Graduate Admissions (Policy 33)

Purpose

This policy defines graduate student admission eligibility and classification criteria at Governors State University. Persons may be admitted as graduate students in one of the following two classifications: Degree Seeking, which includes Degree and Certificate, and Non-Degree Seeking. 

1. Graduate Degree Seeking Students: Degree Seeking Students are persons who plan to pursue a major leading to a master's degree, education specialist degree, doctoral degree, or graduate certificate.  
2. Graduate Non-Degree Seeking Students: Non-Degree Seeking Students are persons who do not intend to earn a degree, and who meet the minimum admission requirements.

The Policy

1. Scope

   This policy applies to graduate admission. Procedures for such graduate admission are outlined within.  

2. Eligibility for admission as graduate degree-seeking students 
   1. Persons have earned (or will have earned by the term they wish to enroll) a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, and
   2. Persons were in good standing at the last institution attended, and
   3. Persons have satisfied collegial and/or program criteria, if applicable, for graduate study in a specific major.
3. Responsibilities for applicants as graduate degree-seeking
   1. Applicants must complete and submit a graduate application form to the Office of Admissions and
   2. Applicants must ensure that official transcripts or other official documents indicating the achievement of the criteria described in sections II.A.1 – II.A.3 are submitted to the Office of Admissions prior to the admission/credential deadline for the term in which enrollment is desired.
4. Eligibility for admission of graduate Non-Degree seeking students
   1. Persons are eligible for admission as graduate non-degree seeking students only if they have a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited institution.
   2. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible to earn a Governors State University degree while in non-degree seeking status. If, at some later date, a non-degree seeking student chooses to pursue a degree program, formal application and admission to a specific program is required.
   3. Coursework completed as a non-degree seeking student does not automatically apply to a degree program. The application of such courses to degree requirements is governed by the policies established by the University and the dean and faculty of each college in effect at the time of admission to a degree program. The number of credit hours can be determined by programs. Transfer of credits earned in non-degree seeking status to a degree program requires final approval by the appropriate academic dean.
   4. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for University-administered financial aid.
   5. A person on an F-1 visa issued by another university is not eligible to enroll as a non-degree seeking student unless the sponsoring university verifies enrollment in a degree program.

5. Graduate Special Admissions

   Graduate applicants who are not eligible for admission as defined elsewhere in this policy, but who have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited post-secondary institution, may petition for admission as degree-seeking students under the Policy on Readmissions and Special Admission and procedures established by the University and the Office of Admissions.