General Information

Each academic program may have its own application requirements, in addition to the requirements defined in this Graduate Catalog. To confirm program requirements, review the information in this catalog and on the program’s website, and contact the department for the most up-to-date information.

To register for graduate-level courses you must first apply and be admitted as described in this catalog. Graduate applications are processed in partnership by the academic program and the Graduate College. Application materials are submitted to the Graduate College for processing and are forwarded to the program indicated on the application. The program’s graduate committee reviews the application and recommends or denies admission. Admission recommendations are provided to the Graduate College, which reviews the file for completeness and emails the official admission letter confirming the program’s decision.

Graduate admission is granted for a specific admission category and subject to limitations of that admission type. Graduate status ends when the student completes the program, is formally separated from the program, or exceeds the time limit of admission. Students who no longer have active graduate status and wish to take additional graduate-level coursework must complete a new application and be admitted.

In providing an application form and inviting application, Ohio University places itself under no obligation to admit any individual person. The officials of the university stand ready to register a student admitted for a specific semester, providing he or she arrives before the semester begins. In order to register for campus-based courses and programs, non-immigrant students must hold a valid Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) for study at Ohio University.

Ohio University operates on a semester system. Fall semester runs late August through December. Spring semester runs mid-January through April. Summer semester runs mid-May through early August. The Academic Calendar lists official term starting and ending dates.

Application Deadlines

Degree-seeking students

Application deadlines vary by program, and not all programs admit every term. Review the application information on the program’s website or contact the program director to confirm application terms and deadlines.

For programs with no stated deadline, applications for degree-seeking admission are due by the following dates:

US Citizens/Permanent Residents:

International:

When preparing to apply, allow sufficient time to register for any required tests and have official test scores reach Ohio University prior to program application deadlines.

Certificate-seeking students

Students seeking admission to a Certificate program should refer to the Certificate website information for application deadlines. If no deadline is listed apply at least six weeks prior to the desired term of entry.

Non-degree students

Students planning to register for graduate coursework in a non-degree status may apply up to the week prior to the start of the term in which they are seeking admission under most circumstances.

OHIO Employees (degree and non-degree)

Admission Criteria

Eligibility for Admission

Admission to degree, certificate, or non-degree status requires an earned bachelor’s degree (or its foreign equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university. * The degree must be earned by the expected term of entry.

Applicants holding bachelor’s degrees from a US institution that is not regionally accredited must submit official scores from either a GRE or GMAT with their application.

Previous academic work must demonstrate academic ability through undergraduate accumulative grade point average and prerequisite coursework/training that will enable the student to be successful in the degree program to which admission is being sought. A certain amount of undergraduate preparation in the subject or field of study is presupposed before you may undertake graduate study in that subject or field. Each program gives appropriate weight to the factors pertinent to its academic field. Refer to the requirements listed by each program.

* A US equivalent bachelor’s degree is four years of post-secondary work following (generally) twelve years of primary and secondary work and awarding of a high school transcript or GED. Bologna-compliant Bachelor’s degrees are accepted as U.S. bachelor’s equivalent.

English Language Proficiency

The language of instruction at Ohio University is English. Therefore, proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English at an advanced academic level is essential to academic success. Applicants for whom English is not a native language are required to demonstrate English Language Proficiency in one of the following ways:

1. Submitting official results of one of two standardized tests: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Minimum test scores for unconditional admission as a graduate student (some departments require higher scores):

Unconditional admission (without funding eligibility):

iBT: ≥70 Composite, Writing ≥17, all other section scores ≥15
IELTS: 6.0 Composite, 6.0 all Bands
Paper TOEFL: 525-549 Total, Composition ≥4, all other section scores ≥50

Unconditional admission (with funding eligibility):

iBT: ≥80 Composite, all section scores ≥17
IELTS: ≥6.5 Composite, ≥6.5 all Bands
Paper TOEFL: ≥550 Total, Composition ≥5, all other section scores ≥52

Students admitted without funding eligibility may gain eligibility by enrolling in and successfully completing recommended English language courses and/or completing additional testing.

Official scores must be reported from the testing agency directly to Ohio University. TOEFL iBT scores are sent electronically to Ohio University (institution code: 1593). IELTS test scores are sent as an official document from the IELTS testing center to the Graduate College. Students should register for the test using their legal name as stated on their passport and use the month/day/year format for birthdate (e.g., 02/26/1995). Test scores are valid for two years.

Applicants who wish to be considered for University funding (e.g. graduate assistantships/scholarships) must submit official test scores and qualify for unconditional admission before a funding offer can be made. Applicants who wish to be considered for teaching appointments are advised to submit TOEFL iBT scores with the speaking test component.

2. Are from a country where English is the official and the majority-used language* and

a) Upon enrollment at Ohio University, will have earned a bachelor’s, master’s (two-year minimum), and/or doctoral degree from a regionally-accredited institution located in the United States within the past five years;

or

b) Upon enrollment at Ohio University, will have earned the international equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s and/or master’s degree from an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction and that is located in a country where English is an official language, within the past five years.

3. Are NOT from a country where English is the official and the majority-used language; and

a) Upon enrollment at Ohio University, will have earned a bachelor’s, master’s (two-year minimum), and/or doctoral degree from a regionally-accredited institution located in the United States within the past two years.

b) Are participating in an Ohio University exchange program and have met university requirements through alternate means as approved by Graduate Council.

4. Are a US Citizens or Permanent Resident and do not fall into one of the above categories but meet one or both of the following criteria:

a) Within the past two years have received a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or a foreign college or university accredited by a Regional U.S. accrediting organization (where English is the language of instruction), and/or

b) Who have significant and recent work experience in an English-language environment.

Note: Academic departments may establish higher English proficiency criteria. Individual programs retain the option to require an official English Proficiency test score as part of an application.

*Countries meeting the Ohio University criteria for English as the official and majority-used language: Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Canada (except Quebec), Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and United Kingdom (to include Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales).

English Provisional Admission

Applicants who do not qualify for graduate admission may be admitted under an English Provisional status. English Provisional status allows an applicant to enroll full-time in (only) Intensive English classes. Once the applicant has demonstrated proficiency, they may be admitted to graduate academic study.

English Provisional Admission is a combination of admission to the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) and future admission to a graduate degree-seeking program. This allows a student to study English as a second language prior to starting a degree program. Students wishing to apply for English Provisional Admission need to submit a degree-seeking application and check the appropriate box indicating they are applying for English Provisional status. A student admitted with English Provisional status takes an entrance TOEFL test for placement purposes and enrolls in English language courses through the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) upon their arrival at Ohio University. Applicants for English Provisional Admission do not need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores with their degree application. OPIE can consider an iBT or IELTS score for placement recommendation if either test is taken after the initial admission decision and the official score is received by Ohio University by the listed deadline:

If an official iBT or IELTS score is not received by the deadline, the on-campus TOEFL placement exam or oral proficiency test will be the sole means for determining placement in academic and English language classes.

Students admitted in English Provisional status will take the TOEFL at the end of each semester and are subject to placement recommendations based on that score until they are cleared for unconditional admission. A student admitted in English Provisional status has up to two years to achieve an English proficiency scores which meet Ohio University’s minimum level (or as specified by the graduate degree program).

Students admitted under English Provisional status are not eligible to register for graduate courses until unconditional admission status has been achieved.

Other students who may be offered English Provisional admission are those who:

Individual academic programs may require on-campus English proficiency testing for any non-native speakers who were granted English Provisional Admission due to Deficiency in English Language Competency. Failure to achieve a passing score may result in dismissal from the program.

Post-Admission English Language Proficiency Testing

Individual academic programs may require on-campus English proficiency testing for any student for whom English is not a native language. Failure to achieve a passing score may result in dismissal from the program.

Oral English Proficiency for Teaching Assistants

Ohio law requires all Teaching Assistants to demonstrate English proficiency prior to assuming instructional duties. Each department will work with the Graduate College to ensure that all graduate students with a Teaching Assistant appointment or any appointment whose duties involve oral instruction receive full or provisional clearance before beginning those instructional duties.

Oral English proficiency must be demonstrated in one the following ways:

iBT: ≥80 Composite, ≥24 Speaking, ≥17 all other section scores IELTS: ≥6.5 Composite, ≥7.0 Speaking, ≥6.5 all Bands VET: ≥69 and an approved English Proficiency waiver.

Effective for Spring 2024 only, Spoken English proficiency can also be demonstrated through submission of the Duolingo English Test (DET) with a score ≥115.

Applicants who wish to be considered for teaching appointments and who must demonstrate Oral English Proficiency through testing are advised to submit an official TOEFL iBT or IELTS score with their application. Admitted students who opt to demonstrate proficiency through the DET or VET are encouraged to complete testing before arriving on campus to prevent delays in assigning graduate appointments.

Ohio University Faculty and Administrators

To register for graduate-level courses, you must apply for and be admitted to graduate status as a degree, certificate, or non-degree student through the normal application processes. Admission and registration do not automatically invoke a tuition benefit. Human Resources maintains and explains the benefits and eligible programs on their website. If you are eligible for the employee tuition benefit you must file that benefit request separately with Human Resources.

Conflict of Interest Review

Full-time Ohio University faculty and administrators, except senior administrators (vice presidents, vice provosts, associate provosts, and deans) are eligible to apply for admission to a graduate degree or certificate program or to non-degree status. The Graduate Council will review all applications for potential conflict of interest. * See the stipulations regarding conflict of interest in the Faculty Handbook, Section IV-F. If the Graduate Council determines that a conflict exists, the faculty member or administrator shall not be admitted to a graduate program. It is the responsibility of the Dean of the Graduate College to see that this review takes place at the earliest possible date.

No academic employee above the rank of Instructor, Research Assistant, or equivalent may receive from the University the master’s degree or the doctor’s degree in any graduate program where the employee has membership, teaches courses, serves on master’s or doctoral Committees, has, or is expected to have, other supervisory responsibilities which might give rise to conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest. Ohio University faculty members or senior administrators seeking a terminal degree must enroll in academic programs outside the colleges in which they are employed. Appeals regarding this policy follow the guidelines established in accordance with the “Faculty Grievance Committee” procedures (see Faculty Handbook, Section II.G).

If your employment situation changes, such as you are offered a full-time faculty or administrative appointment while you are active in a graduate degree program, you must notify the Graduate College of your employment and complete the Conflict of Interest process at the earliest possible date. The Graduate College and Graduate Council will determine whether a conflict of interest or unfair competition would result from your dual status as a student and a contract employee that might affect your academic performance and evaluation. If such a conflict is determined to exist, you may not continue your graduate program while simultaneously employed in the contract position.

* Graduate Council only meets during fall and spring semesters. For the full consideration in Graduate Council’s Conflict of Interest review, employees must file a potential Conflict of Interest Statement – Supervisor form with Graduate College by April 1st for planned summer or fall semester matriculation and by November 1st for planned spring semester matriculation. Temporary, provisional permission may be given for registration if full review is not possible due to the academic calendar.

Early Admission to a Graduate Degree

A superior undergraduate student may seek early admission to a graduate degree program by submitting an application for admission as a degree-seeking student and a completed/signed Undergraduate for Early Admission approval form.

Qualifications: You must have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 and have completed all undergraduate requirements for an Ohio University bachelor’s degree, except the total credit hour requirement, by the time of your entry into the graduate degree program. After obtaining the written recommendation of your department, the departmental graduate committee, and the dean of your undergraduate college, you may be admitted into a graduate degree program and enroll in graduate courses for graduate credit. You can use these courses to satisfy both graduate degree requirements and undergraduate total credit hour requirements. If you are admitted to graduate status through early admission, you are eligible for graduate assistantship or scholarship support.

Your undergraduate degree must be conferred in an earlier term or in the same term as the graduate degree. Under no circumstances will the graduate degree be conferred in an earlier term than the undergraduate degree.

Honors Tutorial Students can apply for early admission to a graduate degree program while simultaneously completing their bachelor’s degree as noted above, with the following modifications:

Upon admission to the graduate degree program, the HTC student has option to change their status from undergraduate to graduate be eligible for graduate awards and stipends, or retain undergraduate status for the purpose of continuation of undergraduate scholarships. Students may not receive undergraduate and graduate financial awards/assistance in the same term. Once a student has changed to graduate status, they must remain in graduate status through the completion and conferral of the graduate degree.

A student who has opted to remain in undergraduate status for the purposes of financial aid must change to graduate status no later than the term in which they apply to have their graduate degree conferred. The undergraduate degree must be conferred in an earlier term or in the same term as the graduate degree.

Accelerated Graduate Pathways (AGPs)

Some exceptionally well-qualified undergraduate students may obtain conditional admission to a graduate program and begin graduate coursework during their undergraduate careers through an Accelerated Graduate Pathway. Each Accelerated Pathway maps a relationship between one or more undergraduate programs of study and a graduate program. In some cases, graduate course credit may be applied to both graduate and undergraduate requirements.

Admission

Students must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours to be conditionally admitted into a graduate program through an Accelerated Pathway. A minimum of 75 undergraduate credit hours must be completed before graduate courses may be taken for graduate credit. Individual graduate programs may require a higher minimum number of hours before admission and/or the commencement of graduate coursework.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 with at least a 3.5 average GPA in the most recent 30 hours of coursework, is required for conditional admission to a graduate program through an Accelerated Pathway. Individual programs may set higher admissions standards.

Each graduate program defines its own additional admission criteria and processes for students applying through an Accelerated Pathway.

Removal or voluntary withdrawal from an AGP does not prevent a student from applying to begin the graduate program after receiving the bachelor’s degree. Final admission to the graduate program after the bachelor’s degree is conferred is subject to all university-wide policies for graduate admissions. For more information about these policies, see the Graduate Catalog.

Earning Graduate Credit

To receive graduate credit for graduate courses taken before completing the bachelor’s degree, students must qualify in at least one of the following ways: meet the criteria for Senior for Graduate Credit; obtain Early Admission to a graduate program; be accepted into an approved program Accelerated Graduate Pathway; or be enrolled as a student in the Honors Tutorial College. (HTC students must request graduate credit prior to registering for their graduate courses; otherwise, the graduate courses will be part of their undergraduate record and GPA only.) Students who wish to begin taking graduate courses through an AGP must first sign an Advising & Risk Acknowledgement Form. This form certifies that the student understands that taking graduate courses for credit will result in a permanent graduate transcript and that graduate classes will not affect eligibility for the Dean’s List, Graduation with Latin Honors, or undergraduate probation status. It also certifies that the student is responsible for any impact on financial aid eligibility as a result of their course enrollment.

Courses taken for undergraduate credit and courses taken for graduate credit require separate registration processes. The AGP will identify which courses are eligible for graduate credit before completion of the bachelor’s degree. Students with conditional admission to a graduate program through AGP may register for these courses with the permission of the instructor and their AGP advisor.

Students may not earn more than 16 hours of graduate credit prior to the conferral of the bachelor’s degree. This limitation does not apply to HTC students.

Dual Undergraduate and Graduate Credit

AGPs may allow specific courses taken for graduate credit to also count toward specific undergraduate requirements, including 1) specific undergraduate course requirements; 2) elective hours in the major or college program of study; and/or 3) the 120-hour minimum university graduation requirement. A maximum of 9 graduate credit hours may be applied to undergraduate degree requirements of any kind.

Only courses listed in the student’s AGP may satisfy requirements for the bachelor’s degree, and these courses apply only to the undergraduate program of study specified in the AGP. If a student changes undergraduate programs to one that is not part of the AGP, it is possible that the graduate courses will count only toward the 120-hour university minimum.

Graduate (5000-level) sections of dual-listed 4000/5000-level classes taken for graduate credit will always appear on undergraduate DARS as a substitute for the 4000-level equivalent. Only the first 9 hours of graduate credit may count toward degree requirements, however.

Graduate credits also satisfying undergraduate requirements will not affect the undergraduate GPA. However, if the undergraduate degree program requires a minimum course grade to satisfy a degree requirement (e.g., B- or better), that minimum applies to graduate courses as well as undergraduate ones.

Standards of Work

Undergraduate students earning graduate credit through an AGP must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in both their undergraduate and graduate coursework. If either the graduate or undergraduate GPA drops below a 3.0, conditional admission to the graduate program will be rescinded and the student will no longer be eligible to earn graduate credit through the AGP. The minimum cumulative graduate GPA applies to any number of attempted credit hours.

(Normal graduate academic probation generally does not apply until a student has attempted 9 hours of graduate courses.)

No course with a grade below C (2.0) may be used to satisfy any graduate degree or certificate requirement. Individual graduate programs, schools, departments, or academic colleges may establish more rigorous standards. Repeating a graduate-level course or taking it again will not remove or replace a grade from a previous attempt.

Enrollment Requirements: Students in an AGP are expected to make timely progress toward degree completion. Conditional graduate admission will be rescinded for undergraduate students who fail to earn credit or a PR grade in OHIO courses for three consecutive semesters (including summer). Individual graduate programs, schools, departments, or academic colleges may establish more rigorous standards for continuous enrollment before the completion of the bachelor’s degree (e.g., enrollment each fall and spring).

Students conditionally admitted to a graduate program through an AGP are normally expected to matriculate and enroll in the graduate program after the bachelor’s degree is conferred with the next available admit term (i.e., when students would normally next begin the program following regular post-bachelor’s admission). To maintain their admission, they may defer enrollment only with the permission of the graduate program.

Admission Categories

To enroll in graduate-level courses, students must hold an active graduate status in one of the following categories: degree, certificate, non-degree, and post-baccalaureate. All students admitted to graduate status must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in graded graduate-level courses to remain in good standing. For additional information about academic standing please review the standards of work information in this catalog.

Degree

A degree-seeking student is one who is working toward a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral) at Ohio University. To be admitted to degree-seeking status, students must apply through the degree-seeking application.

Degree-seeking students may be eligible for financial aid.

Students working toward graduate degrees are required to enroll in graduate courses that are part of their degree programs. You may earn a graduate degree only in a program to which you have been admitted and in which you have enrolled. Graduate status ceases upon completion of the degree, dismissal from the degree program, or reaching the degree-completion time limit.

Certificate

A certificate-seeking student is one who is working toward a graduate certificate but is not also seeking a graduate degree. To be admitted to certificate status, students must apply through the certificate application.

Most certificates are not eligible for financial aid. For exceptions, consult the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships: https://www.ohio.edu/financial-aid.

Students working toward graduate certificates are required to enroll in graduate courses that are part of their certificate programs. You may earn a certificate only in a program to which you have been admitted and in which you have enrolled. Graduate status ceases upon completion of requirements for the certificate, dismissal from the certificate program, or reaching the certificate completion time limit of six years.

A certificate student who wishes to be considered for admission to a degree program, such as with earning a stackable certificate, must submit a degree-seeking application as described in the section Submitting Application Materials. Credit earned prior to admission to a degree program is not automatically applied toward a graduate degree at Ohio University.

Non-Degree

A non-degree student is one who is not pursuing a certificate or graduate degree at Ohio University. To be admitted to non-degree status, students must apply through the non-degree application.

Graduate non-degree status ceases upon completion of 12 semester credits of graduate coursework or six years, whichever comes first. Students may reapply for subsequent admission to return to non-degree status.

Credit earned prior to admission to a degree program is not automatically applied toward a graduate degree at Ohio University. In exceptional cases, a student may appeal to the appropriate academic department to request which courses, if any, taken while in non-degree status may be applied toward degree requirements.

Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid. Non-degree students may not register for thesis or dissertation credit.

Approval for non-degree admission and successful completion of coursework while in non-degree status does not constitute admission to a degree program. A non-degree student who wishes to be considered for admission to a degree program must submit a degree-seeking application as described in the section Submitting Application Materials.

Transient

A transient student is a current graduate degree-seeking student at another university who wishes to take graduate coursework at Ohio to be transferred back to the home university. To be admitted to transient status, students must apply through the non-degree application.

In lieu of transcripts, a transient application must submit an official statement of good standing signed by the dean of the graduate school of the student’s home university. Transient students can take up to three graduate courses, and transient status must be reaffirmed each term with a new certificate of good standing.

A transient student may qualify for federal financial aid through their home institution, but not through Ohio University.

Post-Baccalaureate

A Post-baccalaureate (Post-bacc) student is one who is taking graduate courses in a non-degree status on a regional campus, or taking graduate courses during the summer on the Athens campus. To be admitted to post-bacc status, students must apply through the post-baccalaureate application or for post-bacc status through the non-degree application. Graduate status ceases upon completion of 12 semester credits of graduate coursework or six years, whichever comes first. Students may reapply for subsequent admission to post-bacc status.

Credit earned prior to admission to a degree program is not automatically applied toward a graduate degree at Ohio University. In exceptional cases, a student may appeal to the appropriate academic department to request which courses, if any, taken while in non-degree status may be applied toward degree requirements.

Approval for post-baccalaureate admission and successful completion of coursework while in post-bacc status does not constitute admission to a degree program. Post-bacc students are not eligible for financial aid. Post-bacc students may not register for thesis or dissertation credit.

A post-baccalaureate student who wishes to be considered for admission to a degree program must submit a degree-seeking application as described in the section Submitting Application Materials.

Submitting an Application

The application form is located at www.ohio.edu/graduate/apply. Once submitted, the application form is locked and cannot be modified. Changes in degree-seeking status or application term requires submission of a new application. Changes in degree or certificate programs may require submission of a new application. See Application or Admission Changes.

Additional supplemental documents can be submitted to the Graduate College as described in the section below.

You may apply to more than one program at a time, but you must complete a separate application form for each program and pay the second application fee as noted on the application form. Application to an integrated dual degree program (i.e., MBA/MSA) requires only one application form.

Explantation of Required Application Documents

Resume/Curriculum Vitae

Your resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) describes your previous education, work, teaching, and research experience, professional affiliations, community and volunteer experience, honors and awards, and publications. Most programs prefer no more than four pages. Check the program’s application requirements for more details.

Transcripts

Each application for admission must be supported by post-secondary academic transcripts as noted in this section. A PDF copy of an official transcript can be uploaded to the application for the purposes of admission review. Some programs require original, official transcripts as part of the review of applications. See descriptions of registrar-issued transcripts and official transcripts below. Students who are admitted from PDF copies of registrar-issued transcripts must submit original, official transcripts prior to registration.

Registrar-Issued Transcripts for Application Review

All transcripts uploaded in the application system must be registrar-issued or PDF copies of registrar-issued transcripts. They bear the name of the student, the institution, dates attended, all classes and grades, registrar’s stamp or signature. Advising reports, grade reports, degree audits, or web-based course lists cannot be used in lieu of a registrar-issued transcript.

Ohio University Transcripts

If you have previously attended or are currently attending Ohio University, transcripts will be obtained by the Graduate College, providing you list Ohio University as an institution attended on your application. If you fail to list Ohio University as an institution attended, you will be responsible for supplying a copy of your transcript. DARS reports cannot be used in lieu of a transcript.

Official Transcripts

To be considered official, transcripts from U.S. and Canadian institutions must be received in envelopes sealed by the issuing institution. Transcripts that have been opened, photocopied, or marked as unofficial will not be accepted as official. If the institution will not provide sealed copies directly to you, request that transcripts be sent directly to the Graduate College on your behalf.

Transcripts from non-U.S. institutions must be official or registrar-certified, in envelopes sealed by the issuing institution if possible. If original documents are not in English, also provide an official certified copy of all documents in English. The transcript must bear the seal and original signature of the school and school official and clearly show the name and address of the institution, the date you entered and left the institution, the date any degree was earned, all courses taken and grades received, and the system of grading used, indicating the highest mark and the lowest passing mark. Summary documents listing only classes passed are not accepted. The transcript/mark sheets must show all course attempts with grades earned. If the transcript/mark sheet does not name the degree and date earned, an official or registrar-certified copy of the diploma or graduation certificate that indicates the degree and date awarded must also be provided, with a certified English translation if the original is not in English.

Letters of Recommendation

The online application provides a place to list contact information for each recommender (name, organization, position/title, relationship to applicant, telephone and email address). Recommendations should be requested from people who are familiar with your academic abilities and potential. Refer to the academic program’s webpage for any specific requirements for recommendations. Ohio University does not accept letters of recommendation submitted from third parties.

Personal, Professional, or Biographical Statements

Program requirements vary. Please review program admissions information for guidelines regarding format, content, and/or length of any personal, professional, or biographical statements. Please only submit the materials specifically requested by the program to which you are applying. If the program information does not provide specific details, please limit personal, professional, or biographical statements to two pages.

Writing Sample

Please review program admissions information to determine if a writing sample is required and any guidelines regarding format, content, and/or length. If the program information does require a writing sample but does not provide any specific guidelines, please submit a sample of academic writing, preferably related to your proposed area of study.

Test Requirements

Academic Proficiency

Requirements for standardized admission tests such as the GRE or GMAT vary by academic program. Please review the program admissions information. Admission tests older than five years are not accepted.

You can include a copy of your student test score report with your application. However, official test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to Ohio University (institution code 1593) for any required test before an admission offer can be finalized. Department codes are not required on test score reports.

English Proficiency

All non-native speakers of English are required to demonstrate English proficiency as described in the English Language Proficiency Requirements of this catalog. All English Proficiency test scores must be reported to the Graduate College directly from the testing agency. Student copies of scores cannot be used to finalize an admission recommendation.

Portfolios

Please review program admissions information for guidelines regarding format, content, and method of submission. Please only submit the materials specifically requested by the program to which you are applying. Portfolio materials submitted to support application to programs in the College of Fine Arts may be returned as described in the program information.

Submitting application materials

You are encouraged to upload all materials to the application form in the spaces provided. Instructions for preparing documents for upload are included on the Graduate College website at https://www.ohio.edu/graduate/apply.

All documents received by the University in connection with an application become the property of Ohio University. Under no circumstances will they be returned or forwarded to any agency or other college or university.

Application Document Retention

Documents of students who are admitted to graduate status but fail to enroll in the semester for which they are admitted, or who enroll but either cancel or withdraw all registration prior to the end of the enrollment period are held for one calendar year after date received. If the student fails to request a deferral of admission within that year, the documents are destroyed.

Documents for applicants who are not admitted are held for one year after date received. If a new application is submitted within that year, previously received materials can be applied to the new application. If no new application is received after a year, the documents are destroyed.

Documents of students who are admitted to graduate status and enroll are archived and held for seven years after degree completion or the last term of activity under that admission, whichever applies.

Documents received without any supporting application are retained for one year and then destroyed.

Degree-seeking Application Requirements

A degree-seeking application must include: