Graduate Admission

Graduates holding a baccalaureate degree from colleges or universities accredited in a manner accepted by Kennesaw State University may apply for admission to the Graduate College. Applicants must submit the credentials deemed necessary by the chosen degree program. Individual programs may have additional requirements or higher standards than those listed for general admission. Applicants are accepted to one graduate program specifically and must reapply in order to change programs.

Requirements for admission to individual graduate programs are listed within each program section of this catalog.

Applicants for the MBA for Experienced Professionals should contact the program office prior to applying. Applicants for the Doctor of Business Administration Program should view the 4-step admission process on the Coles DBA web site a http://coles.kennesaw.edu/graduate/dba/admission-process.htm. All other candidates should follow these guidelines:

• Complete the online application for graduate admission: Go to http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/admissions/onlineapplication.shtml and select Online Graduate Application. There is a non-refundable $60.00 application fee. The applicant will receive a confirmation message indicating that the application has been submitted.
• Schedule the graduate entrance exam required for the program (consult program information). To insure adequate time for processing, the Office of Graduate Admissions recommends applicants take the exam six weeks prior to the application deadline. The scores are reported directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions when Kennesaw State University is selected on the exam registration menu. Official test results must be received before your file is considered complete; however, a photocopy of the personal test report may be submitted to verify that the exam has been taken. Some departments may use this unofficial report for review purposes and may admit applicants contingent upon receipt of official scores.
• Request that official transcripts from each institution attended be sent to you in a sealed envelope for inclusion in your admission packet. Do not open any envelopes or the transcript will not be considered official.
• Prepare any additional supplemental documents that may be required by the academic department as indicated in the program information (i.e., recommendation letters, résumé, writing samples, etc.). Many of these documents can be uploaded into the online application.
• International applicants should consult the “International Applicants” section below for additional documents that must be submitted.
• All required documents and official transcripts, should be compiled in one large envelope and mailed directly to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Kennesaw State University
1000 Chastain Road
Box #9109
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591

All documents become the property of Kennesaw State University and cannot be forwarded or returned. Incomplete files and files of accepted applicants who never enroll in classes are destroyed after one year. Applicants wishing to apply again must file a new application and resubmit all documents, and meet current admissions criteria for the desired program.

Once an applicant’s file is complete, the respective department will review the file. Then the department will notify the applicant of the admission decision. Admission to Graduate College does not imply that the student is a candidate for a degree. No commitment is made on this matter until the student is admitted to candidacy. Refer to the Academic Policies section in this catalog for more information about candidacy.

International Applicants

In addition to meeting specific requirements for each degree program, international students must meet the following additional requirements:

English Proficiency Tests:

International students must have earned the following score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Internet Based (IBT) – 80; or a score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. The TOEFL or IELTS will be waived for any applicant who has graduated from a college or university in the United States accredited in a manner accepted by Kennesaw State University or is from one of the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Liberia, New Zealand, Sierre Leone, South Africa, Tobago, Trinidad, United Kingdom, United States or Zimbabwe.

Immigration Documents:

International applicants who are requesting an I-20 for an F-1 visa must submit an affidavit of support from the sponsor and a certified financial statement from the sponsor’s bank showing that funds are available for one year of study. Students must have a valid passport and must be in current, valid immigration status in order to enroll at Kennesaw State University.

Evaluation of Foreign Credentials:

Graduates of foreign schools of higher learning must be able to document the fact that their degree is the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree awarded by an accredited United States college or university. International applicants, regardless of their country of origin or their native language, must have their foreign credentials evaluated by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc (http://www.naces.org/members.htm). Each evaluation must include the following: course-by-course description, equivalence to an accredited four-year U.S. undergraduate degree (or number of years toward completion), and grade point average. 

Include the following in the application packet: a copy of TOEFL scores, immigration documents, and an original official evaluation of foreign credentials (in a sealed envelope).

See http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/admissions/international_admissions.shtml for additional information for international students.

Transient Student Status

Applicants who are currently enrolled in a recognized graduate program at another institution may seek temporary admission to graduate study at Kennesaw State University. Applicants must submit the following to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

• Application form: http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/admissions/forms.shtml and select “Graduate Transient Application”
• A transient letter from the applicant’s home institution stating the following:
  1. The applicant is in good academic standing
  2. The specific KSU course(s) in which the applicant wishes to enroll; and
  3. The home institution will accept the credit from KSU as transfer credit toward the applicant’s degree.

Mail the letter to the Office of Graduate Admissions, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, #9109, Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591, or email to ksugrad@kennesaw.edu or fax to 770-423-6885.

Kennesaw State graduate students may attend another institution as a transient student. KSU students must seek written approval from their program director prior to applying to or enrolling in classes at another institution. Students must be in good academic standing and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 Individual programs may have additional criteria. Transient work shall be considered as transfer credit.

Transient work is not permissible for any part of the last 27 hours of credit toward any KSU MBA degree or 24 hours of MAcc degree, except under unusual circumstances and then only with written permission of the MBA program director prior to enrollment in transient work. (Student must not be on probation and must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.)

Applicants may appeal an admissions decision by contacting, in writing, the Dean of the Graduate College. Applicants may appeal denial of admission only if additional relevant information is provided for review.

Statement on Competitive Admission

All qualified persons are equally welcome to seek admission to Kennesaw State University, and all persons may apply for and accept admission confident that the policy and regular practice of the University will not discriminate against them on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin.

Projections of the number of graduate students to be admitted and enrolled in any year will be determined (a) by the capacity of the University, (b) by the capacity of the admitting program, and (c) by approved enrollment levels. If the number of eligible applicants for admission exceeds the number of applicants who can be admitted and enrolled, those to be offered admission will be selected on the program’s judgment of the applicant’s relative qualifications for satisfactory performance in the University/program/research area.

Verification of credentials and certification of compliance with University policies shall be the responsibility of the Office of Graduate Admissions. Policies and procedures that are approved by the Office of the President, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the Graduate Policies and Curriculum Committee shall be applied in determining eligibility for consideration for graduate study. From those eligible candidates, final admission decisions shall be the responsibility of the admitting program. Satisfying minimal standards, however, does not guarantee admission, since the number of eligible applicants generally far exceeds the number of places available. As a result, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

The criteria used in determining each applicant’s eligibility for consideration shall include: (1) evidence of award of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (prior to matriculation) from a regionally accredited recognized institution; students must show evidence of preparation in their chosen field sufficient to ensure profitable graduate study; (2) for international applicants, satisfactory completion of requirements listed at http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/admissions/international_admissions.shtml

From eligible candidates, programs may make final admission decisions based on a combination of factors, including academic degrees and records, the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, and relevant work experience. Also considered are the appropriateness of the applicant’s goals to the degree program in which they are interested and to the research interests of the program’s faculty. In addition, consideration may be given to how the applicant’s background and life experience would contribute significantly to an educationally benefical mix of students.

Right of Refusal

If an applicant (a) is on probation, suspension, expulsion, or any other type of academic warning at any previously attended institution, (b) is ineligible to enroll at any previously attended institution, (c) is currently charged with, or has been found guilty of, any violation of academic honesty, honor code, or conduct regulations of a previously attended institution, (d) left a previous institution while there were pending charges of any violation of academic honesty, honor code, or conduct regulations, (e) is currently charged with or has been found guilty of any violation of a federal, state, or municipal law, regulation or ordinance other than minor traffic violations, including offenses for which any type of first offender status has been granted, (f) has ever entered a plea of guilty, no contest, nolo contendere, or an Alford plea, or has otherwise accepted responsibility for the commission of a crime, (g) has received any type of discharge from military service other than honorable discharge, then the applicant’s case will be reviewed to insure that the applicant meets the satisfactory academic performance, good character, and good conduct requirements noted above. If, after a letter of acceptance has been issued, information comes to light that shows that an applicant did not meet all admission requirements, or that an applicant’s application contained omissions or misrepresentations, the applicants offer of admission will be automatically revoked. If this information comes to light after the student has enrolled, the applicant’s enrollment at Kennesaw State University will automatically be terminated and earned credit may be revoked.

Any changes in a student’s record prior to enrollment will necessitate a new review of the application. Any omissions or misrepresentations on a student’s application for admission will automatically invalidate consideration by, acceptance to, and continuation at Kennesaw State University.

Readmission to Graduate Study

Any graduate student who has a break in attendance of six consecutive semesters or more must apply for readmission to the graduate program by completing the Online Graduate Application and submitting it to the Office of Graduate Admissions. The application and a $60.00 nonrefundable application processing fee must be received by the established deadline for the semester of re-enrollment. Complete the online application at http://www.kennesaw.edu/graduate/admissions/forms.shtml or in the Office of Graduate Admissions. If the student has taken course work at another institution during the period of non-enrollment at KSU, the course work may be considered as transfer credit and, upon receipt of an official transcript, reviewed accordingly. All students requesting readmission must meet the admissions criteria in place at the time of readmission. The six-year time limit for degree completion applies.

KSU Masters Students Applying for Doctorate or Specialist Degrees

KSU students that are currently completing or have already completed a Masters at KSU and wish to be considered for a Doctorate or Specialist Degree at KSU, must complete a new application through the Online Graduate Application. You may need updated supporting documents or test scores may be needed. Please refer to the appropriate program’s section of the catalog for admission requirements.

Six-Year Time Limit

Any student who exceeds the six-year time limit for completing a degree must apply for admission to the degree program as a new student and begin a new planned program of study. Course credit over six years old will not be accepted in the new program. Other previous course work will be evaluated on the basis of its applicability to the new program of study. Individual degree programs or departments may add additional requirements regarding readmission.

Immunization Requirement

All students are required to satisfy immunization requirements for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) before registering for courses. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has instituted this policy in order to minimize potential outbreaks of measles, mumps, and rubella on college campuses. This requirement applies to all admissions classifications (i.e. Freshmen, Transfer, Joint Enrollment, Adult Non-traditional, Graduate, Transient, and Non-degree). Exemption categories are available for circumstances regarding medical conditions or religious convictions. Proof of immunization must be submitted to:

KSU Health Clinic
1000 Chastain Road House #52
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591
Mailstop #5200
http://www.kennesaw.edu/col_hhs/hc

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