Our MPA program provides students with the analytical foundations, policy domain knowledge, field experience, interdisciplinary tools, and leadership skills they need to tackle today's most intractable problems.
Brown University offers a one–year Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program with an accelerated schedule that begins in June (summer–fall–spring) for full–time students. Our MPA program provides students with the analytical foundations, policy domain knowledge, field experience, interdisciplinary tools, and leadership skills they need to tackle today's most intractable problems. The Brown University program prepares students for careers spanning public service, all levels of government, NGOs, foundations, and the private sector.
Distinct features of our program include:
- Rigorous, multidisciplinary curriculum
- Policy-in-action project with leading partner organizations in the public, private, or nonprofit sector
- Dedicated career planning and professional coaching support
- Faculty comprised of world–renowned researchers and experienced practitioners
- Merit–based aid available
- The only one-year residential Master of Public Affairs degree from an Ivy League institution
The program's skills-based courses are designed to equip students with the data analytical tools and leadership skills needed to understand and address some of the world's most pressing challenges. The MPA curriculum also features the signature Policy-in-Action project, a semester-length, professional experience, where students augment and apply their technical and leadership skills to develop solutions to a real-world policy challenge with an external partner organization. Students also have the flexibility to pursue a specialization through their elective coursework, tailored to their policy interests, academic curiosity, or professional goals. Specialization topics include: Data-Analysis, Management and Leadership, Advocacy & Change, or the option to customize their own. For more detail, visit the curriculum page on the MPA website.
Program of Study: For degree completion, students must complete at least 13 courses (10 credits). For more detail, see the curriculum page on the MPA website.
Application Information
Application Requirements
GRE Subject:
Not required
GRE General:
Optional; the GRE General Test at home version is accepted. Applicants who do not submit official GRE scores are required to submit a quantitative resume.
TOEFL/IELTS:
Required for any non-native English speaker who does not have a degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction or from a University in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales), West Indies, Zambia).
The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator exam are accepted.
Students from mainland China may submit the TOEFL ITP Plus exam.
Official Transcripts:
Required. All applicants may upload unofficial transcripts for application submission. Official transcripts are ONLY required for enrolling students before class start. An international transcript evaluation (WES, ECE, or SpanTran) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions before enrollment.
Letters of Recommendations:
Three (3) recommendations required
Personal Statement:
Your statement should outline why you have decided to pursue graduate work in policy. Discuss your interest in the policy field with specific focus on the policy area you are most interested in pursuing and how study at Brown will further your professional goals.
Resume/CV:
Required.
Quantitative resume: Required for applicants who do not submit official GRE scores. A quantitative resume sample can be found on the MPA website.
Additional Requirements:
Comprehensive application requirements are detailed on the Master of Public Affairs website.
If you have any questions regarding applying to the MPA program, email watsonmpa@brown.edu. For application processing questions or troubleshooting, contact masters_admissions@brown.edu.
Dates/Deadlines
Application Deadline
5th Year Deadline
Tuition and Funding
- Graduate Tuition & Fees: Please visit the Bursar's Office for up-to-date tuition rates.
- Scholarships: All MPA admitted students are considered for MPA merit-based scholarships, including international applicants. There is no additional application process to be considered for a merit scholarship, as the scholarship committee will utilize all information provided in the admissions application to make scholarship decisions. MPA students should plan to fund their cost of attendance to the program through a combination of sources such as our MPA scholarships, loans, savings, and/or outside funding. Student loans are available through Brown’s Office of Financial Aid to eligible U.S. applicants who submit a FAFSA.
Alumni Careers
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