Admission to the master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree is based on evaluation of the following credentials:
- Completion of application for admission and payment of admission fee (http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu)
- Undergraduate GPA (official transcript required)
- Previous graduate work (if relevant)
- Personal statement
- Letters of recommendation (three required)
- Current résumé
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results
Individuals seeking admission should submit the above materials for evaluation. The M.P.A. degree has rolling admissions except for international students, where sufficient time to process paperwork requires deadlines for specific semesters. Candidates for admission should complete the application as soon as practical and may begin courses in the next available semester following acceptance.
There are two options available to these applicants who have not submitted all admission documents: provisional admission and nondegree status. Provisional admission puts conditions on matriculation, usually a requirement to complete 12 credits with a B or better average (3.0 GPA), or pending receipt of GRE scores. Nondegree status permits applicants to complete up to four courses (12 credits) as a nondegree student before requesting matriculation. In both of these options, actual performance on the academic work is included in the credentials review for a matriculation decision.
