Criteria for Admission to a Graduate Certificate Program

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. Perspective 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.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Official scores on a national standardized examination. The three most widely used standardized examinations are the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and the Millers Analogies Test (MAT).
4. 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.
5. 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.