Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University

Duke MPP Admissions

We welcome applicants from a variety of academic and professional—as well as ethnic and cultural—backgrounds. Our selection committee considers academic performance and GRE scores, but also takes a close look at our applicants’ statement of purpose, general writing skills, relevant work experience, and faculty and employer evaluations.

We prefer students with two or more years of post-undergraduate work experience, but do admit a limited number of outstanding students directly from undergraduate programs.

MPP Student Profile*:  

• Post-undergraduate work experience: 2 - 6 years
• Age: 22 - 27 years old
• Undergraduate GPA: 3.4 - 3.8
• GRE range: V: 590 - 680; Q: 670 - 760; WA: 5.0 - 5.5
• TOEFL (iBT) range:110 - 115
• LSAT range: 165 - 168, Duke/UNC dual-degree JD students
• GMAT Median: 80th percentile/640 - 760, Duke/UNC dual-degree MBA students

*Interquartile Ranges

We don’t schedule personal interviews as a part of our process, but are always happy to meet and talk with prospective students, and welcome them to our campus.

Statistics and Microeconomics

Though they are not prerequisites, we highly encourage completion of basic statistics and microeconomics courses from an accredited institution prior to application.  Our students’ first year goes much more smoothly when they have completed this coursework.

Phone: 919.613.9205      Email: MPPadmit@duke.edu