Interested in saving time and money as you prepare for your career?
SF State Scholars programs allow undergraduates to work on their B.A. degree then, during their junior and senior years, also work on a graduate degree. This saves students time and money while enabling them to quick-start their careers. These programs are administered by the Graduate Division, which also provides more details on how they operate.
Program Benefits Include:
- Outstanding faculty mentorship
- Simplified application process
- Waived graduate school application fee
- Double-count up to 12 graduate units for both degrees
- Waived GRE/GMAT requirements
- Reduce student debt
Offered Programs
The School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (PACE) currently has four SF State Scholars programs. These programs have a simple application process, but each student must have a Faculty Sponsor from their B.A. department. Click on the links below to find the roadmaps for each program. Contact PACE Director Jennifer Shea (jshea@sfsu.edu) for more information.
- B.A. in Asian American Studies + Master of Public Administration
- B.A. in Latina / Latino Studies + Master of Public Administration
- B.A. in Political Science + Master of Public Administration
- B.A. in Urban Studies and Planning + Master of Public Administration
Interested students should begin by contacting their faculty advisor or the department chair for their undergraduate degree program.
Important Information on PACE's Scholars Programs
- Obtain Tenured/Tenure Track faculty advisor sponsorship in the degree program
- Apply before completion of 90-105 semester units and before enrolling in a senior capstone course
- Hold a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester units.
- Declare a major in a related SF State Scholar program
- Meet admission requirements for an intended graduate program
To apply for the Program, review the Grad Division's materials and complete the following application process. No Application fee is required. No GRE/GMAT test is required. Note that the application process for MPA SF Scholars has two steps, outlined below. These steps can be completed at the same time.
- Eligibility. Consult with an SF State Scholars Coordinator to determine if you are eligible for the SF State Scholars Program and if the program is the best fit for you.
- Step One: Complete the SF State Scholars Application PowerForm in DocuSign. This requires you to identify your undergraduate advisor/sponsor (supporting faculty); they will have to sign the form.
- Submitting Documents through the DocuSign Portal:
- Your name and SFSU email address
- The name and SFSU email address of your undergraduate Faculty Sponsor/Advisor (Supporting Faculty)
- The name and SFSU email address of the PACE Director, Dr. Jennifer Shea
- Click "Begin Signing"
- Fill out the top portion of the form
- Click “FINISH” at the top of the page to send the form for Review.
- All approving parties will receive an email requesting review & approval of the SF State Scholars Admission form. It is important that you submit accurate information for prompt review / approval. Important note: The PACE Director will not sign off on the DocuSign until step 2 of the application process is completed (see below).
- Submitting Documents through the DocuSign Portal:
- Step Two: MPA Portion of the Admissions Process. Write a narrative Statement of Purpose that addresses the prompts below in a coherent essay of no more than four double-spaced pages. Submit the Statement of Purpose and your current resume to the PACE Director (Dr. Jennifer Shea, jshea@sfsu.edu). The PACE Admissions Committee will review these materials and determine whether to accept you into the SF Scholars Program. If they offer you admission, Dr. Shea will sign the DocuSign submitted in step one.
