Online Masters of Public Administration: admissions requirements
Standard entry criteria:
To be eligible to apply for the Online Masters in Public Administration, you will need to have obtained (or be predicted to obtain) an upper second-class degree or postgraduate diploma from a UK university OR an equivalent qualification from a recognised institution.
Professional entry criteria:
If you do not meet standard criteria, we offer a more flexible entry criteria and can accept applications with a lower degree and relevant work experience, including:
- A second-class degree and evidence of at least 1-5 years of relevant work experience in the public sector.
- A third-class degree and evidence of at least 5-7 years of relevant senior experience in the public sector.
- No degree, but at least 8+ years of senior work experience in the public sector.
Application checklist:
There is support and guidance for all students who wish to apply for the Online Masters in Public Administration. If you have decided that the University of Birmingham is the right choice for you, it’s time to put an application together. Use our checklist below for a step-by-step guide on the requirements for submitting your application.
| Completed application | Start filling out your application form online and submit any supporting documents as outlined below. |
| Certificate/transcripts | In order to assess your academic eligibility you must upload a copy of your Bachelor’s degree, alternative qualification certificate, or transcript stating the final overall grade of the qualification. |
| Curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé | Supply an up-to-date CV demonstrating your academic and work experience, plus any other skills that may support your application. This will help us to ensure you have the right experience for the programme. |
| Evidence of language (if applicable) | If English is not your first language, you will also need to supply an up-to-date English language certificate. Please see detailed criteria below. |
| Additional information | If you do not meet standard entry criteria, you may be required to participate in an interview. You will also be required to submit: – One reference: your reference can be either be uploaded to your application by your referee or emailed directly to your Student Recruitment Coordinator. – A personal statement: this is your opportunity to draw attention to your skills, experience and goals, and to explain why you wish to apply for this programme. |
If you have a question about your application for the Online Master of Public Administration, contact us using the details below and we would be happy to help. We’re ready to answer any questions you have and are available to provide guidance, advice and honest feedback.
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English language entry criteria
Standard language test scores
If English is not your first language, we accept the following up-to-date English language test certificate scores:
- Academic IELTS certificates with a score of 6.5, and no less than 6.0 in any band
- TOEFL with a score of 88, and no less than 21 in ‘Reading’, 20 in ‘Listening’, 22 in ‘Speaking’, and 21 in ‘Writing’
- Pearson PTE with a score of 67 and no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge Advanced English with a minimum overall score of 176 and no less than 169 in any component
- Language Cert ESOL SELT B2 ‘Communicator’ test certificate with a minimum score of 33 in each skill
- Trinity ISE III with a ‘Pass’ in each skill
- HKDSE with a minimum score of 4 overall, to include three bands at grade 4 and one band at grade 3
- India Standard XII with a minimum pass of 80% in ISC, CBSE, Maharashtra or 75% in West Bengal, or 85% in other state boards
You may not need to provide evidence of your English language abilities if you’re from a specified majority English-speaking country, or you’ve completed a degree in English in a specified country within two years of your intended start date. If you believe that you are exempt from submitting an English language test certificate, please speak with us to find out more.
Key deadlines
- We have multiple intakes per year.
- Applications close approximately one month before your intended start date