Admission Requirements

Admission to university does not necessarily imply admission to one of the programs at the university. Some programs have program-specific applications and requirements which are listed on the program web sites.  In general, students should contact the program of interest before applying.

Official acceptance or denial is verified by a letter from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Students who are admitted but do not enroll within one year of acceptance must re-apply if they want to attend at a later date. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three semesters must also re-apply.

Admission requirements to credit-bearing distance learning courses are the same as admission requirements to courses offered in the traditional classroom.

International Students
International students are encouraged to attend North Georgia College & State University and should complete the International Application for Graduate Admission. Prospective students are advised to consult with the Office of Graduate Admissions  in terms of the most recent requirements regarding financial statements, I-20 and visa forms, resident status, health insurance requirements, and scores on English proficiency tests. International students must be regularly admitted and once admitted be enrolled full time for each term.

Transcripts
Applicants to master level programs and the DPT program must include one copy of an official transcript from each institution of higher education previously attended as part of their application. Candidates for the Education Specialist or Post-Graduate need only submit an official transcript from the institution where their master’s was earned. Educational Leadership Certification applicants need only submit official transcripts from the institution where their EdS was earned.

Entrance Testing Requirements
Consideration for admission as a regular, degree-seeking student and those applicants seeking initial teaching certification requires that the applicant submit qualifying scores on an appropriate entrance exam. These exams include the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Only those scores which are less than six years old will be considered. Student copies of test scores are not considered official. The type of entrance exam and qualifying score depends on the program the prospective candidate wishes to enter.

An applicant for admission to is exempt from the requirement to submit standardized test scores for some programs if the applicant meets the following criteria:

• The applicant possesses a master’s-level degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• The applicant is applying to a master’s-level degree program. Please note that the EdS and DPT programs are beyond the master’s level, and the Community Counseling Program does require a GRE test score for all applicants.

 
Immunization Certification Requirement
An immunization certification form, which is a Board of Regents’ policy, is required of all applicants.

Graduate Admissions Grade Point Average Calculation for Master Level Programs
The number of completed grade point average credits is the total of completed units taken for the baccalaureate and all credits taken beyond the bachelor's degree for which students received a letter grade A-F or WF (plus and minus points are not used).  If a student repeated a course, both attempts are used for the purpose of calculating the graduate admission grade point average. 

Standings in Admissions for the Physical Therapy DPT Program
Please see the Physical Therapy web site.

Standings in Graduate Admissions for the EdS Program and for International Students
Students in the Educational Specialist Degree Program in Teacher Leadership (EdS) and international students must be admitted with “regular” admission standing.  Candidates applying for the EdS program must have a master’s level grade point average of 3.25 (4.0) scale and post an entrance test score of at least 48/400 on the MAT or 1,000 on the GRE (verbal + quantitative combined) and must fulfill the other admissions requirements of the program. International students must meet the “regular” admission status criteria for their program of interest.

Standings in Graduate Admissions for the Community Counseling, Master of Education, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Nursing Education, and Master of Science Rural Primary Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are two primary standings of graduate admission.

·     Regular Standing: Individuals admitted with regular standing must have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with cumulative grade point average of a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale calculated as outlined above.

Applicants must also post an entrance test score of at least 44/394 on the MAT for Nursing and 40/391 for Education programs or a score of at least 800 on the GRE (verbal + quantitative) for Counseling, Nursing, and Public Administration and 900 on the GRE (verbal + quantitative) for Education graduate programs or a score of at least 420 on the GMAT for Public Administration.

Public Administration and Nursing Programs also offer a provisional admission standing.

·     Provisional Standing: To be admitted provisionally, applicants must have graduated from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average of between 2.50 and 2.74 (4.0 scale) as calculated as outlined above.

Applicants must also post a score on an appropriate entrance test score of not less than 700 on the GRE for Counseling, Nursing, and Public Administration and 800; or a score of not less than 27/366 on the MAT for Nursing; or a score of not less than 340 on the GMAT for Public Administration.

Students admitted provisionally may register for no more than six hours total of graduate credit. Within the first six hours of graduate course work, the provisionally admitted student may earn no grade less than B. Upon successful completion of course work under the provisional standing, the student will be admitted as a regular, degree-seeking student, assuming all other requirements have been met. 

Provisionally admitted students may not pre-register for courses and may not be eligible for financial aid and/or scholarships where such assistance programs require regular admission standing (contact the University Office of Student Financial Aid for details).

Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade of less than B in any graduate course taken during the provisional six hours will not be allowed to continue study at North Georgia College & State University.

For Public Administration and for certain Nursing students and Education non-degree students, there is, in addition to Regular and Provisional Admission standings, an Irregular Admission standing.

Irregular Status
Students who have not taken an entrance exam or whose entrance exam scores are not on file at the time of application may be considered for "irregular admission" for Public Administration, Nursing, and for applicants seeking admission for Education endorsement programs. Irregularly admitted students must at least meet the admission requirements of the provisional student as described above and must submit other required application material.

Irregularly admitted students may not pre-register for courses and may not be eligible for financial aid and/or scholarships where such assistance programs require regular admission standing (contact the University Office of Student Financial Aid for details).

Irregularly admitted students who earn a grade of less than B in any graduate course within the six hours allowed under this standing will not be allowed to continue study at North Georgia College & State University.

Irregularly admitted students may register for not more than six semester hours of graduate before successfully completing an appropriate admission test.

Should a qualifying entrance test score for the irregularly admitted student be received before he/she has registered for six semester hours of graduate work, the student may be considered for either regular or provisional admission, depending on the entrance test score. An acceptable entrance test score must be received by the Office of Graduate Admissions by the advertised first day of classes for a term (May 1 for summer term) in order for the irregularly admitted student to have the admission status changed to that of regular standing. 

Note for Provisional or Irregular Students
Students provisionally or irregularly admitted who choose to register for fewer than six semester hours of graduate course work during their first term at NGCSU will be limited to the number of hours that remain to create a total of six during the subsequent term(s). Thus, the provisional or irregular student who registers for one three-hour course during his/her first term at NGCSU may register for no more than three graduate credit hours the next term. This assumes that the student has made a grade of at least B during his/her first term.

A student who has been dismissed from the university because of a deficient grade may petition the Office of Graduate Admission for re-admission after a period of one year from the date he or she was removed. The Graduate Admissions will consider such requests for re-admission and respond in writing to the student with a decision within a reasonable time period.

Post-Graduate Admission
Individuals holding a graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university may be admitted as a post-graduate student. This is not a degree-seeking category of admission. Should an individual be admitted as a post-graduate student and subsequently decide to attain a graduate degree at North Georgia College & State University, he/she shall be held to meeting all requirements as noted for regular standing. No more than six semester hours of graduate credit earned while in this standing may be subsequently applied toward meeting the requirements of a graduate degree at NGCSU.

Transient Student Admission
An individual currently enrolled at another regionally accredited college or university as a graduate student in good standing may apply to attend NGCSU as a transient student. An application fee and the immunization form must accompany the application of those seeking transient status. In lieu of transcripts, those seeking admission as a transient student should submit a letter of good standing or "transient permission form" from his/her current institution.  The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and indicate the course(s) he/she is being allowed to take at North Georgia College & State University.

Transient admission is for one semester term only. Individuals who wish to return to NGCSU as a transient student for a subsequent term must re-apply to NGCSU.

Transfer Students
North Georgia College & State University welcomes students wishing to transfer into its graduate program from other regionally accredited graduate institutions. In order to earn a master’s degree at NGCSU, a student must earn a minimum of 24 hours of credit in residence applicable toward the degree. Some programs may require a higher number of credits in residence; consult the transfer-credit policy for the specific program. Such transfer credits must be approved by the student’s advisor and the program coordinator. All degree-related course work, including transfer course work, must be completed within a six-year period.

Appeal of Graduate Admission Denial at North Georgia College & State University
An applicant/student whose application is denied because his/her graduate admission cumulative grade point average is not at least the minimum requirement or an acceptable test score for appropriate entrance exam was not earned has the right to appeal the decision. Appeal of this decision must be made in written form to the Office of Graduate Admissions. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal and must reach the Office of Graduate Admissions in time to be heard by the Graduate Admission Appeals Committee, which meets near the end of each semester. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions (706-864-1543) for more information.