Master of Public Administration
Admission
Admission to the program is competitive and is granted only to those who show ability for success in graduate study. The applicant must meet the University's general requirement, which is an overall grade point average of 2.8 on a four point scale. The decision to admit an applicant to the MPA program is based on a balanced review of the application package as submitted by the prospective student.
Please visit the Office of Graduate Admissions website for all application materials, http://admissions.odu.edu/graduate.php. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the following:
- Official transcripts of all previous college work.
- A written statement describing how your experience in work and other settings and your choice of graduate study in public administration will lead to achieving your career goals. (1000 word maximum length.)
- Minimum of two letters of recommendation from academic sources or employment supervisors. (One required from an academic source.)
- All applicants are required to submit an acceptable score on the GRE or GMAT examinations.
- Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit an acceptable score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
The requirement for the GRE may be waived for qualified applicants with at least three years of substantial supervisory, managerial or professional level experience in a local, regional, state, federal, military or nonprofit agency. Applicants who wish to be exempted from the GRE requirement should complete the Request for GRE Waiver form and submit it with their application package for review by the admissions committee. The decision to waive the GRE is the responsibility of the Graduate Program Director whose decision is final. If a waiver request is denied, applicants must complete the requirement for the GRE. Denial of a waiver request is not denial of admission to the MPA, and those denied waivers are encouraged to complete their application requirements.
