Public Policy + Gender and Cultural Studies (MA)
Please visit the program page to learn about curriculum, faculty, careers, and more! To request more information about this degree, please fill out our form. Questions? Contact admissions via email or at 617-521-2868.
How to Apply
To get started on your application, click the link below:
Fall 2025
Fall 2025 Master of Arts in Gender and Cultural Studies and Public Policy (MA) Application
Application Requirements
Applicants are expected to submit a completed application file that includes the following:
- A completed application form. Be sure to review your completed form carefully and provide your electronic signature.
- Statement of purpose - may be submitted as two separate statements (~500 words each) or one combined statement (~1000 words) Statement of purpose prompts:
- Gender and Cultural Studies:What are your reasons for applying to the Gender and Cultural Studies program at Simmons? What factors led you to select this program? What areas of gender and cultural studies are of greatest interest to you? How does our interdisciplinary approach relate to the work that you hope to do in the program? What honors or awards have you received that might be relevant to your anticipated program?
- Public Policy: Please describe your academic and non-academic background, your reasons for applying to the MPP program, and how your future goals will be supported by obtaining this degree.
- Current resume
- A theory-based, policy-based, or analytical writing sample. If you do not have an appropriate sample available, please respond to the following prompt in no fewer than five pages: Research a subject that you would like to explore more fully in the dual degree program. You should think about why the topic you have chosen is important, and how an exploration of this subject matter connects to your future goals.
- Two letters of recommendation (both preferably from academic sources) Please select recommenders that are familiar with your capacity for analytical, critical, and/or theoretical reasoning and writing. Supplemental letters may be submitted to [email protected] if desired. We do not accept recommendations from those who have a personal relationship with you (such as family members, doctors, or clergy).
- Official transcript(s) of all undergraduate and graduate-level courses taken, including official transcripts from all study-abroad programs.* Official transcripts can be mailed to the address below or emailed to [email protected]. For electronic transcripts to be official, they must come directly from your college/university or sent through a service such as National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment. There is no section in the application for applicants to upload transcripts because transcripts uploaded by the applicant are considered unofficial.
- A non-refundable application fee of $35
- GRE Scores are not required, but applicants who opt to submit GRE scores may use Simmons' code 3761 to report them.
*Study abroad transcripts do not need to have a credential evaluation.
When mailing materials to our office, please be sure to use the exact mailing address below:
Simmons University
Graduate Studies Admission
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115-5898
Additional Requirements
- Statistics and Microeconomics
Successful applicants to the Master in Public Policy (MPP) program are required to complete college-level courses in statistics and microeconomics with a minimum grade of “B” in each. Applicants who are offered admission to the MPP program without having completed one or both of the required courses will be asked to provide evidence of successful completion of the relevant courses, including the grade(s) received, within the first year of study in the program. Admitted students who seek to fulfill the coursework requirements may enroll in relevant courses at Simmons or at any accredited college or university. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies Admission at [email protected] or 617-521-2868 with any questions about fulfilling these requirements.
Note: Applicants may apply to our program even if they have not fulfilled the statistics and/or microeconomics requirement(s). These requirements will not impact the admission decision.
Application Deadlines
Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible to receive timely decisions about admission and scholarship eligibility. To meet priority application deadlines, completed application files should be submitted by no later than the following dates:
Fall (September)
Priority Deadline: February 1
Regular Deadline: May 1
Rolling admission after May 1
Spring (January)
Priority Deadline: October 15
Regular Deadline: December 15
Rolling admission after December 15
Admission may be deferred for up to two semesters, after which applicants must reapply.
Simmons welcomes applications from international students. As you prepare your application for admission, please review both the program-specific admission requirements associated with your graduate program of interest, along with the additional details below:
English Language Proficiency
The faculty require that all prospective students for whom English is not the first language and who have not previously completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction achieve a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language® (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Test of English as a Foreign Language® (TOEFL)
Simmons Code: 3761
Contact your nearest English language testing center or:
TOEFL® Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-7100
USA
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ets.org/toefl
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Contact your nearest English language testing center or:
Find your nearest testing center and upcoming test dates on the IELTS website:
https://www.ielts.org
Required Academic Records
In the U.S., academic records or mark sheets are called "transcripts" (this is the term used throughout our website). All applicants must submit official academic records (in a sealed envelope with a signature or stamped seal across the sealed flap) for study completed at all universities (including schools where no degree or certificate was conferred).
Official course-by-course evaluations are required for all transcripts from universities outside the U.S. or Canada. Additionally, all transcripts that are in a language other than English must be officially translated. Only evaluations and translations from authorized organizations are accepted. The preferred provider of transcript evaluations at Simmons is World Education Services (WES):
World Education Services (WES)
P.O. Box 5087
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10274
Telephone: 212-966-6311
Website: https://www.wes.org
Required Standardized Test Results
Please review carefully the program-specific admission requirements associated with your graduate program of interest. Some programs require the submission of official standardized test scores or proof of registration for one of the following standardized tests: Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Miller Analogies Test (MAT), or MTEL® (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure). If test scores are required for your program, plan ahead to allow plenty of time to take the test and receive your scores. Further information about these tests can be found below:
Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
Simmons Code: 3761
GRE, Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
USA
Telephone: 609-771-7670
Website: www.gre.org
Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Simmons Code: 1226
Pearson
MAT Customer Relations
19500 Bulverde Road, Ste. 201
San Antonio, Texas 78259
USA
Telephone: 800-622-3231
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.milleranalogies.com
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure® (MTEL)
Simmons Code: 44
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure®
Evaluation Systems
Pearson
P.O. Box 660
Amherst, MA 01004-9013
USA
Telephone: 413-256-2892
Website: http://www.mtel.nesinc.com/
Application Deadlines
Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis until the relevant priority deadline:
Fall Semester (September)
Master's, EdS, or Certificate Program: August 1
Doctoral Program: February 1
Spring Semester (January)
Master's, EdS, or Certificate Program: December 15
Doctoral Program: September 1
Summer Semester (May)
Master's, EdS, or Certificate Program: May 1
Doctoral Program: December 1
To ensure adequate time for review, international applicants are encouraged to submit all application materials at least two months in advance of the relevant application deadline listed above. Please allow ample time for the pace of international postal services, obtaining visa documents, arrival in the U.S., and transitioning to a new environment.
Application materials should be submitted using the exact address below. Please be sure to include "Graduate Studies Admission" in the address of any items submitted by mail to ensure receipt by our office.
Graduate Studies Admission
Simmons University
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115-5898
USA
Required Financial Documentation
Upon acceptance, international students must also submit an International Student Supplement Form (ISSF) indicating the source(s) of funding to be used to meet the tuition and living expenses associated with attending Simmons. We ask that you apply to the program only if you are reasonably certain that you will be able to meet the financial obligations.
When you are preparing the International Student Supplement Form (ISSF) documentation, please arrange with your bank, sponsor, and/or government to provide an official statement indicating that you have sufficient funds in a bank for these educational expenses and/or that your tuition and expenses will be paid by your sponsor(s) or government. All documents must be no more than one year old, have been prepared specifically for Simmons University, be in English, and show funds in U.S. dollars ($). Simmons cannot issue a Form I-20 until the required financial documents have been received.
Visa Requirements and Full-Time Academic Status
Immigration requirements stipulate that international students studying in the U.S. with an F-1 student visa must be enrolled full-time (minimum of eight credits per semester) in an academic program.
Current F-1 visa holders who will need to transfer their records in SEVIS to Simmons upon enrolling will be required to submit an I-20 Transfer-In Form, which has been signed by their current DSO, along with an International Student Supplement Form (ISSF).
If you have questions about the Form I-20, the documents referenced above, visa requirements, or your eligibility to study at Simmons, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies Admission at [email protected] or 617-521-2915.
Financial Assistance
Merit-based scholarships that cover a portion of the tuition expenses at Simmons are available to well-qualified applicants in our on-campus degree programs. International student applicants to eligible programs will receive automatic consideration for merit-based scholarships at the time of acceptance, and no additional paperwork is required beyond the application for admission. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to ensure the availability of funding.
While U.S. federal financial aid through the FAFSA is available only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, international student applicants may qualify for some private loans. To learn more, please contact the Simmons University Office of Student Financial Services at [email protected] or 617-521-2001.
For additional information about international student admission to Simmons, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies Admission at [email protected] or 617-521-2915.
Can I submit my online application before all of my required materials are received?
Yes, and we encourage it! Once you submit your application, you will be able to log in to the self-service center to check the status of your application and to see if your materials have been received. Prior to submitting your application, you will not be able to check your status online.
What should I do if my recommenders did not receive an email requesting a letter?
First, suggest your recommender check her/his spam folder. Since the notifications come from an automated system, the messages often end up in spam. Not there? Contact us and we can resend the notification. You can also resend invitations from your self-service center. And, finally, recommenders are always welcome to email a recommendation letter to us. We'll be glad to manually add it to your application.
How quickly are my application materials processed?
Once you submit your application, we will look for any previously received materials to attach to your application. It usually takes 1-5 business days for our office to process and attach materials. To ensure receipt of your materials in our office, please ensure that items sent by mail are issued to the following exact address:
Simmons University
Graduate Studies Admission
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
How long will a decision take after my application is complete?
Admission decisions on master's degree applications are generally available within 2 to 3 weeks of application completion.
Will my decision letter be emailed or mailed?
Your decision letter(s) will be released through your application portal. You will receive an email notice that your application status has been updated to 'Decision Released,' and you will be prompted to log into your application portal to view your decision.
Can I take classes before I apply?
If you are unsure about enrolling in a graduate program, or just want to advance your educational experience, all of our master's degree programs offer the option to enroll in up to two graduate-level courses (eight credits) as a non-degree student before formally applying to a program. Additional details about non-degree registration, including current course offerings, can be found on our Non-Degree Options page.
Do I need to submit the FAFSA by the priority admission deadline?
No. Students interested in applying for federal financial aid, which is awarded in the form of loans, may do so at any point by submitting the FAFSA and the Simmons University Student Information Form to the Simmons University Office of Student Financial Services. Contact their office via email or at 617-521-2001.
Upon acceptance, eligible applicants receive automatic consideration for merit-based scholarships. Most merit-based scholarships are awarded based on the overall strength of an application for admission, and no separate application is required.
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Tuition and fees
Tuition and fees at Simmons are updated annually each spring. They are assessed each semester based on the number of credits enrolled, the level of degree, and the particular program of study.
Merit scholarships and funding options
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Health insurance
All students taking 9 or more credits are required by Massachusetts State law to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan or be covered by a health insurance plan with comparable coverage.
Non-degree enrollment option
If you are unsure about enrolling in a graduate program, or just want to advance your educational experience, non-degree study at Simmons is the best option for you.
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Questions? Contact us via email or at 617-521-2915. We're happy to schedule visits and campus tours.
