MA in Community Planning

The following are minimum requirements for consideration:

• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution
• An overall grade-point average of 3.0 calculated from the applicant’s final 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits.
• Admission into this program does not require a Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Application materials will include:

• UW Graduate School Application
• Statement of purpose:  A 750-1000 word essay responding to the following questions:
  • In the MACP program, we think about community planning as a process of collaboration with a variety of community entities (government agencies, grassroots organizations, elected officials, non-profits) to work toward communities that are just, equitable, and resilient.
  • Given the MACP’s specific aims, what in your life experience has led you towards community planning? What are the passions, dreams and excitements that you would bring to the Community Planning program at UWT?
  • How would this program help you achieve these personal and professional goals?
    TIP: The most successful applications speak specifically to UWT’s Community Planning program rather than to planning programs in general. To understand more about how this degree compares to a traditional master’s degree in planning, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section, near the bottom of this webpage.
• Two letters of recommendation: You provide the recommender's name, e-mail address, and phone number, then our system will send an e-form to your recommender. Please check your application file frequently to make sure your recommendations have been received. At least one of your letter writers should be able to speak to who you are as a learner and your intellectual contributions to collective projects. Ideally, this is from an academic source, yet applicants who have been out of school for a substantial amount of time may use a direct supervisor who can speak to these traits as one of their recommenders.
• Current Résumé/CV
• Unofficial transcripts: Digital transcripts from each post-secondary school you have attended. Transcripts with post-degree credits may also be submitted. If admitted, an official baccalaureate transcript will be requested by the Graduate School. *
• Applicants holding Permanent Residence Status and an international degree must submit scores for the TOEFL exam. Minimum scores are 580 (paper-based), 237 (computerized TOEFLC), 92 (Internet-based TOEFLIBT). See UW Graduate School Policy 3.2 for details related to English proficiency.
• Applicants with transcripts in a language other than English must apply by the posted priority deadline to allow extra time for transcript evaluation. These transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation when submitted.

* The Graduate School verifies where your previous degree was earned. After you are offered and accept an admission offer, you will be required to mail an official, hard-copy transcript from the institution that granted your most recent degree to the University of Washington Graduate Enrollment Management Services for verification. If you are a UW alumnus, the Graduate School verifies your official transcript on your behalf and official transcripts do not need to be mailed. Please do not mail official transcripts until prompted by the Graduate School after admission is offered.

Application Deadlines

We are no longer accepting applications for autumn 2026 admission to the MACP. 

Please check back in September for the autumn 2027 application.

January 31, 2026 * - Priority application deadline and international student application deadline.
  * Applications will be accepted after the deadline on a space available basis

Applications must be submitted in time to meet the Master of Arts in Community Planning deadline listed on the website, which supersedes the Graduate School admissions deadline. The MA in Community Planning program admits students for autumn quarters only. Admission is competitive.