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Policy 170.10 Graduate Admissions Policy

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Policy CategoryPolicy OwnerVersion Effective DateReview Cycle
III. Academic AffairsSVP & CAOMay 1, 2023Every 2 years
  1. Introduction
    1. ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ conforms to the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Policies , approved on June 21, 1990, and . This is a PDF document, approved December 14, 2014.
    2. UMGC will not admit applicants who are not admissible to a USM institution pursuant to the USM Board of Regents Policies, including as example: in accordance with USM Policy III–1.00 Policy on Faculty, Student, and Institutional Rights and Responsibilities for Academic Integrity, students expelled or suspended for reasons of academic dishonesty by any institution in the University System of Maryland shall not be admissible to any other USM institution if expelled, or during any period of suspension.
    3. This policy is administered by Admissions Services in accordance with the academic standards established by UMGC.
    4. In accordance with federal law, foreign citizenship or international residency may limit an applicant's eligibility for admission. Additional admissions procedures may apply for those applicants including, but not limited to, applicants seeking admissions to UMGC graduate programs that require students to attend on-site residential experiences.
    5. Applicants for a master's degree who intend to seek the inclusion of transfer credits must comply with UMGC Policy 210.17 – Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation and Appeals.
    6. If ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ discovers, prior to admission, that an applicant has falsified, fabricated, or otherwise misrepresented the applicant's qualifications or documentation as part of the application and admissions process, then the applicant will become ineligible for admission. If ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ discovers, after a student has been admitted, that fraudulent information or documentation was used in the admissions process, the student will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with UMGC's Code of Student Conduct.
  2. Graduate Admissions Criteria
    1. Graduate Certificate and Master's Programs Admissions Criteria
      1. Applicants for graduate certificate and master's degree programs must submit a completed application for admission and a nonrefundable application fee.
      2. Applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited degree-granting university or college or another accredited institution that UMGC may approve on a case-by-case basis.
        1. If the applicant graduated with a bachelor's degree from UMGC, the applicant is not required to submit (an) official transcript(s).
        2. The following applicants must submit (an) official transcript(s) demonstrating completion of a bachelor's degree prior to admission to UMGC:
          1. Applicants seeking admission to any of the following programs: Accounting and Financial Management Master's Degree, Accounting and Information Systems Master's Degree, Master of Science in Management - Accounting, Biotechnology Master's Degree, Data Analytics Master's Degree, and Master of Arts in Teaching;
          2. Applicants required to submit an evaluation of an international transcript as set forth below; and
          3. Applicants required to demonstrate English proficiency as set forth below.
        3. All other applicants who do not fall into any of the categories noted in II.A.2.b may be admitted to UMGC prior to submission of the applicant's official transcript(s) demonstrating completion of a bachelor's degree.
          1. Students who are not required to submit an official transcript(s) prior to admission at UMGC must submit an official transcript(s) demonstrating completion of a bachelor's degree by the last day of the first term of enrollment at UMGC.
          2. Such students shall be limited to enrollment in no more than 6 credits of graduate courses. Once UMGC verifies the student's official transcript(s), this limitation shall be removed.
          3. Failure to submit an official transcript(s) by the last day of the student's first term of enrollment at UMGC will prevent the student from enrolling in additional graduate courses at UMGC until such transcript(s) is submitted and verified by UMGC.
      3. Some programs may require the submission of additional information before an admissions decision can be made. Prospective students should refer to the specific program descriptions on the UMGC website for any additional application requirements.
    2. Doctoral Programs Admissions Criteria
      1. Admission to the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration (DMCCPA) (collectively, "Doctoral Programs") is competitive. Meeting or exceeding the eligibility standards does not guarantee admission.
      2. Admission to the DMCCPA is not open to applicants with residency in the state of Maryland.
      3. By the published deadlines, applicants for Doctoral Programs must submit a completed application for admission and a nonrefundable application fee.
      4. Prior to admission to UMGC, applicants must submit an official transcript demonstrating completion of a master's degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited degree-granting university or college or another accredited institution that UMGC may approve on a case-by-case basis as well as the following:
        1. An up-to-date resume;
        2. A personal statement;
        3. Two letters of reference; and
        4. Successful completion (grade of "B" or better) of the Foundations of Doctoral Studies (3 Credits, DBA 600) doctoral course.
      5. Applicants who are residing outside of the United States may be required to affirm as part of the admissions process that the applicant understands the DBA and DMCCPA program's residency requirement and that the applicant is solely responsible for entry to the U.S. in order to fulfill that requirement. Throughout the program, if a student is unable to enter and remain in the U.S. to fulfill the requirement, the student will be unable to complete the program.
  3. Internationally Educated Students
    1. Prior to admission to UMGC, an applicant for any graduate or doctoral program who was educated in country other than the United States must submit an evaluation of the applicant's official transcript(s) demonstrating completion of a bachelor's, master's or higher evaluated by a UMGC-approved international credit evaluation agency.
      1. The international credit evaluation agency must send a copy of the transcript evaluation directly to the Academic Operations at UMGC.
      2. Receipt of the transcript evaluation does not automatically ensure admission as a graduate student.
      3. Learn more about requirements for international students.
    2. Evidence of English Proficiency
      1. Prior to admission to UMGC, applicants who have not received a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the United States, an accredited university or college in the United States that has been approved by UMGC, or an accredited university or college in one of the countries approved by UMGC must demonstrate English proficiency in one of the following ways:
        1. By arranging to have an official score report from one of the following testing options that is less than two years old sent to ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ directly from the Testing Agency to Academic Operations:
          1. The Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) with a minimum score of 79 (The TOEFL score recovery code is 5804);
          2. The paper-based TOEFL with the Test of Written English (TWE) with a minimum score of 550 and a minimum score of 4 on the TWE;
          3. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)—including both the academic writing and academic reading modules—with a minimum overall score of 6.5; or
          4. The EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency with a minimum grade of Pre-1.
        2. By submitting an official transcript(s) indicating completion of at least 12 credits of graduate coursework with a grade of "B" or higher at a regionally accredited degree-granting university or college.
          1. Coursework from other accredited institutions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
          2. All credit is subject to review before being accepted as evidence of English proficiency.
        3. By submitting documentation showing that the applicant has significant experience speaking and writing English at a college level, including but is not limited to, a resume, a writing sample, and letters of recommendation. Applicants seeking admission under this Subsection are encouraged to contact Admissions Services to obtain assistance in submitting appropriate documentation.
  4. Visiting and Non-Degree Seeking Student Categories of Admission
    1. Students Visiting from University System of Maryland (USM) Institutions
      1. Students visiting via a USM inter-institutional agreement do not have to complete the ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ application but must submit the required Inter-Institutional Enrollment form to Admissions Services. This form should be obtained from the student's home institution.
      2. The appropriate graduate department will certify the visiting USM student's prior academic work before allowing them to enroll in any course with prerequisite requirements.
      3. In accordance with the USM Board of Regents Policy on Graduate Student Inter-Institutional Registration (III-2.41), participation is limited to degree-seeking graduate students in good academic standing in approved graduate programs at USM institutions.
    2. Non-Degree Seeking Students
      1. Non-degree seeking students (students who do not have a specific degree objective and/or who are not visiting from another USM institution) must complete the standard ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ application and must meet the Graduate Certificate and Master's Programs Admissions Criteria as defined above.
      2. Non-degree seeking students may not enroll in the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or the Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration (DMCCPA) programs.
      3. Non-degree seeking students are limited to 12 credits total at UMGC.
      4. Non-degree seeking students must follow all prerequisite rules. See UMGC Policy 210.17 – Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation and Appeal Process for details about waiver and transfer credit opportunities.

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