Admission Requirements

Applicants who wish to complete the M.P.A. via distance learning must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Applicants must hold a bachelor degree with a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 earned in undergraduate work. The degree may be in any academic field, and must have been conferred by an accredited college or university. Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts to the department during the application process. However, unconditional admission may only be granted if official transcripts from the applicant's undergraduate institution have been submitted and are on file with ISU's Graduate Admissions.
    
2. Distance students applying for the M.P.A. should have some administrative or managerial experience in either the public sector or the nonprofit sector. (The experience requirement does not apply to students who plan to attend scheduled courses on campus in Terre Haute.) Prospective students usually must have at least a year's experience. However, applications from students currently employed and under certain other conditions will be accepted if they have less experience. Contact the M.P.A. director (below) for more information. The program may require evidence of experience as a part of the admissions process. Evidence may include letters of reference from past or present employers and colleagues.
    
3. The Political Science Department requires a TOEFL of 600 (or the equivalent) as evidence of English proficiency from students whose first language is not English. Please note that this is higher than default standard 550 TOEFL required for admission to graduate study by ISU's graduate school. International students with undergraduate degrees from certain countries, or whose undergraduate study was done in English, may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.
   
   International students who do not meet the program's minimum TOEFL may choose to take intensive language training at the InterLink Language Center at Indiana State before entering the program The department may admit international students to the program provisionally, on the condition that they successfully complete English training at InterLink. Provisionally admitted students who fail to complete their InterLink programs successfully may not be admitted to M.P.A. study. Students who complete InterLink training will be enrolled in M.P.A. courses during the next semester or summer term after they complete InterLink.

NOTE:   Applicants who do not possess the public or nonprofit experience (listed above) required of all distance students are invited to complete the M.P.A Program on the Indiana State University campus, located in Terre Haute, Indiana. The on-campus M.P.A. Program enables students to satisfy the work experience requirement by completing a three-hour, semester-long internship at a site determined by the M.P.A. director. This internship option is open only to on-campus students.

Apply Now

1. Apply online or use the mail-in application.
    
2. The applicant must submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Transcripts must be sent from the applicant's undergraduate institution (and any graduate institutions) directly to ISU's Graduate Admissions Office. To be official, transcripts must be sent directly from one institution to another.
    
3. Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters may originate either from academic or professional referees. (We prefer that at least one of the letters comes from an academic source, but we realize this is not always possible.) Letters should support the applicant's motivation and ability to perform academically at the graduate level. Referees may also comment on an applicant's academic preparation and career goals, and how graduate work in public administration fits with those goals. Please send all letters of recommendation to the MPA director (address listed below).
    
4. A written statement of purpose is required that details the applicant's reasons for applying to the M.P.A. program and explains how the degree fits in with the applicant's career goals. The statement should be one to two pages. The document should be double-spaced, and typed in either ten- or twelve-point type face. Please send the statement to the M.P.A. director (address listed below).
    
5. Graduate Record Examination test scores, or scores from other standardized examinations, are NOT required although the applicant may at his or her discretion submit test scores for consideration.
    
6. International applicants must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or provide equivalent evidence of language proficiency.
    
7. Submit a $35.00 (nonrefundable) application fee, payable by Visa, MasterCard, or check or money order payable to Indiana State University.

IMPORTANT: Official transcripts, application fee, and (if applicable) language proficiency test scores such as the TOEFL should be submitted directly to Graduate Admissions (below). All other documentation (including unofficial transcripts, letters, statement of purpose, and unofficial scores from tests such as the GRE) should be sent directly to the M.P.A. director (below).

Indiana State University
Graduate Admissions
Erickson Hall
218 North Sixth Street
Terre Haute, IN, 47809-1904

Students who are admitted will be notified by the University. Admitted students will also receive information that will permit them to enter and use the Sycamore Login information system. After consultation with the M.P.A. director, students may then use the system to enroll online. For further information about using ISU's internal information system, contact the Office of Distance Support Services, (812) 237-8080, 1-888-237-8080, or studentservices@indstate.edu

Note: Returning ISU students must apply for re-admission if they have not attended ISU for more than two calendar years.