of the world. Your grad school diversity statement can be focused on your life itself as opposed to your academic experiences.
• If this is a diversity statement for a graduate application, this is a great opportunity to talk about how your undergrad experiences have shaped your views and experiences. If this happens to be a part of an undergraduate application, your high school experiences are relevant. Ultimately, the courses you took, the programs you studied in, and the environment of your school itself can all be very relevant for a diversity statement.
• At this moment in time, in particular, you should feel free to articulate how you self-identify if that feels relevant here and feels like it contributes to the way you experience the world. Whether it’s your racial identity, your gender identity, or something else, your identity impacts how you experience the world and how you see, interact with, and shape the world around you, which is all extremely relevant to a diversity statement for grad school.
• Perhaps you’ve had difficulty interacting with certain environments and you’ve learned how to manage that. Perhaps navigating certain circumstances comes naturally to you. Including this information in your diversity statement will help admissions committees have a better understanding of how you can fit into and have a positive impact on a university’s community, which is the goal of the grad school diversity statement.
• Perhaps you have a unique reason from your own life for why you are choosing to pursue the graduate program you’re pursuing. The diversity statement as a part of your grad school application would be an opportunity to share this kind of information.

Diversity Statement: Summary

In conclusion, the diversity statement is a great opportunity to really showcase who you are and make your application for admission really stand out. While sometimes the diversity statement is not required in an application—it can sometimes be listed as optional—it is a unique component of your graduate school application, as long as you use it as an opportunity to talk about who you really are and how your experiences so far have impacted your view of the world. Ultimately, you want to use your grad school diversity statement to talk about new experiences and things that aren’t necessarily a part of your application elsewhere, or, if they are, the diversity statement is a chance to provide a new perspective on it where the admissions committee can see your experiences and who you are through a different lens. The diversity statement is an important part of your graduate admissions process and can really help your application stand out.

An admission essay is the biggest fear of any applicant until they know about a diversity statement. This guide tried to answer all the questions one can face when writing. A proper approach to brainstorming and writing will lead you to success. If you want to play if safe, place an order on our graduate school essay editing service , and we’ll review your draft.

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Diversity Statement

The MD/PhD program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine believes that the diversity of our student body helps to drive the lifelong success of our students. By welcoming students of diverse race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, religion, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability and socioeconomic status, we create a compassionate and tolerant learning community. We know that students who matriculate through our program will be well prepared to serve as physician-scientists in the diverse and every-changing society that we live.

Our program is committed to cultivating a diverse and respectful environment for all,  regardless of gender, race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, or sexual orientation.  To enhance the diversity of our student group, members of the MD/PhD faculty serve as mentors for undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented groups in science for summer research training at BU in the NIH-supported  STaRS Program  and participate in recruitment activities at colleges, universities, and national conferences for students.

More information & Resources at Boston University

• Graduate Medical Sciences Diversity Equity and Inclusion
• BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Anti-racism Resources
• BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resources
• BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Disability and Access Services
• BU Diversity and Inclusion Office
• Boston University Diversity Statement
• Ensuring Inclusivity in Teaching Materials and Classrooms

Diversity Statement

The Department of Psychology at Stanford University is devoted to training scientists who will work to advance theory and to create knowledge that helps us address real-world problems.

Diversity Statement & Resources

Accomplishing this mission requires a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds. Diversity enriches both our department and the science of psychology.  We strive to cultivate an inclusive community that values diverse questions, viewpoints, approaches, and participant samples to foster ingenuity, challenge biases, and promote intellectual growth. 

Therefore, it is important to us to attract individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including research assistants, undergraduate majors, PhD students, faculty, and staff. The Department seeks applicants from all races and ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religions.

Within the Psychology Department, our efforts to promote diversity are led by our Diversity Committee, a group of graduate students and faculty who coordinate and oversee continuing efforts to build our community. This commitment to diversity is part of a broader effort at Stanford that includes resources such as fellowship programs, social and cultural affinity groups, and funding opportunities.

Paths to PhD

Held annually, Paths to PhD is a free one-day information session and workshop for anyone considering applying to research positions and PhD programs.

Research Opportunity Programs for Undergraduates

CSLI Summer Internship Program

Summer Research Early Identification Program

Application Resources

Gateway for New Graduate Students

Graduate Application Fee Waiver

GRE Fee Waiver

Centers & Organizations

Asian American Activities Center

Black Community Services Center

Center for Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity

El Centro Chicano y Latino

First Generation and/or Low-Income Student Success Center

LGBTQIA+ Health Care at Vaden

Native American Cultural Center

Office of Accessible Education

Queer Student Resources

Stanford Title IX Office

The Markaz: Resource Center

Unofficial Guide to Trans* Life at Stanford

Women’s Community Center

Funding Sources

Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence

Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education

Mentoring Groups

Diversity Works

WISE/WISSH  (for female graduate students and postdoctoral scholars)

Diversity Dissertation Research Opportunity

Diversity and Inclusion Innovation Funds

Student Projects for Intellectual Community Enhancement

PhD Program

Diversity, equity & inclusion.

Berkeley Haas is committed to recruiting a diverse student body, faculty, and staff. Doing so is part of who we are and enhances our community and academic excellence. We seek to provide an inclusive environment where everyone is treated fairly and has equal access to opportunities—a commitment that also lies at the heart of Berkeley’s mission as a public university.

We are committed to developing leaders who embrace the notion that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental parts of excellent leadership—those who can lead diverse teams in an inclusive way, valuing all perspectives, cultures, and life experiences.

Read more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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• 12 March 2024

Bring PhD assessment into the twenty-first century

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Innovation in PhD education has not reached how doctoral degrees are assessed. Credit: Dan Dunkley/Science Photo Library

Research and teaching in today’s universities are unrecognizable compared with what they were in the early nineteenth century, when Germany and later France gave the world the modern research doctorate. And yet significant aspects of the process of acquiring and assessing a doctorate have remained remarkably constant. A minimum of three years of independent study mentored by a single individual culminates in the production of the doctoral thesis — often a magisterial, book-length piece of work that is assessed in an oral examination by a few senior academic researchers. In an age in which there is much research-informed innovation in teaching and learning, the assessment of the doctoral thesis represents a curious throwback that is seemingly impervious to meaningful reform.

But reform is needed. Some doctoral candidates perceive the current assessment system to lack transparency, and examiners report concerns of falling standards ( G. Houston A Study of the PhD Examination: Process, Attributes and Outcomes . PhD thesis, Oxford Univ.; 2018 ). Making the qualification more structured would help — and, equally importantly, would bring the assessment of PhD education in line with education across the board. PhD candidates with experience of modern assessment methods will become better researchers, wherever they work. Indeed, most will not be working in universities: the majority of PhD holders find employment outside academia.

Collection: Career resources for PhD students

It’s not that PhD training is completely stuck in the nineteenth century. Today’s doctoral candidates can choose from a range of pathways. Professional doctorates, often used in engineering, are jointly supervised by an employer and an academic, and are aimed at solving industry-based problems. Another innovation is PhD by publication, in which, instead of a final thesis on one or more research questions, the criterion for an award is a minimum number of papers published or accepted for publication. In some countries, doctoral students are increasingly being trained in cohorts, with the aim of providing a less isolating experience than that offered by the conventional supervisor–student relationship. PhD candidates are also encouraged to acquire transferable skills — for example, in data analysis, public engagement, project management or business, economics and finance. The value of such training would be even greater if these skills were to be formally assessed alongside a dissertation rather than seen as optional.

And yet, most PhDs are still assessed after the production of a final dissertation, according to a format that, at its core, has not changed for at least half a century, as speakers and delegates noted at an event in London last month on PhD assessment, organized by the Society for Research in Higher Educatio n. Innovations in assessment that are common at other levels of education are struggling to find their way into the conventional doctoral programme.

Take the concept of learning objectives. Intended to aid consistency, fairness and transparency, learning objectives are a summary of what a student is expected to know and how they will be assessed, and are given at the start of a course of study. Part of the ambition is also to help tutors to keep track of their students’ learning and take remedial action before it is too late.

PhD training is no longer fit for purpose — it needs reform now

Formative assessment is another practice that has yet to find its way into PhD assessment consistently. Here, a tutor evaluates a student’s progress at the mid-point of a course and gives feedback or guidance on what students need to do to improve ahead of their final, or summative, assessment. It is not that these methods are absent from modern PhDs; a conscientious supervisor will not leave candidates to sink or swim until the last day. But at many institutions, such approaches are not required of PhD supervisors.

Part of the difficulty is that PhD training is carried out in research departments by people who do not need to have teaching qualifications or awareness of innovations based on education research. Supervisors shouldn’t just be experts in their field, they should also know how best to convey that subject knowledge — along with knowledge of research methods — to their students.

It is probably not possible for universities to require all doctoral supervisors to have teaching qualifications. But there are smaller changes that can be made. At a minimum, doctoral supervisors should take the time to engage with the research that exists in the field of PhD education, and how it can apply to their interactions with students.

There can be no one-size-fits-all solution to improving how a PhD is assessed, because different subjects often have bespoke needs and practices ( P. Denicolo Qual. Assur. Educ. 11 , 84–91; 2003 ). But supervisors and representatives of individual subject communities must continue to discuss what is most appropriate for their disciplines.

All things considered, there is benefit to adopting a more structured approach to PhD assessment. It is high time that PhD education caught up with changes that are now mainstream at most other levels of education. That must start with a closer partnership between education researchers, PhD supervisors and organizers of doctoral-training programmes in universities. This partnership will benefit everyone — PhD supervisors and doctoral students coming into the research workforce, whether in universities or elsewhere.

Education and training in research has entered many secondary schools, along with undergraduate teaching, which is a good thing. In the spirit of mutual learning, research doctoral supervisors, too, will benefit by going back to school.

Nature 627 , 244 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00718-0

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