GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Admission to a specific degree program is a selective process and is
governed by college and departmental requirements which may exceed the
University-wide standards. In addition to the numerical requirements of
grade point average and test scores, other factors which predict probable
success may be considered. These factors include: the quality of the
student's undergraduate preparation, determined by the nature of the
undergraduate institution attended and performance in specific courses;
student motivation and attitude, determined from letters of recommendation
written by undergraduate instructors and/or a personal interview; and
miscellaneous factors which might be relevant such as personality,
creativity, temperament, and innate talent (music, art, etc.). Preference
for admission to any semester will be given to those students whose
credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success in their
chosen course of study.
Documents submitted by applicants are evaluated and processed by the Office
of Admissions and forwarded to the appropriate academic departments for
review. The academic departments make the decision to admit or deny
admission and forward the decisions to the Office of Admissions.
International students also should refer to the section on International
Student Admissions.
Required Documents
Applicants for graduate admission must provide the Office of Admissions with
the following documents:
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
The application for admission and a nonrefundable $30 fee payable to the
University of West Florida should be submitted six to nine months prior to
the semester for which admission is desired. It is the policy of the
University not to defer or waive the application fee. The $30.00 application
fee must be in U.S. currency, drawn on a U.S. bank. This fee may also be
paid via MasterCard or Visa by calling toll free 1-888-529-1763 or locally
at 474-3036.
COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS
It is the responsibility of the applicants to have submitted to the Office
of Admissions two official transcripts from each college and university
attended. Graduates of UWF already have these on file if they have not
attended other institutions since graduation. Transcripts are considered
official when they are sent from a college or university directly to the
Office of Admissions and bear an official seal and signature. Transcripts
bearing the statement "Issued to Student," faxed transcripts, or transcripts
submitted by the applicants are not considered official.
Original documents or signed, officially certified photocopies of original
documents may be submitted by the student only when institutions outside the
U.S. will not send academic records to other institutions. The verifying
signature preferably should be that of an officer of the institution
attended. All academic records that are not in English must be accompanied
by certified English translations.
TEST SCORES
Official test results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are
required for all applicants except for those students requesting admission
to the College of Business. Official test results from the Graduate
Management Admissions Test (GMAT) are required for applicants to the College
of Business. It is recommended that the GRE or GMAT be taken no later than
April for the fall semester, October for the spring semester, or December
for the summer semester. The GRE or GMAT scores are considered official only
when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the Educational
Testing Service. Examinee copies are not considered official. Applicants to
the Ed.D. program should take the GRE one year prior to desired admission.
The GRE and GMAT are offered several times a year at numerous testing
centers in the U.S. and abroad. Advance application is required. Application
forms, as well as detailed information on the availability and character of
the examinations, may be obtained from the UWF Testing Office or by writing:
Educational Testing Service, Graduate Record Examinations, Box 6000,
Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000,
www.gre.org; or Educational Testing
Service, Graduate Management Admissions Test Program, Box 6103, Princeton,
New Jersey 08541-6103, www.gmat.org.
MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS
Some departments require additional information such as auditions,
portfolios, goal statements, letters of recommendation, departmental
applications, personal interviews, and diagnostic testing. Applicants should
contact the department directly regarding any special requirements. These
items should be sent directly to the department.
Deadlines for Applications and Supporting Documents
The final deadlines for applications and supporting documents for graduate
applicants with U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status are:
Fall Semester June 1
Spring Semester October 1
Summer Semester March 1
Because some departments have earlier deadlines, applicants should contact
specific academic departments for departmental deadlines. It is in an
applicant's best interest to apply early. Files completed after the
published deadlines may not be processed in time for the student to be
considered for enrollment in the desired semester.
Admission Policies
Admission to graduate study involves acceptance by the department or college
in which the applicant expects to study. Final admission to the University
is subject to approval by the department or college. While there are minimum
University admission requirements, the departments may set admission
standards significantly higher than these minima. Applicants must meet any
departmental requirements and the following criteria to be considered:
- Have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or
university. Applicants must hold, or be candidates for baccalaureate degrees
from regionally accredited institutions. Approval of applications from
undergraduate seniors is conditional upon the awarding of the baccalaureate
degree prior to commencement of graduate studies. Students who have
graduated from recognized, although nonaccredited, institutions may apply
for study as graduate students. See the subsection on Conditional Admission;
- Be in good standing at the institution of higher learning last attended.
Students who, for academic or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to
register in the college or university last attended will not be admitted for
graduate study;
- Meet at least one of the following three criteria:
- Have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours of course
work attempted in earning the bachelor's degree;
- Submit GRE scores (College of Business applicants must submit GMAT scores
in lieu of GRE). A minimum score of 1000 on the combined verbal and
quantitative portions of the general aptitude test of the GRE (minimum GMAT
score is 450) is required if the undergraduate GPA is below the minimum 3.0;
or
- Have earned a graduate degree from an accredited institution; and
- Be approved by the department or college of their intended major.
Although applicants may be admitted to graduate programs on the basis of
their GPA, GRE scores are required. GMAT scores are required for business
majors.
CONDITIONAL ADMISSION TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS
If students do not meet the above criteria but are recommended by the
appropriate department of UWF, applicants may be admitted on a conditional
basis. Also, students who have graduated from a non-regionally accredited
institution may be admitted on a conditional basis and are required to earn
at least an average grade of "B" during the first 12 semester hours of
graduate study at the University. Students admitted on a conditional basis
who fail to achieve the stipulations of their admission may be suspended
from the program.
SPECIALIST DEGREE APPLICANTS
Applicants must meet the minimum standards for admission to graduate
studies. In addition, individuals must meet the following requirements to be
considered:
- Have earned a master's degree from a regionally accredited college or
university;
- Meet two of the following:
- Composite score of 1000 on the combined verbal and quantitative portions
of the GRE, and
- Master's degree GPA of at least 3.25, or
- GPA of at least 3.0 on the last 60 semester hours of the bachelor's
degree;
- Submit a letter of intent with the names and addresses of three
professional references. At least two of the references should be persons
who are in positions to comment about the candidate's academic capability
and leadership potential. One of these references must be an instructor in
the candidate's master's degree program; and
- Submit a letter describing academic background including scholarly and
research interest. This letter should also include objectives while in the
program.
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION (ED.D.) PROGRAM APPLICANTS
Preference for admission to the Ed.D. program will be given to those
students whose credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success
in their chosen course of study.
Individuals who seek admission to the Ed.D. program must meet the following
entrance requirements to be considered:
- Have a master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
(some specialization areas require a master's degree in the field of study);
- Submit official GRE scores;
- Meet at least two of the following:
- Total quantitative and verbal GRE score of 1000 or higher, and
- A master's degree GPA of at least 3.5, or
- GPA of at least 3.0 on the last 60 semester hours of the bachelor's
degree;
- Submit three letters of recommendation from persons in positions to
comment about the applicant's academic capability and leadership potential;
- Submit a written statement to be reviewed by the department in which the
applicant states personal career goals and the way in which the Ed.D. will
help achieve those goals; and
- Attend an orientation session.
Documents are submitted to the Office of Admissions for initial evaluation
and processing. The applicant's file is then forwarded to the College of
Professional Studies for review by the appropriate specialization admissions
committee. The committee makes the decision to admit or deny admission and
forwards that decision to the Office of Admissions.
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