admission to the PhD program.

Application Checklist:

The application process has two parts:

Part One

1. All official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions
2. A $45.00 application fee
3. Completed graduate application
4. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (or 213 on computer-based test)*
5. A minimum Graduate Record Exam combined verbal and math scores of 1100**
* required if applicant's language of nurture is not English
** Applicants must submit scores from the NEW General Test which includes an Analytical Writing section. The Doctoral Program Committee will use the Writing section as an assessment tool. There is no established minimum score for this part of the new general test.

Send part two to the: Doctoral Program Committee
Attention: Meagan Van Gelder, Academic Program Coordinator
School of Public Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, NE 68182-0276

Part Two
6. A five page statement of intent describing career objectives, desired area of concentration and an explanation of academic and professional backgrounds.
7. A resume of professional work experience
8. Three letters of recommendation, including two from academicians*
9. A request for financial aid**
10. An e-mail address to which the Doctoral Program Committee can send updates on the status of your application
* no specific reference form is required. Letters should go directly from the reference to the Doctoral Program Committee.
** a letter to the chair of the Doctoral Program Committee indicting the desire to enroll as a full-time doctoral student and requesting financial aid as a graduate assistant.

Online Graduate Application
The Graduate Application, as well as additional information about the Graduate College, is available on the Web site of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. The Dean for Graduate Studies makes final admission decisions based on the recommendations of the Doctoral Program Committee. The Graduate Council establishes policies and procedures governing all graduate programs on the campus. The Public Administration Doctoral Program Committee establishes more specific policies and procedures for the doctoral program.

International Graduate Application
A separate application process is necessary for international students. The International Studies Program is responsible for all international applications. Please direct requests for application and related materials to the following address: world@omaha.edu

Graduate Record Exam Online
The new general exam is available on-line at multiple testing centers throughout the country. Please consult the following web site directly for information. Note that all applicants are required to submit scores from the NEW general test which includes an analytical writing section as well as verbal and math sections. See Application Checklist for information about minimum scores that are necessary in order for the Doctoral Program Committee to consider other elements of your application portfolio.

Opportunities for Financial Assistance
The program offers funded graduate assistant positions to full-time doctoral students. Graduate assistants work 20 hours per week assisting with faculty research, coordinating projects and teaching in the program under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The minimum number of credit hours per semester is six and the maximum is nine. The number of positions varies each year depending on available resources. Each position covers tuition and a $18,000 stipend which is split into ten monthly payments. Each position also covers summer session tuition, but not a summer stipend. The application deadline is February 1 for fall admission. Please see the Applicant Checklist for more details.

Living in the Omaha Area
The City of Omaha is part of a thriving metropolitan area of more than 600,000 people. There are many opportunities for affordable housing, including residential housing on the campus. In addition, Omaha offers a world-class zoo and museum of art, as well as an outstanding symphony and a new performing arts center. Please see the links on the left side of the page to experience what is new and exciting in Omaha.

Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Which pre-requisites do I need before applying to the doctoral program?
Answer: Unless you have an MPA, and depending on your previous academic course work, you may be required to take up to four MPA pre-requisites (Introduction to Public Administration, the Public Economy, Organization Theory and Behavior and Research Methods for Public Administration.) The chair of the Doctoral Program Committee will make that determination if you are admitted to the doctoral program. We do not advise your taking these courses prior to admission to the doctoral program for two reasons: 1) seats in these courses are reserved for degree students and it is unlikely that you would find space as a non-degree graduate student and 2) it is advisable to wait until you hear if you have been admitted before investing time, effort and expense to take these courses.

Question: Do you offer the program on-line and/or for distance students?
Answer: The School offers only the MPA on-line.

Question: What kind of Grade Point Average is needed to enter the doctoral program? What kind of Graduate Record Examination score?
Answer: The Doctoral Program Committee reviews the entire application portfolio. They look for a "fit" between the applicant's career objectives and research interests and the emphasis of our doctoral program on preparing (primarily full-time) students for academic careers in public administration, as well as the five focus areas described on the doctoral web page. Having said that, the Committee looks for an outstanding academic record and scores demonstrating proficiency in verbal and math skills sufficient to succeed at the doctoral level. A combined verbal and math score of at least 1100 is required; however, each score should stand on its own as an indicator of your ability to perform. A verbal or math score below 450 is an indicator to the Committee that an applicant will find either the extensive writing or the rigors of quantitative methods insurmountable barriers to successful completion of the degree.

Question: Is the Graduate Record Exam always required, even of applicants who have been out of school for a while and have extensive professional work experience?
Answer: We have found that the minimum scores set by our program are very good predictors of success or failure. We have never granted a waiver of this requirement, and will not do so in the future.