Application Process
The application deadline is March 1. We will continue to accept applications after this date on a space-available basis.
The MA in Policy Studies Admissions Committee considers several criteria when evaluating prospective students, including professional goals, writing ability, previous academic experience and performance, work history, official GRE scores, the applicant's academic strengths and weaknesses, and the overall likelihood to succeed in the program.
The application is submitted electronically. The first step is to open an application account on the Graduate School website. Then you can upload application materials, designate recommenders, report test scores, track the receipt of paper and electronic documents, pay the application fee, and submit all materials for review. Your application is not reviewed until all items have been received and you have completed the application electronically. The application can be saved multiple times while in progress.
The complete set of materials that you will be required to submit are as follows:
- An application to the Graduate School and $75 application fee
- A letter of application to the Policy Studies program describing relevant background and articulating goals in seeking a Policy Studies degree.
- A current resume showing relevant academic, professional, and civic experience
- Three letters of reference, including two from faculty who can discuss your academic ability.
- An individual academic essay demonstrating your academic research ability, critical thinking skills and writing proficiency
- Scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
- All official transcripts from prior academic work (including community and technical college, college, and university)
- Any additional documentation relevant for consideration by the MA in Policy Studies Admissions Committee (optional)
Important Points
Mailing Address
Transcripts and any other non-electronic application materials should be sent to the following address:
MA in Policy Studies Admissions Committee
Box 358511
UW Bothell
18115 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011
Applicant Profile
Once you create a new applicant profile and a new application, choose Policy Studies - (MAPS) - Bothell Campus and the quarter for which you are applying.
Undergraduate Degrees
There is not a specific undergraduate degree necessary to be considered or the Policy Studies program, and students who hold a bachelor's degree in any undergraduate discipline are encouraged to apply. However, previous coursework in Statistics and Micro-Economics is required, and coursework in Political science, Sociology, Psychology, or Philosophy strengthens a prospective student's application.
Your GPA
Enter your GPA based on your last two years of undergraduate or graduate coursework. Our office will make our own calculation once we receive your transcripts. The minimum GPA required for admission is 3.0.
References
If you do not have a professor to use as a reference (due to being out of school for a long time, graduating in another country, etc), professional references may be substituted for academic ones. You should mention that you are making this substitution in a separate statement to the Admissions Committee.
The GRE
The GRE institutional code for the UW is 4854. While there is no minimum GRE score required for consideration, Verbal and Analytical Reasoning scores of 500 or higher are considered competitive. The GRE can be taken more than once, and the highest score is used.
Transcripts
Report all post-secondary schools you have attended, even if you did not earn a degree. At the time of application, U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, and Immigrants only need to submit one set of official transcripts to the Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Graduate Office. If these applicants are then offered admission and decide to enroll, the UW Graduate School may request official transcripts for schools at which the applicant earned a degree. International applicants and applicants who have earned degrees outside the US should have two sets of official transcripts sent from the school(s) directly to the Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Graduate Office.
International Students
There are special application requirements for International Students. Find more information on the Graduate School web site.
If you have questions at any point in the application process, please contact the Graduate Program Manager at 425-352-5427 or maps@uwb.edu