Admission to Graduate Studies

All students must gain admission to the Jackson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS) before enrolling in graduate courses. All degree-seeking students must gain admission to the Jackson College of Graduate Studies and be accepted by their programs before enrolling in graduate courses. Undergraduate students, wishing to enroll in graduate courses may do so under the “Academic Regulations” section on “Mixed Enrollments” or on “Accelerated Degree Pathways” without first gaining admission to graduate studies.

1. How to Apply for Graduate Admission at UCO

An online application can be found at: www.uco.edu/ graduate. The applicant should read the appropriate section of this catalog to find out if letters of recommendation, test score reports, or other documents are required for admission. When all required documents are received, our office will send the submitted documents to the respective program advisor for review and acceptance. Applicants are welcome to call the office of the Jackson College of Graduate Studies at 405-974-3341, visit in person (NUC 404), or access the JCGS website at: www.uco.edu/ graduate.

2. When to Apply

Applicants who have already completed bachelor degrees may apply as early as one year in advance of intended enrollment.

Applicants who are currently enrolled as undergraduates and who plan to go directly to graduate school are encouraged to submit their application materials prior to bachelor’s degree graduation. The Jackson College of Graduate Studies and the specific graduate programs may make tentative graduate admission and acceptance decisions based on grades posted one semester before graduation. Admission (or rejection) of an individual applicant will not be finalized, however, until the undergraduate degree is completed and all grades and the degree are posted on the official transcript.

For all programs, applicants are advised to apply well in advance of the semester in which they intend to begin classes. Certain programs have specific application deadlines as indicated in the program sections of this catalog. In addition, there are specific application deadlines for international students. (See the International Graduate Students heading later in this chapter.)

Some programs accept students for any semester, and others confine acceptance to specific times because of curriculum sequencing and/or capacity considerations. Check the specific program section of this catalog to determine the admission cycle for the program in which you are interested.

Students who have not yet received their bachelor’s degree must submit a letter from their undergraduate university’s Registrar’s office verifying graduation.

Students in an Accelerated Degree Pathway should refer to the “Admission Prior to Posted Bachelor’s Degree” section of this catalog.

3. Application Materials

1. UCO Graduate Admission Application form. The application form is required for ALL new graduate students including those currently enrolled as undergraduates at UCO. To apply online click here. (Note: a completed application form is also required for readmission of former graduate students who have not been enrolled for over one year, as well as an approved appeal for those who were suspended regardless of the length of non-enrollment.)
2. Non-refundable application fee of $60. (Paid by credit card while applying online.)
3. Official (not student) copies of transcripts. Applicants must submit transcripts from ALL accredited institutions of higher learning attended at the undergraduate and graduate level, and any degree(s) earned must be posted on the appropriate transcript(s).
4. Scores from the GMAT or GRE (if required by the program). See the degree sheet for the specific major to determine if the GMAT or GRE is required. Information about how to take these admission exams is provided under a heading later in this chapter.
5. Letters of recommendation and other documents (if required by the program). See the degree sheet for the specific program to determine if letters and/or other documents must be submitted. It is recommended that applicants contact the program office directly for additional details.
6. Appropriate visa and evidence of English Language Proficiency. See the International Graduate Student heading later in this chapter for complete information about the admission of international students to graduate study at UCO.

4. Immunizations

Oklahoma state law requires that all new students who attend Oklahoma colleges and universities for the first time provide proof of immunization for certain diseases. Contact the Jackson College of Graduate Studies for more information by calling 405-974-3341 or by visiting www.uco.edu/graduate.

5. Admission Examinations

Some UCO graduate programs require students to submit GMAT or GRE scores for admission. It is the applicant’s responsibility to complete the exam, pay fees, and have scores forwarded to UCO. (Scores more than five years old are not acceptable.) Information about how to take the examinations follows:

A. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

The GMAT (or GRE) is required for all students seeking an MBA degree at UCO. Test scores must be submitted before the student will be admitted to the program. The computer version of the GMAT is offered every day except Sunday, holidays and the first two days of the month at the Pearson Professional Center of Oklahoma, 5100 N. Brookline Ave., Ste. 282, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. Phone 405-917-7325 for appointment. For regularly updated information about the availability of test centers, call 405- 917-7325 or 1-800-247-8731. UCO School code for testing purposes is 6091.
See the website at: www.mba.com for GMAT information, sample questions and testing sites.

B. Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

The GRE is required for students seeking several graduate degrees at UCO (see list below). Examination scores must be sent to the Jackson College of Graduate Studies. Examination schedules and expenses are the responsibility of the student. No scores more than five years old will be accepted. The computer version of the GRE is offered every day except Sundays and holidays at the Prometric Learning Center, 3545 NW 58th, #210, Oklahoma City, OK, 73112. (https://www.ets.org/gre/). For regularly updated information about the availability of test centers, call Prometric at 405-917-1724 or 1-800- 473-2255. UCO school code for testing purposes is 6091.

C. Programs Requiring GRE

The programs requiring the Graduate Record Exam are as follows:

• Behavior Analysis (M.S.)
• Business Administration (M.B.A.)
• Counseling Psychology (M.A.)
• Psychology (M.S.)
• School Psychology (Ed.S.)

6. Admission Standards

All master’s degree programs at UCO require that students hold an accredited bachelor’s degree (or equivalent for international students). All doctoral programs require that students hold an accredited master’s or equivalent degree. Accelerated Degree Pathway policies are in the “Graduate Credit Earned While Still an Undergraduate (Accelerated Degree Pathway) section of this catalog. Usually, the undergraduate major will be in a field directly relevant to the master’s degree major. Some programs may, however, choose to admit students holding less directly relevant bachelor’s degrees if, in the discretion of the program, the student is prepared, or can become prepared by prerequisite coursework or other activity, for work in the graduate field.

Each program has established a minimum undergraduate or graduate grade point average (GPA) standard for regular admission (see p. 20.) In addition, some programs have also established minimum GMAT or GRE scores and/or specified a minimum index computed using GRE and GPA. If a program requires letters of recommendation and/or other documents, the submission of such is a minimum requirement for program admission.

A completed post baccalaureate degree from an appropriately regionally-accredited institution with at least a 3.00 GPA may also be used to determine eligibility for admission. Doctoral programs require at least a 3.25 overall GPA in a master’s or equivalent program for admission.

Categories of Admission

Regular Admission:

The Jackson College of Graduate Studies processes applications for admission and responds either by denying the student for admission or by accepting the student under one of the categories below. All students must be admitted, and degree-seeking students must also be accepted by their programs, before enrolling in graduate courses.

Most students admitted to graduate study at UCO will be classified as “regular” graduate students. This means that they have completed a bachelor’s degree or post baccalaureate degree and that they face no further admission requirements as long as they remain in good academic standing and in continuous enrollment (i.e., no break longer than one-year).

Conditional Admission (GPA):

Conditional Admission (GPA) relates to undergraduate grade point average (GPA), except for doctoral programs, which use the master’s level GPA. If the graduate program determines that there is good reason to believe that an applicant will be successful despite the applicant’s lower than minimum GPA, the program may, at its discretion, request admission of the student on a Conditional Admission (GPA) basis as follows:

• For master’s and specialist programs, an applicant’s undergraduate GPA must be at least 2.25 on a 4.00 scale or at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in graduate coursework if the applicant has completed at least 6 graduate hours at an accredited institution or institutions.
• For doctoral programs, an applicant’s cumulative graduate GPA must be at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.

Conditional Admission (GPA) students must meet all other criteria for all students. Some programs do not admit students on a Conditional Admission (GPA) basis. See program listings.

Conditional Admission (GPA) students in master’s and specialist programs may take no more than a total of 12 graduate hours while in Conditional Admission (GPA) status. Conditional Admission (GPA) students in doctoral programs may take no more than 14 graduate hours while in conditional admission status. Once Conditional Admission (GPA) students have completed at least 9 hours with a GPA of at least 3.00 for master’s and specialist students or 3.25 for doctoral students in all graduate hours completed, they have met Conditional Admission (GPA) criteria and can continue graduate study. If Conditional Admission (GPA) students have completed at least 9 hours with a GPA less than 3.00 for all graduate hours completed, or less than 3.25 for doctoral programs, they will be placed on probation. See the Academic Probation and Suspension section of this catalog for details and procedures.

Conditional Admission (Prerequisites):

If the graduate program determines that there is good reason to believe that an applicant will be successful despite the applicant not having completed some specified program prerequisites, the program may, at its discretion, request admission for the student on a Conditional Admission (Prerequisites) basis. At the time of admission, the program will specify the student’s deficiencies. These deficiencies must be removed within 12-months of first UCO graduate enrollment. In some cases, all deficiencies must be completed before students may enroll in certain program-required courses, beyond those allowed under Mixed Enrollment. In other cases, advisors may allow students to enroll in both prerequisites and certain program-required courses. See program listings for details. If the students have satisfactorily completed all prerequisites before their deadlines, they will be shifted to Regular Admission status. If the prerequisites are not completed by the deadline, the students will be suspended. Some programs do not accept students on a Conditional Admission (Prerequisites) basis. See program listings.

Conditional Admission (English Language Proficiency):

If the graduate program determines that there is good reason to believe that an international applicant will be successful as indicated by the applicant’s having met the other standards for regular or conditional admission, the program may at its discretion request admission for the student under Conditional Admission (English Language Proficiency), conditional to the student meeting the standards listed in the section on “English Language Proficiency.” Students must meet these standards before they are allowed to enroll in UCO graduate courses. Conditional Admission (English Language Proficiency) students have a maximum of 18 months from the date of conditional admission to fulfill their language requirement. Failure to do so will nullify the student’s acceptance and require a new application for graduate admission.

Conditional Admission (Transcript):

Students who have completed all steps for program acceptance and graduate admission, including the filing of a partial transcript with evidence of expected completion of a bachelor’s degree within the current semester or the following summer, but without the filing of a final undergraduate transcript showing the actual completion of the bachelor’s degree, will be admitted as Conditional Admission (Transcript) students. These students may not enroll in graduate classes beyond those allowed under the Mixed Enrollment Policy until they have shown evidence of obtainment of bachelor’s degrees.

Deferring Admission

Students are admitted for the semester in which they apply. Students who have been accepted may defer admission for 12 months from the start date of the semester for which they are admitted, provided that they still meet all admission requirements at the time of UCO enrollment and have reported all credit hours attempted at other higher education institutions since the time of UCO graduate admission. Students seeking deferrals must make their requests within the online application portal. UCO will not charge a second application fee to students so deferred. Students may gain a deferment for their admissions only once. Beyond the deferral’s deadline, students must reapply for admissions and again pay an application fee.

Readmission

Students who have not enrolled and completed a graduate course at UCO for a minimum period of one year must apply for readmission as graduate students to the Jackson College of Graduate Studies, must meet the requirements for the program at that time, and must pay the non-refundable application fee.

Readmission for Conditional Admission Students

Conditional Admission (GPA) students who voluntarily and officially withdraw from UCO before earning graduate grades or who withdraw with GPAs of at least 3.00 for master’s and specialist programs or 3.25 for doctoral programs with no graduate grades of “C or Lower” may be readmitted as Conditional Admission (GPA) students. Conditional Admission (GPA) students who leave voluntarily and officially withdraw but do not meet these standards and those who leave involuntarily (such as through dismissals or administrative withdrawals) and seek readmission must meet all requirements for Regular Admission.

Denial of Admission

Admission is typically denied if an applicant fails to meet one or more of the admissions requirements or standards of the Jackson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS) or the graduate program to which they applied. As the process for graduate admission is competitive, students meeting basic admission requirements who are less well qualified than other applicants may also be denied admission. Denial reasons vary and may include, but are not limited to:

Denied admission from the JCGS due to

• low undergraduate or graduate grade point average (GPA).
• unaccredited degrees or insufficient academic credentials.
• academic suspension or academic misconduct.
• submission of fraudulent or modified documents during the application process.
• insufficient proof of English language proficiency.

Or, denied admission by the program due to

• lack of academic background or poor academic performance.
• program capacity or competitiveness.

Denial of admission due to the submission of any false information or fraudulent documents in connection with the application process will result in future automatic denials by the Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

Applicants denied for reasons other than false information or fraudulent documents may reapply for admission to a different program or the same program. A new application for admission and application fee will be required for each time an applicant wishes to be considered for admission to graduate studies. Decisions made that result in a denial of admission are final and are not subject to appeal by the applicant.

Non-Credential-Seeking Students

Non-Degree Credential students are those who wish to take graduate-level courses and are not seeking admission to a graduate degree or certificate program at the University of Central Oklahoma. To be admitted as a non- credential-seeking graduate student at UCO, the student’s undergraduate transcripts must show a minimum 2.25 overall undergraduate GPA on a 4.0-point scale or 3.0 overall graduate GPA on a 4.0-scale. Some departments/schools/ institutes do not allow non-credential-seeking students to take graduate courses in their programs, and some individual courses are limited to credential-seeking students.

Non-credential students may enroll for a maximum of 12 graduate hours per semester. Taking a course as a non- credential student does not constitute admission to a program or guarantee later applicability of these courses toward a program. If non-credential students subsequently achieve admission to a graduate degree program, courses taken in “non-credential” status will be evaluated by the graduate program advisor to determine their applicability to the degree. In most cases, only those courses that appear on the graduate program degree sheet or the certificate program sheet will be allowed to count towards the degree or certificate.

Graduate students will be allowed to change their status from non-credential to credential-seeking or vice versa at the beginning of each semester, except for students wishing to enter programs that admit students only once a year. In those cases, student status changes are limited to the programs’ admission periods. Those seeking to become credential-seeking would still have to meet all regulations and admission requirements, including graduate program advisor approval. Once students decide to become credential-seeking, it is in their best interest to apply to the degree or certificate program as soon as possible in order to take advantage of all of the opportunities made available in the program, some of which may not be available to non-credential-seeking students. Students may not become credential-seeking in the same semester that they plan to graduate.

Admission Prior to Posted Bachelor’s Degree

1. Until the degree is posted, the student may only enroll in a total of ten (10) graduate hours. If the student completed 10 graduate hours as a part of mixed enrollments, the student will not be able to enroll until bachelor’s degree is posted.
2. If the bachelor’s degree is not posted within the first 10 graduate hours, the student will not be allowed to enroll in future graduate courses.
3. Students in the last semester of an Accelerated Degree Pathway will be allowed to enroll for the following semester, but will be administratively dropped if the undergraduate degree is not posted by the week before classes begin.

International Graduate Students

The University of Central Oklahoma welcomes international students and encourages them to enroll in graduate programs for which they are qualified. The Office of Global Affairs provides a number of services for international applicants, including help with the I-20 and visa process, cost of attendance, scholarship information, and travel considerations.

International students must meet the Jackson College of Graduate Studies admission standards for all students. In addition, the special regulations for international students must be met unless UCO has a Memorandum of Understanding and/or a Transfer Agreement with the sending institution or its agents providing for exception to these regulations.

A. Enrollment and the F-1 and J-1 Visas

While studying at the University of Central Oklahoma, an international graduate student on F-1 visa status must maintain full time enrollment each semester to preserve his/her US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) status.

B. Undergraduate Degree and Transcripts

Admission to graduate study at UCO requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree or a post baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or the equivalent degree from another country. The determination of equivalence is made by UCO using generally accepted academic resources.

All    graduate    school    applicants,    including international students, must submit official copies of transcripts before their admissions can be finalized. UCO recognizes that obtaining official file copies of international transcripts can sometimes be difficult and time consuming. Accordingly, in some cases the Jackson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS) may grant admission based on examination and photocopying of documents, including a certified document from the student’s institution stating that all requirements for the bachelor’s degree have been satisfied, in the applicant’s possession pending receipt of official documents. Official documents must be received by the JCGS before the student’s admission can be finalized.

C. International Grades

For the purpose of calculating Grade Point Averages (GPAs), UCO converts grades listed on the transcripts of other institutions to UCO’s 4.0 grading scale. Because UCO does not grant grades of “plus” or “minus,” a grade of “B+” from another institution, as an example, is recorded at UCO as a grade of “B,” and given the value of 3.0.

D. English Language Proficiency

All students for whom English is a second language must present evidence of proficiency in the English language as required by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE). The following are acceptable ways for potential graduate students to present such evidence of English proficiency:

1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
   1. Score of 550 or higher on the paper exam
   2. Score of 213 or higher on the computer exam
   3. Score of 79 or higher on the internet exam
2. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5.
3. PTE Academic score of 53 or higher
4. iTEP Academic Plus score of 4.0 or higher
5. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) Approved English Language School. Students with English proficiency test scores lower than the required minimums listed above may satisfy the language requirement by completing 12 weeks of study at an OSRHE- approved English language school with at least two-thirds of the 12 weeks of instruction at an advanced level. Students must complete 12 weeks of English courses after obtaining the following scores on the approved exams:
   1. TOEFL: Score between 500 - 549 on the paper exam
   2. TOEFL: Score between 173 - 212 on the computer exam
   3. TOEFL: Score between 61 - 78 on the internet exam
   4. IELTS: Score of 6.0
   5. PTE Academic: Score of 46-52
   6. iTEP Academic Plus: Score of 3.7-3.9
6. Complete a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an appropriately accredited college or university where English is the primary teaching language in a country where English is a primary language and that is recognized by professional organizations in the U.S. involved in admissions and international education.
7. Attend an appropriately regionally-accredited US college or university for a minimum of three full-time semesters of satisfactory graduate work.

F. International Internships

Qualified international juniors, seniors, and graduate students are eligible for International Student Internships both on and off campus. The U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service has approved internships as “Curricular Practical Training.” That means that interns may earn money working off-campus as well as on campus. Intern wage rates vary, but they are never lower than $7.25 per hour. For complete information, access the Office of Global Affairs website at: oga.uco.edu.

Graduate Degrees, Programs, and Majors

The University of Central Oklahoma offers the following graduate degrees: Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), Education Specialist (Ed.S.), Master of Athletic Training (M.A.T.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Music (M.M.), Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.), Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), and Professional Science Master’s (P.S.M.).

A graduate degree is composed of a program with one or more majors. All master’s and specialist majors require a minimum of 32 credit hours. Doctoral programs require a minimum of 60 credit hours. If the program contains only one major, then the program and major have the same title and same number of credit hours. In programs with more than one major, each major has its own title and its own credit hour requirements following the minimums mentioned above, approximately 50% of which must duplicate hours in the other major or majors within the same program. These duplicated hours form a common core of courses for that program.

Graduate Certificates

Across the U.S., graduate certificate programs allow students and professionals to focus their learning in advanced areas of expertise related to employment and to validate this specific learning with a credential. At UCO, graduate certificate programs are part of the university’s metropolitan mission in that they prepare students to meet specific needs of OKC metropolitan employers.

Graduate certificates are post-bachelor’s programs composed of transcripted, sequenced, credit-bearing courses, fewer in number than those hours required for graduate degrees. In some cases, programs add related non-course requirements, but all courses and other requirements must be part of a coherent body of work-related, specialized content.

Types of Graduate Certificates

• An embedded certificate is comprised of a course of study in which the curriculum required is a subset of a single existing graduate degree. In other words, all of the courses required to earn the certificate are explicitly listed as a subset of required courses within a specific degree program. Students who complete the degree program will have had the opportunity to complete all courses required of the certificate.
• A stand-alone certificate is comprised of a course of study in which the curriculum is not identified as a subset of courses that are required for completion of a single existing graduate degree program. In other words, not all courses required to earn the certificate will be in common with courses required of a single specific UCO graduate degree.

Financial Aid for Graduate Certificates

• Students seeking certificates are credential-seeking students.
• Because of Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) rules, Higher Learning Commission rules, and, in most cases, U.S. Department of Education rules, UCO graduate certificate programs lead to vocational outcomes for the students enrolled in them, and, therefore, students in those programs can become eligible for federal financial aid. Certificates and degrees leading to terminal degrees and thus to employability in education fields are among those with outcomes considered to be vocational.

Applying for and Completing Graduate Certificates

• Certificates may be earned after completion of a bachelor’s degree, during and/or as a part of a graduate degree, or after completion of a graduate degree.
• Both embedded and stand-alone certificates may be earned without completing a graduate degree.
• Because graduate certificates are their own programs and have separate major codes, students must apply to certificate programs separately from degree programs even if the certificate is embedded. The Graduate College strongly recommends that applicants apply to embedded certificates at the same time that they apply to the graduate degree program in which they are embedded.
• Successful completion of a graduate certificate results in recognition of the certificate on the official transcript.
• If students earn a graduate certificate and a graduate degree at the same time, then they will pay only one graduation fee if they request that the certificate be recognized when they apply for graduation. If students earn a certificate separately, either before or after completion of a degree, then they will pay to have it recognized separately.

Credit Hour and Grade Requirements

• Graduate certificates require a minimum of 12 credit hours.
• Graduate certificates allow no grade below a “C” and no more than one grade of “C”.
• Certificate hours may apply to only one certificate program.
• Graduate certificate students must earn at least 50% of their certificate’s total credit hours in residence at UCO facilities or through UCO off-site or online instruction approved by HLC and OSRHE.
• UCO graduate programs must include the requirements for their embedded certificates on their degree “Plan of Study” form.
• UCO graduate certificate programs may establish more rigorous requirements.

Prerequisites for Graduate Certificate Courses

UCO graduate certificate programs embedded within degree programs require the same undergraduate or graduate prerequisite courses as required for their degrees. Prerequisite hours cannot count within the minimum hours required for certificate or degree completion. The prerequisites, course requirements, and GPAs required to complete certificates can be found on the particular certificate program sheets located in this catalog.

Transferring and Double Counting Certificate Credit

Double Counting Credit in a UCO Certificate and a UCO Graduate Degree

All courses completed as part of a UCO graduate certificate may be applied to a UCO graduate degree program provided that the courses are listed on both the certificate program sheet and the graduate degree sheet and provided that the courses have not expired.

Transferring Credit from a Non-UCO Graduate Certificate to a UCO Graduate Degree

• If students have been awarded a graduate certificate from another university, then no courses earned as part of the graduate certificate may be applied to a UCO graduate certificate or graduate degree.
• If students started but did not complete a graduate certificate at another university, then a maximum of 10 credit hours earned as part of the graduate certificate may transfer to a UCO graduate degree program at the discretion of the graduate program advisor provided that the hours have not expired. More than 10 hours may transfer only if UCO has a Memorandum of Understanding and/or a Transfer Agreement with the sending institution or its agents. No course with a grade below a B- may be transferred.

Transferring Credit from a Non-UCO Graduate Certificate to a UCO Graduate Certificate

Students who wish to transfer credit from a started but not completed non-UCO graduate certificate to a UCO graduate certificate are limited to transferring no more than one third of the total number of hours of the UCO graduate certificate up to a maximum of 10 hours, provided that the hours have not expired. Students should consult with the appropriate graduate certificate advisor about transfer credit eligibility.

Minimum Undergraduate GPA Requirements for Admission

Non-Degree Seeking

College of Business

College of Education and Professional Studies

College of Fine Arts and Design

College of Liberal Arts

College of Mathematics and Science

Forensic Science Institute

*The minimum overall GPA for the Forensic Science, D.Sc. program is 3.25 in a graduate degree program.