National College of Education—Graduate
Admission Policies
Graduate credits toward a degree or toward certification offered by the University are earned only after formal admission to graduate study.
Students must apply for formal acceptance into a degree or certificate program. Applications remain active for one calendar year. Applications that are not complete after one year will be inactivated and an admission decision will not be made. Further registration will be prevented until the application is reactivated.
A maximum of nine semester hours (SH) of NCE credit taken as a non-degree seeking or admissions pending student prior to formal admission may apply toward a degree or certificate of advanced study. Students who fail to complete the admission process before the end of their first term will not be permitted to register for the next term. Only admitted students are eligible for federal financial aid and for graduate degrees.
In addition to the NLU Graduate Admission Requirements, applicants must submit all of the following to the Office of Admissions prior to consideration for admission to any NCE graduate program:
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended for applicants to certification programs; official transcripts from institutions in which a final degree was earned (showing the final degree) for applicants to NCE degree programs that do not lead to certification
- A list of three references to include supervisors, employers, professors or others who have known the applicant in a professional or academic capacity. Some programs require letters of recommendation. See admission requirements for individual programs.
Students who are seeking admission to an Illinois certification program or were certified prior to July 1, 1988, are required to pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. TAP scores are valid for 10 years. The TAP cannot be taken more than five times. Students from states other than Illinois where NLU certification programs may be offered must pass the equivalent test of basic skills administered through their state. This information must be verified by the Office of Admissions and Records.
To be admitted, applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and show evidence in undergraduate work of the ability to pursue graduate study, demonstrated by a grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale during the applicant’s junior and senior years. Applicants with graduate degrees from regionally accredited institutions will have only the GPA from that advanced degree count toward admission. To be eligible to enter an NCE graduate program with full admission status, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students with graduate GPAs below a 3.0 may be accepted with a four-course review status.
Other documents in support of the application are weighted according to the applicant’s individual profile and the specific academic requirements of the program for which he or she is applying. Interviews prior to admission may be required at the discretion of the program director.
Please see the Degrees section below and specific programs for additional admission requirements.
Status of Admitted Students
Full Admission
Students who meet all admission criteria are granted full admission status. If the grade point average of a fully admitted student falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. The student will be notified in writing and given the maximum of four graded courses (not P/N) or nine semester hours, whichever comes first, taken at NLU to raise his or her grade point average to 3.0. These courses may not be workshops, independent studies, transfer credits or internships/practicum, except when taken by veterans receiving benefits.
Admitted with Four-Course Review Status
Students who do not meet admission criteria, but show potential for successful graduate work, may be admitted with four-course review status. Applicants to Certificate of Advanced Study or Educational Specialist degree programs are not eligible for four-course review admission status. For Elementary Education and Secondary Education, GPAs below 2.5 will not be accepted for four-course review admission status.
A student admitted with four-course review status must maintain a 3.0 in either the first four graded courses or nine semester hours taken after admission, whichever comes first. These courses must be part of the degree requirements. These courses may not be professional development courses, workshops, transfer credits, independent studies, or internships/practicum, except when taken by veterans receiving benefits.
If the student has a minimum 3.0 GPA by the end of the review period, he or she will gain good academic standing. If the student’s GPA falls below 3.0 at the end of the review period, he or she will be dropped from the graduate school. Students admitted with four-course review status may not register for courses until they have met with an academic advisor.
Degrees
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
The M.A.T. degree is designed for students with bachelor’s degrees in fields other than education. It emphasizes entrance requirements to the teaching profession and provides basic certification by entitlement in early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education or special education in the State of Illinois.
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit toward a master’s degree may be transferred from another institution.
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
The M.Ed. degree is designed for certified professional teachers seeking advanced preparation for higher levels of professional competence in the classroom. The degree may also be available to other professionals in accordance with program-specific admission criteria.
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit toward a master’s degree may be transferred from another institution.
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)
The M.S.Ed. degree is designed for qualified certified candidates seeking preparation for leadership positions in education. The degree is also available to other professionals in accordance with program-specific admission criteria. The M.S.Ed. degree program is designed to enable students to pursue continued study at the post-master’s level.
M.S.Ed. students may meet the residency requirement of their program in any one of the following ways:
- One term of full-time study (eight semester hours) on campus
- Ten semester hours taken on campus in two consecutive terms
- Ten semester hours taken on campus in two consecutive summers
A maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit toward a master’s degree may be transferred from another institution.
Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.)
The C.A.S. is designed for those engaging in continued graduate study to add a new career dimension to his or her current professional competencies. Applicants for the C.A.S. must have a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and, if required by the program, a valid teaching certificate.
A maximum of one-third of post-master’s coursework may be transferred into the required semester hours. This must be graduate work for which a degree was not awarded.
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)
The Ed.S. degree is a post-master, pre-doctoral degree designed to meet the needs of school leaders who have completed their master’s level work and need advanced specialization in the areas of their master’s concentration.
In addition to the general NCE graduate admissions requirements, all applicants for the Ed.S. must:
- Have a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Submit four letters of recommendation
- Sit for an interview
Individual programs may require additional materials.
Students in an Ed.S. program are required to take 15 semester hours in no more than five consecutive academic quarters.
Six semester hours of transfer, workshop and professional development credit may be applied to the Ed.S. degree if approved by the student’s advisor. Students who transfer six semester hours of graduate credit from another accredited institution may not apply professional development credit.
Academic Policies
Graduate Admission and Retention Council
A student has the right to appeal to this Council for an exception to stated policy and to appeal decisions on matters pertaining to admission and retention. The decision to deny admission cannot be appealed.
Transfer between Graduate Programs
Please see Admissions for more information.
Hours Prior to Admission
A maximum of nine semester hours of NCE credit taken prior to formal admission may apply toward a degree or certificate. Acceptance of more than nine semester hours must be obtained through petition to the Graduate Admission and Retention Council and the director of the program.
Program Substitutions
Program substitutions may be made with the approval of the student’s advisor when they are consistent with accreditation and degree requirements. These should be reflected on the Student Adjustment Form and become part of the student’s official plan of study.
Core Course Waiver
Students who have taken graduate work at other institutions may have taken courses equivalent to required NCE core courses. Students must petition the Admission and Retention Council and present an official transcript and a course or catalog description for a waiver for a specific core course. If the course cannot be transferred, the student must substitute an approved course in the program to replace the waived course. If the petition is approved by the Admission and Retention Council, the core course waiver request is completed by the advisor on a Student Adjustment Form.
Course Load Limitation
Students pursue graduate studies on either a full- or part-time basis. Full-time students take between six and 10 semester hours of graduate study in a regular term. Those seeking to take more than 10 semester hours in a term must receive prior approval from the NCE Dean’s Office pending recommendation of the student’s advisor.
Transfer of Credit
In addition to the University criteria, the following apply to graduate transfer credit in NCE:
- Transfer credit may be prohibited or limited in certain academic programs
- Transferred credits are included in the number of maximum credits allowed for off-campus work
- Approval for transfer credit beyond the number allowed must be obtained through a petition to the Graduate Admission and Retention Council
Course by Arrangement/Independent Study
With the approval of his or her advisor, appropriate program coordinator and the Dean’s office, an admitted student may take a course by arrangement or an independent study. Only a full-time faculty member may work with a student on a course by arrangement or an independent study.
Special Workshops
A maximum of six hours of workshops will be allowed in fulfilling degree requirements. Workshop credit will not be accepted for certification.
Time Limitation for Fulfilling Degree Requirements
Candidates must fulfill degree requirements within a six-year period. The time period is calculated from the date of the first course that is to count toward the degree, including transfer credit. Requests for a time extension must be made through the Graduate Admission and Retention Council.
Financial Assistance
Graduate assistant jobs are available for eligible students on the Chicago-area campuses.
Academic support graduate assistantship responsibilities may be administrative, scholarly or research-related. Academic support graduate assistants may assist faculty members with research activities related to grants, teaching assignments or program development.
Administrative/operational graduate assistantship responsibilities are administrative, technical or student service in nature. Duties may not be predominately clerical in nature. Administrative assistant graduate assistants will help with the administrative duties of a department, have independent responsibility for the delivery of student services (library, CAD, computer labs), have operational level responsibilities for project administration or perform duties that require professional skills or abilities.
Interested students must have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, www.fafsa.ed.gov, to determine eligibility. Visit the Office of Student Finance for details.