Admission Requirements
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The University of Utah Master of Public Policy program will help you build a solid foundation of practical skills and knowledge that you can apply to real policy challenges. We seek a diverse pool of applicants who aspire to learn, practice and interact in a supportive, yet rigorous, graduate program designed to help you achieve. We admit MPP students representing a variety of undergraduate majors, including political science, economics, history, urban planning, sociology and psychology. We also admit students with diverse professional backgrounds, including those who work in various policy-related positions, those who work in the private sector, and those who are coming directly from their undergraduate education. In 2009, we admitted 22 MPP students and have 32 students currently enrolled in the program. |
Our Requirements
Students are admitted to the MPP program for fall semester, which starts in late August. Applicants must:
- Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Establish eligibility for admission to graduate standing at The University of Utah.
- Obtain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) in undergraduate courses.
- Submit all MPP application materials.
The MPP Admissions Committee carefully considers an applicant's combined academic background and work experience in determining admission into the program. All portions of the application are considered equally. Interviews are not required for admission. There is no minimum entrance exam score.
- Admission is selective.
- No specific background or undergraduate major is required.
- Decisions are based on evaluation of the applicant's overall academic record including undergraduate transcripts, GRE (or other standardized test) scores, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement of purpose, and a resume describing relevant work, community, and extracurricular experiences. More information on the Apply Now page.
- The TOEFL is required of students for whom English is a second language (a TOEFL score of 583, 237 on the computer-based exam and 92-93 on the new iBTis required).
- Applicants are required to complete prerequisite coursework in introductory statistics (sample courses at The University of Utah: FCS 3210; SOC 3112 and PSYCH 3000 - we cannot count 1000 level math classes for the statistics prerequisite), introductory microeconomics (sample course at The University of Utah: ECON 2010), and U.S. national government. The University of Utah course listings and descriptions are available in the Course Catalog. Prerequisites must be completed in the last 10 years with a grade of "C" or better from an accredited college or university. Please note: if you are accepted into a joint program (e.g. MPP/JD or MPP/MPH) some prerequisites may automatically be waived. Please consult the program manager for more information.
- In addition to the prerequisites, students are strongly encouraged to complete intermediate microeconomics before entering the program. Due to the rigorous analytic component of the MPP, it is assumed that applicants will have a strong quantitative background. Applicants lacking a solid background in economics and statistics are encouraged to strengthen their understanding of these areas prior to application.
We are here to help you successfully complete your application. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact us.
Apply Now - Application Instructions and Checklist
For More Information
Information Sessions - Attend a presentation about the MPP
Recruitment Fairs- Come visit with us at area Graduate School Fairs
Program Manager - Ask general questions or schedule a visit
Request Information - Request printed materials