Doctoral Program Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to graduate study toward a doctoral degree, a student must

•  Hold an earned baccalaureate or equivalent degree from a college or university accredited by its regional accrediting association with a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 on hours earned from the degree-granting institution. A student with a baccalaureate degree not considered the equivalent to that of Ball State University may be admitted under conditions to be determined by the department concerned and the dean of the Graduate School. Credentials from international colleges, universities, and their equivalents outside the United States are evaluated by Graduate and International Admissions.

•  Submit one unofficial transcript of all previous college work, showing graduation from accredited institutions of higher learning with degrees awarded.

•  Meet any additional admission standards established by the academic unit responsible for each doctoral degree program.  A prospective student should contact the department or consult the department’s website and/or handbook for specific program requirements.

•  Be recommended for admission by the academic unit responsible for the doctoral degree program.

Some programs may require an earned master’s degree or equivalent for consideration for doctoral study. In such cases applicants must have a cumulative GPA on the master’s degree of at least 3.2 on a scale of 4.0. Applicants to these programs who have achieved a 3.2 GPA in their master’s degree, but have less than a 3.0 on their baccalaureate work, meet the Graduate School’s minimum GPA criteria.  Specific programs may have higher GPA requirements than the Graduate School minimums. Please see admission requirements on the departmental website and in departmental or program handbooks. The fulfillment of the minimum Graduate School admission standards listed above does not guarantee admission to a specific degree program. 

The faculty of the various graduate programs make recommendations for admission to the dean of the Graduate School. Offers of admission are not official until approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Official admission decisions are communicated to applicants by email from the dean of the Graduate School. 

Students may register for graduate courses leading to the doctoral degree only upon official acceptance into their program.

After official admission to a doctoral program, the student, with permission from the department, may defer enrollment for up to one year.  A deferral request must be approved by the program director or designee by the Thursday before the first week of classes for the original application term.  If the deferral is longer than a year, or the request is not approved within the allotted time, the student must reapply for admission, submit new application materials, and meet all current admission requirements.

Transcripts

At the time of application, students must submit unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended.  Once a student is recommended for acceptance into a program, then they must submit one official transcript from all institutions from which the applicant had any degrees or certificates awarded.  Students wishing to transfer graduate credit from another college or university also need to submit an official transcript from that institution.  Final official transcripts must be received within the first semester of enrollment.  An official transcript is one that has been received directly from the issuing institution, either by mail or electronically. 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. Applicants who are currently attending, or who have previously attended, Ball State University are not required to provide a Ball State transcript.  International students may have different transcript submission procedures than domestic students, and they should contact Graduate and International Admissions for specific information and requirements.

Standardized Tests

The Graduate School does not require programs to consider standardized test scores in admission.  Programs have complete discretion concerning whether they require standardized test scores. You should refer to your program’s graduate program handbook for more information about the admissions requirements and process for the program(s) you are interested in. If your program requires a standardized test score (GMAT or GRE), that score must be submitted to Ball State’s Office of Graduate Admission directly from the administering agency.

Other Documents

If the program(s) you are applying to require letters of recommendation, a resume or CV, a personal statement, or other documents, these can be submitted or requested through our online application process. A prospective student should contact the department or consult the department’s website and/or handbook for specific program requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure all deadlines and requirements are met.