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Your admission to Thunderbird’s Master of Arts (MA-GAM) program is a comprehensive process. Acceptance requires academic excellence, satisfactory test scores and good recommendations. However, there is no single factor that hinders or ensures your acceptance. Your admissions portfolio is reviewed as a whole. All documents submitted are considered in a complete review of your credentials.


Admission Standards

Admission Documents

To be considered for the MA-GAM program you must complete and submit:

  • A completed application form
  • Two personal essays responding to application questions
  • GMAT or GRE, and TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE (if applicable) test scores
  • Two references sent to Thunderbird through the "Personal Potential Index," preferably from an academic advisor or professor or supervisor
  • All official transcripts, validating completion of a four-year degree or equivalent
  • A current, sequential resume of educational and other accomplishments
  • An application fee of $125
  • Qualified applicants will be invited to interview after an initial review of their completed application. All interviews are conducted by invitation only and will be part of the final admissions decision.

Educational Requirements

Prior to the beginning of the Master of Arts - Global Affairs program, all students must have completed coursework in:

  1. Microeconomics
  2. Macroeconomics

Thunderbird offers an on-line economics bootcamp prior to the beginning of Foundations Week that will satisfy the micro- and macro-economics requirement.

Waivers for micro- and macro-economics are evaluated and granted during the admission review. You are notified of any waivers granted in your admission offer documents.

While there are no prerequisite requirements for statistics, accounting and finance in the traditional program, if you lack coursework, expertise or knowledge in these subjects, Thunderbird recommends the online GMAT Business Ready courses, which are offered through the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC).

English Language Proficiency

Thunderbird courses require that students whose native language is not English have excellent proficiency in reading, writing and speaking English. TOEFL/IELTS/PTE waivers are not granted.

Applicants whose native language is not English, and who didn’t receive a qualifying degree in a country where English is the native language, are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic exam.

Test scores are valid for two years, and must be sent directly to Thunderbird.

Exam requirements:

 
TOEFL
  
 
IBT
CPT
PBT
IELTS
PTE
Direct entry 100+ 250+
 600+ 7.0+ 68+
English Boot Camp 98-99 247 597 6.5 67
Pre-MBA/Masters Intensive English Program 79-97 213-243 550-593 6.0 53-66
GMAT verbal score is also considered and certain scores may require enrollment in English programs.