Admission Process

Full Admission

Applicants meeting all graduate school admission requirements, and requirements set by the department administering the program, may be granted full admission to master’s programs. International applicants and applicants for the Doctoral programs have only one category of admission: ‘Full Admission’.

Admission with Conditions

After reviewing the applications, some programs may recommend admission with conditions. All students admitted with any conditions must fulfill the requirements within the time limit outlined by the program. International applicants and applicants for the Doctoral programs are not eligible for conditional admission. Students admitted with conditions are not eligible for financial aid or loans. Contact the Financial Aid Office for details.

Change of Status (Admission with Conditions to Full Admission)

Graduate students who have been admitted with conditions to a degree program at Chicago State University and who have met the prescribed requirements (conditions) within the approved timeline, must file a Change of Status request with the Graduate School after obtaining an approval signature from the graduate advisor and the Chair of the program to which the student was admitted. The student is responsible for submitting the program approved change of status form if they satisfy the conditions. Students who do not meet the prescribed requirements will lose their admissions status and may not continue in the degree program. Failure to submit a change of status form in a timely fashion may result in registration hold for future terms and/or loss of full admission to the program.

Early Admission (Graduating Seniors):

Graduating seniors who are in their final semester and expecting to earn the bachelor’s degree may apply to graduate school and be considered for early admission. If admitted early, registration for classes will be held in abeyance until a final transcript showing the conferral of the bachelor’s degree is submitted. Those who do not subsequently receive the bachelor’s degree will have their admission rescinded. This policy applies to out of state and international students as well. International students must submit the evaluations from approved foreign credential evaluators.

Admission to Candidacy:

Select academic departments have prescriptions for evaluating a student’s eligibility for Admission to Candidacy status. Admission to Candidacy is the formal approval for pursuit of a graduate degree after it is determined that all specified preliminary requirements have been met. These prescriptions do not include academic deficiencies of a remedial nature but are designed as a proving ground for indication of future success in the program. After having been admitted to graduate study with the objective of earning an advanced degree, the graduate student must apply for and be admitted to candidacy for the degree sought. Specific information regarding procedures for achieving candidacy is available in the academic department administering a graduate program.

Change of Program

Graduate students who have been formally admitted to a degree program may opt for a change of program for admission to another graduate program. Students must re-apply for the new program with complete documentation as per the new program requirements. Students must also submit a change of program form available on the Graduate School website.

Change of Major/Concentration/Track/Options/Specialization

Graduate students who have been formally admitted to a degree program may request for a change of major/Concentration/Track/Options/Specialization within the same program. Interested students must complete the change of Major/Concentration/Track/Options/Specialization form and submit to the Graduate school by following these steps:

Get the approval of the graduate program advisor and the chairperson of the department.
Submit the completed form to the graduate school.

Any approved changes will be effective the following semester. Therefore, students must submit the application by the last Friday in October [To be effective in spring] or last Friday in March [To be effective in Summer or Fall].

Admission as a Graduate-at-Large Student [Non-Degree]

Non-degree admission to the Graduate School is granted to those who wish to enroll in courses but do not intend to qualify for a degree. Students who hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who wish to enroll in graduate courses for their own personal enrichment or professional advancement may do so by completing the online application. A nonrefundable $30 application fee is required. Applicants for graduate-at-large status must present proof of degree at the time of application. A maximum of twelve semester hours taken in graduate-at-large status at Chicago State University prior to formal admission may be applied to a master’s degree program with the approval of the department administering the program. (Some programs only permit 6 hours.). Admission on a non-degree basis does not imply eligibility for matriculation or acceptance to any degree program. Students wishing to be admitted into a specific program must submit a new and complete application for that program.

Applying for Admission

Applications must be submitted through our online application portal.
https://csu9501.force.com/OnlineApp/TX_SiteLogin?startURL=%2FOnlineApp%2FTargetX_Portal__PB

No paper applications are accepted. A nonrefundable application fee of $30.00 must be paid with the application. Applications submitted without the admission fee will not be processed.

It is important that deadline dates as mentioned in the application [varies depending on the program] are met to ensure admission in the appropriate semester. International applicants are encouraged to apply at least one, preferably two months, earlier than the published deadlines. Students choosing to enroll with graduate-at-large status must meet the admission requirements for non-degree status and are advised that certain admission and enrollment restrictions for some courses may apply.

Applying for Admission to the College of Pharmacy

Refer to the College of Pharmacy section of this catalog on information for the application procedure.

Transcripts

Domestic Applicants: For an initial review of applications to graduate programs, students can upload a copy of the unofficial transcript[s] for consideration. However, Official transcripts are required, and we encourage students to arrange for the submission of original transcripts as soon as possible. If admitted, students will be required to submit the original official transcripts within 45 days of the start of the regular semester in Fall and Spring and within two weeks from the start of the first session of classes in summer. Official transcripts will only be received electronically or in a sealed envelope from the student’s previous Institution [ Students can obtain the sealed envelope from their institution and mail it or drop it off in the Graduate School’s office]. CSU students need not submit original transcripts. If students don’t submit the original transcripts in the prescribed time, a registration and transcript hold will be placed on the student’s account.

International Students: International students CANNOT upload unofficial transcripts. They must submit A course-by-course evaluation of all foreign educational credentials from one of the evaluating agencies listed.

Transcripts previously submitted to the undergraduate or graduate school at CSU, or the Teacher Licensure Office cannot be reused with a new application process. Additionally, applicants to the following programs must submit two official copies of all transcripts: School Counseling, Principal Preparation, Special Education, and Information Studies.

Transfer Credit

Students can transfer prior earned credits in two ways.

Credits Earned from Other Institutions:
Students may petition to have graduate credit earned at other accredited colleges and universities that were not used towards degree requirements or applied to a degree program at Chicago State University. Approval is dependent upon the department supervising the degree program and the graduate dean. For an evaluation of transfer credit taken prior to admission at CSU, the student must indicate on the application for admission any transfer credit he/she wishes to have considered. All courses must have been taken within the time limit for completing the degree program prior to the conferral of the graduate degree (see Time Limit under Academic Regulations). Grades earned must be at least a B or above. In general, up to 34% of credits for a degree program may be considered for transfer from other universities.
Proficiency/competency-based credit transfer:
Proficiency/competency-based credits can also be used as transfer credits [ Within the maximum allowed transfer credit limits]. Up to a maximum of 9 transfer credit hours can be obtained through a department/program administered evaluation and assessment of student’s knowledge and competencies. Students need to contact the program adviser and/or the Chair of the Department for any available proficiency credits. Final decision on approving these credits for transfer will be taken by the Dean of the Graduate School. General rules for transferring credits as described above apply for the proficiency transfer credits also. The application must be submitted in the first semester the student is registered for classes at CSU. Credits are not allowed retroactively. Departments may require additional documentation of prior knowledge/work experience.

CSU Students Taking Courses at Other Institutions

Admitted CSU students who wish to enroll in graduate courses at other regionally/nationally accredited universities must have approval of both the program graduate advisor and the Dean of the Graduate School prior to enrollment. Graduate credit from other regionally accredited universities may be accepted towards a degree program if the courses for which transfer credit is requested are within a degree-program sequence the student selected at that university. These courses must be comparable to those taught at CSU and must be within the time limits similar to CSU courses. Only graduate courses with a minimum of B grade can be transferred.

Double-Counting

Graduate courses used to meet requirements for a previous graduate degree cannot be counted toward a second degree. However, courses taken to meet requirements for a graduate certificate program may be counted toward a degree program later. Likewise, graduate courses taken as part of a post-baccalaureate teacher licensure program at CSU (but not a MAT program) may be used to satisfy requirements for a master’s degree.

Undergraduate students taking Graduate Courses

Undergraduate students in their senior year [after completion of 90 credit hours] may be allowed to register for a maximum of two 5000 level courses related to their major as electives to fulfill their graduation requirements. Undergraduate students cannot register for 5000 level courses without the permission of the academic adviser and/or the Chair of the Department. Courses which have a 4000-level counterpart [ 4000/5000 designated courses], individual topics, and selected topics and similar courses are not eligible for this purpose. Also, these courses cannot be used for transfer to a graduate program if the student wishes to pursue one.

Pursuing Multiple Degrees

Students may apply to more than one graduate program at a time. Both applications need to be completed on their own, including separate transcripts for each application. However, they will be allowed to pursue only one-degree program at a time if selected for both. Students enrolled in a degree or post-baccalaureate certificate program through the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies may not work on two degrees concurrently unless they are enrolled in post-baccalaureate certificate programs, dual graduate/professional degree programs, dual graduate/professional enrollment programs, integrated baccalaureate - graduate / professional degree programs or transnational education programs that have been approved through the Chicago State University curriculum review process. Approved programs may involve one or more Chicago State University and external institutions. Programs with external institutions must have a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both institutions.

Graduate courses that have been used for completion of a prior degree may not be used to satisfy requirements for a second degree. Students are not required to repeat content in the case of overlap of previously taken graduate courses; instead, students complete electives to meet semester hour requirements.

Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence (LOA) may be granted for graduate students in good academic standing to take a leave from their degree or graduate certificate program for a specified period, up to a maximum of one year. Students normally apply for leave of absence status under specific circumstances. Leave of absence status indicates a continuing relationship with the university that allows the student to resume studies after the designated “leave” period. Since students on leave are not eligible to receive financial support, a LOA may affect the status of their financial aid. Students are responsible for determining the requirements of their funding agency and/or academic unit prior to applying for a leave of absence. Leave is not granted retroactively, nor to a student whose registration is not current or whose time to complete the degree in program has elapsed. Additional information is available from the department supervising the degree program. Students must submit a Re-Entry application when they return.

Readmission & Re-Apply

Readmission: Students not enrolled for two academic/calendar years or more and did not obtain any leave of absence and wish to come back, may be considered for re-admission, if they have a reasonable chance of completing the program within the original time frame [from the original time of enrollment]. They should submit a petition which must be supported by the program adviser and the Chair of the department. Final decision for re-admission will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School. Students will be bound by the regulations at the time of their initial registration. Withdrawal may affect the student’s status of financial aid. Check with the Financial Aid office.

Re-Apply: Students not enrolled for two academic years or more and have no realistic possibility to complete the degree program within the original time frame [ 6 years for master’s and 7 years for Ed. D], must re-apply as new students. Any courses taken before may be considered for completing the requirements if they are not aged out. Students will be bound by the regulations at the time of new enrollment.

Aged Courses

Courses which are older than 6 years for master’s and 7 years for Ed.D. program are considered to be aged and cannot be used for counting towards the degree. Requests for exception to the policy may be considered if a petition is submitted along with a request for extension of time for graduation. Similar to the extension, an exception may be granted for courses taken within the extended time period. Retroactive petitions are not accepted.

Extension of Time Limits to Complete the Degree

Most Masters programs are of Two-Year duration. A few programs have special requirements [ internships etc.] and may be of extended duration. However, all work to satisfy master’s degree requirements (including transfer credits, theses etc.) must be completed within a six-year period from the time of initial registration. Students enrolled in the EdD doctoral program must complete the degree within seven years and students in the PharmD doctoral program must complete the degree within six years of their first enrollment at Chicago State University.

Graduate students who have not completed their program within the required time limit (starting from the date of the original registration to graduate study) but are in good academic standing, may apply to their department/college for an extension of time. Students must file a petition for an extension explaining the circumstances and a plan for completion. The petition must be approved by the program and the College to which the student belongs before submitting to the Graduate School. The Graduate School must receive the petition by Second Friday in October if the Fall is the last semester and Second Friday in March if the Spring semester is the last semester for the student before extension. The Graduate Council will vote on it and recommend it to the Dean of Graduate School. If granted, extension is given for a period of maximum one academic or calendar year. Extension of time may also involve a request for exception on aged courses. Students need to check with their advisers. No retroactive extensions will be granted.

Academic Reinstatement

A graduate student who has been academically dismissed may petition for academic reinstatement. Students must obtain the permission of the program/department for reinstatement and submit the petition to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies and. Normally, if the student is reinstated, courses that have been completed [if they have not aged] will be credited to the degree, and only outstanding degree requirements must be completed. The start date remains the date of initial entry to the program, and the time limit for completion of the degree is not affected. A student may be considered for reinstatement on the recommendation of the department if:

The student is in good academic standing
Any delinquent fees or charges are paid, including tuition and continuing fees owed for the period during which the student did not register
The time limit for degree completion, including the sessions in which the student was not registered, has not expired.

A student who was required to withdraw for academic reasons is not necessarily eligible for reinstatement.