Admission Information and Procedures

Please consider the following information before beginning your online application.  Keep in mind that this may be a useful page to return to as you have questions about the application process.

General Admission Policies

  • ADMISSION PROCEDURES:

Admission to graduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University involves admission to an individual academic program.  Upon receipt of all required materials, and assuming the applicant meets the admission standards of the desired academic program, the application is then forwarded (routed) to the individual program for consideration.  Applications of admission should be completed online.

Note:  In accepting admission, a graduate student assumes responsibility for knowing and complying with the regulations and procedures set forth in the graduate catalog, as well as any amendments of revisions which may ensue.

  • DEGREE REQUIREMENT:
    Graduate applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree. Exceptions are those seeking the Doctorate or Specialist degrees, which may require a prior master's degree.
  • GPA REQUIREMENTS:
    All applicants to the College of Graduate Studies must have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) to be automatically routed to academic programs for consideration.  Certain programs may consider exceptions to this policy.  Please contact the program of interest for further information. Applicants who attended graduate school at another institution must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on all graduate work and a minimum of 2.75 on all undergraduate work to be considered for unconditional admission. International students on an F-1 visa must meet requirements for unconditional admission.

Note: Individual programs may have higher GPA requirements than the College of Graduate Studies. 

  • OFFICIAL TEST SCORES:
    Applicants should consult the programs for individual program admission requirements. Additionally, individual programs determine which graduate test they require, such as the GRE, GMAT, or MAT.
  • DEADLINES:
    While the College of Graduate Studies in general does not have an application deadline, we do impose a submission date each semester to ensure that our coordinators have sufficient time to process your application. At least three months prior to the anticipated date of registration, all degree-seeking applicants must submit the following materials to the College of Graduate Studies. Therefore, prospective students applying after the submission date may be subject to a late registration fee.

Note: Be advised that some programs do enforce admittance deadlines. Check with your desired program for these dates. Applications may take up to 1 month to process.

  • Once all of the required materials are submitted, it is up to the individual programs to decide whether or not they wish to admit the student. Programs may admit or reject a student for whatever reasons they see fit. Because one program has rejected you does not mean you cannot apply to another program. If the program recommends admission, the paperwork is then returned to the College of Graduate Studies office and an official letter of admission is sent to the student. Students may check admission status by going through PipelineMT.

Note: Once you are enrolled as a graduate student, you are required to maintain an overall 3.0 GPA in your graduate credit course work to remain in good academic standing.

Degree-Seeking Students

All applicants wishing to pursue a graduate degree objective at MTSU must formally apply for admission to the College of Graduate Studies as degree-seeking students. Degree-seeking students must be recommended for admission by the graduate program/department and approved by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Information on Admissions Exams

GRE (Graduate Record Exam) general test

The general GRE exam is now given only on computer in the U.S. Students may take the exam at the Sylvan Learning Center most convenient to you. The GRE test code for MTSU is 1466. For more information visit MTSU Testing Services.

GMAT (The Graduate Management Admission Test)

The GMAT is required at MTSU for application to the Jennings A. Jones College of Business program and to the Accounting and Information Systems programs. To submit scores to Accounting, use code 6ZR-KJ-63. For Information Systems, use: 6ZR-KJ-37. For our full-time MBA and Management programs, submit scores to: 6ZR-KJ-25. For the part-time MBA program, submit scores to: 6ZR-KJ-52. For more information, contact the the MTSU Counseling and Testing Services.

MAT (Miller Analogies Test)

The Miller Analogies Test is administered through MTSU's Testing Services Office. The code for submitting scores to MTSU is 1751. For more information visit MTSU Counseling and Testing Services.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

The TOEFL is administered by Sylvan Learning Centers in a computer-based environment. You may register for the TOEFL by calling 800-468-6335. The code for submitting test scores to MTSU is 1466. Additional information is available and materials may be ordered online at http://www.toefl.org/.

NOTE: Both ETS and the GRE board have advised that a combined GRE score should not be used as an absolute cutoff for admissions decisions, but rather should be used as part of an overall evaluation of applicants. The GRE board statement reads: A cutoff score based only on GRE scores should never be used as a sole criterion for denial of admission. The College of Graduate Studies subscribes to this principle.

Each graduate program may have additional requirements including application deadlines. Applicants should review relevant program descriptions for requirements.
If applicant fails to meet the deadline for submitting all materials for admission, it will be necessary for the applicant to reapply for admission. All materials submitted will be retained for one year from the date of submission.

An applicant not meeting University or program requirements for admission as a degree-seeking student may appeal to the individual program for special consideration. If recommended for admission by the program, the dean of the College of Graduate Studies has final approval or denial authority.

Upon notification of admission by the College of Graduate Studies to a specific graduate program, the admitted student should contact the director of graduate studies for more information on any required prerequisite courses. It is advisable to speak with a departmental academic advisor before enrolling in any graduate course.

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Non-Degree-Seeking Students

Non-degree student admission is available to qualified applicants who wish to enhance their post-baccalaureate education but do not seek a graduate degree. International students on an F1 visa may not be admitted to graduate study as non-degree students.

Applicants wishing to be admitted as non-degree graduate students must:

  1. complete an application for graduate admission to the College of Graduate Studies;
  2. pay a non-refundable application fee of $35;
  3. submit an official transcript certifying receipt of the bachelor's or post-baccalaureate degree. Official transcripts must be mailed directly from the institution to MTSU and must be received prior to enrollment. Unofficial transcripts may be used for the initial registration in graduate courses as a demonstration of eligibility for graduate status.

Not all courses offered at the University are available for non-degree students. Enrollment in specific courses may be limited to degree seeking students only. Information concerning eligibility for specific graduate courses may be obtained from individual departments. It is advisable to speak with a departmental academic advisor before enrolling in any graduate course.

Non-degree-seeking students who wish to change to degree-seeking status must meet the College of Graduate Studies' admission requirements and specific graduate program admission requirements to be eligible for consideration.

If transfer to degree-seeking status is approved, appropriate semester hours earned while a non-degree student may be applied toward a degree program if approved by the director of graduate studies and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. In general, applicants may not apply more than 6 credit hours taken while in non-degree seeking status toward any degree program.

NOTE: Non-degree-seeking students are not permitted to enroll in graduate courses in the Jennings A. Jones college of Business.

 Non-Degree-seeking students are not eligible for financial aid.

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Conditional Admission

Occasionally degree-seeking applicants may not meet all the requirements necessary to be recommended for unconditional admission. For example, they may have a low undergraduate grade point average or have low test scores. However, the overall application materials may suggest there is substantial potential for academic success, thus making outright denial counterproductive. In these cases, conditional admission into the academic program may be granted by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies upon the recommendation of the graduate program. Continuation as a degree-seeking student within an individual program is contingent upon fulfilling specific requirements stipulated in the conditional admission letter. Conditionally admitted students are not eligible to hold graduate assistantships or have financial aid until all conditions of admission are satisfied.

Re-Admission and Re-Enrollment

The College of Graduate Studies should be contacted for all matters concerning readmission. A readmission application is required from any student who missed one semester (excluding summers), regardless of the reason. For non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureate students, readmission is granted at the discretion of the graduate dean and is subject to space limitations with degree-seeking students given preference.

For degree-seeking students, each graduate program may have a specific readmission policy and should be contacted for information. Readmission requires the recommendation of the graduate program and approval by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Some graduate programs regularly allow readmission for individuals who have missed no more than one semester or if the "stop-out" period is less than one year; others are more restrictive due to program capacity, curriculum, and ongoing quality improvement. Students seeking to be readmitted must meet the requirements of new applicants.

Re-enrollment Following Suspension

Suspended graduate students who wish to resume graduate studies after the period of suspension must reapply to the program. Readmission of a suspended graduate student is not guaranteed. If readmission is granted to a suspended student, re-enrollment cannot occur until at least one term has elapsed following suspension (exclusive of Summer). In other words, if students suspended in the Fall apply to re-enroll, they are not eligible for re-enrollment prior to Summer. Students suspended in the Spring or Summer may apply for re-enrollment in Spring of the following academic year.

 

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Auditing

A student who chooses to audit a course is one who enrolls and participates in a course without expecting to receive academic credit. The same registration procedure is followed and the same fees charged as for courses taken for credit. An audited course is not applicable to any degree or certificate.

Regular class attendance is expected of an auditor. Students interested in auditing a course should discuss course requirements with the instructor prior to enrolling. Failure to meet course requirements may result in an auditor being removed from the course at the request of the instructor. A successful audit will be recorded on the transcript with the designation NC. Any petition to change from audit to credit or credit to audit must be processed by the last day in the semester in which a class may be added to the student's schedule of classes. Requests to change from credit to audit after the deadlines must be approved by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Immunizations

The State of Tennessee requires full-time students entering colleges, universities, and technical institutes with enrollment of greater than 200 students to provide proof of two (2) doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine on or after the first birthday, or proof of immunity to measles if date of birth is 1957 or after, prior to the first day of classes of the students' initial attendance.

The state of Tennessee also mandates that MTSU provide information concerning Hepatitis B infection and the Meningococcal disease to all students entering MTSU for the first time. All new graduate students will need to electronically sign a waiver form before they can register. This form is located within PipelineMT. For further information concerning these Tennessee Immunization laws, exemptions from compliance and forms, contact Student Health Services.

Students will not be allowed to register for classes until acceptable forms are on file in the Student Health Services Office. More information may be obtained by calling (615) 898-2988.

International students are also required to file a certificate from a licensed U.S. physician or other qualified medical authority, verifying freedom from tuberculosis, within 30 days from the first day of classes. Failure to do so will result in denial of enrollment. In the event that a student either has tuberculosis or has potential tuberculosis requiring treatment, continuing enrollment will be conditional upon the determination by a licensed U.S. physician that such enrollment does not present a risk to others and upon the student's compliance with any medical treatment program. International students should be aware that they must purchase health insurance before they are allowed to enroll.