Admission and Application Information

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the Master of Engineering in Professional Practice program are listed below. Exceptions to standard admission requirements are considered by the MEPP admissions committee on an individual basis.

  • A BS degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or the equivalent*
  • A minimum of four years' post baccalaureate engineering experience
  • A minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 (where 4.0 = A) or the equivalent for the last 60 semester hours (Applicants with less than a 3.0 may be admitted at the discretion of the department.)
  • For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum acceptable score of 580 on the written Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 243 on computer version
  • For international applicants, degree comparable to an approved US bachelor's degree

We do not require applicants submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

*Equivalency to an ABET accredited program: Applicants who do not have bachelor's degree from an ABET accredited program may also qualify for admission to the program. Such applicants must have a BS in science, technology, or a related field with sufficient coursework and professional experience to demonstrate proficiency in engineering practice. Registration as a professional engineer by examination, if achieved, should be documented to support your application.

How to apply

Application deadline
Applications to begin studies in June may be submitted any time from the preceding October until the application deadline, March 31. Applications are reviewed and considered in the order received. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as early as possible.

Application steps

  1. Contact the MEPP Student Services Director Karen Al-Ashkar, to express your interest in applying for admission. Karen can be reached by phone at 866-529-6377 or 608-262-0133, or by .
  2. Download Application Package with Professional History, Reasons for Graduate Study and Transcript Request forms in Adobe Acrobat Reader© compatible format. (237K; to print them, remember to use Acrobat's print function rather than your browser's.) Request an information package to receive printed versions of these forms along with a MEPP bulletin and DVD.
  3. Submit the following:
    • A completed Professional History form
    • A completed Reasons for Graduate Study form

    Please send materials to:
    MEPP Admissions
    Department of Engineering Professional Development
    Master of Engineering in Professional Practice
    Attention: Karen Al-Ashkar
    432 North Lake Street
    Madison, WI 53706

  4. Have official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended sent directly to MEPP Admissions at the address above.
  5. On the UW-Madison Graduate School Web site:
    • Complete the online Application for Graduate Study
      Please note: you are applying for Engineering (ME).
    • Pay the $56.00 application fee by credit card
    • Submit contact information for the three individuals who will be providing recommendations

Questions?
Contact MEPP Student Services Director Karen Al-Ashkar
866-529-6377

Admission process
After all of the above application materials have been received, your application will be considered at the next meeting of the Admissions Committee, which typically meets monthly from November through April. After its initial review, the Admissions Committee may:

  1. Recommend to the Graduate School that an offer of admission be immediately extended to you (early admission),
  2. Add your application to those to be considered for regular admission after March 31, or
  3. Decline further consideration of your application.

Early admission is typically limited to those applicants who meet all program requirements regarding degree, experience and GPA. We strongly encourage you to contact the MEPP student services director regarding any questions you have about the application process and the status of your application.

Learn more:

Download application package (pdf)