Admission

Arkansas State University (A-State) provides graduate programs to individuals holding at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university whose undergraduate or graduate work has been of sufficient quality and scope to enable them to pursue graduate study successfully. A-State offers equal educational opportunity to all persons without regard to race, religion, sex, age, creed, color, national origin, or physical disability.

General Information

Prospective students seeking a graduate certificate or degree should apply online at http://www.astate.edu/graduate. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted to the Office of Admission, Records and Registration, PO Box 1570, State University, AR 72467. All applicants also must submit written documents of measles, mumps and rubella immunization that were administered after their first birthday or after January 1, 1968.

Arkansas law requires that in order to be eligible for enrollment at a public college or university an applicant who is a U.S. citizen and a male under the age of 26 must be registered or be exempt from registration with the selective service system.

Application materials become the property of the University and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to other institutions. If seeking admission at a later date, applicants must submit a new online application for the certificate or degree and identify the term in which they wish to be admitted. Some or all of the application materials might require updating at this time.

All applications must be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee. Fees can be remitted online during the application process, via telephone to the University Cashier’s Window at (870) 972-3847, or by check or money order payable to Arkansas State University, Cashier’s Window, PO Box 2640, State University, AR 72467.

Applications will be processed upon receipt of payment. If applications are received without payment, all application materials will be held and the applicant notified that no action will be taken until payment is received. International students apply directly to the Office of International Programs.

Depending on the timely submission of the required materials and the extent of review required, an application can take from a few days to many weeks to process. Because application procedures and requirements vary by program, applicants are encouraged to review particular program requirements and deadlines in the appropriate section of the Graduate Bulletin or online at http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/degrees-offered/.

Applications to specific programs are reviewed by program faculty before an admission decision is made. Applicants are encouraged to submit all materials at the earliest possible date, but preferably no later than six weeks prior to the beginning of the semester. Late applications may delay registration and limit course selection. Applicants must check with individual departments for different published deadlines.

When consideration of the applications for admission has been completed, the Office of the Registrar will inform the applicant of the admission decision, including any conditions that may be imposed. A student may be admitted into Graduate Programs under unconditional status or conditional status.

Admission Status

Admission to the graduate degree program is a two-step process. First, an applicant must meet the requirements for University admission. Second, the applicant must meet the admissions criteria of the degree program to which they are applying. University admission does not ensure admission into a particular graduate degree program. Academic departments may establish requirements for individual degree programs that are more rigorous than the University. (See departmental sections of the Graduate Bulletin or online at http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/ for specific program admission requirements.) A degree-seeking student admitted to one program who decides to change to a different program must meet the admission requirements of the new program and complete a new application.

In order to complete the application for admission, the Graduate School must receive an application form, required application fee, official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, and required test scores. Application materials are shared with the department of the program to which the student is applying. Students not planning to seek a graduate degree or who are undecided (i.e., transient or nondegree), will be admitted to the Graduate School if they meet requirements for unconditional admission. Prospective students who do not meet the qualifications for unconditional admission or are not seeking a degree may be admitted on a conditional basis after review by the Graduate Dean.

Unconditional Admission Status

The following University admission requirements are minimum standards which identify the pool of applicants from which departments select students to be admitted to a certificate or degree program. To be granted unconditional admission status, applicants must have met the following criteria:

1. Submitted a completed application for admission to the Office of the Registrar and the designated nonrefundable application fee, at least 30 days in advance of registration.
2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or its equivalent as determined by the Registrar).
3. Earned a graduate or post-baccalaureate professional degree from a regionallyaccredited (U.S.) institution; OR Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale; OR achieved a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of coursework (undergraduate, graduate, or a combination).
4. Submitted official transcripts from each previously attended college or university to Graduate Admissions. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar of other institutions to the Office of the Registrar.

Conditional Admission Status

An applicant who fails to meet the GPA requirements for unconditional admission status, who lacks the appropriate undergraduate background for a particular certificate or degree program, or whose baccalaureate degree is from an unaccredited institution, may be granted conditional admission status. Consideration will be given to applicants who have met the following requirements:

1. Submitted a completed application for admission to the Office of the Registrar and the designated nonrefundable application fee, at least 30 days in advance of registration.
2. Submitted official transcripts from each previously attended college or university to the Office of the Registrar. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar of other institutions to the Office of the Registrar.
3. Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale; OR a 2.75 GPA on the last 60 hours of coursework (undergraduate, graduate, or a combination).

Specific graduate programs may have defined conditional admission criteria that supplement the requirements listed above.

A student will be removed from University conditional admission status upon completion of 9 hours in the program of study with a grade of “B” or better for each course. Specific graduate programs may have additional criteria for being removed from conditional admission status. While under conditional admission status, a student cannot earn a grade of “C” or lower in any graduate-level course. Students who do not meet this standard will be suspended from the graduate program.

Types of Admission

Applicants may be admitted to the University as either certificate/degree-seeking or non-certificate/degree seeking. The graduate degree-seeking student classification is for those who wish to pursue a specific graduate certificate/degree program. The graduate non-degree student classification is for those who wish to enroll in graduate courses, but who do not wish to pursue a graduate certificate/ degree at the university.

Admission to a Certificate or Degree Program

In addition to meeting the minimum requirements of the University, an applicant for admission to a certificate, master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree program also must meet departmental and/or program requirements. Applicants to a degree program must hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited four-year institution with the appropriate undergraduate background in the field of the proposed academic emphasis. Additional requirements and materials for admission to particular certificate/degree programs are found elsewhere in the Graduate Bulletin or online at http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/degrees-offered/. Specific program information can be found under the academic college in which the program is located.

Certificate and degree-seeking students must submit all additional application materials required of the specific program and must have been accepted into the program by the appropriate department selection committee. See Admission Requirements for specific programs in the Graduate Bulletin or online at http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/degrees-offered/.

Admission as a Graduate Non-Degree Student

Admission as a graduate non-degree student is for individuals who seek personal and/or professional development, as well as those returning for educational workshops, and transient students. Students who have been admitted to another accredited graduate school and wish to take courses for transfer may establish non-degree status by submitting an application for admission and a graduate transcript indicating good standing from sending institution.

Non-degree students may take a graduate course for which they qualify, with approval of the department offering the course. Departments also may require that non-degree students consult with a departmental advisor before enrolling in any classes. Former or currently-enrolled non-degree students who want to apply for admission to a degree program must meet all requirements of that program.

Admission as a non-degree student does not imply that the student meets conditional or unconditional admission requirements. Graduate credit earned as a non-degree student may be applied to a degree program only with approval of the appropriate department chair and acceptance of the approval by the Registrar. Up to 12 hours earned in non-degree status and only courses with a grade of “B” or better may be applied to a graduate degree.

Non-degree admission does not entitle the student to enroll in 7000- or 8000-level courses. Exceptions may be made for those holding an appropriate master’s degree in a relevant field as accepted by the Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum, and Special Education.

Enrollment in 7000-level courses with COUN and PSY prefixes requires (1) Admission to the Ed.S. in Psychology and Counseling; (2) Unconditional admission to another university’s accredited post-master degree program with a major in psychology or counseling; or (3) Admission to the Ed.S. in Educational Administration, or the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (permission must be granted).

Enrollment in 8000-level courses is restricted to those who have been admitted to pursue the doctoral degrees.

Admission as an Undergraduate Into an Accelerated Masters Program

The accelerated master’s degree option provides a transition that enables outstanding A-State undergraduate students to begin taking graduate course work in their junior or senior year by combining components of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. Students admitted into an approved accelerated master’s degree program may have a limited number of graduate level courses counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree. Students must apply and be admitted to the accelerated master’s program by the department before enrolling for any courses to apply to the graduate degree. A-State graduate programs offering an accelerated option are listed below:

• Accounting (M.Acc.)
• Agriculture (M.S.A.) - All Concentrations
• Chemistry (M.S.)
• Computer Science (M.S.)
• Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (M.S.)
• Engineering (M.S.Engr.)
• Engineering Management (M.E.M.)
• History (M.A.)
• Mathematics (M.S.)
• Political Science (M.A.)
• Public Administration (M.P.A.)
• Special Education - Instructional Specialist Grades K-12 (M.S.E.)

Depending on the program, up to 12 hours of graduate credits will apply toward completion of the undergraduate degree requirements. Under the accelerated master’s degree option, a student will be fully-admitted to the graduate program upon completion of the baccalaureate degree. This dual counting of a course for both undergraduate and graduate credit will occur only after the student completes the baccalaureate degree. Only courses with grades B or better will be eligible to count toward graduate credit. Undergraduate students interested in the accelerated master’s opportunity should contact their department or the Office of the Registrar for admission information.

Admission as an Undergraduate to Enroll in Graduate Courses

In exceptional cases, undergraduate students with senior standing at A-State may enroll in graduate-level course-work either for undergraduate or graduate credit.

For undergraduate credit:

An undergraduate student with senior standing at A-State who wishes to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit must:

1. have a 3.25 undergraduate GPA,
2. have written consent from the faculty advisor, course professor, and the Graduate Dean

Upon approval, seniors may enroll in a maximum of 9 hours of graduate work for undergraduate credit, provided the total undergraduate and graduate hours do not exceed 15 semester hours. A course used toward an undergraduate degree cannot be counted or used later for graduate credit, except in the case of enrollment in an approved accelerated master’s program. Graduate tuition will be charged for all graduate courses.

For graduate credit:

An undergraduate student with senior standing at A-State who wishes to take a graduate course for graduate credit must:

1. meet the GPA requirements for unconditional admission to Graduate Programs,
2. have no more than 12 hours of undergraduate work remaining to complete the bachelor’s degree at A-State
3. obtain approval of the faculty advisor, course professor, and the Graduate Dean

Upon approval, seniors may enroll in a maximum of 12 hours of graduate work, provided the total undergraduate and graduate hours do not exceed 15 semester hours. A course used toward an undergraduate degree cannot be counted or used later for graduate credit, except in the case of enrollment in an approved accelerated master’s program. Students will receive graduate credit only if the requirements for the bachelor’s degree have been met by the end of the term and all requirements for admission to the graduate program are met. Enrollment under these conditions is limited to one term. Graduate tuition will be charged for all graduate courses.

Other exceptional undergraduate students who have attained senior status but are not in their last 12 hours and who wish to enroll in graduate courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Admission of Students From Other Institutions

Graduate students transferring to Arkansas State University from other institutions must be in good standing with the institution from which they seek to transfer, must have a “B” average in all graduate work completed, and must meet Arkansas State University’s criteria for graduate admission. For admission to a particular certificate or degree program, transferring graduate students must meet the established criteria of the program.

Admission of International Students

The Office of International Student Services admits graduates of foreign colleges and universities and citizens of foreign countries. In order to be eligible for admission, international students must provide appropriate evidence of proficiency in the use of the English language if English is not their native language, establish academic eligibility, and provide certification by financial institutions (acceptable to Arkansas State University) stating that financial resources are available to support the individuals during their stay in the United States. Coursework completed at foreign institutions is not normally accepted for graduate transfer credit.

Citizens of the British Isles, the English speaking portions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and the British Virgin Islands are considered to have native ability in English.

An applicant whose native language is not English but who has completed a four-year bachelor’s degree at an accredited institution in the United States, or in any of the above mentioned countries, will be considered proficient in English. Students who have successfully completed a CEA accredited English program in the United States may also be considered proficient in English.

For an applicant whose native language is not English and who does not have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States, or the above mentioned countries, proficiency in English may be demonstrated by submitting scores of 550 on the paper-based, or 79 on the internet-based, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); a score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, a score of 56 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE), a score of 4.5 on the International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP), a score of 550 total on the Evidence-Based Reading/Writing sections of the SAT, a score of 21 total (and on both the English and Reading sections) of the ACT, a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the English: Literature or Language and Literature part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, or by obtaining a minimum of 65% in English at X and XII in Certificate in India and Pakistan.

The academic requirements for admission of international students are as follows:

1. The academic preparation of applicants must be the equivalent of a four year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. The records of previous studies must document appropriate standards of academic achievement.
3. Applicants must meet all A-State and all program admission requirements.

Admission processing of all international students is done through the Office of International Admissions, a function of International Student Services. They may be reached by e-mail at international@astate.edu, by phone at (870) 972-2329, or by letter at International Admissions, P.O. Box 2230, State University, AR 72467, USA

Admission to Master’s Degree Programs

Applicants to the master’s degree programs must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution with the appropriate undergraduate background in the field of proposed academic emphasis. Applicants must submit the following to the Office of the Registrar:

1. A completed application for admission. Applications should be submitted at least six weeks before the registration date of the term which the applicants plan to attend.
2. A nonrefundable application fee. Checks must be made payable to Arkansas State University. If applications are received without payment, all application materials will be held and the applicant notified that no action will be taken until payment is received.
3. One copy of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate coursework attempted. Transcripts must be sent directly from the institution(s) previously attended.

Admission test scores are required for admission into certain master’s degree programs. Consult the appropriate program section of the Graduate Bulletin or online at http://www.astate.edu/college/graduate-school/ to determine if the Graduate Record Examination, Miller Analogies Test, or Graduate Management Admission Test is required in the proposed program of academic emphasis.

Multiple Graduate Degrees

Students cannot be admitted to or pursue multiple graduate degrees simultaneously at Arkansas State University. Any exceptions must be approved by the respective academic deans and the Graduate School Dean.

If a student completes a graduate degree and pursues an additional graduate degree, a maximum of nine (9) credits earned from any prior graduate work can be applied to an additional graduate degree. Any hours applied to a graduate degree must be approved by the program chair.

Special exceptions to credit hour limits apply to en route master’s degrees, embedded graduate degrees, and dual graduate degrees.

En Route Master’s Degrees

An en route master’s degree is one in which a student who is accepted into a doctoral program has the option to be awarded the master’s degree while pursuing a doctoral degree.

Embedded Graduate Degrees

The sharing of credit between graduate certificates, master’s and specialist’s degrees embedded within a higher degree is at the discretion of the program offering the higher degree. Embedded credentials must be awarded at least one semester prior to receiving the higher award.

Dual Degrees

A dual degree can be earned when a student studies two different fields at the same time in order to earn two separate degrees. Usually, the different fields are based in two different departments and the degrees are of different types, e.g., an MBA and an MA. Dual degree programs require students to apply and be accepted into both degree programs. Students must meet all requirements for each degree.