Frequently Asked Questions About the MSPM Program

Admissions

Are applicants required to have project management experience to qualify for admission to the MSPM program?

Applicants are not required to currently work in a project management position, however those who have exposure to the project management profession are more likely to succeed in the program. We should also note that our program is industry independent. As such, the knowledge gained from the program may be applied to projects in any industry or sector.

Can I waive the GMAT / GRE requirement?

Applicants are eligible to waive the GMAT or GRE requirement if one of the following applies:

The applicant has seven years of full-time professional work experience.
The applicant has three years of full-time professional work experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
The applicant has three years of full-time professional work experience and holds a master’s degree in a quantitative field with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Applicants must submit a resume if requesting a waiver based on professional work experience. Applicants requesting a waiver based on a previous degree and GPA must submit a resume and transcripts from the degree granting intuition. If the degree granting institution was outside the United States, then the applicant must request a certified evaluation.

What if I attended an institution outside the United States?

Applicants who attended a university or college outside of the United States are required to submit a formal transcript evaluation. All international transcripts must be submitted to an approved, accredited independent evaluation agency prior to submission. A list of acceptable foreign credential evaluation services is available through National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Credential evaluations are also accepted from AACRAO.

Be sure to request a detailed evaluation that includes all course titles, credit hours, grades, recommended United States degree equivalency, grade-point average (GPA), and date of degree conferral. These evaluations must be received by the program before an application will be considered complete.

What is the protocol to send transcripts from a foreign school?

Applicants who attended a university or college outside of the United States are required to submit a formal transcript evaluation. Details on validation of international credentials for graduate admissions at GW are available here.

These evaluations must be received by the program before an application will be considered complete.

What is Advanced Academic Standing and how do students qualify for it?

Advanced Academic Standing (AAS) refers to waivers of required credit hours. Applicants who qualify will be eligible to complete the MSPM degree program by taking less than 36 credit hours.

Qualifications for AAS include the following:

Students with a current PMP^® certification from PMI^® are eligible to waive up to 3 credit hours.
Up to 6 credit hours may be waived for students with previous graduate coursework completed at a regionally accredited college or university within the past 5 years that earned a grade of B or higher and is equivalent to core, non-elective courses in the MSPM program.
Up to 9 credit hours may be waived for students who have completed a Master’s Certificate program offered by TwentyEighty Strategy Execution, formerly ESI International (ESI), in conjunction with The George Washington University, within the past 5 years. Students must submit copies of certificates earned or a recent transcript obtained directly from ESI for validation purposes.

The maximum total number of credit hours that may be waived is 9 and is reserved for those who have completed the Master’s Certificate in Project Management through ESI. The maximum total number of credit hours that may be waived for those who have not completed the certificate program is 6. To receive AAS, students must submit the application and all supporting documentation prior to the first day of their first semester in the MSPM program. The appropriate documentation (transcripts, certificates, syllabi, etc.) must accompany the completed application.

How long does it take to reach an admission decision for the MSPM program?

Once the application file has been marked complete, it is then submitted to the admissions committee for review. Most applicants receive the admissions decision within two to three weeks via the online application.

Program and Schedule

If attending part-time, how many credit hours do I take each semester & how long will it take me to complete the degree program?

Students attending part-time usually enroll in 3-6 credit hours each semester. Part-time students must decide what credit load is appropriate given their professional and personal commitments. Each student will meet with the program director (who also serves as their academic advisor), to discuss their individual commitments and goals to develop a personalized degree plan.

Students have up to five years to complete the program and are required to enroll in courses in the fall and spring semesters; however, enrollment in the summer semester is optional. On average, part-time students complete the degree program in 2.5 to 3.5 years.

How many nights per week will I have class?

On-campus classes are scheduled in the evenings from 7:10 pm to 9:40 pm Monday-Thursday on the Foggy Bottom campus. The number of times a student must attend class is directly proportionate to the number of classes a student takes (e.g., if a student takes two classes, then they will need to attend class two nights per week).

The on-campus lectures, which are 2.5 hours in length, are recorded and made available to those enrolled in the online program following completion of the lecture. Online students have flexibility over when they watch the recorded lectures. Online students also participate in a weekly hour-long synchronous session with the professor using Blackboard Collaborate. These virtual classroom sessions, which are recorded, are scheduled in the evenings, usually between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST.

Can I apply to the joint MSPM / MBA program if I am currently enrolled in either the MSPM or the MBA program?

Students currently enrolled in either the MSPM or MBA program may apply for the joint degree program no later than 2 years after starting their initial program or prior to completion of 24 credit hours, whichever comes first. Students must complete the joint MBA and MSPM degree program requirements in 7 years.

What are the admissions requirements for the joint MSPM / MBA program?

All applicants must meet the specific qualifications for admission and the application requirements for each program. The applicant will submit an application for the MBA program and an application for the MSPM program.

Current students are eligible to waive the application fee and may be able to request that the programs share copies of the official transcripts submitted with the application for the original program. All other application materials must be submitted for each application.

Will admission into one program guarantee admission into the second?

Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into another.

Is the joint MSPM / MBA program available online?

The Online MBA and the Healthcare MBA degree programs are available options to those pursuing the MSPM degree online.

Are online students required to participate in any on-campus residency events?

Online students are required to travel to Washington, D.C., twice during the program. Students attend a mandatory two-day orientation prior to the start of the program. The students will then return to campus for a five-day residency at the conclusion of the DNSC 6269 Project Management Application (Capstone) course. Students are responsible for the financial commitments of traveling to Washington, D.C. for both events.

When do classes meet?

On-campus classes are scheduled in the evenings during the week on the Foggy Bottom campus. The on-campus lectures, which are 2.5 hours in length, are recorded and made available to those enrolled in the distance program following completion of the lecture. Distance students have flexibility over when they watch the recorded lectures.

The distance students also participate in a weekly hour-long synchronous session with the professor using Blackboard. These virtual classroom sessions, which are recorded, are scheduled in the evenings, usually between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

May individuals not currently enrolled at GW register for MSPM courses?

GW offers the option to enroll as a non-degree student. Non-degree students must first apply to the Office of Non-Degree Students. Once admitted, submit a Registration Transaction Form to the MSPM program director for placement on the wait list and approval to enroll in the desired MSPM course. Students must meet all course prerequisites.

Students who plan on applying to the program after taking MSPM courses as a non-degree student may be eligible for Advanced Academic Standing.

Joint MBA & MSPM Degree

If I am currently an MSPM or MBA student, can I still apply?

Students must complete the joint MBA and MSPM degree program requirements in 7 years.

Are the admission criteria different for current students? Will admission into one program guarantee admission into the second?

Applicants must meet the specific qualifications for admission and the application requirements for each program. The applicant will submit an application for the MBA program and an application for the MSPM program. Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into another.

Who will be my advisor?

Students are assigned an advisor for each program and will work with both advisers to develop a degree plan and to track their progress during their time at the GW School of Business.

Is the joint degree program available online?

The Online MBA and the Healthcare MBA degree programs are available options to those pursuing the MSPM degree via distance learning.

View All GWSB Joint Degree Programs

Distance Learning

Are distance students required to participate in any on-campus residency events?

Distance students are required to travel to Washington, D.C., twice during the program.

Students attend a mandatory two-day orientation prior to the start of the program. The students will then return to campus for a five-day residency at the conclusion of the DNSC 6269 Project Management Application (Capstone) course. Students are responsible for the financial commitments of traveling to Washington, D.C., for both events.