Probationary Admission for Certificate Students

Ball State University recognizes that some students who do not meet the Graduate School GPA minimum may still be able to make a strong case for admission to a certificate program. In these cases, certificate programs may petition the dean of the Graduate School for probationary admission of a student whose grade point average from their degree-granting institution is less than 2.75 if there is sufficient evidence of the student's academic and/or professional achievement indicating their potential for success in a certificate program. Probationary admission requires the approval of the certificate program director, department chair, and dean of the Graduate School. Programs may also choose to not allow probationary admissions in their programs.

Students admitted on a probationary status must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their first 9 semester credits of graduate work.  The program director may also specify a specific probationary course plan for students admitted on probation, and will communicate this with them directly.  Upon the successful completion of 9 credits of graduate coursework with a minimum cumulative graduate 3.0 GPA, a student admitted under probationary status will be eligible to assume regular graduate student status. Students admitted under probationary status are not eligible for an assistantship until they assume regular student status.

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 be approved by the department chair, college dean and dean of the Graduate School. Upon the successful completion of 9 credits of graduate coursework with a minimum cumulative graduate 3.0 GPA, a student admitted under probationary status will be eligible to assume regular graduate student status.