MPA Online

How to apply

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the MPA Online program must be currently employed with and have a minimum of three years of full-time public sector or non-profit work experience. Additionally, you must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum B+ average (75-79%) in the last two years (30 units) leading to the undergraduate degree. Applicants to the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Online program with four or more years of relevant professional experience whose grade point average is below B+ may be considered.

Admission to the MPA program is very competitive. Please note that because of the number of applications received, possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee your admission to the program.

Application Deadlines

• December 15 for International Applicants
• The application deadline is January 15 for Domestic Applicants; interested parties are encouraged to apply.

Submitting an Application

Applicants to the MPA program may submit application documents via post or electronically; however, applicants are recommended to choose just one submission method, and to submit all documents as one package, to ensure efficient processing. Instructions for submitting documents are provided via the Graduate Admissions and Records page.

For the MPA program, applicants must:

• Submit an application form.
• Provide two Assessment Reports from academic referees (assessment report forms are available through the Graduate Admissions and Records page given above). To strengthen your application, we recommend that your referees attach a Letter of Reference in addition to the Assessment Report. If it has been more than five years since you last attended a post-secondary institution, we recommend that you include three Letters of Reference from current or former employers in place of academic referees.
• Submit a professional résumé.
• Submit a Letter of Intent describing why you are seeking an MPA and how the degree relates to your career plans, personal values, and goals. Be sure to clearly indicate that you are applying for admission to the MPA Online program.
• Submit other evidence of suitability for admission that you feel is relevant (e.g., academic records from non-degree courses).

If you do not have a Canadian undergraduate degree, you are required to write and submit official results for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

International Applicants

The office of Graduate Admissions and Records provides a step by step application guide for International Students.

International students whose first language is not English are required to provide valid test results for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum TOEFL score for the MPA programs is 610 for the paper-based test or 102 for the internet-based test.

Accepting an Offer of Admission

Upon receiving a written offer of admission from the School of Public Administration, applicants accepted to the MPA program are required to pay a confirmation deposit of CAD $400; instructions for submitting this deposit, including timelines, are contained in the offer letter.