2011-2012 Graduate Academic Catalog

Page 17 2011–12 Graduate Catalog Introduction Experience Admissions Academic Info. Financial Info. Campus Services M.Ed. M.S.N. Course Descriptions Appendix Admissions Standards • Undergraduate GPA – Successful applicants for the M.Ed. degree typically have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale). Conditional acceptance may be offered in some cases where the overall grade point average in the last 60 hours of coursework is at least a 2.75. See Conditional Acceptance on page 6. • Experience/licensure – Successful applicants to the M.Ed. program typically have a minimum of two years of successful full-time teaching experience beyond the conclusion of the baccalaureate degree and a valid teaching certificate or the equivalent, such as an expired or out-of-state license. • National exam scores – Many students seeking to enter the M.Ed. program are not required to complete the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The chart below illustrates the criteria that determine if the GRE is, or is not required. For those individuals required to complete the GRE, the graduate education department has established a composite score of 1000 as an admission benchmark. Admissions Process and Timeframe Applicants should follow steps 1–5 under How to Apply in the Admissions section of this catalog. Application decisions are made by the Graduate Admissions Committee usually within three weeks from the date of submission. Graduate admissions will then notify applicants of the admission decision. The application, its supporting documents, and a course registration form should be submitted to graduate admissions a minimum of two weeks before the first class session. Extenuating circumstances for late acceptance will be considered on a case- by-case basis, enabling a student to temporarily attend classes before being officially accepted. However, any student who has not completed the admissions process by the start of the second class in either the fall or spring term or by the start of the second week of the summer session will not be permitted to attend further classes. In this case, tuition payments will not be refunded. Background Checks for Clinical Experiences Graduate students who participate in clinical experiences may be required to undergo criminal background checks. Ohio residents must have an Ohio “no record” check and an FBI “no record” check. Out-of-state residents must have an FBI “no record” check. Tuition Cost Tuition cost for the M.Ed. program for the 2011–2012 academic year is $375 per credit hour. Audit costs are 50% of standard tuition. Financial Aid and Scholarships Federal aid is available to students who meet established requirements and complete the required forms. Institutional scholarships are also available. For additional information, visit cedarville.edu/grada id . Course Load Assuming that proficiency requirements have been satisfied, a minimum of 34 semester hours is required for graduation in the M.Ed. program. Graduate Courses for Undergraduates Seniors at Cedarville University may apply for permission to take 600-level courses for graduate credit in the M.Ed. program. To apply for permission you must have at least 112 semester hours toward a bachelor’s degree and a cumulative grade point average of 2.75. Approval must be granted by a graduate academic advisor, the instructor for the course, and the director of the M.Ed. program. Students with undergraduate majors other than education may be required to meet prerequisites determined by the director prior to taking graduate coursework. You must complete the form “Permission for Undergraduate Students to Enroll in Graduate Courses,” available from the office of the department of education. Up to 10 semester hours may count toward the M.Ed. degree if the courses are taken for graduate credit during your undergraduate program. Courses taken for graduate credit cannot count toward requirements for a bachelor’s degree. Graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate does not count toward block pricing for the undergraduate program. Graduate tuition rates for the M.Ed. program would apply to any graduate credits The organizations sponsoring these national exams explicitly discourage the use of absolute cutoff scores and urge all educational institutions to consider the scores within the context of the student’s entire application package. Accordingly, scores from nationally standardized exams will be considered along with other factors in making final admission decisions. Academic Level Degree Seeking Students Non-Degree Seeking Students** Criteria* Previously earned graduate degree(s) Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher for all colleges previously attended Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher and graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher after 10 credit hours at Cedarville Undergraduate cumulative GPA less than 2.75 Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher Undergraduate cumulative GPA less than 2.75 GRE Required? No No No Yes No Yes Is the GRE Required? *Degree(s) and credits earned from a regionally accredited institution **Students may earn up to 11 credit hours as a non-degree seeking student before degree seeking status