Admission Standards

No applicant is accepted or rejected because of race, color, sex, age, creed, national origin, or disability, and it is expected that the student body will reflect a wide range of cultural values and backgrounds.

Master’s Degree Program and Certificate Program Standard

The minimum standards include a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and the recommendation of the graduate program coordinator. Students who have done previous graduate work must have a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.0 to be considered for admission to a graduate program. 

Doctoral, Sixth Year Certificate, and Post-Master's Certificates

The minimum standards include a master 's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, a grade point average of at least 3.0, and the recommendation of the graduate program coordinator. Transcripts from institutions without Regional Accreditation, but that are licensed to operate in Connecticut, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Provost or his/her designee.

Most graduate programs have requirements that go beyond minimum School of Graduate and Professional Studies requirements. Information on program specific requirements can be found on departmental websites: https://www.southernct.edu/academics 

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement for admission may be eligible for conditional admission under the provisions of the Graduate Council's "Policy and Procedure for Recommending Conditional Acceptance." The conditions of admission and the time frame for meeting the conditions are stated in the letter of acceptance sent to the student. Conditional acceptance is not granted for teacher certification programs unless approved by the Dean of the College of Education.

Students who fail to meet any or all terms of conditional acceptance will be dismissed. Following dismissal, students may continue to register for up to nine credits as a part-time, non-matriculant. After completing these additional nine credits as a non-matriculant, the student may reapply to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies if an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher has been achieved with no individual grade lower than "B" (3.0). Readmission is not guaranteed.

Those who seek admission to a graduate program apply online at the School of Graduate and Professional Studies website: https://grad.southernct.edu/admissions/. 

Questions about admissions procedures should be directed to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Questions about specific program content should be directed to the Graduate Program Coordinator or Department Chairperson identified in this catalog. Students who are planning to apply for financial aid should pay particular attention to deadlines for submission of financial aid forms and deadlines for matriculation.

Application

Complete and submit online an official application through the admissions portal: https://grad.southernct.edu/admissions/ 

Pay a $50, non-refundable, application fee when submitting the official application form. Applicants are required to pay the $50 application fee by credit card.

Applicants may only apply to one program in any given term, and may not be matriculated in more than one program at the same time. 

Applicants who wish to change the program of application, must resubmit another graduate application and pay the additional application fee.  Applicants who wish to change a concentration/track/option within the same degree program should email gradadmissions@southernct.edu with this request.

Application Deadline

Applicants are urged to submit the completed application and credentials well in advance of the semester for which they seek admission. Applying and completing your file by the deadlines will give you priority consideration for admission, and for some programs incomplete applications will not be considered after the deadline.

Although the School of Graduate and Professional Studies has a rolling admissions process for the fall and spring terms, many departments have established application deadlines for their programs. Those who are applying for programs that include teacher certification should allow a minimum of six months from receipt of application to admission.

Program specific deadlines can be found on the School of Graduate and Professional Studies' website: https://grad.southernct.edu/programs/. 

Transcripts

SCSU requires official transcripts of all previous academic work from every college or university attended. Transcripts received from the student are not considered official. Transcripts must be re-submitted when an applicant applies for subsequent graduate programs.

Official eTranscripts should be sent to GradDocs@southernct.edu. Official paper transcripts should be mailed to Southern CT State University, School of Graduate and Professional Studies, 501 Crescent Street, BU 444, New Haven, CT  06515.  

Transcripts from outside the United States must be evaluated (course by course) by one of the following NACES approved organization (www.naces.org), at the applicant’s expense .  The evaluation must be course-by-course, and include a copy of the transcript(s) evaluated:

• World Education Services, Inc., www.wes.org, Tel: 212.966.6311, Fax: 212.739.6100.
• Educational Credential Evaluations, Inc., www.ecmc.org, Tel: 1-855-810-4922, Fax: 866.296.8795

Applicants applying to Southern’s graduate programs, who participated in a Southern supported study-abroad program while enrolled as an undergraduate, may have their international credit evaluated by the Office of International Education, in lieu of having a transcript evaluation performed by a NACES member evaluation agency.

Supplemental Requirements

All additional application materials must be uploaded directly through the Graduate Admission Portal. Note: Official test scores must be submitted from the granting organization, and cannot be uploaded by the applicant. 

Specific requirements for each program are listed here: https://grad.southernct.edu/programs/ (clicking on the program name will reveal the requirements) and are presented in the admissions portal . Examples include: letters of recommendation; essay or personal statement; copy of certifications or licensures; resume; and official test scores.  

Resident aliens must provide a copy of their alien registration cards to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies or upload a copy (both sides) through the graduate admissions portal.

After fulfilling all requirements for admission, the applicant should meet with the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Application Status

The applicant is responsible for ensuring that all materials and documentation for the application file are complete. Applicants may view the status of their applications through the graduate admissions portal. Application files that are incomplete at the end of the first day of classes will be withdrawn.

Applicants that have pending applications (with no official decision), and who wish for their application to be moved to a future term, must notify the School of Graduate and Professional Studies in writing no later than the first day of classes for the term to which the applicant originally applied. Applications may only be moved within a year of the original date of the application. 

Acceptance

No student is officially accepted by the School of Graduate and Professional Studies until he or she receives a letter of acceptance from the Associate Dean of Graduate Enrollment Management, or designee within the School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Students who are admitted to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and who do not register for courses for the term for which they are admitted, are automatically withdrawn and will need to reapply.

Financial Aid

Students who seek financial aid must be matriculated by the end of the first week of classes in the semester for which they are applying to qualify for financial aid.

Accepting Admission

All admitted students must accept their admission to the university. Directions for doing so are provided in the notification of acceptance as well as within the admissions portal. 

 

Conditionally Matriculated Students

Applicants with no previous graduate coursework who have an undergraduate grade point average falling below 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission. Applicants with previous graduate coursework whose graduate grade point average falls below a 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission also. In the case of a graduate gpa below 3.0, the applicant needs to complete his/her first nine credits at Southern with a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. The conditions of admission and the timeframe for meeting the condition are stated in the letter of acceptance sent to the student. Conditional acceptance is not granted for teacher certification programs unless approved by the Dean of the College of Education. 

Students who fail to meet any or all terms of conditional acceptance will be dismissed. Following dismissal, students may continue to register for up to nine credits as a part-time, non-matriculant. After completing these additional nine credits as a non-matriculant, the student may reapply to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies if an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher has been achieved with no individual grade lower than "B" (3.0). Readmission is not guaranteed.

Students Granted Early Acceptance

A limited number of graduating seniors may be granted early acceptance to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Early acceptance requires an overall grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher, and a completed application file. Early admission is conditional. A final transcript noting the degree and date awarded must be received by the School of Graduate and Professional Studies prior to the beginning of the first semester of graduate enrollment. Failure to submit proof of degree by the start of classes, for the term the student was early admitted, will result in dismissal from the program.

Those programs that require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or other standardized admissions assessments may, at their discretion, waive the requirement for any applicant who currently holds a graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

All full-time and part-time matriculated students are required to have properly completed health forms on file at Student Health Services by August 1^st for the Fall semester and January 1^st for the Spring semester. The Connecticut State University Student Health Services Form and requirements can be found on the Student Health Services website. 

Connecticut State Statutes also require that all students living in campus housing are required to be vaccinated against meningitis A, C, W, Y within the past five years prior to enrollment unless there is a valid medical exemption signed by their healthcare provider. The meningitis B vaccine is also highly recommended. The university reserves the right to deny registration and campus housing to any student not in compliance.

 

International students are subject to all requirements for admission to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and all program requirements. In addition, to be considered for admission, each international applicant must submit a completed "Application for Admission to Graduate Study" form and meet the following requirements:

Hold the foreign equivalent of a United States bachelor's degree from an internationally recognized institution of higher education with an undergraduate grade point average of at least "B." (On various grading scales this would be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, 14 on a 20 point scale, 80.0 from Chinese institutions, 1st Class or Division from Indian institutions, and upper 2nd Class Honors from British systems. Other grading systems will be evaluated on receipt of transcripts and certified evaluation of those transcripts.)

Present certified copies and certified English translations of all academic achievements in each college or university attended. A diploma is not sufficient. The complete record of courses and marks earned and/or record of subjects and examination results must be received. Documents presented by applicants must detail the award of either a bachelor 's degree or equivalent or a graduate degree.

Provide a certified evaluation of foreign transcripts and credentials (course by course with grades) from World Education Services; or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc.  The evaluation must include a copy of the transcript(s) being evaluated.  Applicants are responsible for payment of fees charged by these agencies.

International applicants must submit an International Student Profile Form for Graduates, and a current and original bank statement verifying financial resources are available or guaranteed for the first calendar year at Southern. F1 students transferring from a college or university in the United States must also submit copies of all I-20 forms issued, copies of their visa, passport and I-94 card and a completed Transfer Form (the Transfer Form can be obtained at the International Student Office at SCSU.)

For applicants whose native language is not English, one of the following is required: a score of at least 550 written/213 computer/79 or above on Internet based exam on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); successful completion of ELS 112—English for Academic Purposes; an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher; Duolingo score of 105 or higher; or Pearson Language Test with a score of 53 or higher, or an earned (Associate, Bachelor, Master, or Doctoral) degree from within the United States. Each student should request that his or her score be sent directly to the Southern's School of Graduate & Professional Studies (Code 3662). TOEFL scores are valid only for two years from expected date of acceptance.

Applicants who wish to begin graduate studies must submit all credentials required by the International Student Services by April 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Applicants transferring from a college or university within the U.S. must submit their application and International Student Profile Form by July 1 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester.

Permanent Residents must provide a copy of their Permanent Resident card.

The Internal Revenue Service requires the university to apply U.S. withholding and reporting rules consistent with the U.S. tax status of resident and non-resident aliens. Resident aliens are taxed as U.S. citizens, while non-resident aliens are taxed under different withholding and reporting rules. Therefore, as part of the application process, the university requires additional information from international students. Once an application has been submitted, the School of Graduate & Professional Studies will email each international applicant with a Web site, login, and password to complete the additional information required by the United States federal government. Please provide a valid email address on your application. Your application cannot be processed until you have completed this requirement.

Note for International Applicants: in accordance with federal regulation 8 CFR 214.3(k), international students requesting an F-1 student visa to attend Southern Connecticut State University must receive full admission into the university. International students who do not meet the criteria for full admission should contact the School of Graduate & Professional Studies.

Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) is a participant in the New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Break Program (NEBHE). Residents of other New England states (MA, ME, NH, RI, VT), along with residents of the state of New Jersey (NJ) New York (NY); and Pennsylvania (PA), may enroll at the Connecticut resident tuition rate plus 50 percent, which is less than the out-of-state student rate. Full-time students may be enrolled in any degree program to receive the discounted tuition rate; all part-time students are charged the in-state rate regardless of their residency. Detailed information regarding the NEBHE rate can be found here: https://inside.southernct.edu/onestop/bill-payment/tuition-fees.

For more information regarding NEBHE, contact:
SCSU School of Graduate & Professional Studies
phone (203) 392-5240
e-mail: gpsinfo@southernct.edu

Students who previously attended Southern Connecticut State University may apply to return to the university to continue their studies. If approved for readmission, students will return in the current catalog year with their previous academic standing still in effect. The readmission options below outline the appropriate application pathway:

• The Graduate Application  is for a returning student who (1) after leaving Southern, earned 9 or more credits at another institution, (2) was previously dismissed and at least one semester has lapsed (must include a petition to the graduate program coordinator describing why they will be successful if readmitted), or (3) was originally admitted to a master's degree or sixth-year certificate more than six years ago, or a doctoral degree more than seven years ago. 
• The Readmission Application is for all other returning students who would like to be reinstated to their last approved program of study.

Admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching Programs

The College of education, alone and in partnership with the College of Arts & Sciences offers the Master of Arts in Teaching program in various areas of study, that prepare candidates for Connecticut Teacher certification.

The admission requirements are as follows:

1. Completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a total undergraduate GPA of at least 2.70; And, if applicable, a SCSU undergraduate GPA of at least 2.70.
2. Completion of a subject-area major and meet the required content knowledge set by the CSDE regulations for the area of endorsement. Candidates may be required to complete specific courses prior to admission or prior to the completion of their program program. The content knowledge exams (Praxis® II or ACTFL) can be used to replace some of the required subject-area content for the following concentrations (Sciences, Math & World Languages). (This is a requirement for all MAT programs except Comprehensive special education).
3. Completion of general education coursework that meets the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) standards for certification (currently 39 credits distributed across 5 of 6 areas and including a 3-credit U.S. history survey course). Applicants will be considered for admission if there are fewer than 12 credits of general education outstanding. These standards must be met prior to graduation.  (This is a requirement for all MAT programs except Comprehensive special education).
4. Submission of basic skills test scores in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing (Praxis® Core) to satisfy the State of Connecticut competency examination requirement or meet the requirements for a waiver. Candidates who do not achieve a satisfactory score will be required to participate in remediation plans. Students qualify for a Praxis® Core waiver if (1) they have an SAT score no less than 530 on the mathematics portion, and no less than 540 on the evidenced-based reading and writing, or (2) an ACT score of 21 or higher on the Reading  subtest and no less than 21  on the mathematics subtest. Scores must be within last five years.
5. Passing scores on required state content knowledge examinations in the certification area (for MAT-Sciences only).
6. Submit the College of Education admission essay demonstrating a proficiency in English
7. Pass the department admission committee interview.

Admission to the Educator Certification programs 

In addition to the admission requirements of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, applicants to all programs that prepare students for educator and administrator certification (School Library Media, Reading, Educational Leadership, School Counseling and School Psychology) must also meet the following admission requirements:

1. Completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a total undergraduate GPA of at least 2.70; And, if applicable, a SCSU undergraduate GPA of at least 2.70.
2. Submission of CT teaching certificate (for Reading and Educational Leadership programs only)
3. Submission of basic skills test scores in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing (Praxis® Core, SAT, ACT, GRE) to satisfy the State of Connecticut competency examination requirement.This requirement is waived for candidates holding a CT teaching certificate.

For a list of current programs leading to Educator certification, please see the Educator Certification tab the programs list page  (https://catalog.southernct.edu/graduate/programs-and-degrees/).

GPA Waiver

GPA waivers will be considered for applicants who have less than a 2.70 undergraduate GPA, but meet all other admission requirements, have strong support letters, pass the admission interview, and are recommended by the admission committee.

The amount of graduate work transferable to a graduate program is limited to a maximum of 9 credits for programs between 30-36 credits, or 25 percent of the total credits for programs of different lengths, not including prerequisites. Many graduate programs have more restrictive policies. To transfer credit, the following criteria must be met:

• Graduate level from a regionally accredited institution.
• Courses from institutions without regional accreditation, but that are licensed to operate in Connecticut, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the provost or designee.
• Passed with a grade of "B" (3.0) or higher; pass/fail courses may not be transferred.
• Within the six-year limit at the time of graduation.
• Recorded on an official transcript from the granting institution.
• Included on the planned program by the graduate program advisor.
• Transfer credit may not have been used towards a previously earned degree.
• Transfer credit towards a sixth-year certificate must have been earned after the master's degree.

Students must submit an official transcript showing proof of completion of the course(s) to be transferred. Credit hours only, not grades, may be transferred. No transfer credit will be posted until the student has been accepted into a graduate program. The GPA is computed for grades earned at Southern only. Transferred courses cannot be revalidated if beyond the six-year limit for inclusion in a graduate program.

Visiting and non-degree seeking students with a prior bachelor's degree or higher are considered graduate non-matriculated students and the following policies apply:

• Students are eligible to register part-time only or less than 9 credits in the fall and spring semester.
• Departments have the right to exclude non-matriculated students from courses offered, but when permitted, students must meet any course prerequisites needed to register.
• All courses are applied to the graduate transcript.
• All students are subject to the academic policies of the university.
• All courses are billed at the graduate rate.
• Non-matriculated students are not eligible for financial aid or on-campus housing.
• If a student matriculates to a graduate program later, a maximum of 9 credits completed as a non-matriculated student may be applied to a graduate program, or at the department’s discretion, up to 25 percent of the total credits for programs requiring 36 credits or more.