MPA AND MCJ—General Information
Admission Requirements
- A baccalaureate degree from a college or university of accredited standing, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Two sets of official transcripts are required from all higher education institutions attended.
- Three recommendations from qualified references. Recommendations may be from professors, employers and/or others acquainted with the prospective student’s professional and/or academic work.
- Applicants are required to take the GRE, the GMAT or the LSAT unless they meet the requirements for waiver. Standard graduate admission test scores are normally waived when the candidate already has a graduate degree in another field from an accredited institution. Other applicants may have test scores waived if they have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better and they have significant professional employment in management or policymaking positions for a minimum of 10 years or the equivalent.
- A current resume highlighting professional accomplishments and community involvement.
- International students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. A score of 550 or higher on the paper-based exam or 213 or higher on the computer-based exam is required for the MPA or 525/197 for the MCJ.
All application material and test scores should be sent to SPA, University of Colorado Denver, Campus Box 142, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217-3364.
SPA will process applications as they come in. Master-level applicants generally receive notification of their admission status three weeks after all materials have been received in the office. The preferred deadlines listed below allow students to receive best consideration for scholarships, financial aid and course selection. Students who do not meet the preferred deadline may still submit application materials until approximately one month before the start of classes and will be considered on a space-available basis.
| Semester | Preferred Application Deadline | Final Deadline* |
| Fall | March 15 | August 1 |
| Spring | October 15 | December 1 |
| Summer | March 15 | May 1 |
| | | |
| *Final deadline does not apply to international students who should contact the Office of International Admissions for deadline information. |
Provisional Admission
Under special circumstances, a student may be admitted on provisional status for one semester. Students admitted on a provisional basis take two courses in their first semester. MPA students may select two of the following:
,
or
. They may take no other courses during that semester. Based on their performance in these courses, a decision will be made concerning their admission into the program.
Nondegree Admissions
Students may register as nondegree students while developing their application packet. However, students are discouraged from taking many courses as a nondegree student if they hope to pursue a degree. Nine semester hours taken in the program as a nondegree student may be applied to the master’s degree programs with approval of an advisor. Nondegree student application forms are available in the Office of Admissions or online.
Transfer of Credit to SPA
Up to 9 semester hours of appropriate graduate work from an accredited college or university may transfer, if such credit was not applied to a completed degree.
Limitation of Course Load
The normal course load for a full-time student is 9 semester hours. A student who is employed full time may not carry more than 9 hours unless an excess load has been approved in advance by the faculty advisor.
Financial Assistance
Students in the master’s degree programs are eligible for several types of financial assistance. Educational loans require application to the Office of Financial Aid on the Downtown Campus and completion of the FAFSA. A number of students secure internships or other part-time positions with local, state and federal agencies in the Denver metropolitan area. Scholarship assistance is available on a limited basis.
The school receives announcements for fellowships from various government organizations and actively seeks additional funding for student support in the form of internship positions and research assistantships.
Persons interested in applying for financial assistance should inquire in the SPA office. The deadline for current students is March 15 for the fall term. Prospective students seeking scholarship funds should have complete scholarship applications on file at the SPA office by the preferred application deadline for the semester they are requesting funds.
The Internship Program
An internship for the MPA and MCJ programs is required for students who have not had significant public, nonprofit or private-sector experience. The purpose of the internship is to continue the linkage between theory and practice that is the philosophical basis of SPA. The internships generally involve part-time work. A maximum of three semester hours will be awarded for internship service. Great care is taken by the SPA to ensure that the internship experience meets the intellectual needs of the student. Placements have included the Governor’s Office, Colorado General Assembly, Denver Mayor’s Office, City of Denver, Denver Police Department, Boulder Crime Lab, Western Governor’s Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Time Limit for Master’s Degree
Master’s degree students must complete all course work and degree requirements within six years of registration in their first course.
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