APPLICATION PROCESS

An Application for Admission must be filed with the UNO Office of Graduate Studies not only for those students desiring to work for a degree, but also by students desiring graduate credit for renewal of a teaching certificate, for professional development, for a graduate certificate, or for graduate credit to be transferred to another university. In order to receive graduate credit for any graduate level courses taken at UNO, the student must have been admitted to graduate studies at UNO, must have been admitted to graduate studies at another campus of the University of Nebraska or must have received special permission as a senior.

A completed application form along with a non-refundable application fee of $45.00 (U.S. dollars) is required for all new applicants to UNO graduate studies, including undergraduates within the University of Nebraska systems, and anyone who has been admitted to graduate programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Nebraska at Kearney or the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The application fee will be waived once for:

  • Students who have been admitted as non-degree graduate students to UNO who later wish to apply to a UNO degree program or as an unclassified student.
  • Students who have applied to a degree program, have been denied admission to that program and within a two year period re-apply to the same program.
Except for non-degree applicants, two sets of official transcripts must be sent from EACH college or university directly to the UNO Office of Graduate Studies. Hand carried or student submitted credentials are not acceptable.

Some programs require additional information such as standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, resumes, or other supplemental materials. It is important that applicants contact the program(s) to which they are applying for information concerning additional admission requirements. Failure to do so may result in an application not being considered. All credentials received in connection with an application for admission to graduate studies at UNO become the property of UNO. Under no circumstances will they be duplicated, returned to the applicant or forwarded to any agency or other institution.

Please be aware that notification of acceptance by a department/school Graduate Program Committee or faculty member is advisory only. Admission is granted solely by the Dean for Graduate Studies.

Application to a Graduate Certificate Program
Students applying for a graduate certificate program will follow the same application process as students applying to a graduate degree program with the following exceptions:

  • A student pursuing a certificate program who subsequently decides to apply for a graduate degree program will complete a new application, but will not be charged an application fee if the degree is within the same department(s)/school(s) as the certificate program. However, if a student applies for a graduate degree program after the certificate is completed, he/she will need to submit a new application, application fee, and all other required credentials.
  • A student pursuing a graduate degree program could be awarded a certificate while completing the degree but he/she will need to complete a new application to be admitted to the certificate program; he/she will not be charged an application fee if the certificate is within the same department(s)/school(s) as the graduate program in which he/she is enrolled. However, if a student applies for a certificate program after the graduate degree is completed, he/she will need to submit a new application, application fee, and all other required credentials.
Students applying to a graduate certificate program are subject to the same admission criteria/standards as students applying to a graduate degree program. Students within a certificate program are eligible to apply for financial aid.

Second Master's Degree or Certificate
A student must complete a new graduate application and submit an application fee if he/she wishes to pursue a second master's degree, certificate, or an endorsement in an area other than that of the first master's or certificate.

Masters Degree with a Double Major

The professional/scholastic goals of some masters students may be enhanced substantially by acquiring more knowledge of a second field than is currently provided by the option of earning a minor, yet they may not need a dual degree (i.e., two masters degrees in separate majors, typically 60+ credit hours).

The UNO Graduate Council has approved the concept of providing masters degree students with the option of attaining a double major within the same degree (e.g., master of arts in two different majors). For instance, a student may be permitted, with proper approvals, to pursue a master of arts degree in the majors of history and geography because these majors lead to the master of arts degree. One could not attain a double major in history and biology because these majors lead only to the master of arts and the master of science degrees, respectively.

Applicants choosing the double major will submit one application and fee and clearly specify that they are seeking a double major. In addition, the applicant must specify which department/school is to consider the application first and whether or not she/he is applying for support from one or both departments/schools. The graduate committee of the first department/school will pass the application to the second graduate committee with the results of its decisions (recommendation for acceptance with support, recommendation for acceptance without support, refusal of admission). The prospective student should be aware that a decision to recommend admission by one of the graduate committees does not affect the decision of the other. The criteria for acceptance may differ between programs; admission to one or both of the department's/school's programs does not guarantee acceptance for a double major masters degree. Final approval of all applicants rests with the Dean for Graduate Studies. If one major is approved and one denied, the student must submit another application with an additional $45 application fee to apply to another major.

 

Application Deadline
In order to be considered for admission in a given semester, all transcripts and supporting documentation must have been submitted no later than the deadlines listed. It is generally to the applicant's advantage to apply well before the published deadline, particularly if the applicant wishes to be considered for fellowships, assistantships or other forms of financial aid. Applicants are solely responsible for making certain their materials have been received by the appropriate offices.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Re-Admission to Graduate Studies

A student who has not been enrolled as a graduate student at UNO for four years or more must apply as a new graduate student and submit the graduate application, the non-refundable application fee of $45.00, and all other required credentials. You cannot re-apply to the same certificate program once you have completed that certificate.

Change of Program
Except for non-degree students, students are admitted to specified programs for specified objectives. Therefore, students who wish to transfer to another department/school must complete a new graduate application and submit with it a non-refundable graduate application fee of $45.00. The decision as to whether students will be accepted shall be left to the Graduate Program Committee of the department/school in which they are seeking admission and to the Dean for Graduate Studies. Admission to a new program is not automatically granted.

If a currently enrolled graduate student is admitted to a graduate program prior to receipt of their final grades for the current semester, the program may re-evaluate its admission decision, if the student receives a grade of "C-" or lower in any course work (undergraduate or graduate) for that semester.

Record Maintenance and Disposition
All records, including academic records from other institutions, become part of the official file and can neither be returned nor duplicated for any purpose. Students may wish to obtain an additional copy of their official credentials to keep in their possession for advisory purposes or for other personal requirements. Transcripts provided to the University in support of a graduate application will be maintained for two years if the student does not enroll in applied for program.

Simultaneous Matriculation
Normally, no graduate student may be a degree-seeking student in more than one graduate program at the University of Nebraska, unless enrolled in an approved dual-degree program. Any exceptions must have prior approval of every Graduate Program Committee and every campus Dean for Graduate Studies through which the programs are administratively assigned.

When there is approved simultaneous matriculation, the same course credit will not be accepted for more than one degree without prior approval of every Graduate Program Committee and every campus Dean for Graduate Studies through which the programs are administratively assigned.

Vaccination Requirements
All new, incoming students born on or after January 1, 1957 must provide official documentation of two (2) MMR vaccinations (measles, mumps, rubella). Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the withholding of future registrations. For further information, please contact UNO Student Health Services, 554-2374.

 

 

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