admission criteria.

Those applicants who have earned or will earn a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or the equivalent of this degree in another country, will be considered for admission.  Prospective students may apply for admission during or after the final year of undergraduate study but must submit the official baccalaureate degree transcript to the Office of Graduate Studies before the end of the first year of enrollment.

Special Note:  Non-immigrant applicants must contact the Office of International Studies concerning the filing of required financial documents and obtaining the appropriate application. Click  here for more information regarding graduate studies as an international student.  International students with a 3-year degree are referred to the program in which they wish to pursue graduate studies for evaluation of their transcripts to determine possible additional course work.  They can be considered for graduate admission.

The decision to admit an applicant to a program is based primarily on a combination of the following criteria according to the requirements of the specific program.

• Quality of previous undergraduate and graduate work.  The Graduate College requires as a minimum standard a “B” average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, in a program of study resulting in the award of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.  If an applicant has studied at the graduate level and performed satisfactorily, less weight may, but not necessarily, be placed on the quality of the undergraduate academic record.  Some programs require a higher minimum grade point average for admission.
• Strength of letters of recommendation from persons competent to judge the applicant’s probable success in graduate school.  These letters are usually from the applicant’s former professors who are able to give an in-depth evaluation of the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses with respect to academic work.  Additional recommendations may come from employers or supervisors who are familiar with the applicant’s work experience.  Applicants should instruct their references to send all letters of recommendation directly to the program in which they desire entrance.
• Official scores on required aptitude or advanced knowledge examination(s).  Click here for more information about entrance examinations.
• Statement by the applicant of academic career objectives and their relation to the intended program of study.  These statements help the department/school identify students whose goals are consistent with its objectives.
• Other evidence of graduate potential.  Some programs require other evidence of graduate potential, such as a portfolio of creative work, completion of specialized examinations or personal interviews.

Responsibility for admitting applicants to graduate programs rests with the Dean for Graduate Studies.  Academic departments/schools review admission applications and credentials and make admission recommendations to the Dean.  The standards maintained by the Graduate college and individual departments/schools are applied to ensure that applicants admitted to the University are well qualified and trained to study at this institution and have a reasonable expectation of successfully completing a graduate program.  Standards for admission to doctoral degree programs are generally higher than those for admission to master’s degree programs.  In many degree programs, the number of applications received from qualified applicants exceeds the number of applicants who can be accommodated.  In such cases, only the most highly qualified are offered admission.  The number of spaces available in various departments/schools is limited to the availability of faculty and resources.
Special Note:  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.