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Home > Degree Programs > Master's Degrees > Master in Public Administration/ International Development > MPA/ID Admissions
MPA/ID Admissions
The MPA/ID Program Office administers the admissions process for the MPA/ID Program. Information about other degree programs at the Kennedy School and instructions on how to apply online can be found on the main Admissions website.
Criteria for Admission to the MPA/ID Program
The MPA/ID Program is a rigorous economics-centered program designed to prepare development practitioners. When evaluating an application, the Admissions Committee looks for:
- Strong academic record, including good grades in economics and mathematics courses.
- Required prerequisite courses, including at least one university-level course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, and three university-level courses in calculus, which must include multivariable calculus. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable, but not required.
- Demonstrated commitment to the field of international development and compelling evidence of professional potential in the field. While work experience is not an absolute requirement, development work often serves to demonstrate this commitment.
- Strong recommendations from academic and professional recommenders who know you well and can comment on the qualities needed for this program.
- Competitive GRE or GMAT quantitative section score. In general, candidates who score in the top 80th percentile and above on the GRE or GMAT quantitative section are most competitive for admission.
- For applicants whose native language is not English, evidence of fluency in English as demonstrated by a minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the iBT or a overall band score of 7 on the IELTS.
Please note that simply meeting the criteria above does not guarantee admission. The MPA/ID Program receives many more applications from candidates than can be admitted. All aspects of each application are carefully considered, and offers of admission are made to the strongest candidates.
Application
The application for admission in the fall of 2013 is now closed. The application for fall 2014 will be available in September.
The formal application includes:
- an online application form;
- payment of the $100 application fee;
- several essays;
- three letters of recommendation;
- official standardized test scores; and
- official academic transcripts from all universities you have attended.
Please note that transcripts should include the names of courses you have taken (with the grades you received), and a confirmation indicating the degree earned and date the degree was conferred. Most universities will either list all of this information on a transcript or will issue a list of courses with grades and will issue separately a certificate with the degree and date of graduation.
Please refer to the instructions included with the online application for complete details on application requirements.
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