Fall Term 2025 and Spring Term 2026 Applications Now Open
MA in Government Admission and Application Requirements
Admissions Criteria
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or equivalent international credential
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
How to Apply
Congratulations on reaching this milestone as you work to further your educational journey with Johns Hopkins University. Here are the steps you will need to follow as you apply for your graduate program. Please visit the How to Apply page for additional information.
- Complete the Application.
- Gather and upload the required supporting materials.
- Submit the application along with the $75 application fee.
Required Supporting Materials
Please include any full- or part-time work, internships, and relevant volunteer history. Be sure to detail your educational background and any previous responsibilities related to your intended program.
AAP requires electronic transcripts be emailed directly to [email protected] from the granting institution. If your institution doesn’t provide electronic transcripts, please contact [email protected]
Please provide a statement, up to one page in length, describing your personal background and/or a part of your life experience that has shaped you or your goals. Feel free to elaborate on personal challenges and opportunities that have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins.
Please identify two individuals, such as professors or supervisors, who can verify your professional and/or academic accomplishments. Submit your recommenders’ contact information within your online application. They will be emailed automatically with instructions to access the system and provide their recommendations.
Please submit a research-focused writing sample of 5 to 10 pages. This writing sample should demonstrate your ability to make and support an argument.
If you do not have an existing research-focused writing sample to submit, you may write a 5-page paper responding to the following:
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” – James Madison, Federalist 51
In this well-known quote, Madison points towards the age-old problem of reconciling democracy and political power. Discuss this problem in reference to some recent policy issues or political events, citing at least three references.
Additional Considerations
Applicants who received their bachelor’s degree in a country outside of the United States or have international coursework are required to provide a course-by-course credential evaluation. Studying abroad may be exempt.
If English is your second language, you may be required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination. Please note this program requires a minimum online TOEFL test score of 100.
Take the Next Step
Broaden your perspective of national and global governments and position yourself leadership careers in politics and administration.