Submatriculation offers exceptional current undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania a way to begin the Fels Master of Public Administration (MPA) program while completing their undergraduate program. Once accepted to the MPA program, students may count up to four Fels courses during their junior or senior year toward both the MPA and undergraduate program (see below).
Submatriculation admission requirements
You may apply as early as the first semester of your junior year and as late as the first semester of your senior year. Students entering the last semester of their undergraduate career at Penn are not eligible for submatriculation but may apply for regular admission to the Fels MPA program.
If you are interested in submatriculating, you should meet with your undergraduate academic advisor and the Master of Public Administration Director as early as possible. The director can help you determine whether this program is a good fit for you, confirm your eligibility, and determine whether additional forms should be completed.
Before applying for submatriculation, you must have enrolled in one of the following Fels courses: GAFL 6110 Statistics for Public Policy, GAFL 6210 Public Economics, GAFL 6400 Program Evaluation & Data Analysis (prerequisite: a statistics course with R coding), GAFL 5900 Use and Misuse of Data for Policy Challenges, GAFL 5310 Data Science for Public Policy (prerequisite: knowledge of R), GAFL 5220 Applied Impact and Performance Evaluation for International Development, GAFL 5320 International Development Policy Research Shop, or GAFL 6340 Writing for Public Policy and Administration. Juniors and seniors must fill out a request form and be approved to take these classes. Applicants who receive a B+ or above will receive preference in the submatriculation application process.
Apply to the Fels MPA program using the standard online application for the program (select the Fels MPA Submatriculation option), noting your plan to submatriculate in your personal statement. You will be evaluated on the same standards as regular admission students.
Please note that online undergraduates are not eligible for submatriculation.
Double-counting courses
Students who submatriculate into the Fels MPA program may double-count up to four Fels courses toward both the undergraduate and graduate programs. All double-counted courses need to be approved by both your undergraduate and graduate academic advisors, and your Fels advisor will work with you to help select the appropriate classes. After completing your undergraduate requirements, the remaining MPA courses (prefix GAFL classes) are taken as a graduate student. Students will receive their undergraduate degree after completing undergraduate requirements (after year four), and their master’s degree after completing graduate requirements (after year five). Enrollment in a fifth year as a graduate student is required to complete the MPA degree, including fall, spring, and summer semesters, and students are eligible for Fels career services and fellowships during their fifth year. Depending on the number of courses double-counted (up to four), students who submatriculate may be able to enroll part-time and take advantage of fellowships, TAships or other unique opportunities to gain practical experience and further their learning.
