Admission and Registration

Students must be officially accepted for admission to the School of Graduate Studies before they may register for graduate credit. Application and information can be obtained from the School of Graduate Studies office at E344 Student Union on the main campus or by calling (937) 775-2976. All correspondence pertaining to the admission of a student should be addressed to the School of Graduate Studies, Wright State University, E344 Student Union, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, Ohio 45435-0001. The School of Graduate Studies will coordinate the processing of the application.

Applications for admission and supporting credentials should be received at least four weeks before registration for the quarter in which the student wishes to begin graduate study.

All documents received by the university in connection with an application for admission become the property of Wright State University. Under no circumstances will they be returned to applicants or forwarded to any agency or other college or university.

Admission to the School of Graduate Studies does not necessarily indicate admission to an advanced degree. Such admission is subject to specific requirements as defined by the individual programs.

Students are identified by the School of Graduate Studies as being in one of the following categories.

Admission Categories

Regular Status

The student is admitted as fully qualified to pursue a program leading toward a graduate degree.

Provisional Status

Under certain conditions, a student may be admitted provisionally (for one quarter only), pending receipt of credentials. If admission requirements are not met during the quarter in which a student was admitted provisionally, registration for future quarters will be denied and the student will lose graduate credit for any graduate courses completed during the quarter.

Conditional Status

The student who does not meet the admission requirements for regular status, or who has conditions placed on his or her admission by an academic program, is admitted to a degree program in this status. Graduate credit earned while in this status will apply toward degree requirements. If all admission requirements are satisfied and the student has completed the first 12 hours of graduate credit, after being admitted into this status, with a 3.0 (a grade equivalent of a B) cumulative grade point average, regular status will be granted upon approval of the graduate program. A student who does not meet these conditions will be dismissed from the School of Graduate Studies.

Nondegree Status

A student who does not plan to work toward a degree may be admitted on a nondegree basis in order to take selected graduate courses. A student cannot receive a degree while in this status. Admission into this status does not imply or guarantee that a student will be granted admission into a degree program; the student must meet all the admission requirements for degree status. Should students be accepted into degree status at a later date, a maximum of one-half (50 percent) of the graduate hours required for completion of degree requirements may consist of applicable graduate courses completed in nondegree status (see Retroactive Graduate Credit, in the Academic Policies and Graduate Degree Requirements section, for additional information).

A student in nondegree status must maintain a 3.0 graduate grade point average. Furthermore, a student in this status who does not have a 3.0 graduate cumulative grade point average during the quarter in which he or she completes 12 hours of graduate course work while in this status will be dismissed from the School of Graduate Studies.

Certification/Licensure Status

A student who wishes to complete teacher licensure requirements at the graduate level but who does not wish to pursue a graduate degree may be admitted as a licensure candidate. A student cannot receive a degree while in this status. Subject to subsequent admission into a degree program and program approval, a maximum of one-half (50 percent) of the graduate hours required for completion of degree requirements may consist of applicable graduate courses completed in licensure status (see Retroactive Graduate Credit, (see Retroactive Graduate Credit, in the Academic Policies and Graduate Degree Requirements section, for additional information).

Senior Permission Status

Seniors at Wright State who have completed 162 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree and have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 may apply for permission to elect specified graduate courses for graduate or undergraduate credit. Approval must be granted by these students' undergraduate advisors, the chair of the department in which graduate or undergraduate credit is being sought, and the School of Graduate Studies. Only 12 hours of graduate course work taken for graduate credit may be applied toward degree requirements, with the graduate department's or program's approval, after the students have been admitted into a graduate program.

Special Status

Students in special graduate status are not considered to be admitted into the School of Graduate Studies.

Students who have a bachelor's degree may enroll in certain workshop courses for graduate credit without being admitted to the graduate school. Should students be accepted into degree status at a later date, a maximum of 12 quarter hours of graduate workshop credit can be applied, with program approval, toward degree requirements (see Retroactive Graduate Credit, (see Retroactive Graduate Credit, in the Academic Policies and Graduate Degree Requirements section, for additional information).

Transient Status

Students actively pursuing a graduate program at another college or university who wish to earn credits for transfer to that institution may be admitted for one quarter. Transient students will normally not be required to submit official transcripts. Students must complete the admission application and request the dean of their graduate school to complete the Wright State transient form indicating they are in good standing.

Admission Requirements

Complete an application form.

Pay a nonrefundable application fee.

Have an earned bachelorês degree from an accredited college or university.

Request all colleges/universities previously attended to send one official transcript directly to the School of Graduate Studies. Official transcripts are required for all previous undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) college work. If courses from one university or college appear on another university's or college's transcript, the applicant is still required to submit an official transcript from the university or college where the course was taken. (Note: Students applying for nondegree status need only submit an official transcript reflecting the award of a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Nondegree applicants having completed graduate work should also submit official transcripts reflecting that work.)

Meet the minimum requirements for the appropriate admission statuses as follows:

Regular Status
Admission into regular status requires an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 (based on a 4.0 grading system) or an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.5, but with a 3.0 or better for the last 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours) earned toward the undergraduate degree. Admission into this status also requires approval by a degree program.
Conditional Status
Students are admitted in this status when their undergraduate grade point average is less than 2.7 but at least 2.5 (based on a 4.0 grading system) or have an undergraduate grade point average of less than 2.5 but above 2.3 if the grades in the last half of undergraduate work constitute 2.7 or better. Admission into this status also requires approval by a degree program. Students having master's degrees from regionally accredited institutions may be admitted into Wright State graduate degree programs regardless of their undergraduate grade point averages, provided the appropriate academic departments or programs recommend them for admission.
Nondegree Status
To be admitted into nondegree status, a student must have a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Licensure Status
This status requires a student to have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.5.

Students who have taken graduate courses prior to seeking graduate admission to Wright State University must have an overall graduate grade point average of 3.0 or better and must be in good standing (not holding probationary, conditional, or equivalent status) at all previously attended colleges or universities.

Submit admission test scores, if applicable. (See the following section for test requirements.)

To be a degree-seeking student, a candidate must be admitted to a department and college/school for an identified program of study, as well as be admitted to the School of Graduate Studies.

For international student requirements, see the International Students section on the following page.

Admission by Petition An applicant who does not meet minimum requirements for admission, who has been dismissed from a program, or who has been denied admission to a program may submit a petition to the School of Graduate Studies for review. The petition form may be obtained from the School of Graduate Studies. The petition must contain supporting documentation of why any requirement should be waived. Submission of test grades, such as the Graduate Record Examinations and/or the Miller Analogies Test, may be required by the applicantês prospective graduate program in instances where the applicant has a grade point average below the minimum required for admission. Applicants should contact their graduate program officer for further details. The petition is submitted for review to the college/school petitions committee. The petition with the committeeês recommendation is then reviewed by the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, who will make the decision.

Admission Test Requirements

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

Applicants for admission to the Master of Business Administration and Master of Accountancy programs, regardless of their previous academic record, must submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test before they will be considered for admission. The GMAT is available year-round as a computer-based test at noted GMAT test centers. Preregistration directly with the Educational Testing Service is required. Registration information may be obtained from the University College, the graduate school, or the testing service. Students who hold a doctoral or master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and who also have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 or better, are not required to take the GMAT.

Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

Applicants for admission to the College of Education and Human Services must submit satisfactory scores on either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Information concerning the MAT may be obtained from the University College or the School of Graduate Studies.

Students applying to Teacher Education; Educational Leadership; and Health, Physical Education, and Recreation degree programs need not take the GRE or MAT if their cumulative undergraduate GPA for all undergraduate work completed at regionally accredited universities/colleges is at least a 3.0. Students applying to Human Services degree programs need not take the GRE or MAT if their cumulative undergraduate GPA is at least a 3.3. (The Praxis exam(s) [see below] will not be waived for students applying to programs requiring this test.)

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)

Applicants to Ph.D. programs and to graduate programs in computer science, computer engineering, human factors and industrial/organizational psychology, pharmacology and toxicology, social and applied economics, and certain other programs under particular circumstances, may be required to submit scores on the aptitude and advanced portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE consists of two parts: the general test, which contains verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions, and the subject tests, which assess achievement in the student's major field. Students will be advised by the School of Graduate Studies when the GRE is required as an additional admission requirement.

Graduate Record Examinations, for which fees are charged, are available as follows: General Test-year-round computer-based testing at designated GRE test centers; Subject Test-scheduled throughout the United States at designated GRE test centers in April, November, and December. Preregistration directly with the Educational Testing Service is required. Information and registration forms may be obtained from the University College, the graduate school, or the testing service.

Applicants will be advised concerning GRE test requirements following a review of their admission files.

Students with visual or upper extremity impairments who wish to take the GRE should follow the directions outlined in the GRE brochure, which is available in the University College, from the graduate school, or directly from the testing service.

Praxis II

Students seeking to enroll in a Teacher Education program designed to deliver an initial teaching credential (license) are required to pass the Praxis II specialty/content area exam(s) as defined by current state of Ohio standards. Candidates to these programs must contact the College of Education and Human Services, Office of Student Services, for assistance in identifying the appropriate exam(s) for the desired teaching field. These students are not required to take the MAT or GRE; however, students in this category unable to achieve a passing score on the Praxis II as defined by state of Ohio standards will not be admitted to a Teacher Education program.

Students who may require some special accommodation for taking any of the Praxis exams should follow the instructions provided in the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Praxis Registration Bulletin and on the ETS Praxis Web site at http://www.ets.org/praxis/.