College of Graduate Studies Admissions Guidelines

Graduate College Vision Statement

The College of Graduate Studies fosters an intellectual community of advanced learning within an environment of scholarship, research, and creative activities engaging faculty and students with partnerships representative of a global society as students acquire knowledge, skills and values for life and work.

Graduate College Mission Statement

Graduate Student Learning Outcome

Student Learning Outcomes are “explicit statements of generic skills and abilities and disciplinary competencies that a student is expected to have acquired as a result of successfully completing a course, a coordinated set of core courses, or other activities including co-curricular experiences. These expectations can help faculty to evaluate the level of student learning and engagement and develop a better sense of how a particular course or activity fits into the overall educational mission of the institution…This [learning outcomes] is commonly required at the undergraduate and graduate levels.” (Council of Graduate Schools, 2011, p. 8) 

The following are generic examples of Knowledge, Skills and Values constituting graduate program and course student learning outcomes in a department:*

I.  Effective Communication (Skills)

A.  Written: what assignment(s)/activity(ies) will students do (exam, presentation, participation, and so on) to show effective written communication and how will success be measured (exam, PowerPoint slides, written papers, involvement in group discussions and so on)?  This process (i.e., assignments/activities with measurement) will be decided upon for each course learning outcome below (e.g., A., B., C…) under each of the five (I., II., III., IV., &  V) program learning outcome knowledge/skills/values sections.

B. Spoken:  presentation, discussions, and so on

II.  Scientific Processes (Skills)

A.  Problem identification
B.  Statistical literacy
C.  Problem solving
D.  Creative thinking
E.  Interpret findings

III.  Discipline Specific Content (Knowledge)

A. Broad conceptual understanding of content
B. Professional language

IV.  Theoretical Basis (Knowledge)

A.  History and foundation
B.  Models
C.  Program planning/evaluation

V.  Ethics (Values)

A. Plagiarism
B. Reference style
C. Appreciation for cultures and ideas

*Not all departmental/program learning outcomes (I., II., III., IV., & V.) will be included in all graduate program courses, but, at the end of obtaining a graduate degree in a graduate program from the department, the student will have been exposed to all program learning outcomes and all course learning outcomes.

Admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Admission to a Graduate Program

Any applicant wishing to pursue a graduate degree at APSU must formally apply to the College of Graduate Studies (COGS). Applications must be submitted to Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 4458, Clarksville, TN 37044. Applicants can also apply on-line at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/apply-admission.php​. A non-refundable, one-time application fee of $45 is required of all new applicants. Meeting the minimum admission criteria for COGS will progress an application to a selected graduate program for evaluation and an admission decision using criteria defined by each graduate program. Admission to a graduate program permits the student to enroll in graduate courses for which he or she is admitted. A non-degree seeking student also must identify an area of interest, allowing a graduate faculty advisor to guide his or her coursework. In some instances, the student must be approved by a graduate program to be enrolled in selected courses. Students who do not enroll and attend for one calendar year must re-apply for graduate admission before the beginning of the next semester of expected attendance.

College of Graduate Studies and Graduate Degree Program Admission Requirements

In general, applications for admission to the College of Graduate Studies are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Applicants must consider that all applications require at least 3 to 5 business days to be processed by Graduate Admissions.  It is recommended that applications be submitted as early as possible, but no later than two (2) weeks prior to the beginning of the first semester in which the student plans to enroll. The College of Graduate Studies has minimum admission requirements for the purpose of admitting non-degree seeking graduate students. However, each graduate degree program will have admission criteria aligned to national standards that may exceed the admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies. Each graduate degree program may have more stringent admission deadline dates and requirements; therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to understand the specific graduate program admission requirements.

Admission to any of Austin Peay State University’s graduate programs is based on a careful review and evaluation of a complete graduate admission application submitted to the College of Graduate Studies that includes the following:

I. Completed Application

II. Application Fee of U.S. $45 (nonrefundable)

III. Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended for both undergraduate and graduate coursework; these must be submitted directly to APSU by the institution and show that:

• a bachelor’s degree was earned from a regionally accredited institution, and 
• a minimum GPA of 2.5 was earned (this minimum could be higher for some graduate programs).

IV. Additional admission requirements could be imposed by each graduate program. For example, it is not uncommon for admission requirements to include official scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), or the General Test of the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) (verbal and quantitative) that are no more than five (5) years old.  The GRE school code for APSU is 1028. Some departments may require or accept other test scores. Please review specific departmental requirements in this bulletin.  An applicant who has previously earned a master’s degree may request an exemption from the entrance examination by submitting the Entrance Exam Waiver Form along with a copy of a transcript showing the master’s degree. Some departments may also allow a waiver if a student has a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Entrance exam waivers are granted at the discretion of the academic department and the student should first check to see if a waiver will be granted for his or her proposed program of study. The Entrance Exam Waiver form can be found at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/future-students/admissions-forms.php.                                        

For People with Military Service

Prior to enrollment, military (both active duty and veterans) are required to submit documents for military credit. With the exception of the Form DD214, the following documents should be sent to Graduate Admissions directly from the issuing agency.

Categories of Admission

Regular Admission Status will be granted to applicants who have met all entrance requirements prescribed by the College of Graduate Studies and the graduate programs to which they have applied. 

Conditional Admission Status may be granted to applicants who have not officially met all entrance requirements prescribed by the College of Graduate Studies and the graduate programs to which they have applied. Under conditional status, any outstanding admission items, unofficial transcripts, and unofficial entrance exams may be submitted until the official documents are received by Graduate Admissions. It is the applicant’s responsibility to understand specific admission requirements and submit all required admission documents, official transcripts, and entrance exams by the 10th day of classes (for 8-week sessions, the 6th day of class is the deadline for submitting official documents) for the first registered semester to which the student has applied.  After all admission requirements are satisfied and official documents are received, the applicant will be granted Regular Admission Status.  Applicants who do not submit all admission requirements by the prescribed time period above will be dropped from all classes in which they are enrolled.  If, within the department, an appeal process is warranted, the Department Chair will submit an appeal letter to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies to delay the dropping of enrolled classes. 

Denied Admission Status will be granted to applicants who do not meet the regular or conditional criteria for admission.  Graduate admissions decisions cannot be appealed; however, a student can apply again in a future semester or a student may apply to a different program (in the same semester). 

Non-Degree Seeking Status may be granted to applicants who desire to enroll in Graduate Studies for reasons other than to seek a degree. An applicant in this category is required to submit an application for admission, the $45 non-refundable application fee, and official transcripts showing a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5.  Applicants in this category must apply for admission each semester for which they wish to enroll. Students in the non-degree seeking category are not eligible to receive financial aid. All admission decisions regarding non-degree seeking students will be made by the Graduate Coordinator and/or Department Chair. With the approval of a graduate program, a non-degree seeking student may apply for admission as a degree-seeking student; to be accepted he or she must meet all required admissions criteria.    

Certificate-Seeking Status is for students who are seeking specific certificates at APSU. An applicant must be admitted to the department from which he or she is seeking the certificate. The applicant must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5. If the applicant seeks a degree once the certificate is complete, he or she must be readmitted into that program. All credits earned for the certificate can be used toward a degree as long as they are within the program of study for the degree. Certificate-seeking students are eligible for graduate assistantships.

Readmission Applicants

An applicant seeking readmission to APSU must resubmit an admission application if he or she has not attended for one calendar year or more and must submit all transcripts from every institution attended since last attending APSU, regardless of whether credit was earned.

Undergraduate Student Taking Graduate Credits

Senior I status is for undergraduate APSU students who are within nine (9) hours of completing baccalaureate requirements, who have achieved minimum cumulative GPAs of 3.0, and who have received satisfactory scores on the entrance exams as prescribed by the intended graduate programs. Graduate credits may not be applied to the bachelor’s degree. Students admitted to this status are eligible for graduate assistantships. The student should check with his or her student financial aid representative to understand how this classification may affect financial aid eligibility.

Senior II status is for APSU students who are within twenty one (21) hours of completion of  baccalaureate degrees and who have achieved minimum cumulative GPAs of 2.75. Senior II students may register for only one (1) graduate class per term and must reapply for each subsequent semester. Graduate credits earned may not be applied to the bachelor’s degree. Students admitted to this status are not eligible to hold graduate assistantships. The student should check with his or her student financial aid representative to understand how this classification may affect financial aid eligibility.

Selective Admission (Psychology) – Undergraduate seniors may enroll in graduate-level Psychology courses and apply the credit toward their undergraduate degrees. These students must have completed 24 hours of undergraduate coursework in Psychology, must have minimum cumulative GPAs of 3.0, must obtain minimum GRE scores of 140 verbal and 140 quantitative, and must have completed all necessary course prerequisites. Approval from the Chair of the Psychology Department is also required. Credit in these courses may not be counted toward a graduate degree. The student should check with his or her student financial aid representative to understand how this classification may affect financial aid eligibility.

Accelerated Master’s Pathways (AMP) allow undergraduate students to enroll in graduate courses while completing their undergraduate degree requirements. Qualified students (those with exceptional GPA’s and who have received departmental approval) may enroll in no more than twelve (12) graduate level credit hours while completing their undergraduate degrees. The graduate credits will replace relevant undergraduate course requirements within a major for graduation, and any graduate credits earned will also count toward the graduation requirements for a graduate degree (typically the undergraduate major and graduate courses are within the same department/discipline). Student qualifications to pursue an AMP are determined by each academic department.

Post-graduates Taking Graduate Credits

Post-graduate Status is for an applicant with a previously earned master’s degree or greater who is not seeking another degree. No credit limitation applies to the Post-graduate status. The student must submit an official copy of his or her transcript showing the master’s degree earned. With departmental approval, a student who decides to pursue a degree while in this status may apply an amount of hours considered acceptable by the department as long as the student satisfies the residency requirement. The student must also apply for admission as a degree-seeking student and meet all admission criteria.

Transient Status is granted to an applicant currently enrolled in a graduate program at another college or university who wishes to take courses at APSU for transfer credit. A letter of good academic standing from the Graduate Dean or an official transcript from the current institution must be submitted to APSU’s Graduate Admissions Office.

Immunizations

The state of Tennessee requires all first-time, transfer, readmit and graduate students to provide proof of two immunizations of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and two immunizations of the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. A student will not be allowed to register for classes until these requirements are met. For additional information, contact Student Health Services at (931) 221-7107. The State of Tennessee mandates that each public or private post-secondary institution provide information concerning the Hepatitis B infection to all students entering the institution for the first time. Those students who will be living in on-campus housing for the first time must also be informed about the risk of Meningococcal Meningitis infection. Tennessee law requires that such students complete and sign waiver forms, provided by the institution, that include detailed information about the diseases. The information concerning these diseases is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the American College Health Association. The law does not require that students receive the vaccination; however, the law does require that students provide signed copies of the waiver forms, which should be mailed to APSU Student Health Services, P.O. Box 4655, Clarksville, TN 37044, or faxed to (931) 221-7388.  Further information about immunizations can be found at http://apsu.edu/boydhealthservices/Immunizations.php.

Admission of International Students

The Graduate Admissions Office handles application procedures for graduate international applicants. For information, call (931) 221-7662, write to: Austin Peay State University, Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 4458, Clarksville, TN 37044, or visit the website at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/international-student/graduate-admission-requirements-international-students.php.

In general, applications for admission to the College of Graduate Studies are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Applicants must consider that all applications require at least 3 to 5 business days to process in Graduate Admissions.  It is recommended that applications be submitted as early as possible. The College of Graduate Studies has minimum admission requirements for the purpose of admitting non-degree seeking graduate students. However, each graduate degree program will have admission criteria aligned to national standards that may exceed the admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies. Each graduate degree program may have more stringent admission deadline dates and requirements; therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to understand the specific graduate program admission requirements.

Admission to any of Austin Peay State University’s graduate programs is based on a careful review and evaluation of a complete application submitted to the College of Graduate Studies. In order to be considered for graduate admission, the following documents must be received for review:

I. Completed Graduate Admission Application and General International Applicant Information:  All non-immigrants must provide proof of status, including copies of their visas. All international applicants will receive information concerning any special requirements for admission from Graduate Admissions.  APSU’s Student Health Services will provide Graduate Admissions with information concerning policy requirements, associated costs which could be incurred, what would be considered acceptable certification of freedom from tuberculosis, proof of adequate medical and hospitalization insurance, proof of two immunizations with the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, and proof of two immunizations with the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

II. Application Fee of U.S. $55 (nonrefundable)

III. Official Transcripts (evaluated) from all colleges and universities attended for both undergraduate and graduate coursework; these must be submitted directly to APSU from the institution and show that 

• a bachelor’s degree was earned from a regionally accredited institution and
• a minimum GPA of 2.5 was earned (this minimum could be higher for some graduate programs).

IV. Additional admission requirements could be imposed by each graduate program. For example, it is not uncommon for admission requirements to include official scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), or the General Test of the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) (verbal and quantitative) that are no more than five (5) years old.  The GRE school code for APSU is 1028. Some departments may require or accept other test scores. Please review specific departmental requirements in this bulletin.  An applicant who has previously earned a master’s degree may request an exemption from the entrance examination by submitting the Entrance Exam Waiver Form along with a copy of a transcript showing the master’s degree. Some departments may also allow a waiver if a student has a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Entrance exam waivers are granted at the discretion of the academic department and the student should first check to see if a waiver will be granted for his or her proposed program of study. The Entrance Exam Waiver form can be found at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/current-students/graduate-student-forms.php.    

V. Proof of English Proficiency*:  Official TOEFL iBT Score with a minimum score of 61 sent directly from the TOEFL Center (www.ets.org/toefl) -OR- Official International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam with a score of 5.5, sent directly from the testing center.

*Students from the following countries are not required to submit English proficiency scores: Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Botswana, British Islands, Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

VI. Copy of Passport:  If traveling with dependents, submit copies of all dependent passports.

VII. Admission materials required for your intended graduate program as determined by the program. Examples may include GRE scores, recommendation letters, personal statement, resume, or writing sample.

VIII. APSU Financial Support Form with proof of resources:  Please note:  All fees are subject to change. The Financial Support Form can be found at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/international-student/graduate-admission-requirements-international-students.php.

IX. International Student Verification Form:  If you are a transfer student from another U.S. college, university, or other school, you must have the college, university, or other school send us a photocopy of your I-20 form/DS-2019 form, I-94 form, US Visa page, and passport information page, along with the International Student Transfer Verification Form.  The International Student Transfer Verification form can be found at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/international-student/graduate-admission-requirements-international-students.php.

X. Medical Documentation:  Every international applicant is required to submit a certificate from a licensed physician or other qualified medical authority verifying freedom from tuberculosis, no later than thirty (30) days from the first day of classes. Failure to submit such certification shall result in denial of admission or discontinued enrollment. In the event that a student has tuberculosis or potential tuberculosis requiring medical treatment, continued enrollment will be conditional upon the determination of a licensed physician that further enrollment is not a risk to others and upon the student’s compliance with any prescribed medical treatment program. International applicants may opt to have the screening for tuberculosis done through Boyd Health Services. Contact must be made with the Boyd Health Services personnel within two weeks of the first day of classes (which will allow for completion of the process within thirty days of the first day of classes).

• Medical and Hospitalization Insurance: As a condition of admission and continued enrollment at APSU, all international applicants must have and maintain medical and hospitalization insurance. Students with J visas must also carry adequate medical and hospitalization insurance for spouses and dependents. Proof of medical and hospitalization insurance must be provided to Boyd Health Services. International students will automatically be enrolled in a Student/Scholar Health & Accident Insurance Plan, unless documentation of adequate coverage is provided. Automatic enrollment in the Plan shall not take place later than the time of class registration, and the cost of the coverage will be added to the student’s registration fees. For the purposes of this policy, adequate medical and hospitalization insurance coverage shall mean that the student’s coverage meets or exceeds the level of coverage provided to participants in the Student/Scholar Health & Accident Insurance Plan. For additional information, contact Boyd Student Health Services at (931) 221-7107.
• Immunizations:  All international applicants born after 1956 shall provide proof of two immunizations of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and two immunizations of the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine to the Student Health Services office. A student will not be allowed to register for classes until these requirements are met. 

XI. Permanent Resident Alien: Permanent Resident Aliens must submit front and back copies of their Permanent Resident Alien cards.