Admissions

The mission of the graduate programs at Georgia College is to educate our students at the highest level in their academic discipline and to provide them with a foundation for continuous learning as future scholars, teachers, and professionals. This is accomplished by providing high-quality programs in several specialties of arts and sciences, business, education, and health sciences. Admission is based on criteria specific to each program. The programs of study emphasize independent and advanced applied research skills, professional development, cultural breadth beyond the baccalaureate degree, and sophisticated techniques applicable to many paths taken by students with superior academic qualifications.

Graduate study is much more than a continuation of undergraduate work and should be contemplated only by students who have previously demonstrated an exceptional intellectual ability and capacity for independent thought and investigation. Admission requirements serve to maintain the high standards that are characteristic of graduate study and to benefit students by helping them decide whether they should undertake such a course of action. By means of an admission classification system, Georgia College provides for the maintenance of these standards in its degree programs. It also provides for, and makes its facilities available to, a wide variety of students who are not eligible for advanced degrees, or who do not wish to become applicants for degrees.

All graduate programs are administered through the Academic Colleges. Program coordinators monitor graduate programs, provide assistance to students, make admission decisions, and perform other operational functions for their particular program areas.

Consideration for admission to graduate study at Georgia College will be given to applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and who present evidence of probable success in graduate work. Students who are presently enrolled in a graduate program at another institution, or have taken graduate-level courses elsewhere, must be in good standing at that institution to be eligible for admission to a program of graduate study at Georgia College.

Priority application deadlines are July 1 for the Fall semester, November 1 for the Spring semester and April 1 for Maymester/Summer. All applicants requiring standardized test scores should complete examinations at least four weeks prior to application deadlines. Deadlines for specific programs may vary. Please check the program page at www.gcsu.edu/graduate/all-graduate-programs for more information about deadlines.

The following applies to all graduate applicants:

• Applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

• Applicants seeking admission into a degree, post-master’s certificate, certification, or endorsement program must provide the Graduate Admissions Office with official transcripts from each institution in which they enrolled, even if the coursework is recorded on another institution's transcript or completed through a study abroad program. 

• Applicants seeking admission into a stand-alone certificate program or for non-degree enrichment must provide an official transcript showing successful completion of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. 

• Students previously admitted under non-degree status are required to provide official transcripts for all college/university level coursework before they may be admitted to a degree, post-master’s certificate, certification, or endorsement program. 

• Admission into a stand-alone certificate program, as transient, or under non-degree enrichment status does not guarantee admission into a degree, post-master’s certificate, certification, or endorsement program.

• An application for admission must be completed online. The online application fee is $35.00. Students who have paid the application fee within the past six years or were enrolled at Georgia College within the past six years are exempt from the application fee.

• Applicants from countries other than the United States who intend to be in F-1 or J-1 student visa status must apply for admission through GC’s International Education Center and must submit additional documents as required by the International Education Center. 

• Applicants who completed college/university-level coursework outside of the United States must present official transcripts (certified or attested) in the original language, as well as an official course-by-course evaluation of all college/university-level work completed by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member.

Degree programs may require applicants to provide acceptable results of their performance on applicable graduate tests including, but not limited to: Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE), and/or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Test scores may not be more than five years old and will only be accepted if received directly from the testing company. 

Specific degree programs may require other supporting materials. An application is not considered complete, nor will be reviewed for admission, until all required documents are on file in the Graduate Admissions Office. See Conditional Admission of Graduate Students for exception.

The program coordinator gives approval for admission to a degree program, subject to the minimum requirements of the University. An applicant will only be admitted to a degree program with the recommendation of the program coordinator. A student will not be allowed to register for or complete more than 12 semester hours in any degree program without attaining regular admissions status.