Admission Requirements
The University of Utah Master of Public Administration Program seeks a diverse pool of applicants trained in a wide range of undergraduate disciplines. No specific background or major is required. Admission is selective, and decisions are based on a multifaceted evaluation of applicants' overall academic and professional records, including undergraduate transcripts, one letter of recommendation, a letter of intent, and a resume describing relevant work, community, and extracurricular experiences. The program typically admits 60-80% of applicants, depending upon the size and quality of the application pool.
Please submit one letter of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic and professional abilities. Please follow the instructions in SLATE for submission of the letter.
For more information on the program and how to apply contact the Program Manager, JaTara Greenidge
SLATE Applicant Portal
The University of Utah has implemented an online application system called SLATE. All materials required by Graduate Admissions and the MPA Program for applying must be uploaded to this system. The system is user friendly. You will also enter an e-mail address for your letter of recommendation author in SLATE.
Dual Degrees
If you are applying for a dual degree, please be sure to complete an application for each program in Apply Yourself (you will need to use an original e-mail for each application). There is not a joint option so it is important to complete the application and upload all requirements for each program to review. You will be notified of acceptance or denial by each program.
Application Deadline
The priority deadline for Fall 2024 is Janurary15th at 11:59pm.
Domestic applicants deadline is June 30th
International applicant final deadline is March 31.
All MPA application materials must be completed by the priority deadline of January 15th to be eligible for department fellowships and assistantships. Please note that the MPA program accepts applicants for the Fall Semester only.
*Please note that late application might be subject to an increase in fees.
Application Checklist
Letter of Intent
The personal letter of intent is a crucial part of your application because it is the primary way that the admissions committee will get to know you as an applicant. We recommend applicants format their letter as they would a cover letter (with a salutation addressed to the admissions committee and a sign-off).
Applicants should consider the following questions when writing their letter:
- Who are you?
- What is your academic background?
- What is your professional background?
- Why are you interested in earning a Master of Public Administration?
- What unique professional and personal experiences would you bring to the program?
- What are your future goals, and how the MPA Program will help you achieve them?
The letter of intent should be a minimum of two pages in length, and no longer than 3 pages. Please include your name and contact information in the heading at the top of each page.
Resume
Your resume should include relevant work, internship and volunteer experiences, as well as academic or research highlights.
Transcripts
Upload an unofficial copy of all of your transcripts to your application. You will
be required to provide an official copy of your transcripts, sent directly from your
previous school to the Graduate Admissions office at:
Admissions Office
The University of Utah
201 S 1460 E
Room 250 S SSB
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Transcripts submitted for admission become the University of Utah property and cannot
be returned to the applicant. Failure to list all schools previously attended or making
false or misleading statements on the application may result in loss of credit and/or
cancellation of admission status.
Letters of Recommendation
Please submit one letter of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic
and professional abilities. Please follow the instructions in SLATE for submission
of the letter.
You will enter the e-mail addresses of the reference letter author. The SLATE system
will then send an e-mail request asking authors to upload their letter (please let
the letter authors know an e-mail from Hobsons will be coming their way). If you finished
a degree (undergrad or grad) within the past two years, the letter should be from
an undergraduate professor or instructor.
Graduate Entrance Exam Scores (Optional)
No graduate entrance exam is required to apply to the Master of Public Administration program. If you wish to include a score, it will be considered. Please note that it is not required for entrance into this program. It may be helpful to include a score if you have a low GPA or if you would like to bolster your application. We will consider scores from the GRE, MAT, LSAT, and GMAT.
American Government Pre-requisite
Applicants must complete a pre-requisite course in introductory American government before the first day of class. POLS 1100 at the University of Utah or an equivalent course from an accredited university (syllabus required), are accepteable. Must complete with a "C" or better, a "PASS" if taken pass-fail, or a 50 or above if taken as a CLEP exam (printed score required.) Alternatively, the program offers a pass-fail short course for this pre-requisite at the end of July each year. Advanced Placement American Government satisfies the pre-requisite so long as a transcript verifies the receipt of academic for the AP course. Brigham Young University's American Heritage course is not accepted as a pre-requisite.
Prerequisites must be completed in the last 10 years with a grade of "C" or better from an accredited college or university
Undergraduate GPA
Applicants must have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Some exceptions will be made based on career experience and length of time between undergraduate degree and MPA application.
English Language Requirement
Applicants for whom English is a second language must also submit a TOEFL score. The TOEFL requirement for the MPA Program is 580 paper-based or 92 internet-based. English proficiency is not required of permanent residents who have had the Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) for over five years. Applicants with a Permanent Resident Card issued less than five years ago must still submit proof of English proficiency.
Please visit the International Students website for more information.
