General Requirements
All graduate programs at Columbus State University require that
students hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by one of the
regional accrediting associations. Specific admission requirements for each graduate
program are included with the description of that program in the section, Graduate
Academic Programs.
Every applicant must submit a formal application to the Admissions
Office along with a $25 non-refundable application fee. Georgia residents 62 years of age
or older are exempt from this fee. All applicants must provide Social Security numbers,
which can be obtained at any Social Security office. As required under University System
policy, a completed certificate of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) must
be received before enrollment. Forms are available in the Admissions Office or on the Web.
Admission credentials must be filed before the deadline date listed
on the calendar in this catalog. Official consideration is given to an application only
after all credentials are received. When an application becomes ready for action during a
peak period of activity in the Admissions Office, notification may be delayed. Ordinarily,
application processing requires from three to six weeks. Applicants who wish to delay
their date of entry to the university should notify the Admissions Office. After a year
has elapsed, a new application, application fee, and credentials must be submitted.
Students furnishing the university with false, incomplete, or
misleading information relating to their application or academic record will be subject to
denial or dismissal.
Graduate Council
The graduate council regularly monitors admission policies and
academic standards for graduate programs. This committee is composed of one academic dean,
the directors of each graduate program, one faculty member from each graduate program, and
four at-large graduate faculty members.
Official Transcripts
Applicants seeking admission to a master's program must request that
an official transcript from each college and university attended be sent directly to the
Admissions Office. Applicants seeking admission to a specialist in education program need
only request an official transcript from the institution where the master's degree was
awarded. Transcripts received from other institutions become the property of Columbus
State University and will not be released to the student or a third party.
Test Scores
Applicants are required to furnish the Admissions Office with
official test scores as specified below:
- the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the
Miller Analogies Test (MAT) for Master of Education (MEd) programs, the Master of Science
(MS) program in community counseling, the Master of Music (MM) program in music education,
and specialist in education (EdS) programs
- the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) for the Master of
Business Administration (MBA) program
- the general portion of the GRE, the MAT, or the GMAT for Master of
Public Administration (MPA) programs
- the general portion of the GRE for the Master of Science (MS)
programs in applied computer science, environmental science, and information technology
management
Information on the GRE and the GMAT can be obtained from the
Admissions Office and the Testing Center at Columbus State University and from the
Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08540. Arrangements to take the MAT at
Columbus State University can be made by mailing a request
form to the Testing Center
or by calling (706) 568-2226.
Scores from tests taken more than five years prior to application for admission to a
graduate program (10 years for EdS applicants) will not be accepted.
Classification of Students
Students are admitted to graduate study under one of the following
classifications:
Regular graduate student - A prospective candidate for a
degree whose undergraduate record and examination scores indicate a strong possibility of
success in graduate study. An applicant is admitted upon the recommendation of the
appropriate graduate program director.
Provisional student - A prospective candidate for a degree
who does not satisfy full admission requirements will be classified in this category under
conditions specified by the appropriate graduate program director. A student initiating
graduate work under this classification may continue in a degree program when the
conditions specified at the time of admission have been met and the student has been
reclassified. The provisional category does not apply to EdS programs.
Transient student - A student in good academic standing in a
recognized graduate program at another institution. An applicant must submit a transient
application, application fee, and a statement from the registrar at the home institution
certifying good academic standing for each semester the student wishes to matriculate.
Audit student - An applicant wishing to audit courses is
required to submit an application for admission, the application fee, and a transcript
showing that a baccalaureate degree has been earned, and must pay all regular fees. Credit
will not be granted at a later time for courses in which a graduate student was registered
as an audit student.
Transfer Credit
A maximum of nine semester hours of credit taken as a graduate
student at an accredited graduate school may apply toward a master's degree provided the
credit was earned not more than seven years prior to the date of completion of the degree.
A maximum of six semester hours of credit transferred from an accredited graduate school
may apply toward a EdS program provided the credit was earned as a degree student in an
EdS or doctoral program. The student’s advisor and the director of the graduate
program in which the student is enrolled must approve any course transferred.
Readmission Requirements
Former students who wish to enroll in Columbus State University
after an absence of one to three years must submit an application for re-entry to the
Admissions Office. A graduate student who has not been enrolled in a graduate program at
Columbus State University for more than three years must reapply for admission and meet
current admission requirements. Procedures for students academically ineligible to enroll
following the completion of the last semester at Columbus State University are found in
the graduate academic regulations section under the heading
academic standing.
International Students
International students must provide all credentials required of U.S.
students. In addition, a guarantee form demonstrating the financial ability to attend
Columbus State University, health insurance, and an acceptable level of proficiency in the
English language are required. Applicants whose native language is not English must
provide:
- Official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
showing a minimum score of 550; or
- Official results of the Michigan Test showing a minimum score of 75;
or
- Evidence of completion of level 109 at an English language school
(ELS); or
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in
the United States.
Application forms and detailed procedures for enrolling as an
international student can be obtained from the Admissions Office in Richards
Hall at Columbus State
University or on the web. |
