Admission Information

General Procedures

Applicants for admission to graduate study should contact the Graduate School (P.O. Box 60, State University, AR 72467) for an application form (You may print the online form, complete it, and mail it to the above address. All information which appears on the online form must appear on your printed form). Or you can download the form in MSWord. The completed form and separate official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work must be transmitted to the Dean of the Graduate School at least six weeks before the first registration. Personal copies of transcripts will not be accepted. Transcripts which are submitted become a permanent part of the university's records and may not be returned. A one-time non-refundable application fee of $30 is required of all first-time applicants for non-degree status, a master's degree, or a specialist degree. A $40 application fee is required of international students. An application fee of $50 is required of all applicants to a doctoral program.

Students born in January 1957 or later are required to present written documentation of measles and rubella immunization. This immunization must have been received after the first birthday and after January 1, 1968. Arkansas law requires that in order to be eligible for enrollment at a public institution of higher learning an applicant who is a U.S. citizen must be registered or be exempt from registration with the selective service system. A form affirming registration (MSWord) (HTML) is also required for admission to Graduate School.

All applicants for admission to the Graduate School for non-degree status or for a master's degree must hold a bachelor's degree from an institution that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency. Students seeking admission to a doctoral degree program must hold a master's degree from an accredited institution. (Admission requirements)

Students seeking admission to a doctoral program should contact the Graduate School (gradsch@astate.edu) for information.

Unconditional Admission

The following Graduate School admission requirements are minimum standards which identify the pool of applicants from which departments select students to be admitted to candidacy in a degree program. To be granted Unconditional Admission Status in the Graduate School, applicants  must have:

  1. Submitted a completed application for admission and the designated nonrefundable application fee to the office of the Graduate School at least 30 days in advance of registration.

  2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or its equivalent as determined by the Graduate School).

  3. Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale or a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours. All courses attempted, including any repeated courses, are considered in computing the GPA.

  4. Achieved a minimum GPA on any previous graduate courses completed at either Arkansas State University or another accredited university.

  5. Submitted official transcripts from each college or university attended. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the registrar of other institutions to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University. If official transcripts have not been received within 30 days after the beginning of the semester, the student's registration in graduate-level courses will be canceled.

The appropriate undergraduate background must include a minimum of 18 semester hours of coursework in the proposed field of graduate study.

Students entering the Master of Science in Agriculture with a major in agricultural education, the Master of Music Education, or the Master of Science in Education degree program must have a valid teaching certificate and meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on all undergraduate hours attempted (or 3.0 on the last 60 hours) and a raw score of at least 35 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or a minimum score of 820 on the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test, or

  2. Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on all undergraduate hours attempted (or 3.25 on the last 60 hours) and a raw score of at least 30 on the MAT or a minimum score of 790 on verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE general test.

Applicants for the Master of Business Administration degree program must submit scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Entering students will be granted unconditional admission if they meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Obtain a minimum of 400 on the GMAT and at least 950 points on the formula: 200 times the cumulative undergraduate grade point average (at least 2.75) plus the GMAT score, or

  2. Obtain a minimum of 400 on the GMAT and at least 1000 points on the formula: 200 times the grade point average on the last 60 hours (at least 3.00) plus the GMAT score.

Applicants to other master's degree programs may be required to submit GRE or MAT scores.

For admission to a specialist degree program applicants must have a 3.0 on all graduate hours attempted and must submit scores from the GRE general test or the MAT.

For admission to a doctoral program, applicants must have a cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.5 on all graduate hours attempted and must submit scores for the GRE general test.

Conditional Admission Status

An applicant who fails to meet the GPA requirements for Unconditional Admission Status, who lacks the appropriate undergraduate background for a particular degree program, or whose baccalaureate degree is from an unaccredited institution, may be granted Conditional Admission Status after:

  1. Submission of a completed application for admission and the designated nonrefundable application fee to the office of the Graduate School.

  2. Submission of an official transcript from each college or university attended to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University. If official transcripts have not been received within 30 days after the beginning of the semester, the student's registration in graduate level courses will be canceled.

  3. Achieving a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.50 for admission into a graduate program or for admission as a non-degree student (see "Admission as a Graduate Non-Degree Student").

A student will not be considered for admission to a graduate program until such time as the student completes 12 graduate semester hours, has a minimum 3.00 GPA on these 12 hours, has no more than one course in the 12 hours with a grade of "C," and meets unconditional or program admission requirements.

Admission as a Graduate Non-Degree Student

This option is for those seeking personal development, those fulfilling professional renewal requirements, those returning for educational workshops, and transient students.  Students who have been admitted to another accredited graduate school and wish to take courses for transfer may establish Non-degree status by submitting an application for admission and either a letter of good standing or a graduate transcript indicating good standing from the other institution.

Non-degree students may take an undergraduate and/or graduate course for which they qualify, with concurrence of the department offering the course. Departments, however, may restrict Non-degree students from enrolling in designated courses. Departments also may require that Non-degree students must consult with an adviser from the department before enrolling in any classes. Former or currently-enrolled Non-degree students who want to apply for admission to a degree program must meet all requirements of that program.

Admission as a Non-degree student does not imply that the student meets either Unconditional Status or graduate degree program admission requirements. Graduate credit earned as a Non-degree student may be applied to a degree program only with approval of the appropriate department chair and the graduate dean. No more than 12 hours earned in Non-degree status and no courses with a grade lower than "B" may be applied to a graduate degree. Non-degree admission does not entitle the student to enroll in the 7000 or 8000 level courses. 

Please consult program descriptions in the Graduate Bulletin for other restrictions.

This page is maintained by: Graduate School
Last revised on: 27 March 2007
gradsch@astate.edu