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Application Process for Prospective Students
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GRE Requirement Suspended Indefinitely!
The PPA Department has decided to suspend the requirement for GRE scores for all applicants to the MPPA Program for all future admission cycles. Applicants for Fall 2026 DO NOT need to submit GRE scores with MPPA applications.
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree as specified by the Office of Graduate Studies with a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Our graduate degrees are interdisciplinary in nature, so we welcome applicants from all majors.
Grade Point Average
We require that both MPPA applicants have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or above.
- Applications may be considered when the GPA for the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units attempted is 2.75 or above.
- GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants with foreign documents should contact the Office of Graduate Studies for further instruction.
Prerequisites
Applicants need a grade of B or better in all required prerequisite courses prior to starting the program.
The graduate program in Public Policy and Administration has two required prerequisites; government/political science and microeconomics; and one recommended prerequisite, statistics.
- MPPA Prerequisites
- Introduction to U.S. Government or Political Science
- Introduction to Microeconomics
- Recommended - Introduction to Statistics
Students are required to complete prerequisite courses prior to their first semester in the program. The courses must be completed with a grade of B or better. Applicants to the program may complete prerequisite courses while making their application. Please list in the supplemental application your plan to complete.
Prerequisite courses in the Sacramento Region
This table contains a sampling of acceptable prerequisite courses offered in the Sacramento area. This is NOT a comprehensive list and courses offered at other accredited institutions are also acceptable. (In no way should the appearance of an institution on this list be considered an endorsement of that institution.)
Applicants may also complete prerequisites online at any California Community College.
| Community Colleges | Political Science | Microeconomics | Statistics* |
|---|---|---|---|
| American River College | POLS 301: Intro to Govt - United States (3 units); POLS 304: Intro to Govt - California (3 units) | Econ 304, Principles of Microeconomics (3 units) | STAT 300, Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4 units); STAT 480: Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4 units) |
| Cosumnes River College | |||
| Folsom Lake College | |||
| Sacramento City College | |||
| Sierra Community College District | POLS 1: American Govt (3 units) | ECON 1B: Fundamentals of Economics (3 units) | MATH 13: Elementary Statistics (4 units) |
| Yuba College | POLSC 1: Intro to American Govt (3 units) | ECON 1B: Fundamentals of Economics (3 units) | STAT 1: Introduction to Statistical Methods (4 units) |
| Woodland Community College | |||
| Public Universities | Political Science | Microeconomics | Statistics* |
| Sacramento State Catalog | POLS 1: Essentials of Govt (3 units); POLS 150: American Govts (3 units); POLS 180: CA State and Local Govt (3 units) |
Econ 1B: Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis (3 units) | STAT 1: Introduction to Statistics (3 units) |
| CSUS Open University (CCE) | |||
| University of California, Davis | POL 001: American National Govt (4 units); POL 104: CA State Govt and Politics (4 units) | ECN 1A, Principles of Microeconomics (4 units) | STAT 13 and 13V: Elementary Statistics (4 units) |
| UCD Open Campus | |||
| Private Colleges and Universities | Political Science | Microeconomics | Statistics* |
| National University | POL 201: American Politics (4.5 units) | ECO 203: Principles of Microeconomics (4.5 units) | MTH 210, Probability and Statistics (4.5 units) |
| University of Phoenix | POS 110: American National Govt (3 units); POL 215: State and Local Political Processes (3 units) | Eco 365: Principles of Microeconomics (3 units) | MTH217: Statistics I (3 units) |
| *Statistics recommended for MPPA. | |||
How to Apply
These instructions are for domestic U.S. applicants (US Citizens, Resident Aliens or H visa) only. The Office of Graduate Studies for Future Students webpage has detailed instructions and guides for submitting the Cal State Apply application. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at (916) 278-6470 or grad_admissions@csus.edu with questions about the Cal State Apply Graduate Application and for technical assistance.
ATTN: For applicants that attended college/university outside the United States, visit Applicants with Foreign Documents for document and test requirements. International students (F or J Visas) must apply through International Admissions. Do not fill out the general graduate studies application as it will be invalid.
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Unofficial Transcripts: Upload unofficial transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended. If you are a former SacState student, you will not need to request your official transcript as it's already on file, but you will need to download an unofficial transcript from your student center for the application. You will only need to submit official transcripts if admitted into the program. Once accepted, please order official e-transcripts be sent to gradtranscripts@csus.edu. Note: They are not considered official if emailed from the applicant; they must be directly sent from institution to institution.
- Program Supplemental Application Form: Download from Cal State Apply, complete, and attach.
- Statement of Purpose: (500-1,000 word, single-spaced, maximum of two pages, no font or size preference) Why do you want to pursue a degree in public policy & administration (if possible, please provide an example of something you have done or aspire to do that illustrates your interest in the program)? Why do you believe Sacramento State’s program is right for you given your personal, academic, and/or professional objectives?
- Letters of Recommendation: Minimum of three and a maximum of five references. Professional references only and we strongly recommend one be a professor. You will input their contact information in the designated section and a questionaire will be sent to their email address to complete and submit. The questionaire consist of a Likert scale to rank an applicant in different catgeories regarding performance as a student and adjacent comment fields for further elaboration. Please submit request early to give your references ample time to complete. With this new format, a letter of recommendation will still go through after submitting your CSU Apply Application.
- Application Fee: All graduate applicants must pay the $70 (in U.S. funds), non-refundable, application fee. Said fee is required for each application filed and is required at the time the application is submitted.