Applicants seeking to be admitted to the MPA program must hold an undergraduate degree (any major is acceptable) with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and submit the materials listed below.

Application Materials

1. A completed USI Graduate Studies Application Form
2. Completed MPA Personal Information Form
3. Official results of GRE (the General Test and the Writing Assignment) (Submission of GRE or GMAT Scores)
4. Analytic Writing Sample (described in the MPA Personal Information Form)
5. References from TWO individuals who are familiar with your work. (The two people writing references must complete Reference Forms and mail these forms directly to the USI Graduate Studies Office.)
6. A $25.00 Application fee
7. Official Transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate programs attended: all transcripts must be sent directly from the Registrar of school attended to the USI Graduate Studies Office
8. International Students Only: Official results of the TOEFL (a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based version and a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based version). 

Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may seek conditional admittance to the MPA program.  Conditionally admitted students may take two graduate courses (six credit hours) at USI.  If a grade of B or better is earned in each USI graduate course taken while you are classified as a conditionally admitted student and the instructors in these courses recommend that you be unconditionally admitted to the program, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Director of the MPA Program, you will be unconditionally admitted to the Program.

Individuals may enroll in PA courses as a special student. Special students may take up to two graduate courses (6 credit hours) without being formally admitted to the MPA program. If a special student is subsequently admitted to the MPA program, PA courses successfully completed will count toward the degree requirements. It is important to note, however, that admission as a special student and success in graduate courses does not guarantee admission to the MPA program.

Students seeking to enroll in PA courses as a special student must submit a Special Student application, undergraduate transcripts, and the one-time non-refundable $25 graduate application fee. In addition, admission must be approved by the Director of the MPA program and the Director of Graduate Admissions. The Director of the MPA program will not allow individuals with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 (on a four point scale) to enroll in PA courses as a special student.  Admission as a special student does not guarantee enrollment in PA courses. Special students may enroll in PA courses only when enrollment caps have not been met and when students formally admitted (or expected to be formally admitted) to the MPA program have had an opportunity to enroll.

Admission Deadlines

Application Forms