The
program seeks highly motivated, high-achieving students who have a
strong interest in pursuing a public service career. Prospective students
must first apply for admission to the Graduate
School (see the General Information section of this bulletin).
Applicants are then referred to the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School
of Public Affairs for acceptance.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for admission to the
Graduate School, applicants to the MPA program must submit:
1. A completed
application form
2. A typed personal statement discussing career objectives and reasons
for applying to the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public
Affairs (at least 250 words)
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. Test scores from the GRE
5. Two copies of official transcripts from each college and graduate
institution attended. Applicants must have an undergraduate cumulative
GPA of at least 2.7, or a 3.0 GPA in their last sixty hours.
6. A demonstrated level of proficiency in the English language. The
admissions committee may accept a satisfactory score on the writing
portion of the GRE.
In addition to
the preceding requirements, applicants’ socioeconomic background
will be considered in the admission process. The following are some
factors that may be weighed:
a. What was the economic status of the applicant’s family while
he or she was attending elementary, secondary and undergraduate school?
b. Was the applicant the first generation to attend undergraduate
school?
c. Was the applicant the first generation to attend graduate or professional
school?
d. Is the applicant multi-lingual?
e. Was the applicant employed while attending undergraduate school?
f. Did the applicant help to raise other children in his or her family?
g. In what geographic region did the applicant attend high school?
h. Has the applicant participated in any forms of community activities?
i. Has the applicant demonstrated a commitment to a particular field
of study?
j. Are role models with comparable graduate school training present
in the applicant’s region of residence?
Students interested
in applying to the Master's of Public Administration program can obtain
a graduate application from the Graduate
School.
For further information
or assistance, please feel free to contact a
faculty member from the Public
Administration program.
