Admissions – Dual Master Degree in Information Management and Community Planning (CPIM)

Admission to the iSchool’s graduate programs is through the University of Maryland Graduate School with supplemental program-specific application criteria and materials as described below. The University of Maryland’s Graduate School accepts applications through the TerpEngage application system. Before completing the application, applicants should check the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements. If you still have questions, please contact us for more information! Because this is a dual degree, please be sure to complete the requirements for the Graduate School and both the MIM and MCP programs.

Information Session

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UMD - Admission Requirements & Steps

Complete the UMD Graduate School application.
- The Graduate School’s Step-by-Step guide is a helpful resource for prospective applicants.
Pay the application fee of $75 to the UMD Graduate School.
Upload transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate courses at each institution you have attended.
- Unofficial transcripts may be submitted initially. Official transcripts will be required upon admission and enrollment.
- Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. If you have questions, read more about this requirement.
- Applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework. If you do not meet this, provide more detail in your Statement of Purpose.
Provide a Statement of Purpose describing your experiences and interests that will help you succeed in UMD’s Information Management and Community Planning Dual Degree.
Submit the names and e-mail addresses of three academic or professional references.
Upload a current resume or CV.
Send TOEFL/IELTS scores to the University of Maryland (international applicants only).
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Graduate School will accept the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator test. Learn more about the at-home tests here, as well as alternative exams if you are applying from mainland China or Iran.
If you are a resident of the State of Maryland or believe you qualify as one, be sure to fill out the Maryland Residency section of the Graduate Application. If you have questions about Residency Classification, email resclass@umd.edu.

CPIM - Additional Admission Requirements & Next Steps

Submit your CPIM Supplemental Application responses.
Optionally, send GRE or GMAT scores to the Graduate School.
- For Fall 2023, test scores are not a requirement for admission. If you choose to submit them, the following information may be useful for you:
  - UMD’s institutional codes for GRE/GMAT are available here.
  - Historically, successful MIM applicants minimally had verbal scores in the 40th percentile, and quantitative scores in the 60th percentile.
    - The 2020 admitted class had verbal scores in the 54th percentile and quantitative scores in the 89th percentile.
One or more years of full-time work experience in the information technology field is preferred, but not a requirement for admission. That might include information technology, management, user experience, project management, business analysis, database management, etc.

Application Deadline

February 1, 2023, is the deadline for all applicants for Fall 2023 enrollment.

Information for International Applicants

The CPIM Program is STEM-eligible under CIP code 11.0401.
International applicants should direct questions about visas to UMD’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

Holistic Application Review Process

We review all applications after the February 1, 2023 deadline.
We do not offer pre-screens of applications or rolling reviews.
The MIM/CPIM program does not have a fixed number of seats available; we will accept all qualified applicants from any given year.
Our admissions process is holistic. As long as you are admissible to the Graduate School for full enrollment, we will read your full application before making a decision as a committee.

When students apply to the MIM program, a committee of faculty and staff will read your application. At least three committee members will read each application. The committee then convenes to make a decision on all applicants. Once we make a decision, we send this in the form of an admissions recommendation to the Graduate School, which will make the official decision. The Graduate School will notify you about your application’s outcome.

Deferring your Enrollment

Admitted students may defer enrollment once. The MIM program offers fall enrollment, so deferrals are from one fall to the subsequent fall semester (for example: Fall 2020 enrollment can only be deferred until Fall 2021).
To defer your enrollment, you must notify the iSchool Graduate Student Services Office prior to the beginning of the original entry semester.

Helpful Tips for Applying

The Graduate School’s Statement of Purpose
- The Statement of Purpose should be a 1000-2000-word statement that addresses your specific interests, life experiences, and goals. Outline how joining the CPIM program will advance your career.
Selecting References
- Recommendation letters help us estimate if you will be successful in the MIM program. It is in your best interest to request that your recommenders focus on your predilection for information management. Recommendations should be provided by faculty and employers who can best speak to your ability to succeed in this graduate program. Note that recommendations should not come from family, friends, or peers.
- Individuals who know you well, especially those who have completed technical graduate programs, are best able to comment on your capacity for graduate studies in information management. If you have been out of school for a while, references with current knowledge about your strengths and skills will be more effective than professors whose knowledge is limited to your past academic performance.
Tips for Writing your Statement of Purpose and Supplemental Application
- The Statement of Purpose and the Supplemental Application are the primary ways of telling us about your experiences, interests, and goals, so please be open and honest.
- Keep in mind:
  - Authentic essays help us understand you as an applicant. We are interested in learning about you and how a MIM degree can shape your future.
  - We value academic integrity, so avoid presenting us with unoriginal work (purchased, written, edited, or borrowed from other sources).
  - Express yourself clearly, concisely, and authentically, whatever that means to you. Avoid vocabulary that is meant to impress.
  - Avoid repetition. If you already said it in the Statement of Purpose, don’t repeat it in the Supplemental Application. The more new information you share, the more we have to evaluate.