Graduate Admissions for U.S. students
What are the admission requirements?
To be eligible for consideration for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, a candidate must meet at a minimum one of the following criteria:
- Possess at least an overall 2.75 GPA in your previous undergraduate and graduate records.
- Possess a GPA of at least 2.75 in the last half of your undergraduate work.
- Achieve a 480 or higher verbal score on the GRE examination.
- Achieve a 520 or higher quantitative score on the GRE examination.
- Achieve a 470 or higher on the GMAT examination. (The GMAT is required of all MBA applicants.)
The GRE is required of all applicants except for those applying to the MBA program.
The GMAT is required of all MBA applicants.
Some programs have additional admission requirements that are detailed at the beginning of each program description in this bulletin.
When do I apply?
If you intend to start classes in September, you should begin the application process in the fall or early winter of the preceding year. Spring semester begins in mid-January and the application process should begin in the preceding spring. Whether you plan to attend full-time, part-time, or as a non-degree student, you should apply at least two semesters before you plan to begin at SCSU.
Make sure to check the deadlines established by your program detailed below. A substantial number, but not all of SCSU's graduate programs, will start new students both fall and spring semester and during the summer sessions.
Time is needed to carefully complete the many steps of the application process — to collect letters of recommendation, to complete the application, to request all previous transcripts, to complete program interviews if required, to take entrance examinations (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL), and in some cases to meet with faculty of your intended department.
Graduate Program Admission Deadlines
| U.S. Citizens and Residents: Postmarked Deadlines for Application Materials | ||
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
| All materials must be mailed by this POSTMARKED DATE | All materials must be mailed by this POSTMARKED DATE | |
| Master of Arts | ||
| Biology: Cell, Molecular, and Organismal | June 1 | October 1 |
| Biology: Ecology and Natural Resources | June 1 | October 1 |
| English | June 1 | October 1 |
| English-TESL | June 1 | October 1 |
| History | June 1 | October 1 |
| History-Public History | June 1 | October 1 |
| Master of Business Administration | ||
| Master of Business Administration - St. Cloud campus | Rolling Admissions | Rolling Admissions |
| Master of Business Administration - Maple Grove cohort | Rolling Admissions | Rolling Admissions |
| Master of Engineering Management | ||
| Master of Engineering Management - St. Cloud campus | June 1 | October 1 |
| Master of Engineering Management - St. Paul cohort | June 1 | October 1 |
| Master of Music | ||
| Music:Conducting | June 1 | October 1 |
| Music: Education | June 1 | October 1 |
| Music: Piano Pedagogy | June 1 | October 1 |
| Master of Science | ||
| Applied Behavior Analysis - St. Cloud campus | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Applied Behavior Analysis - Online cohort | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Applied Economics | June 1 | October 1 |
| Applied Statistics | June 1 | October 1 |
| Child and Family Studies | June 1 | October 1 |
| College Counseling and Student Development | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Communication Disorders | February 1 | No spring entry |
| Community Education | June 1 | October 1 |
| Counseling Psychology - Community | February 1 | No spring entry |
| Counseling Psychology - School | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Counseling Psychology - Rehabilitation | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Computer Science | March 1 | October 1 |
| Criminal Justice | June 1 | October 1 |
| Cultural Resource Management/Archeology | June 1 | No spring entry |
| Curriculum and Instruction - St. Cloud campus | June 1 | October 1 |
| Curriculum and Instruction - Cohort model | June 1 | October 1 |
| Educational Administration and Leadership | June 1 | October 1 |
| Electrical Engineering | June 1 | October 1 |
| English | June 1 | October 1 |
| Environmental andTechnological Studies | June 1 | October 1 |
| Exercise Science | June 1 | October 1 |
| Geography | June 1 | October 1 |
| Gerontology | June 1 | October 1 |
| Higher Education Administration - Weekend cohort | June 1 | October 1 |
| History | June 1 | October 1 |
| Industrial/Organizational Psychology | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Information Media - Education Media | June 1 | October 1 |
| Information Media - Instructional Design and Training | June 1 | October 1 |
| Information Media - Information Technologies | June 1 | October 1 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Mass Communications | June 1 | October 1 |
| Mathematics | June 1 | October 1 |
| Mechanical Engineering | June 1 | October 1 |
| Physical Education | June 1 | October 1 |
| Public and Non-profit Institutions | June 1 | October 1 |
| Public Safety Executive Leadership | June 1 | October 1 |
| Regulatory Affairs and Services | Rolling Admissions | Rolling Admissions |
| Social Responsibility | June 1 | October 1 |
| Special Education | June 1 | October 1 |
| Sports Management | June 1 | October 1 |
| Special Studies - Individualized Master's Degree | June 1 | October 1 |
| Master of Social Work | Rolling Admissions - June 1 | No spring entry |
| Specialist Degree | ||
| Educational Administration and Leadership | June 1 | October 1 |
| 5th Year Certificate Program for Teachers | ||
| Child and Family Studies | June 1 | October 1 |
| 6th Year Program | ||
| Educational Administration and Leadership | June 1 | October 1 |
| Graduate Certificate | ||
| Autism | June 1 | October 1 |
| Chemical Dependency | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Design for E-Learning | June 1 | October 1 |
| Geographic Information Science | June 1 | October 1 |
| Gerontology | June 1 | October 1 |
| Instructional Technology | June 1 | October 1 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Reading Teacher K-12 | June 1 | October 1 |
| School Counseling | March 1 | No spring entry |
| Special Education - Learning Disabilities | June 1 | October 1 |
| Special Education - Emotional/Behavioral Disorders | June 1 | October 1 |
| Special Education - Developmental Disabilities | June 1 | October 1 |
| Special Education - Physical/Health Disabilities | June 1 | October 1 |
| Teacher Leader | June 1 | October 1 |
To Apply
Prospective students may apply online or may download all application materials from our Web site and mail them to the School of Graduate Studies.
- Click here to apply online
- Download application materials
- If you would like materials mailed to you, please E-mail graduatestudies@stcloudstate.edu. Include your mailing address and program(s) of interest.
What do I need to submit?
A completed application consists of the following:
- Graduate admission application and a $35.00 non-refundable application fee payable to SCSU.
- Three reference forms from individuals who are able to address your academic qualifications and ability to succeed in your chosen program and profession.
- One copy of all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Transcripts must be submitted directly by each institution to the School of Graduate Studies. Transcripts submitted by students cannot be accepted. Transcripts of SCSU course work do not need to be submitted. Applicants who apply before receiving their baccalaureate degree will be required to submit an additional transcript once their degree is conferred.
- GRE scores are required for all degree programs but the MBA.
- GMAT scores are required for the MBA program.
- A test of English proficiency is required of all applicants whose first language is other than English.
- Additional admission materials required by the program to which you are applying. See program descriptions to determine if additional materials or interviews are needed.
- NOTE: The School of Graduate Studies and the individual programs within it reserve the right to request additional information when they believe it is necessary.
When all official materials have been received at the School of Graduate Studies, your admission file will be sent to the department for review. An admission recommendation will be made at the departmental level and will then be returned to the School of Graduate Studies' dean for final review. A letter will be mailed to you after the admission decision has been made.
Admission Test Information
All applicants for admission to a graduate degree program are required to take the appropriate admission examination. The GRE and GMAT examinations are primarily available through a computerized testing format.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required for admission to the Master of Business Administration program. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is required for all other specialist, master of arts, master of engineering management, master of music, master of science degree, sixth-year programs, and the GIS certificate.
Acceptance of GRE or GMAT scores more than five years old requires a review by the graduate dean and the department chairperson. Substitution of any graduate entrance examination for the GRE or GMAT is subject to approval of the graduate dean and department. Substitutions may be given for applicants who hold an advanced degree from an accredited graduate institution.
GRE
The GRE is offered at the SCSU Testing Center
SCSU has a Testing Center located on the SCSU campus in Atwood Memorial
Center. The Testing Center administers the GRE examination.
A student may schedule a date to take the computerized examinations. Telephone:
320.308.5456 or E-mail: cbttesting@stcloudstate.edu.
For other locations in the United States visit:
| GRE P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ, USA 08541-6000 |
|
| Phone : 609.771.7675 | Fax: 609.771.7906 |
| Toll free: 1.800.GRE.CALL | E-mail: gre-info@ets.org |
| Web: www.gre.org | |
GRE Fee Reduction
The GRE Board makes available a limited number of GRE fee reduction certificates for college seniors and unenrolled college graduates who meet eligibility requirements. Fee reduction certificates may be used for one general test and one subject test.
To be eligible, you must be:
a U.S. citizen or resident alien,
and
a college senior receiving financial aid through an undergraduate college in the U.S., a U.S. territory, or Puerto Rico, or a returning unenrolled college graduate who has applied for financial aid,
and either
a dependent college senior whose Free Application for Federal Student Aid report shows a parental contribution of not more than $1,400 for the senior year,
or
an independent college senior whose FAFSA shows a contribution of not more than $1,800 for the senior year,
or
an unenrolled college graduate whose FAFSA indicates independent status and a contribution of not more than $1,800.
To apply for a GRE fee reduction certificate
If you meet these eligibility requirements and want to apply for a fee reduction certificate, please contact your financial aid office to see if you qualify. Once your eligibility is established, the financial aid office will issue a fee reduction certificate. When using a fee reduction certificate, the applicant is required to register for the GRE by mail through ETS, using the appropriate registration form found in the GRE Information and Registration Bulletin. If you are registering for more than one test, all registration materials must be received together with the fee reduction certificate or your registration form will be returned to you unprocessed. Letter requests, photocopies, and faxes of fee reduction certificates will not be accepted. Fee reduction certificates are not retroactive and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.
GMAT
The GMAT is offered at the SCSU Testing Center
SCSU has a Testing Center located on the SCSU campus in Atwood Memorial Center. The Testing Center administers the GMAT examination. A student may schedule a date to take the computerized examinations. Telephone: 320.308.5456 or E-mail: cbttesting@stcloudstate.edu.
The GMAT is also availalbe at the following Minnesota sites:
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For other locations in the United States visit:
| GMAT PO Box 6103, Princeton, NJ, USA 08541-6103 |
|
| Phone: 609.771.7330 | Fax: 609.883.4349 |
| Toll free: 1.800.462.8669 | E-mail: gmat@ets.org |
| Web: www.mba.org | |
Types of Admission Status
Students are admitted based on the strength of their undergraduate record and admission materials. An applicant may be unconditionally admitted, conditionally admitted, provisionally admitted, or receive a language admission.
Unconditional Admission — This status is granted to applicants who have fully satisfied the admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies. The unconditional admission status does not guarantee approval of a student's admission to candidacy for a degree program.
Conditional — This status is granted to applicants who do not satisfy the minimum GPA or the minimum GRE score requirements, and who have deficiencies in their undergraduate preparation. The offer of a conditional admission is recommended at the program level. An applicant who has been admitted conditionally will complete an educational plan with his or her department and the graduate dean, that specifies a minimum of nine credits to be completed with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher. Upon completion of this requirement, the student's academic record will be reviewed for consideration to be granted unconditional admission.
Provisional — This status is granted, at a department's request, to academically strong applicants whose application files are missing an item. A provisional admission status allows the applicant to start classes, but within the first semester the applicant must submit the missing materials. Applicants will not be allowed to continue as a provisionally admitted student beyond one term.
Denial of Admission
This determination means that a student has been denied admission to a degree
program and may not earn a master's degree from St. Cloud State University
even if he or she has successfully completed advanced courses. Reapplication
does not guarantee admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
Readmission
SCSU recognizes the need of students who, because of family obligations, health
concerns, employment or other concerns, must "stop out" from their
graduate education plans. Please provide written notification to your adviser
and the School of Graduate Studies if you need to "stop out" from
your program and include a date when we may anticipate your return.
However slowly or rapidly a student may be able to return to SCSU, the maximum time limit for valid course work is seven years. If you are returning to SCSU we encourage you to immediately contact your graduate adviser to review changes in curriculum, licensure requirements, and departmental updates. Your graduate plan will need to be updated and may need new approval.
An extended absence from SCSU may require readmission. This circumstance varies greatly by department as licensing rules and curricula may progress with industry needs. Most application files are maintained for five years. If your application or departmental file no longer exists, it may be necessary to submit new admission materials, to be reconsidered for admission.
MnSCU Board Policy — 3.4 Admissions, Part 5, Subpart
G
Students who have been suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons from
any post-secondary institution may be denied admission to a MnSCU college
or university.
Additional Information — The School of Graduate Studies and the individual programs within it reserve the right to request additional information when they believe it is necessary.
Admission Policies and Standards
The St. Cloud State University School of Graduate Studies complies with all NAGAP (National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals) ethics policies and standards. A list of NAGAP ethics policies and standards can be found by clicking here.
