Policies

Admission to Doctoral Study

Admission to Doctoral Study

(Graduate Policy 2.1)

Admission to doctoral study is granted to a limited number of applicants. The successful applicant will have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited institution, in a program that provides suitable preparation for doctoral-level studies in the applicant’s field. The academic records of the applicant must indicate probable success in the desired program. An applicant who does not have a graduate degree must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all coursework applied to the most recent undergraduate degree earned, or have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester credit hours of coursework applied to the most recent undergraduate degree earned. An applicant with a graduate degree must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale in all coursework applied to the most recent graduate degree earned. Individual academic units may have higher minimum standards. Only in unusual cases, where clear and substantive evidence justifies such action, will students be admitted who do not meet these standards.

Each applicant must submit:

• Transcripts covering all university-level education
• Three letters of recommendation pertaining to the applicant’s academic and professional performance, at least one of which must be from a person familiar with the individual’s previous academic performance
• A résumé of academic and work experience
• A completed application for admission
• A statement of objectives

Acceptance requires a written recommendation endorsed, at the option of the academic unit head, by either:

• At least 3/4 of the full-time graduate faculty of the admitting academic unit, or
• All members of a doctoral application review committee chaired by the academic unit head and including at least three other full-time doctoral-level members of the graduate faculty.

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