Master’s Degree Admission

Application for Admission

A baccalaureate degree from Ball State University or an equivalent degree from an institution accredited by its regional accrediting association is a prerequisite for admission to graduate study for a master’s degree. An applicant with a baccalaureate degree not considered the equivalent of that of Ball State University may be considered for probationary admission to a master’s program.

Apply for admission to graduate study online at www.bsu.edu/gradschool.

To be eligible for registration, the student must be admitted to a graduate degree program, and the Graduate School must have received the graduate application and one official transcript from the institution granting the baccalaureate degree and each institution attended for undergraduate and graduate work. An official transcript is one that has been received directly from the issuing institution. It must bear that institution’s seal, the date, and an appropriate signature. Transcripts received that do not meet these requirements will not be considered official and will be rejected for any permanent use. All transcripts become the property of Ball State University.

Application Deadline

All application materials, including a completed application form and official transcripts, must be submitted to the Graduate School at least four weeks before the term in which the student wishes to begin graduate study. Departments may have earlier deadlines and require additional supporting credentials for admission. A prospective student should contact the major department for specific program deadlines and prerequisites. Enrollment for applicants whose admission materials arrive after the deadline may be deferred to a subsequent term.

Admission Standards

Admission standards are established for each master’s degree program at Ball State University by the responsible academic unit.  Students must, however meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for admission to graduate study toward a master’s degree:

1. Hold an earned bachelor’s degree from a college or university that is accredited by its regional accrediting association.
2. Satisfy one of the following:
   1. An undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (all undergraduate course work, including work completed prior to the baccalaureate degree, is used to calculate the GPA).
   2. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the latter half of the baccalaureate.
3. Meet departmental or program admission requirements.
4. Students who do not meet the conditions listed above may be eligible for probationary admission. In some cases the admitting academic program may not allow probationary admission.

Probationary admission may be achieved through the following:

Applicants who have a bachelor's degree from an institution that is not recognized by its regional accrediting association but who otherwise meet all Graduate School and department requirements for regular admission may request probationary admission. A recommendation for probationary admission from the graduate program director must be accompanied by a rationale and a probationary course plan of 9 credits for approval by the department chair, college dean and graduate dean. Once admitted on probation, the applicant must earn a 3.0 after completing the probationary course plan and be recommended for regular admission by the academic department.Compensatory course work may be required for students whose undergraduate majors do not prepare them for their chosen master’s degree programs. Any such course requirements in addition to the requirements for the degree must be stated in the approved programs.

Exceptions to admission policies must be approved in advance by the dean of the Graduate School.

An applicant who meets minimum Graduate School admissions standards is not guaranteed admission to a specific degree program.

After official admission to a master’s degree or certificate program, the student, with permission from the department, may defer enrollment for up to a semester.  If the deferral is longer than a semester, the student may reapply for admission but must submit new application materials and meet all current admission requirements.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who have not submitted complete departmental admission materials or who have not yet been officially admitted to their departmental master’s degree programs may be granted conditional admission. Students will be notified of conditions that must be met at the time of admission. If the conditions for a student’s admission have not been fulfilled within the time period specified (usually one academic semester), the student will be barred from subsequent registration in the Graduate School.

Fresh Start Admission

A graduate student may request a “fresh start” when changing or returning to a graduate program leading to a master’s degree at Ball State University. A “fresh start” is defined as beginning a graduate program and having the graduate academic record recalculated to reflect no credits attempted and no graduate grade point average for the new program. All graduate courses previously taken at Ball State University, however, will remain on the student’s academic record.

To be considered for a fresh start, the student must submit a graduate application and a written statement of purpose for seeking readmission to the dean of the Graduate School and must meet the following criteria:

• a period of time of no less than six years has expired since the student withdrew or was dismissed from a Ball State graduate program,
• the student’s previous graduate GPA is below the minimum required to earn a master’s degree (3.0 on a 4.0 scale),
• the student meets current Graduate School admission requirements, and the student has been recommended for admission into the program by the appropriate department.

Courses completed in a previous Ball State graduate program will not transfer or be applied to the requirements of the new program. The new program must be finished and the degree conferred within six years of the completion of the first new course. The student must complete a minimum of 30 credits, and the program of study must meet all departmental and Graduate School requirements.

Only one fresh start will be granted to any one graduate student at Ball State University. Final approval for a fresh start application rests with the dean of the Graduate School.

Admission as a Nondegree Student

Ball State University has two categories of nondegree admission:

1. Licensure Only (nondegree) —Licensure clearance is granted to students working toward any of the following:
• License renewal or addition (post-bachelor’s)
• School services personnel and school administration
2. Nondegree (Nonlicensure)—Ball State University recognizes the need of many persons to pursue educational programs that may be related to their employment or that will otherwise enrich their lives. For these reasons, students with baccalaureate or advanced degrees who do not have further degree objectives but desire personal and professional enrichment may be admitted to graduate study as nondegree students.

Both licensure and nonlicensure nondegree students must meet the following admission criteria:

1. Hold an earned bachelor’s degree from a college or university that is accredited by its regional accrediting association.
2. Satisfy one of the following:
   1. An undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (all undergraduate coursework, including work completed prior to the baccalaureate degree, is used to calculate the GPA).
   2. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the latter half of the baccalaureate.

Certificates and licensures are classified as a non-degree programs, please check with financial aid to see if these programs are aide eligible.  Nondegree students who later apply to a degree program must meet all entrance requirements of that program and must have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA in their nondegree coursework. No more than 9 credits earned in nondegree status may be applied to an advanced degree program if the person is later admitted as a degree-seeking student. The department in which the student is studying and the dean of the Graduate School will determine which credits earned in nondegree status will apply to a degree program. Credits must have been completed within the six-year time limit allowed for completion of a master’s degree.

Satisfactory Grade Point Average (GPA)

At any time after completion of 9 credits of graduate study, students must have and maintain at least a 3.0 graduate GPA.