Graduate Admissions and Registration

Criteria for Admission

Admission to graduate study is open to qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, and national and ethnic origin. The minimum criteria for admission are specified below. Meeting the minimum admission criteria, however, does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program, nor acceptance in the School of Graduate Studies. Additional requirements may be found in the respective degree programs listed in the Academic Programs section of this catalog. In order to be officially admitted, applicants must receive a letter signed by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies informing them of their regular or conditional admission.

To be eligible for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, regardless of degree program, an applicant must:

• Have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Possess an undergraduate cumulative grade point average G.P.A. of 3.0 or better from all colleges and universities attended to be considered for regular (unconditional) admission. Students who possess a cumulative undergraduate G.P.A. of less than 3.0 but not below 2.5 may be considered for conditional admission. Post-bachelor’s undergraduate credits cannot be used to enhance G.P.A. requirements for admission to graduate study.
• Have satisfactorily completed certain minimum course work in designated areas depending on the discipline/program to which the student seeks admission. The specific courses and amount of work depends upon the field of study that the student proposes to enter.
• Submit a completed application for admission including a typed personal statement of academic and professional plans and the reasons for selecting Morgan State University.
• Arrange for official copies of all transcripts from all graduate and undergraduate institutions attended to be sent from the registrars of those institutions directly to the School of Graduate Studies.
• Arrange for official test scores (for those programs requiring them) on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) to be sent from the testing agency to the School of Graduate Studies. Test scores may not be more than 5 years old prior to the date of application.
• Have three letters of recommendation sent to the School of Graduate Studies from officials or faculty members of institutions previously attended who are acquainted with the applicant’s ability for graduate study or from employment supervisors where applicable.

Depending upon the degree program, a student may begin graduate work in the fall, spring, or summer.

Application Procedures

The applicant is solely responsible for presenting full credentials on or before the deadline date for the session of expected entrance. The application for admission to graduate study cannot be processed until all credentials are on file.

To be considered for financial aid, applications for admission for the Fall semester must be received by February 1, and applications for the Spring semester by November 1 of each year. Applications for the Summer sessions should be received by May 1 of each year.

Applications from seniors in their last semester of undergraduate study will be evaluated on the basis of their course work through the first semester of their senior year. Admission will be canceled if the credentials remain incomplete or do not meet the standards of the School of Graduate Studies or of the degree program by the start of the semester that the applicant seeks to enroll.

Students submitting false information when applying for admissions will be denied admission. Where the submission of false information is discovered after a student has been admitted the student will be removed from the School of Graduate Studies and may be subject to additional sanctions.

Non-Degree Status

The primary goal of the School of Graduate Studies is to facilitate the admission of students into academic programs leading to the award of master’s and doctoral degrees. Students who, at the point of applying to the School of Graduate Studies, have no degree objectives may enroll in select graduate courses to the extent that resources, academic requirements, and the availability of space allows. Pursuant to the provisions outlined below, students admitted as non-degree may subsequently apply for a degree program. Successful completion of graduate courses as a non-degree student does not guarantee admission to a master’s or doctoral degree program.

Students applying for non-degree status in the School of Graduate Studies must possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Students must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities that they attended in pursuit of the baccalaureate degree. Additionally, applicants for admission as non-degree students must also satisfy one of the following criteria:

• Possess a cumulative 3.0 grade point average covering all credits from all colleges and universities attended; or,
• Possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and has graduated from a college or university for five or more years; or,
• Earned a master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university; or,
• Places in the upper 50th percentile of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Miller’s Analogies Test (MAT), or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT); or,
• Provides a strong letter of support from a chairperson of a graduate degree program, or a coordinator of a graduate degree program, or from a faculty member who teaches graduate courses at Morgan.

Applicants admitted as non-degree students may enroll in a maximum of eight (8) credits a semester for a maximum of five years and must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Non degree students who fail to register for three consecutive academic semesters are no longer considered continuing students and will be required to submit a new application in order to continue with the balance of any remaining time in the initial five years. Students in a non-degree status are not eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of tuition awards, graduate assistantships or fellowships from the School of Graduate Studies.

Application to a Degree Program: Non-degree students who do not meet the criteria for unconditional or conditional admission to a degree program, may apply for admission to a degree program upon completion of a minimum of twelve graduate (12) credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Non-degree students applying for a degree program must meet all other criteria for admission to the degree program including, although not necessarily limited to:

• completed application to a degree program;
• original transcripts from all colleges and universities attended;
• three letters of reference;
• appropriate official test scores where required;
• interviews with program admission committees where required; and,
• submission of acceptable portfolios where required.

Non-Degree Credits Applied to Degree Programs

A non degree student who is admitted into a degree program may apply no more than twelve (12) credits, including elective and internship courses, towards satisfying the total number of credits required to earn the degree. Students in a degree program who are dismissed for academic reasons will not be granted non-degree status.

Retaining Academic Records

Admission credentials and the application data of applicants who are not admitted or who do not register in the semester for which they have been admitted are retained for one year. All credentials, including academic records from other institutions, become part of the official student record and will not be returned to the applicant. Unsolicited and unofficial materials will be discarded.

Applicants from Foreign Countries

Morgan State University accepts its responsibilities to the global village by providing opportunities for graduate study to citizens from many nations. International students enhance the life of the University and contribute to the education and professional, as well as, personal growth of all students and faculty members. The School of Graduate Studies welcomes applications from students who are not citizens of the United States but who have appropriate documentation from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) (including the 1-94 form) verifying their legal residence and/or student status in the United States. Applicants from foreign countries must meet all requirements for admission to School of Graduate Studies including having earned a baccalaureate degree as well as the Criteria for Admission listed above.

Before the application will be processed from a student who has completed secondary and post-secondary education outside the United States, the School of Graduate Studies must have received the following:

• A complete application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
• An evaluation of the applicant’s credentials from either Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., (ECE) P.O. Box 92920, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-0970, (414) 289-3400 or from World Educational Services (WES), P.O. Box 745, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 100113-0745, (212) 966-6311. Application forms for ECE or WES can be obtained by writing to the company or to the School of Graduate Studies. The application for evaluation of foreign credentials, however, must be sent directly to ECE or WES in strict accordance with their instructions.
• Provide test scores (for those programs requiring them) on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). (Test scores may not be more than 5 years old prior to the date of application).
• Three letters of recommendation from professors in the applicant’s field.
• A typed personal statement of academic and professional plans and the reasons for selecting Morgan State University.

Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Information about this examination may be obtained from TOEFL, Educational Testing Services, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (TOEFL scores are not required for applicants from the British Commonwealth, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania).

Applicants from other countries currently enrolled at another college in the United States may not register until they have been officially admitted to the School of Graduate Studies and have received written approval on their Form 1-94 from the United States Immigration Service permitting them to attend Morgan State University. In addition, such applicants must provide a completed Transfer Eligibility Certification form signed by the International Student Advisor at the institution from which they wish to transfer. Transferring international students must provide official documentation of one year of financial support before a new 1-20 can be issued.

Additional information concerning the requirements for foreign applicants may be obtained from the Office of the School of Graduate Studies.

English Language Proficiency

A good command of the English language is necessary for all students enrolled at the University. English is the language of instruction for all classes. Exams, written papers, theses and dissertations must be submitted in English. Applicants whose first or native language is not English must demonstrate their proficiency in English. A score, not more than 2 years old, on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted as part of the application for admission.

The TOEFL exam is given throughout the world several times a year. For information and application materials, write: TOEFL, Box 899, Princeton, N.J. 08541, U.S.A. Official scores should be sent directly to The School of Graduate Studies at Morgan State University in time to meet the deadline(s) for admission. Foreign applicants are exempt from submitting TOEFL scores where: (a) English is the native language of the student’s country of origin; or (b) for the past five (5) years, the student has be a legal alien, a naturalized citizen, or otherwise a legal resident of the United States; or (c) the student holds a bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, or professional (e.g., law or medicine) from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or where English was the language of instruction. Regardless of format, only official TOEFL scores are acceptable.

It is the responsibility of applicants from foreign countries to assure that all documents not written in English are accompanied by a literal English translation. The completed application should be sent to:

School of Graduate Studies
310 McKeldin Center
Morgan State University
1700 East Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21251

Information on Student Visas

The University is authorized by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to issue documents to enable international students to obtain the F-1 visa. Following academic admission to a degree program, the School of Graduate Studies reviews the language, financial, and visa qualifications of the applicant. If all documentation is in order, a “Certificate of Eligibility” (I-20 form) is issued to the prospective student. In order to request a visa for entry to the U.S. as a student, the “Certificate of Eligibility” (the I-20 form) must be submitted to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate along with any other required documents.

International students with F-1 visas must maintain full-time student status during the academic year (i.e., both Fall and Spring semesters). Before transferring to another college or university, they must attend the university (i.e., the institution that issued the I-20 form used to apply for entry to the U.S.) for at least 1 semester. International students are advised to pay particular attention to restrictions about employment and length of stay in the U.S. on their visa. International students are further advised that INS regulations restrict the employment of non-immigrant students. Work without prior INS authorization is prohibited and may carry severe penalties including deportation. Certain dependents of international students are not eligible to request permission neither to work nor to accept employment of any kind.

It is the responsibility of international students to maintain a valid visa status and to stay informed about current visa and/or INS regulations. Students are advised to consult with a U.S. consular officer in their home country for current information affecting their visa status. It is a requirement of the F-1 visa status that an international student report to the primary designated school official (PDSO) within one week of initial enrollment. The PDSO at Morgan is the International Students’ Advisor who is located in the University’s Counseling Center. A designated school official (DSO) is also located in the School of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Work by Morgan Seniors

With the approval of the chairpersons of departments concerned and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, seniors at Morgan State University who have completed 96 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better and who also possess a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their major may register for a maximum of six (6) credit hours of course work in the School of Graduate Studies.

Upon admission to the School of Graduate Studies, students may, when appropriate, have the credit earned for graduate courses taken as an undergraduate applied towards a graduate degree at Morgan. Or, with the prior written permission of the Department Chairperson in which their major is located, seniors may elect to have the credit earned for graduate courses applied towards a baccalaureate degree at Morgan. The credit earned, however, may be applied to satisfy degree requirements only once; either to complete requirements for the bachelor’s degree or, to complete graduate degree requirements. In order to be officially registered in a graduate course, undergraduates must:

• complete an form requesting to take graduate courses prior to the start of the graduate course;
• have their request form signed by the Chairperson (or the Chairperson’s designee) of the department in which the graduate course is taught;
• have their request signed by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies;
• complete a Drop/Add form with the graduate course(s) in which the student seeks enrollment filed with the Dean of the School of Graduate; and,
• be registered for the graduate course(s) by the School of Graduate Studies.

This policy applies to qualified seniors interested in enrolling in graduate courses. Undergraduates improperly enrolled in graduate courses may be administratively withdrawn from this course. Undergraduates who may be admitted to accelerated bachelor’s to master’s degree programs should consult their program requirements on registering for and the application of graduate courses to degree requirements.

Registration and Enrollment

Only persons who have received an official letter of admission from the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies may enroll in graduate courses. Once an official letter of admission, including a personal identification number (pin) has been received, students may register for graduate courses online through the WEB student information system.

Registration is not complete until all required fees and tuition have been paid. Students are not permitted to attend classes unless they are officially registered. Only those students whose names are shown on the official class roster are officially registered and will be eligible for a grade. Students should check with the course instructor to see if their names are listed on the class roster. If their names are not on the class roster, they should inquire about the absence of their names at the office of the School of Graduate Studies. Course instructors are not permitted to add names of students to the class roster.

Conflicting Policies

The School of Graduate Studies awards degrees in more than forty (40) disciplines. Each department may identify additional admission requirements for their graduate programs. Occasionally, departmental policies may conflict with or be inconsistent with those of the School of Graduate Studies. Where such conflicting policies exist, the policies of the School of Graduate Studies shall have precedence.