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Graduate Admission and Application

Semester and Quarter Term Programs

Admission Standards

Lindenwood University-Belleville consciously seeks a diverse student body and welcomes applicants from all socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The University also values geographical diversity and welcomes international students. Admission to graduate programs is granted to students who demonstrate academic preparedness and the potential for academic excellence.

Applications for admission to Lindenwood University-Belleville graduate programs will be reviewed by the Office of Evening and Graduate Admissions and may be reviewed by the Associate Dean of Academics, division chair, department chair, or the designated faculty advisor within that discipline.

For admission standards and criteria specific to semester graduate programs, please refer to the section of this catalog that describes those programs specifically.

Graduate Quarter Programs Selection Criteria

The quarter program is an accelerated evening program specifically designed for students with significant employment experience. Graduate students are challenged to expand their knowledge with exercises, techniques, and instruments to update and reinforce learning and enhance understanding of difficult concepts. In addition, students continue to develop their analytical and conceptual skills by enlarging their perspectives and identifying a balance between theory and practice with regard to their particular areas of study. At the completion of the program, students will be prepared to contribute to their organization’s goals by effectively administering and developing its resources.

Throughout their course of study, these students will have the opportunity to develop their communication skills, demonstrate workplace responsibility, use interpersonal skills, practice working within a team, and develop an appreciation of the importance of continuing growth and education with an emphasis on values-centered thinking. Students are encouraged to engage in speculative thinking and to develop original work and/or research in their major areas of interest. This work should be analytical rather than descriptive, demonstrating a distinct, defensible, methodological and theoretical perspective.

Admission to all graduate programs in the School granted to students who demonstrate academic preparedness and the potential for academic excellence. Once accepted, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Students whose GPA falls below the 3.0 minimum will be subject to academic probation or suspension, as outlined in the Academic Standards section of this catalog. For more information about academic standards, please refer to that section of the catalog.

Applicants to the graduate degree programs in business, communications, gerontology, healthcare administration, and human resource management who do not meet the required 3.0 grade point for admission may be granted conditional acceptance. In this case, the submission of a GRE or GMAT score may be considered in support of an application for admission. Conditionally admitted students may remain in conditional status for no more than 18 credit hours. Before advancing to degree candidacy, conditionally accepted candidates’ academic performances will be reviewed twice—once upon completion of the first nine credit hours and again upon completion of 18 credit hours. Failure to meet the required 3.0 cumulative grade point average upon the completion of 18 credit hours will result in dismissal from the degree program. In addition, any conditionally accepted student receiving one course grade of “F” or two course grades of “C” during the first nine credit hours will be academically suspended.

Students are assigned a faculty advisor to guide them through their specific degree program. Each degree program is designed to meet both student needs and accreditation requirements. Consequently, students may not deviate from any cluster requirements. Degree programs typically consist of five core clusters, and either a directed thesis/ culminating project or a capstone course. Students may, however, take additional clusters or courses to meet individual needs once their core requirements have been met.

Any application materials found to be misleading or false will result in denial of admission.

Application Process

Graduate Semester Student Application: U.S. Citizens and Residents

To be considered for admission to the University, an applicant’s file must include each of the following documents:

  • Electronic or paper application, along with a non-refundable $30 application fee.
  • Current résumé.
  • Personal statement indicating why the applicant wishes to further his/her education or describing the applicant’s long-term goals or a specific life experience.
  • An official undergraduate transcript as well as official transcript(s) from any graduate school(s) attended if transfer credit is desired.
  • Additional requirements, such as letters of recommendation, a portfolio, or an audition, as required by various programs.

Once the application is submitted, an admissions counselor will contact the applicant to answer any questions and assist in the admission process.  

Note: A student must have an admit letter from Lindenwood University-Belleville before any financial aid is processed.

For application procedures specific to particular graduate programs or schools, please refer to the sections of this catalog that describe those programs.

Graduate Semester Student Application: International Students

To be considered for admission to the University, all international students are required to submit the following documents:

  • Electronic or paper international student application, along with a non-refundable $100 application fee.

Note: International applicants to graduate programs should complete the International Application, not the Evening & Graduate Admissions Application.

  • Current résumé.
  • Personal statement indicating why the applicant wishes to further his/her education or describing the applicant’s long-term goals or a specific life experience.
  • An affidavit of support or official bank document or statement verifying the amount of personal/family funds, in U.S. dollars, available for tuition and educational expenses (books, insurance, and personal expenses.) All documents must be in English.
  • Official transcripts (or certified copies of university transcripts) showing that a baccalaureate degree has been conferred. Transcripts must be in their original language and accompanied by a certified English translation. These documents will not be returned to the student. They will become part of the student’s official file at Lindenwood University-Belleville. The cost for the evaluation of the transcript will be incurred by the applicant. However, once the applicant obtains a visa and arrives at Lindenwood University-Belleville, the cost of the evaluation will be refunded, provided that the applicant brings the receipt for the evaluation service.
  • Official TOEFL or IELTS score. For score reporting, the Lindenwood University code is 2848.
    • Required minimum TOEFL scores:
      • 550 (paper-based)
      • 213 (computer-based)
      • 81 (Internet-based)
    • Required minimum IELTS score: 6.5
  • A clear, readable copy of the identification page of the applicant's passport.
  • Housing Application, along with a $300 housing deposit, made payable to Lindenwood University. (International residential students are obligated to pay the housing costs for the entire academic year once a housing form is signed and submitted to the Housing Office.) Campus housing will be assigned upon receipt of the housing application and deposit. Students should include an email address on the housing form.

Once all application materials have been received, a member of the Office of Admissions will contact the applicant. 

International Graduate Student Semester Application: Transfer of Credit from International Programs

If an international candidate wishes to transfer credit to Lindenwood from an international institution, the applicant must submit, along with all documentation required for international application, a course-by-course evaluation and translation of all international transcripts, performed by World Evaluation Services (WES). No application for the transfer of international credit will be complete until the WES evaluation is provided. Applicants should list Lindenwood University as the recipient of the evaluation. WES will also provide a copy of the evaluation directly to the applicant. The applicant should keep this copy of the evaluation for his/her records. For more information about transcript evaluation, contact WES at www.wes.org. 

Notes: (1) Students must request a course-by-course evaluation (not a document-by-document evaluation) in order to transfer credit to Lindenwood for particular coursework.

(2)The cost for the evaluation of international transcripts will be incurred by the applicant. However, once the applicant obtains a visa and arrives at Lindenwood University-Belleville, the cost of the evaluation will be refunded, provided that the applicant brings in the receipt for the evaluation service to the Business Office.

International Graduate Student Semester Application: Transfer Students from Other U.S. Programs

In addition to submitting the materials required for admission, international students wishing to transfer to Lindenwood from a SEVIS-sponsored school should also submit the following documents:

  • The transfer student application, sent to the appropriate official at the school the student previously attended, where it will be processed and returned to the Lindenwood University-Belleville Office of Admissions.
  • The student’s transfer will not be considered complete until Lindenwood University-Belleville receives the completed transfer paperwork. Once the transfer application has been processed, Lindenwood will issue the student a Lindenwood I-20, permitting the student to legally reside in the U.S. as a full time international student.

Graduate Quarter Student Application: U.S. Citizens and Residents

To be considered for admission to the University, an applicant’s file must include each of the following documents:

  • Electronic or paper application, along with a non-refundable $30 application fee.
  • Current résumé.
  • Personal statement indicating why the applicant wishes to further his/her education or describing the applicant’s long-term goals or a specific life experience.
  • An official undergraduate transcript showing that a baccalaureate degree has been conferred as well as official transcript(s) from any graduate school(s) attended if transfer credit is desired.
  • Additional requirements, such as a portfolio or an interview, as required by the specific program.

Once the application is submitted, an admissions counselor will contact the applicant to answer any questions and assist in the admissions process.

Students applying for admission to the Master of Science (MS) programs in Administration, Healthcare Administration and Human Resource Management, and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program must also submit three letters of recommendation and participate in an interview conducted by the Associate Dean of Academics or his/her designee.

Note: A student must have an admit letter from Lindenwood University-Belleville before any financial aid is processed. 

Graduate Quarter Student Application: International Students

 To be considered for admission to the University, an international applicant's file must include the following documents:

  • International Student Application, submitted along with a non-refundable $100 application fee.
  • Current résumé.
  • Three letters of recommendation.
  • An affidavit of support in the form of an official document or statement from a bank verifying the amount of personal/family funds, in U.S. dollars, available for tuition (personal cost) and educational expenses (books, insurance.) All documents must be in English.
  • Official transcripts presented in their original language and accompanied by a certified English translation. Graduate candidates must submit certified copies of college transcripts showing that a baccalaureate degree has been conferred. These documents will not be returned to the student. They will become part of the student’s official file at Lindenwood University. The cost for the evaluation of the transcript will be incurred by the applicant. However, once the applicant obtains a visa and arrives at Lindenwood University, the cost of the evaluation will be refunded, provided that the applicant brings the receipt for the evaluation service. Provisional admission to the University may be granted by the Dean of Admissions on the basis of facsimile copies of diploma equivalents and/or other university transcripts.
  • An official TOEFL or IELTS score. Required minimum TOEFL scores: 577 (paper-based exam), 233 (computer-based exam), 91 (Internet-based exam). Required minimum IELTS score: 6.5. For score reporting, the Lindenwood code is 2848.
  • If transfer credit is requested from an international institution, students should submit their transcripts and translations to World Evaluation Services (WES) for evaluation. Applicants should contact WES at wes.org for more information about how to get transcripts evaluated. Students should list Lindenwood University as the recipient. WES will also provide a copy of the evaluation directly to the applicant. The applicant should keep this copy for his/her records. (For questions regarding the transfer of international credit to a specific graduate program, please refer to the section of this catalog that describes that program.)
  • If an international student applicant is transferring from another university within the United States, the student should forward the Lindenwood University transfer paperwork (found in the application) to their schools’ officials for processing.
  • Housing Application, submitted along with a $300 housing deposit made payable to Lindenwood University. Campus housing will be assigned upon receipt of the housing application and deposit. Students should include an e-mail address on their housing form.
  • Personal Statement, an essay concerning the student's education plans. For example, the essay may include why the student wishes to further his/her education, long term goals he/she possesses, or a special experience in his/her life.
  • A clear, readable copy of the identification page of the applicant's passport.

Transferring Graduate Credit

Graduate Transfer Credit from another University

Students transferring credit hours from a regionally accredited university must submit official transcripts from each university attended to the Office of Evening and Graduate Admissions along with the application for admission. All hours accepted in transfer must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities. In order to count towards graduation, all graduate credit hours must be 50000 level or above and must be in the same subject area. If courses have the same title, contain similar or like content and have a grade of “B” or above, they may transfer in as equivalents of Lindenwood course credit. Grades of “C” or below will not transfer into any graduate program. A maximum of nine credit hours of graduate credit will transfer to a graduate program. All transfer credit is subject to approval by the Dean.

Transferring To/From Graduate Programs Between Schools at Lindenwood University

Some students may decide to transfer into another program within Lindenwood University to earn their graduate degree. When this occurs, students may be able to transfer nine credit hours from their first graduate degree program toward their new graduate degree program. Approval of transfer credit is at the discretion of the program dean of the receiving program. The same nine credit hour rule applies to graduate credit transferred in from another program within Lindenwood University.