Graduate Admission - General Requirements

All graduate programs at Columbus State University require that students hold a baccalaureate or master 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.

New applicants must submit a formal application to the Admissions Office along with a $50, non-refundable, application fee. Georgia residents 62 years of age or older and soldiers serving on active duty are exempt from this fee. Documentation to support the exemption will be required when the application is submitted. All applicants, with the exception of foreign nationals, must provide Social Security numbers, which can be obtained at any Social Security office (social security numbers are required for institutional purposes only). As required under the University System of Georgia policy, a completed certificate of immunization must be received before enrollment. Forms are available at https://www.columbusstate.edu/admissions/forms/. Specific programs may require additional items such as resume and/or letters of recommendation.

Admission credentials must be filed on or before the deadline date listed on the calendar in this catalog. Official consideration is given to an application only after all credentials are received. 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 in writing. After a year has elapsed, a new application, 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 an associate vice president for academic affairs, 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 graduate 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 or to the doctoral program need only to 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 Revised Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with "writing assessment" component may be used for the Master of Education (MED/MAT) programs, Master of Science (MS) programs, Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs. In lieu of GRE, a copy of the applicant's clearly renewable teaching certificate may be submitted for specific College of Education and Health Professions programs.
• The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or GRE may be used for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs and the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program.
• The general portion of the GRE or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) may be used for the MPA program.

Arrangements to take the GRE and MAT at Columbus State University can be made by registering online at https://www.columbusstate.edu/testing-center/. Testing information for the GMAT can be found at www.mba.com. Scores from tests taken more than five years prior to application for admission to a graduate program will not be accepted.

Graduate Admission - Readmission Requirements

Former students who wish to enroll in Columbus State University after an absence of one full year 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 under the academic standing heading in the Graduate Academic Regulations section.

Graduate Admission - International Students (and Non-Native Speakers of English)

International students must provide all credentials required of U.S. students. In addition a professional transcript evaluation of all non-U.S. accredited institutions 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 paper-based score of 550, a minimum computer-based score of 213, or a minimum Internet based score of 79 or
• Official results of the ILETS exam showing a minimum score of 6.5 or
• Official results of the MTELP exam showing a minimum of 90 or
• English 1101 and 1102 from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or
• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States