Apply for the
Master of
Social Policy
Take the next step to join
the Brown School community
The Brown School welcomes students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and considers each applicant holistically. Students entering the MSP program must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university.
Admission and scholarship decisions are based primarily on a review of the following:
- Your commitment to the mission of the Brown School and a clearly articulated desire to make an impact in the U.S. policy environment through the Master of Social Policy degree.
- Your academic performance, particularly your grade point average (GPA) over the last 60 – 75 semester credit hours, as reflected in transcripts submitted at the time of application. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred.
Note: If applicable, you may use the optional field in the Academic History section of the application to describe any significant or extenuating circumstances related to your academic record
- Your human service-related experience, including paid work, volunteer service, research, or internships.
- Any specialized training relevant to your academic or professional background.
- Your leadership experience and/or potential.
- Your capacity for critical analysis of policy concepts and complex social issues.
- Letters of recommendation received from academic and/or professional references.
Application Timeline
The Brown School admits one class each year for the fall semester. Applications are accepted on a modified rolling basis; however, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Please see our Admissions Timeline for important dates and deadlines.
- Early Review Deadline – December 1
- Priority Review Deadline – March 1
Application Requirements
Please review the following instructions carefully prior to beginning your application. The Brown School promotes a self-managed application process; it is your responsibility to monitor the status of your application and ensure the timely submission of all required materials.
Your application will be considered complete and ready for review once all application requirements have been received. Please plan accordingly to ensure that all components – including your video interview, letters of recommendation and transcripts – are submitted by your intended deadline.
Transcripts
You must demonstrate successful completion of a bachelor’s degree (or degree in progress*) from a regionally accredited college or university.
Submitting Unofficial Transcripts:
Unofficial electronic or scanned student-issued copies of transcripts must be submitted with the application. Record your academic institution(s) and upload your unofficial transcript(s) in the Academic History section of the application. You must report all institutions where six (6) or more credit hours have been completed towards your primary undergraduate degree.
Unofficial transcripts must include the institution name, applicant name, dates of attendance, grades received for each course taken in all terms attended, degree information, and transcript key or interpretation guide.
*If your prerequisite degree is still in progress at the time of application, upload unofficial transcripts reflecting all coursework completed to date. Any offer of admission will be contingent upon the successful completion of your degree.
Official Transcripts:
Admitted students are required to provide a final official transcript from the institution that conferred their undergraduate degree. The Brown School reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission if discrepancies are found between the uploaded unofficial documents and official educational records.
Foreign Transcript Evaluation:
Applicants who have earned (or will earn) their prerequisite degree outside the U.S. or English-speaking Canada must provide a certified foreign credential evaluation.
Evaluations must be completed by a NACES© member organization. Brown School applicants are eligible for a discounted rate and expedited review through our recommended partner, The Evaluation Company.
Additional information about the foreign credential evaluation requirement can be found on the International Applicant page.
Personal Statement
Provide a personal statement that describes your interest in social policy and demonstrates your understanding of social policy concepts. Your essay should be two (2) pages single-spaced and should include the following:
- Significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a Master of Social Policy degree.
- Demonstrated interest and commitment to making an impact in the U.S. policy environment.
- Relevant experiences involving social welfare policy and/or advocacy.
- Career goals and impression of how this degree will amplify your professional work.
- Specific reasons the Brown School is a good fit for your educational and professional goals.
Upload to the Application Materials section of the application.
Resume or CV
Submit a comprehensive resume or curriculum vitae highlighting your experiences, skills, awards, and accomplishments.
Upload to the Application Materials section of the application.
Video Interview
As part of the application process, you are required to complete a brief asynchronous video interview.
After you submit your application, a personalized link to our video interview platform, Kira Talent, will appear in your Application Checklist.
Additional information about the interview format and what to expect is available on the Video Interview Instructions page.
Letters of Recommendation
Two (2) letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references are required.
You will be asked to provide contact information for your recommenders in the Recommenders section of the application. Once entered, each recommender will receive an email with instructions for completing the recommendation form and uploading a letter through our online system.
All recommendations must be submitted through the online system. Please monitor the status of your recommendations to ensure they are received by the application deadline.
$50 Application Fee
A non-refundable application fee of $50 is required at the time of submission and must be paid online.
Automatic fee waivers are granted to current Washington University students, U.S. military service members, and members of federally or state-recognized Native American tribal nations.
Additional fee waivers are limited and considered on a case-by-case basis upon request. Supporting documentation may be required. Applicants who believe they may be eligible should contact the Brown School Office of Admissions at brownadmissions@wustl.edu.
Scholarship Form
The Brown School offers a range of partial-tuition scholarships to assist students with funding their graduate degree.
To be considered for a Brown School scholarship, you must complete the Scholarship Consideration Form in the Application Materials section of the application.
Standardized Testing
The Brown School does not require a graduate entrance exam, such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), for admission to the MSP program.
International applicants are required to provide official English language proficiency test scores. Additional information about the language proficiency requirement can be found on the International Applicant page.