Master of Public Administration (MPA) _UW_Evans School   The Evans School’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program emphasizes broad-based fundamentals in policy analysis and management, while allowing you to pursue a field of specialization. Our MPA degree includes 72 total credit hours, with a minimum of 60 credit hours from within the Evans School: ？36 credits of core courses in the areas of analysis and management ？28 elective credits used to focus on one or more areas of specialization ？Eight credits toward a degree project ？A three-month internship totaling a minimum of 400 non-credit work hours Most of our MPA students enroll full-time and complete the program in two years. We also welcome part-time students and offer evening options for some courses.   Students also may complete concurrent degrees with other units. Find out more about the Evans School MPA degree requirements, our specialized Peace Corps Master’s International MPA track, or the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows program.     Application Instructions   Step 1 Gather your required application materials ？Application fee of $75 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School. ？Resume including: ？Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience ？Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships ？Leadership positions ？Societies and clubs to which you belong ？Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less: ？Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program ？Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives ？Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management ？Personal history statement describing in no more than two pages in length (500 words or less): ？Your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development ？Educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals Please note this is not an academic statement of purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals. The reason for the statement is to be consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University of Washington community, which actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds.   ？Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. They can be mailed directly to you then you may forward them to us, or they can be sent directly from the institution to the Evans School. If they have been mailed to you, do not open the transcripts as they will be considered unofficial if the seal is broken, tampered with or opened. Official transcripts are required to prove completion of your bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees. Once accepted to your program of choice, you will be asked to send a copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.   ？Two to three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by your recommenders, through the online application system. You must start the online application and submit the names and email addresses of your recommenders so they can submit the letters. Two letters are required and up to three letters may be submitted. Letters of reference should come from people who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities.   ？GRE scores need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org. Have the scores sent directly to the University of Washington (the GRE no longer uses the code system). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can’t be submitted during the online application process. GMAT scores are also accepted.   ？TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.   Step 2   Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School. During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs (M of Public Administration) option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.   Step 3 Required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) need to be mailed in one packet to: MPA Specializations   Students use their elective credits to focus on one or more of the following specializations. With consultation from a faculty adviser, students will develop a set of elective courses that addresses their interests and goals.   ？Policy Analysis and Evaluation ？Leadership, Management, and Decision-Making ？Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy ？Environment and Natural Resource Management ？International Development ？Metropolitan and Regional Policy ？Social Policy: Poverty, Education, and Social Welfare ？Science and Technology Policy ？Public and Financial Management (tentative)     The Evans School degree project integrates knowledge and skills gained at the Evans School into a capstone project. The degree project can serve as an opportunity to further develop a student’s specialization, to expand networks in the community, and to create a significant sample of work. All projects include a written report; however, the length, format, and content of the projects vary tremendously depending on the type and scope of the work. Through the degree project, students demonstrate their ability to apply the skills from their coursework to a real-world problem in a in a fully synthesized manner.   A degree project requires that the student articulate a clear question for investigation and to select appropriate methodologies. These methods demonstrate the synthesis of the range of skills students have gained at the Evans School, across management, policy analysis, economics, quantitative methods, values, and substantive course work.   Many degree projects focus on client-generated real-world questions. If the student identifies such a topic on their own from an internship or employer, they may investigate it as an independent study but are advised to complete the project through one a degree project seminar. If a student wishes to work on a client-based project that is identified and managed by the school as part of the Public Service Clinics, they must complete their degree project through a degree project seminar.   Students choose one of three options to select a topic to pursue for their degree project. It is recommended to get a preliminary topic statement and faculty approval by the end of October, and work to refine the project plan by the end of November.