Admissions Information

Application Deadlines:

Requirements for admission to full standing in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Degree Program include:

1. A complete application to the Graduate School with paid application fee.  Applications can be completed on-line here.
2. Possession of a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, from an accredited college or university.
3. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
4. An appropriate score on the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Typically, minimally acceptable scores for admitted students are 150 Verbal, and 144 Quantitative, and 3.0 Analytical.  The school code for UNC Charlotte is 5105.
   1. GRE Waivers are available if
      1. A student's undergraduate GPA is 3.5 or higher   OR
      2. In-service students with five or more years of work experience in the field who have completed 6 hours of graduate work with a GPA of 3.0 and higher and an undergraduate statistics course with a C or higher
         1. *GRE waivers will be considered for students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and are contingent upon approval of the MPA Admissions Committee
   2. The GRE has a program for low income students to take the GRE at a reduced price.  Information on this program can be found at https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/fees/reductions
5. Letters of recommendation (3) preferably from those familiar with your academic and work abilities (e.g., professors or employers).
6. Statement of purpose (1-2 pages in length) in which the applicant explains his/her career goals, how the MPA degree fits into achieving those goals, and any significant work experience, particularly in the public or nonprofit sectors.
7. Submission of official transcripts from all postsecondary educational institutions in which the candidate was enrolled.

Once the Graduate School has received all the materials associated with the application, the materials are sent to the MPA admissions committee. The committee reviews the packet and makes a recommendation (accept/deny) to the MPA Director. The Director reviews the application, makes a recommendation and sends the packet back to the Graduate School. The Graduate School has the final say on an application based on the recommendations from the Program. Once that final decision is reached, the Dean of the Graduate School sends a letter in the mail to the applicant with the outcome of the process.

Admission recommendations are based on a complete review of the applicant's file. The following all enter into that decision: (1) undergraduate and any graduate grades; (2) scores on the GRE; (3) letters of recommendation; (4) specific previous coursework; (5) statement of purpose; and (6) applicable work history.

Certificate Program Admissions Information

Admission to our Graduate Certificate programs is open to graduates of colleges and universities accredited by a regional or general accrediting agency. To apply, students must meet the following requirements (Applications can be completed on-line here):  

• Submit a completed Graduate Admissions application form and paid application fee.
• Submit a statement of purpose (1-2 pages in length) in which the applicant explains his/her career goals, how the Certificate fits into achieving those goals, and any relevant work experience he/she might have.
• Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions in which the applicant was enrolled.
• Submit three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources.
• An overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.