Admission Information and Procedures

The University welcomes applications from individuals qualified for graduate study. In accepting admission to the College of Graduate Studies, 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 or revisions which may ensue.

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.

Applicants admitted to graduate programs as degree-seeking students are those working toward a graduate degree. Degree-seeking students must be recommended for admission by the graduate program/department and approved by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Students not seeking a degree are classified as non-degree students. Non-degree students must be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies. Non-degree students may take courses for a reasonable period of time, as determined by the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

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

All applicants to the College of Graduate Studies must have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) to be considered for unconditional admission. 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.

Individual programs determine which graduate test they require, such as the GRE, GMAT, or MAT.
(Refer to program requirements.)

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. Therefore, persons applying after the submission date may be subject to a late registration fee. Submission dates may be found here. Be advised that some programs do enforce admittance deadlines. Check with your desired program for these dates.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications may take up to 1 month to process.

All students must submit official transcripts of all college work, three letters of recommendation (if required) and test scores. (Some programs have additional requirements.) A $25 application fee is required when applying online ($30 for non U.S. citizens). If the transcripts are issued from an international (non-U.S.) institution, a course-by-course analysis is required. Evaluation services may be located here. Original non-U.S. transcripts should be submitted directly to the evaluation service.

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.

Academic Common Market - The Academic Common Market is a special program that allows students from participating states to register for unique academic majors at Middle Tennessee State University without paying out-of-state tuition fees. For more information on programs that may be available see http://www.mtsu.edu/graduate/student/acm.shtml

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.

Course schedules and the MTSU Registration Guide are available online.

Online Schedule
Registration Guide

Graduate Exams Required

Many programs at MTSU require that you submit a score on the GRE (general exam) or MAT. Some programs may require or recommend that you submit scores on a Subject GRE exam. Others require the GMAT. International students are also required to submit a TOEFL score. For program requirements click here.

Certificate programs require only transcripts and three letters of reference.

 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. 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. Contact the the MTSU Counseling and Testing Services for information.

MAT (Miller’s Analogy Test)
The Miller’s Analogy Test is administered through MTSU’s Testing Services Office. For more information visit the 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. Additional information is available and materials may be ordered online at http://www.toefl.org/.