3341-3-10. Graduate admissions-graduate

(A) Policy statement and purpose

This policy describes criteria and procedures for graduate admissions.

(B) Policy

(1) Admission deadlines

(a) Domestic application credentials are due no later than:

Fourteen calendar days prior to the start of the admit term

(b) International application and credential materials are due no later than:

(i) Fall admission- July fifteenth

(ii) Spring admission- November fifteenth

(iii) Summer admission- May fifteenth

(c) Academic program deadlines:

Academic programs may have their own earlier deadlines. Prospective students should check with the academic programs to which they intend to apply for specific application deadlines. Programs may refuse to consider applicants who do not comply with posted deadlines.

(d) Applicants are admitted to the graduate college for a specific term only.

If an applicant wishes to begin graduate coursework earlier than the admit term, the individual must receive approval from the academic program prior to registering for classes. If an applicant wishes to begin graduate coursework later than the admit term, the individual may request a deferment for up to twelve months. The deferment request should be submitted to the graduate college and must be approved by the academic program. An applicant who has received a deferment must update and/or verify all contact information prior to initial registration.

(e) Applicants who do not enroll for the admit term or receive approval for a deferment will have their application cancelled. In order to be admitted to a subsequent term the applicant must submit a new application, including the application fee and any updated credentials.

(2) Graduate concurrent admissionshttp://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/general-counsel/documents/enrollment-and-registration-graduate.pdf

(3) Admissions categories

There are four graduate admission categories: regular admission, conditional admission, ELS conditional admission, and graduate non-degree.

(a) Regular admission

Applicants are eligible for regular admission to the graduate college if they have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of two point seventy-five out of four point zero or the equivalent. An academic program may also request regular admission if an applicant has a minimum grade point average of three point zero in the last sixty credits of completed undergraduate work or a grade point average of three point zero or higher in at least nine credits of graduate coursework. Admission to the graduate college is contingent upon completion of the application process, recommendation from the academic program, and approval by the dean of the graduate college.

Final official credentials must be submitted to the graduate college prior to the start of the admit term. All admissions are considered provisional until all required documents have been received. Students who fail to supply the required documents will have a registration hold placed on their accounts for any subsequent term of enrollment until they are received.

(b) Conditional admission

Applicants who do not meet the listed criteria for regular admission, or have deficiencies in other admissions criteria, are not eligible for regular admission to the graduate college. However, conditional admission status may be granted with the recommendation of the academic program and approval by the dean of the graduate college. Applicants admitted conditionally must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of three point zero in the first nine graded graduate hours completed (e.g., no S/U or audit). Academic programs may specify additional requirements of students granted conditional admission status. Please note that international students cannot be issued an I-20 from BGSU based on a conditional admission.

If a cumulative grade point average of three point zero is not achieved in the first nine graded graduate hours completed, the student shall be dismissed from the program and the graduate college.

A student who has been conditionally admitted is not eligible for a graduate assistantship or scholarship until regular status has been achieved, unless an exception has been requested by the academic program and approved by the graduate college.

(c) ELS conditional admission

Prospective international students may be granted an ELS conditional admission if they enroll in an ELS language center and work toward successfully completing level 112 from an ELS language center rather than submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Students enrolled at the ELS may apply for regular admission after successfully completing ELS level 112. While enrolled at ELS, students may not enroll in academic courses at BGSU or receive a graduate assistantship or scholarship. Furthermore, ELS conditional admission does not guarantee admission to a graduate program.

(d) Graduate non-degree status

Graduate non-degree status allows students to pursue personal or professional goals by taking graduate courses without enrolling in a certificate or degree program. Admission to graduate non-degree status and successful completion of non-degree course work neither indicates nor assures subsequent admission to a certificate or degree program, nor does it qualify a student for financial aid.

A graduate non-degree student who wishes to be considered for admission to a certificate or degree program should follow the procedures outlined in the next section, "degree program admission requirements."

Some courses completed while on graduate non-degree status may be applied toward a degree program, contingent upon the approval of the degree program and the graduate college. The non-degree student is not limited to the number of credit hours taken at BGSU; however, only nine graduate credit hours will transfer to a graduate degree program. In high demand academic areas, degree candidates will have priority over graduate non-degree students in registering for courses. Some specialized and clinical areas of study are not available for enrollment with graduate non-degree status.

(4) Admission requirements

(a) Degree program admission requirements

Applicants to graduate degree programs at the university must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and present evidence of broad and thorough undergraduate preparation that indicates probable success in graduate study. Academic programs may have higher admission criteria and standards upon which admissions decisions are made. Prospective students should check with the academic programs to which they intend to apply for specific criteria.

An applicant to a degree program will be evaluated for admission when the following materials are submitted to the graduate college:

(i) The application for admission;

(ii) A non-refundable application fee of forty-five dollars for domestic students and seventy-five dollars for international students (for each application submitted);

(iii) Standardized test scores as specified below (e.g., GRE, PRAXIS II, GMAT);

(iv) Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL), Michigan English language assessment battery (MELAB), pearson test of English (PTE), and international English language testing system (IELTS) for all whose first language is not English;

(v) A copy of an unofficial transcript from each institution attended must be uploaded at the time of application. Applicants must include all institutions attended regardless of the number or type of credits taken, terms attended, or whether transfer credits are reflected on another transcript. Bowling Green state university transcripts do not need to be submitted; and

(vi) Upon admission, an official transcript must be forwarded directly to the graduate college from every institution where a degree was earned. If the degree has not yet been conferred, final official transcripts (showing the date and degree earned) are required to be submitted to the graduate college as a condition of admission. Personal copies of transcripts are not acceptable. Transcripts "issued to student" are acceptable only if in a sealed envelope with the registrar's stamp.

Applicants must submit all materials directly to:

Graduate college, 120 McFall center, Bowling Green state university, Bowling Green, OH, USA, 43403, [e-mail]

(5) Graduate non-degree admission requirements

Applicants seeking admission as a non-degree graduate student must submit:

(a) A completed non-degree application for admission form;

(b) An unofficial transcript, showing highest degree earned. If no transcript is received with the application, verification of the highest degree earned will be undertaken by the office of registration and records. Applications may be submitted to the office of registration and records, 110 administration building, Bowling Green, OH 43403.

Graduate non-degree status applicants are not required to pay the application fee.

(6) Required tests

See graduate program specifics for required standardized test (GRE GMAT, and PRAXIS II or a state approved teacher licensure exam).

(a) Graduate record examinations (GRE)

Unless otherwise indicated by specific program requirements, all applicants for admission to a graduate degree program must submit valid scores (scores obtained within the last five years) from the GRE general test to the graduate college. Some degree programs require scores from a subject test. Please refer to the individual program descriptions in this catalog to determine which programs require this information. The GRE is administered by the educational testing service. The current GRE Information and registration bulletin is available on-line at www.gre.org.

(b) Graduate management admission test (GMAT)

Valid GMAT scores are required (scores must be obtained within the last five years). The GMAT is administered by the graduate management admission council (GMAC). The current GMAT bulletin of information and registration form is available on-line at www.mba.com.

(c) The Praxis series Programs that accept the PRAXIS score require applicants to submit Praxis II (NTE) scores (valid for ten years). The current Praxis information is available on-line at www.ets.org.

(d) TOEFL, MELAB, PTE, and IELTS

Valid TOEFL, MELAB, PTE, or IELTS scores (obtained within the last two years) are required of all applying for admission whose first language is not English. For more information, see www.ets.org, http://cambridgemichigan.org/test-takers/tests/melab/, https://pearsonpte.com/, or www.ielts.org.

Official TOEFL, MELAB, PTE, or IELTS score report recommended minimums are:

(i) 80 TOEFL IBT

(ii) 77 MELAB

(iii) 53 PTE

(iv) 6.5 IELTS

Applicants admitted with scores below these minimums or without scores are required to take english ESOL classes within their first two semesters of enrollment. Detailed information about these requirements is available on the ESOL program and graduate college websites.

Applicants are exempt from providing standardized language proficiency test scores if they:

(a) Are US citizens;

(b) Are from a country whose population speaks english as their first language; *

(c) Have a previous degree (associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate) from a US college/university or from a country in which instruction was delivered in english. *

*A complete list of qualifying countries can be found at: https://www.bgsu.edu/graduate/admissions.html.

Satisfactory completion of all required ESOL courses is mandatory for continued university funding and graduation. More information about the ESOL program's testing and courses is available at http://www.bgsu.edu/esol.

(e) International teaching assistants

All graduate assistants who will serve in instructional capacities (teaching, tutoring, laboratory sections, etc.) who are not native speakers of english must demonstrate that they are orally proficient in the english language prior to working with students. Please see international teaching assistant language policy - graduate https://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/generalcounsel/ documents/international-teaching-assistant-language-online-graduate.pdf.

(7) Transferring/applying to another degree program

Students who are currently admitted to a degree program or are completing a graduate degree and wish to be considered for admission to another degree program must complete the admission process for that particular degree program. Students may need to submit a new application for admission.

The following conditions must be met before a file can be forwarded for program evaluation:

(a) A new application must be submitted to the graduate college including required fees;

(b) Required test scores and transcripts must be submitted to the graduate college (if not already on file);

(c) Any specific degree program requirements must be met;

(d) If a transfer from one degree program to another is requested, the graduate coordinator of the degree program from which the transfer is being made must be notified by the student in writing.

When acceptance to a degree program is granted, the change in admission status will become effective at the start of the admit term.

(8) Deferral

Admitted applicants to the graduate college may defer their admission one time up to one year with the permission of the graduate program coordinator in the department to which the admission was granted. Applicants whose requests are denied or wishing to be considered for a later term must reapply. Deferrals apply to admission status only.

(9) Reactivation

If a student has had no registration activity for four or more semesters (including summer), the student will not be able to register for classes.

To apply for reactivation, a student must submit a graduate program reactivation form. Reactivation is subject to the approval of both the graduate coordinator and the graduate college dean or designate.

A degree program may request additional documents prior to approving reactivation.

Effective: 5/23/2019
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3345
Rule Amplifies: 3345
Prior Effective Dates: 03/24/2015, 11/02/2016, 02/17/2017, 02/27/2018, 10/23/2018, 12/03/2018