Admission
Admission to the School of Graduate Studies is granted by the Dean of Graduate Studies upon recommendation of the department in which the applicant wishes to do major work. Students in combined baccalaureate/master's programs must follow standard procedures for admission to the School of Graduate Studies. Admission is required before registration in any course for graduate credit.
The complete application for admission, including supporting materials, should be received by the School of Graduate Studies at least four weeks before the beginning of the term in which the applicant plans to register. Youngstown State University admits graduate students in the fall, spring, and summer semesters, except for students majoring in Physical Therapy, who must enter only during the summer semester, and Social Work, who may enter only during the fall semester.
Application Procedure-Domestic
There are three ways to apply for admission to the School of Graduate Studies:
(1) Go to online application. Students using this method are required to pay the admission fee by credit card or electronic check.
(2) IPDF application form. The form may be completed on the computer screen, printed, signed, and mailed to the Bursar’s Office with the appropriate fee.
(3) Paper application: Contact the School of Graduate Studies for an Application for Graduate Program Admission. This form must be submitted with the appropriate fee to the Bursar’s Office.
Contact the School of Graduate Studies for more information about these options.
Applicants must see that one transcript from each college or university attended, except YSU, is sent to the School of Graduate Studies. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to the School of Graduate Studies. Personal or unofficial transcripts issued to the student or those delivered or sent by the applicant instead of the institution will not be accepted.
Applications for admission cannot be reviewed until official transcripts of all previous college or university work are received. The applicant must see that these reach the School of Graduate Studies at the earliest possible date. Omission of information required on the application form will necessitate requests for the additional information and therefore delay processing of the application, so the applicant should provide all requested information in the first submission of materials. As soon as possible after receipt of application materials, the Graduate Dean will notify the student of the action taken on the application and, if the student is admitted, will provide information on registration procedures.
Admission Requirements
Minimum requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies are:
* A bachelor's degree from a college or university certified by a national accrediting agency, approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
* An unrecalculated cumulative grade-point average in undergraduate work of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (some programs require higher GPAs). If an undergraduate course has been repeated, all grades received will figure in the calculation of the grade-point average.
* Satisfactory preparation for the graduate program in which the student wishes to enroll as specified by the department of the major.
* A test of written/spoken English, which the University reserves the right to request, of any entering graduate student whose primary language is not English.
* Degree-seeking students having an undergraduate GPA below 2.7 must present a satisfactory score on the general test of the Graduate Record Exam, the Miller Analogies Test, or graduate level subject-specific exam as specified by the department of the major.
The applicant is reminded to check specific admission requirements of the program in which he/she wishes to enroll to determine whether there are any additional requirements.
Types of Admission
Regular
Regular admission will be granted to students who satisfy the admission requirements for the master's program in which they wish to enroll. Other categories are available as noted.
Provisional
Upon recommendation of Program Director and/or Chair and subject to the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, a student may be accepted with provisional admission if his/her undergraduate record shows slight deficiencies compared to the admission requirements of the program to which the student seeks entrance. Students who are admitted with provisional status may be required to make up deficiencies by taking the appropriate tests and/or courses without graduate credit. The academic record of provisional students will be reviewed when 9 semester hours of degree-credit coursework are completed. The Program Director and/or Chair will change the student’s status from provisional to regular if the deficiencies have been met and the student's record justifies such a change. The advisor will report the change to the Dean of Graduate Studies on the Action on Provisional Status form.
Non-Degree
Nondegree status provides an opportunity for individuals who hold a baccalaureate or higher degree to enroll in graduate classes for professional or personal development, personal enrichment, or to explore the possibility of entering a graduate degree program, without completion of the regular graduate admission process. Departments may require prior approval for nondegree student registration in departmental courses.
Status as a nondegree student is not an admission to a School of Graduate Studies Degree or Graduate Certificate Program. Nondegree applicants are not required to submit credentials. Nondegree students must complete a nondegree application for graduate studies, which indicates their academic area of choice and includes a signed statement attesting that they have earned the baccalaureate degree. Nondegree students are required to pay the regular application fee. If a nondegree student decides to seek admission to a graduate program, no further application fees will be assessed, but all required credentials must be submitted. Within the nondegree status category, the Dean of Graduate Studies may permit a student to take courses as a Special
