2011-2012 Graduate Academic Catalog

Page 6 2011–12 Graduate Catalog Introduction Experience Admissions Academic Info. Financial Info. Campus Services M.Ed. M.S.N. Course Descriptions Appendix Admissions Standards Cedarville University invites applications for its graduate and first professional degree programs from college graduates who are able to present strong academic records and a testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. Applicants generally have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university, or an institution specially recognized by Cedarville University. Admission to Cedarville University graduate degree programs is managed by the associated academic department in cooperation with graduate admissions. Some programs have distinctive requirements, but the application process is similar. All admissions are competitive and reflect the judgment of the academic department for which admission is being sought. Those making admission decisions take into account the student’s potential to complete a particular program. The Graduate Admissions Committee carefully considers each applicant’s total record, seeking to make admission decisions that will result in the best fit between the applicant’s interests and abilities and the University’s expectations and values. How to Apply Graduate admissions applications are available at cedarville. edu/gradapply . 1. Complete and submit the graduate admissions application along with a $30 non-refundable application fee. The essay section should be typed (1000-word maximum). The essay will be used to assess both content and communication factors in evaluating your potential success in completing the graduate program. 2. Submit completed recommendation forms from the following: a. Church leader b. Supervisor/employer c. Professional reference 3. Request an official transcript to be sent to Cedarville University from each college and/or university attended. The transcript for your baccalaureate degree must indicate the month and date the degree was granted. 4. Submit the appropriate standardized test score as required by your particular field of study. The test must have been taken within the last five years prior to applying. See admissions standards listed under your particular field of study for required standardized test scores. Successful applicants typically have received competitive scores on their program-appropriate nationally standardized exams. 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. 5. International applicants coming from countries in which English is not the native language will need to demonstrate their proficiency in English by taking the TOEFL. Required scores on the TOEFL are a paper-based score of 550 or better, a computer-based score of 213 or better, or an Internet-based score of 80 or better. Cedarville University’s institution code for the TOEFL is 1151. The test must have been taken within the last five years unless the applicant has completed an entire baccalaureate or graduate program in residence in the United States. Applicants for graduate degree programs may be interviewed by a member of the graduate admissions committee and, where beneficial, by representatives from the graduate program for which admission is being sought.. Graduate degree programs at Cedarville University vary in regard to the competitiveness of the admissions process and the timeframe in which that process must be completed. Refer to the admissions requirements for your specific program for this information. Conditional Acceptance A graduate student may be granted conditional acceptance and permitted to take up to 11 credit hours (unless otherwise stipulated by the program area) for any of the following reasons: • Official copies of transcripts have not yet been received by the University. • Required entrance examination scores have not yet been received by the University. • The student’s academic record does not meet typical graduate admission standards but shows potential for success. The decision to grant conditional status is made by the Graduate Admissions Committee. Applicants should feel free to contact graduate admissions to check on the status of materials received Reservation Deposit A reservation deposit must be submitted by new and readmitted students as an indication of their intention to enroll. The amount of the deposit is $150. This money is credited to the student’s account and used to cover first semester expenses. A student must submit a reservation deposit to register for classes. The reservation deposit is non-refundable, except in the case of significant extenuating circumstances. All refund requests must be made in writing by the student and submitted to the graduate admissions department. Instructions for submitting a reservation deposit may be found at cedarville.edu/graddeposit .