Executive MPA Frequently Asked Questions

Deferral is possible for up to a year. You must pay an additional non-refundable deposit to reserve your seat for the following year; in other words, you would return the response form sent with your admissions letter to the Picker Center with both the standard non-refundable deposit fee of $2,000 and the $1,000 non-refundable deposit fee for deferral. The $3,000 will count towards your tuition and fees upon official enrollment into the program.

Because admission is granted on a rolling basis, decision dates are not fixed. Generally, applicants will hear back within a month.

If you have applied and are encouraged to reapply for the following year, you must submit a new application; however, your supporting materials from the previous year will have been preserved. This includes your transcripts, recommendations, test scores, and personal statement, though the committee strongly encourages an update on the personal statement for the new application. Be sure that you contact the Office of Admissions to inform them you want to reapply for the following fall semester.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to visit classes and/or schedule an informational interview with the program's faculty and administrators. Sitting in on a class is an excellent way to find out more about the EMPA program and meet faculty, staff, current students, and fellow applicants. Informational interviews give prospective students a chance to determine more fully if SIPA’s program is right for them.

Please email the EMPA Recruitment Office if you would like to set up an informational interview, sit in on classes, or if you have any questions about the program.

We can only accept relevant graduate-level courses from a previously completed graduate program. Any course must be at least a B grade from an accredited university. The maximum number of credits you may transfer into the EMPA program is six credits, pending approval from your academic adviser.

Microeconomics I and II are considered core courses and no core courses can be replaced. You can forego taking these classes  by passing the Micro Exemption Exams, which the program assistant can schedule with you directly. You must take separate exams for Micro I and Micro II which we will determine if you are exempt from Micro I, Micro II, or both. If you place out of Micro I, Micro II or both, you will have to take another three to six credits (depending on your results) to replace these classes. Your academic advisor will provide you with a list of courses that qualify as possible replacements. 

Students who have extensive work experience or have previously completed a degree in a quantitative field may email [email protected] to request a waiver for the upcoming admissions period. If you have already taken the GRE and would like to submit your scores for consideration, you are welcome to do so.

If the official language of instruction at your undergraduate institution was NOT English, you must take the TOEFL or the IELTS exam. An acceptable TOEFL score is 100 and above. The minimum IELTS score is 7.5.

EMPA students have the option of concentrating in Advanced Finance and Management, Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management, International Economic Policy and Management, or Urban and Social Policy. You will choose your concentration after you have successfully completed two semesters in the EMPA program. 

Yes, you can change your concentration. However, you must consult with your academic adviser about making such a change.

Yes, you can take up to six credits (two courses) outside of  SIPA. However, all courses must be approved by your academic advisor prior to your cross-registration at another Columbia University school. 

The EMPA alumni association hosts events that bring alumni and students together. In addition, SIPA's Office of Alumni Affairs and Office of Career Services hold events that offer opportunities for alumni and students to meet.

Picker Fellowships are awarded to selected EMPA students who work for certain departments of the City of New York. Not all public employees are eligible; please contact the EMPA office for more information.

All students may be considered for an EMPA Fellowship, a merit-based, one-time award that grants qualified applicants a monetary scholarship of up to a semester's tuition. The fellowship application is part of the general EMPA application.

As an international student, you must apply to Columbia University’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) for an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for student status. The I-20 is required to apply for a student entry visa (F-1) at a U.S. consulate to present at a port of entry upon arrival.