Admissions requirements

University requirements for graduate admission

All applicants for a graduate degree or certificate program must meet minimum University admission requirements, which include:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum GPA.  For Regular admission, applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher. Applicants who have already earned 9 or more letter-graded graduate credits must have a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher; this GPA supersedes the undergraduate GPA. For University Conditional admission, applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.74.
• One official transcript from every college or university attended (except PSU), including junior colleges and community colleges
• $50 application fee
• Recommendation for admission from the appropriate graduate program

International applicants must also submit:

• Official degree certificate/diploma
• Evidence of English language proficiency; for details about minimum required scores see the Graduate English Language Proficiency Requirements
• Financial documentation demonstrating adequate financial support for at least the first year of study

In cases when a student does not meet minimum University admission requirements, departments may choose to submit a Graduate Admission – Special Approval Request (GO-20 form) to the Office of Graduate Studies. This process may only be initiated by a department.

Three-Year Bridge program

This program is an alternate method of meeting graduate admission requirements. It is designed for international students coming from non-Bologna-compliant three-year baccalaureate degree programs recognized by the Ministries of Education in their home countries. This program comprises approximately one year of academic study intended to bridge the differences between the applicant’s degree and a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree. Students are invited to participate in this program only if they have been recommended for admission by their departments.

Departmental requirements

A department may have additional admission requirements based on previous academic achievement, scores on Graduate Record Examinations or other tests, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, or an autobiographical statement. Information regarding departmental requirements can only be obtained directly from the specific department. Admission is selective and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The number of students admitted to a particular program is limited to the resources available.