Effective immediately, standardized test scores are no longer required for admission to the Master of Public Administration and Master of Criminal Justice programs of the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs.

As the top-ranked school of public affairs in Colorado and among the best in the country, the school prepares leaders for government and nonprofits through its undergraduate and graduate programs in public affairs and criminal justice. The school leadership recognizes that the financing and preparation for standardized tests, such as the GRE, are barriers for many prospective students, resulting in important perspectives being left out of the discourse in public administration and criminal justice programs across the country. Increasingly, research indicates that the GRE is not necessarily a predictor of student success in graduate programs. CU Denver School of Public Affairs values and recognizes the life and professional experiences of all of its students and has therefore provided alternative ways for prospective students to show that they meet the competencies and fit for its programs.

“Government works best when it reflects the people it serves. The School of Public Affairs strives to engage people from all backgrounds to consider a graduate education in public administration or criminal justice, particular those who never thought of themselves as graduate students,” says Paul Teske, dean of the CU Denver School of Public Affairs. “An important route to representative bureaucracy is to remove barriers that limit diversity in the classroom and therefore in leadership roles in government and nonprofits.”

Admission applications for the Master of Public Administration and Master of Criminal Justice programs undergo a holistic review, and students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. For some students, submitting standardized test scores, such as the GRE, GMAT or LSAT, may be a more direct approach to evidencing that they meet the required competencies, particularly those students whose applications would be strengthened by a good GRE score. Prospective students interested in learning more about applying to a master’s program at the School of Public Affairs can contact Rebecca Gianarkis at spa.admissions@ucdenver.edu or visit the admission page of the school website for more information.

Upcoming application deadlines for master’s programs:

• Summer 2020: May 1, 2020
• Fall 2020: August 1, 2020

U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best Graduate Schools rankings:

• #1 Best Public Affairs Program in Colorado (#25 in the nation)
• #1 in Environmental Policy and Management in Colorado (#11 in the nation)
• #1 in Public Finance and Budgeting in Colorado (#17 in the nation)
• #1 in Nonprofit Management in Colorado (#21 in the nation)
• #1 in Public Management and Leadership in Colorado (#23 in the nation)
• #3 Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs in Colorado (#23 in the nation)