Application Processing
The Admission File
Completing an application may take from six to eight weeks, so the time to submit an application should be projected accordingly. Use the application checklist (domestic or international) to guide completing the application.
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, a student has the right to inspect his/her file in The Office of Graduate Studies. Reference letters submitted as part of a degree program application may also be inspected if all of the following conditions have been met:
- The student has been admitted to the degree program for which the letters were submitted.
- The student has attended graduate level courses within this program.
- The admission file does not contain a written waiver of the right to see reference letters.
Students should be aware that because of this legislation, all credentials submitted as part of an application become the property of the University and will not be returned to the applicant, or forwarded to a third party. However, copies of some educational records from other institutions may be forwarded to a third party provided the applicant submits a signed and dated written request specifying:
- The records he or she wishes to be released.
- The purpose of the disclosure
- The party or class of parties to whom disclosure may be made.
Note that individuals who are denied admission to a program of study are not entitled to have access to materials relating to the denied application.
The Graduate Studies Office is not permitted to make copies of any other university's transcripts for release to the student or for any office other than the students' academic department. Students must request copies of their transcripts to be sent directly from the universities where the credits were earned to The Office of Graduate Studies.
Preliminary Evaluation
When the application file is complete, The Office of Graduate Studies makes an evaluation to determine if the applicant meets the minimum admissions requirements. (See Admissions Criteria.) If the applicant does not meet the minimum requirements of The Office of Graduate Studies, admission to the degree program may be denied. The applicant will receive a copy of the summary evaluation and an explanation of the denial. The appropriate graduate program coordinator will also receive a copy of the summary evaluation.
Review by Graduate Program Advisor
If the applicant is eligible for admission, the file and summary evaluation are sent to the appropriate graduate program coordinator for a recommendation on the applicant's potential to succeed in the degree program. This recommendation is based primarily on the applicant's academic program record. No applicant is admitted to a degree program without a favorable recommendation from the program coordinator. If the application is denied, the applicant will receive a copy of the explanation of the denial.
Review by the Office of Graduate Studies
The Director of Graduate Admissions and Records reviews the program coordinator's recommendation. If the recommendation is favorable, the applicant is accepted into the degree program and assigned an admitted student classification.