The EMPA admissions team is here to help you develop a high-impact career that serves the community and helps people reach their fullest potential. Apply to the EMPA program to gain the skills and knowledge you need to excel as a leader dedicated to serving the public good. This accelerated, work-compatible degree program provides advanced leadership education and exposure to critical areas for professionals in throughout their career.
For questions and more information about the application process, contact our EMPA office at execmpa@uw.edu or schedule a meeting with our Admissions team using the scheduling tool on this page.
We take a holistic approach to reviewing prospective EMPA student applications. While we look for some substance in each aspect of the application, most viable EMPA candidates completed their undergraduate degrees several years ago, and their more recent professional experience, letters of reference, and ability to write professionally carry as much weight as academic performance.
For the EMPA program, letters of reference from former professors are not required. Most applicants ask current or former supervisors from a professional setting. It is more important that the recommender has worked closely with you and is familiar with how you work and your personal qualities, rather than that they have an important job title. You must submit a minimum of 2, or maximum of 5 letters. While at least your first 2 letters should be from professional supervisors, for your 3rd, 4th, or 5th letters, you are also welcome to ask those from other supervisory positions: from volunteer work, the board or committee chair if you sit on a board, a former professor or instructor, or a client you’ve worked for. Again, we’re interested in the breadth of your experience and how each angle might give perspective on your eligibility for this program.
There is a function on the online application form where you can enter the email addresses for your selected references, and the system will send them each an invitation via email asking them to complete a brief online form where they rate you in a few areas and submit their letters. Sometimes, these notifications do go to junk mail or are otherwise missed, so as backup, your references may submit letters to us directly at our email, evansadm@uw.edu. For these letters, there is no set format or structure, and letters may be emailed as attachments or simply typed text in the email.
We do recommend contacting your references directly beforehand to make your initial request to them, to give them a sense of your application deadline, and to give them the backup email evansadm@uw.edu should they have any problems.
If you submit your application by the deadline, but your letters of reference submissions follow it afterwards, your application will still be considered as received on time. The most important thing is to pay the application fee and submit your application, and your letters of reference may take a number of days more to come in.
Unfortunately, as the EMPA program is a fee-based program, it is not eligible for Washington State tuition exemption.
The EMPA program is eligible for both federal financial aid FAFSA loans and military and veteran benefits. Typically, there is no departmental scholarship funding for the EMPA program.