Prospective Students

Admissions

As a cohort program, the Policy Studies program admits students only for Autumn Quarter of each year.

Priority application deadline is February 1 annually (or the following Monday, if February 1 lands on a weekend). Applicants who apply by priority deadline are given first consideration for admission to the program and for competitive merit-based funding.

Applicants may begin the application process at any time. Applications will be reviewed once submitted and after February 1.

Priority deadline applicants can expect to receive notification regarding admissions decisions by mid-March. Admitted students are asked to return their acceptance of offers by April 15 (or request an extension).

Policy Studies will accept and review applications on a rolling basis if space remains open in the program after April 15. Please inquire about space available in the program with the IAS Graduate Office.

See How to Apply for details on application and admissions requirements.

Want to learn more?

Opportunity for Accelerated Admission into Policy Studies

The School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences offers a unique pathway to graduate school for current undergraduate students who want to continue their studies in a graduate program at UW Bothell.

What is Accelerated Admission?

Pathways to Policy Studies is an accelerated admission program that allows undergraduate students to begin earning credits that apply to a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in the School of IAS. Specifically, the program allows an undergraduate course to count double, which means that students can save time and money on a master’s degree. Participants in the Pathways program will satisfy the elective course requirement for the MA in Policy Studies program upon completing their undergraduate degree.

The pathway program also eases the transition from a bachelor’s to master’s program by reducing graduate school application requirements like letters of recommendation, application fees, and other conditions for admissions.

Eligibility

Students interested in participating must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Current or Prospective student in a School of IAS major or minor 
  • Completed, or be in the process of completing, 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • Earn a minimum 2.7 grade in one of the following approved courses while enrolled during senior year:
    • BIS 403 Washington D.C. Human Rights Seminar
    • BIS 406 Urban Planning & Geography
    • BIS 414 Topics in Human Rights 
    • BIS 421 Technology Policy
    • BIS 448 Social Policy
    • BIS 483 Community Organizing 
    • BIS 490 Advanced Seminar: Gender and the Politics of Numbers 
    • BIS 490 Advanced Seminar: Gender, Law, and Policy
    • BIS 490 Advanced Seminar: Sex Work, Human Trafficking, and Social Justice aka Regulating Sexuality: Activism, Policy and Everyday Life?

Are you interested in Accelerated Admission?

The new Pathways to Policy Studies program is a perfect choice for students who want to continue studying at UW Bothell alongside faculty they already know. Participation in the program means undergraduate credits earned as an undergraduate in the School of IAS will count toward the Master of Arts in Policy Studies (MAPS) program.

Students interested in reducing the time it takes to earn a graduate degree can contact the School of IAS Graduate Programs Advisor to learn more about this opportunity and how to apply.


Did you already receive pre-approval for Accelerated Admission?

Congratulations on receiving an offer of accelerated admission to the MA in Policy Studies program! Follow these steps to reserve your spot in the next cohort of graduate students:

  • Submit the Pathways to Policy Studies program enrollment form no later than April 15, 2024.
  • Attend an info session to learn more about the Pathways program and the benefits of earning a graduate degree.
  • Participate in Pathways program meetings as scheduled.
  • Meet with the Graduate Programs Advisor to build a Senior Year registration plan and determine a timeline for graduate school admission.

Students pre-approved for Accelerated Admission will receive an email with more information about next steps. Please contact the Graduate Programs Advisor if you have any questions about the Pathways program in the meantime.