Admission Requirements
- Admission Requirements for Classified Status
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
Admission Requirements for Conditionally Classified Status
Conditionally classified admission may be awarded to students with a 2.5-2.99 GPA and the following:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- At least two years of work experience in the public sector.
- Students with less than a 3.0 GPA must provide three letters of reference from supervisors that include information about work assignments and their completion, overall work performance and growth in responsibility in the workplace.
Note: Admission to the MPA program is competitive and admission files are adjudicated based on all contents of the file, including resume and related experience, transcripts, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation. Strong candidates will have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, extensive work experience in the public sector, a clear statement of purpose, and stellar letters of recommendation. Students must achieve fully classified standing prior to completing no more than 12 units of graduate coursework in the program of study. No more than 12 units of work taken prior to attaining fully classified status will be applied to a master's degree program.
English Proficiency Requirements
For Non-U.S. Degree and International Students Only
Exception: If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required.
The English language tests and minimum scores listed in the table below are accepted by CSUN for graduate applicants for MPA.
| Test Name and Website | Minimum Score Required for Graduate Students | Send Score Directly To CSUN |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge C1 Advanced English (formerly CAE) | 180 | Email "Confirmation of Entry" page to intladm@csun.edu. |
| DET - Duolingo English Test | 105 | Online through your Duolingo Account. See Sending Your Results. |
| EIKEN CSE - Common Scale for English | 2630 (1) | Contact EIKEN online; they will send the score directly to us. |
| GTEC CBT - Global Test of English Communication Computer-Based Test | 1200 | Have GTEC send a copy of your "Official Score Certificate" to CSUN. |
| IELTS - International English Language Test System | 6.5 | Have IELTS send a copy of your "Test Report Form" to CSUN. |
| iTEP Academic - International Test of English Proficiency | 4.0 | Have iTEP send your score to CSUN. |
| PTE Academic - Pearson's Test of English | 58 | Online through your PTE Academic Account |
| TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language | - Internet Based score: 80 - Paper-based score: 550 We do not accept TOEFL ITP. | Use CSUN School Code 4707. |
If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a college or university outside the U.S. where English is the principal language of instruction, the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required. Please note:
- CSUN interprets "where English is the principal language of instruction" to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the daily medium of communication for the majority of residents, and that students receive academic instruction in English at all levels of education.
- Countries currently meeting the above requirement are: Australia, Belize, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, plus a few nations in the Commonwealth Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago).
Admission to the University
Students must submit an online application to the MPA program and be admitted prior to taking the first class in the program. Students are required to provide official transcripts from the required institutions of higher education.
Before submitting your application, please ensure you meet all University admission requirements, including a minimum GPA of 2.5.
