Admissions

Applicants seeking to pursue graduate study at Fayetteville State University will be considered for admission in one of five (5) distinct categories of students:

1. admitted as unconditional degree seeking at the doctoral or master’s levels;
2. admitted at graduate certificate level;
3. admitted at teacher licensure level;
4. accepted as conditional admission at the master’s level;
5. accepted at professional development level.

All students (degree seeking or non-degree seeking) holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university who attend Fayetteville State University are classified as graduate students. Thus, students seeking a doctoral degree, master’s degree, graduate level certificate, teacher licensure, and professional development all are designated as graduate students and are required to pay graduate student fees. Students seeking a second undergraduate degree are classified as undergraduate students.

Prospective students are advised to review each of these categories and follow the application guidelines delineated below that are appropriate to their personal, academic, and career goals. Degree-seeking applicants must also consult the appropriate section in this catalog for further application and admission guidelines for specific degree programs.

All application materials should be submitted to the appropriate address listed below.

Individuals seeking to enroll in courses for graduate degrees, graduate certificates, teacher licensure, or professional development must submit applications to:

Office of Admissions
Collins Building—First Floor
Fayetteville State University
1200 Murchison Road
Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301-4298
(910) 672-1374
Fax: (910) 672-1470

Website: www.uncfsu.edu/admissions/graduate

To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials by the appropriate priority deadline listed below. An applicant who submits application materials after the priority deadline may be considered for admission as a conditional admit student or as a professional development student. See application guidelines below for further information.

*Deadlines apply only to U.S. citizens. International students should see Guidelines for International Student Applicants.

Inquiries about specific graduate programs should be directed to the following graduate program coordinator/director:

College of Arts and Sciences

School of Education

School of Business and Economics

Guidelines for Applicants to the Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) Program

Applicants for admission to the Ed.D. Program in Education Leadership are evaluated on the basis of their potential for success as doctoral students and future educational leaders. A completed application consists of the following:

1. A completed graduate admission application.
2. Complete all requirements for the safety review. The campus safety requirement will NOT be bypassed under any circumstances.
3. Pay the nonrefundable application fee.
4. Official transcripts of all college/university work.
5. A score on the GRE taken within the last five years.
6. Three letters of recommendation (not older than two years).
7. A personal interview.
8. An on demand writing sample.
9. A portfolio of professional growth submitted directly to the Ed.D. Program.
10. Must complete the residency form.

In addition to the applications for admission, applicants for the Ed.D. Program must also submit a portfolio of professional growth (see program description for further information) directly to:

Ed.D. Program
School of Education
Fayetteville State University
1200 Murchison Road
Fayetteville, NC 28301-4298
(910) 672-1810

Application Deadline: To be considered for admission to the Ed.D. Program, applicants must submit all required application materials by April 1 for admission for the fall semester. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for admission for the following fall semester. Students are admitted by cohorts in the fall semester. For specific requirements and procedures for matriculation through the program, applicants should contact the Director of the Ed.D. Program, the department chair, or the Ed.D.Student Handbook. Note: The Ed.D. Programs admits students every other year, odd number years.

Guidelines for Applicants to Master’s Degree Programs

Applicants who apply for admission to graduate programs must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Miller Analogies (MAT), or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) are required for admission to degree program unless otherwise stated by individual degree programs (see degree program requirements later in the catalog). Scores must be no older than five (5) years at the time of application. Scores are not required for applicants who currently hold a Master’s degree from an accredited institution unless otherwise stated by the specific degree program. Applicants should consult the program section in the catalog for admission requirements specific to each program of study. In particular, programs that admit students as a cohort may have an admission timeline and requirements that are different from the requirements outlined below. Students who do not meet all requirements to be admitted unconditionally may be admitted under one of the following admission categories. A student who is admitted unconditionally to pursue a degree may be eligible for financial aid. Except as mandated by an accrediting body, applicants who earned their undergraduate degree(s) from Fayetteville State University do not have to make a separate request for official transcript(s) to the Office of the Registrar.

Admission Categories

Professional Development Student

Professional development status is reserved for two types of applicants: (1) An applicant who is not applying to earn a degree from FSU (such an applicant’s desire is only to enroll in undergraduate and/or graduate courses for his/her own personal and professional development); (2) an applicant who seeks to earn a degree from FSU, but she/he cannot complete the application process at least four (4) weeks prior to the start of the semester or term in which she/he intends to matriculate. To be admitted as a professional development student, the student must meet the below general admission requirements. Students must be aware that departments and programs may have program specific requirements including course registration requirements, such as pre-requisites and co-requisites. The following general requirements will apply:

1. Complete the graduate application and specify “Professional Development”.
2. Complete all requirements for the safety review. (Note: The campus safety requirement will NOT be bypassed under any circumstances.)
3. Pay the nonrefundable application fee.
4. Submit official transcript to show the highest level of earned degree. A student may be admitted to professional development status and permitted to enroll for one semester based on an unofficial transcript. However, the student will not be permitted to enroll for the second semester without submitting his/her official transcript(s) nor will they be able to receive an official transcript from Fayetteville State University.
5. Must complete the residency form.

The maximum credit hours a student in professional development status may earn is 12. To enroll in more than 12 credit hours a professional development student must either receive special permission or must apply for a degree program. Under no circumstances will a professional development student be transferred from professional development status to degree seeking without completing the application process. Professional development status does NOT guarantee unconditional admission to any graduate program at Fayetteville State University.

A student in professional development status is NOT eligible for financial aid. Upon admission to a degree seeking program, a student may become eligible for financial aid beginning with the semester of admission.

Conditional Admission Status

The conditional admission status is reserved for an applicant who seeks to earn a degree from Fayetteville State University and will complete the application process by no later than four weeks prior to the start of the semester or term in which he/she intends to matriculate. Students must be aware that departments and programs may have program specific requirements including course registration requirements, such as pre-requisites and co-requisites. The following general requirements will apply:

1. Complete the graduate application and specify “Degree Seeking”.
2. Complete all requirements for safety review. (Note: The campus safety requirement will NOT be bypassed under any circumstances.)
3. Pay the non-refundable application fee.
4. Submit all required documents, including official transcript(s), letters of recommendation, and GRE or GMAT scores (if applicable). Note: Each degree program has program-specific requirements. An applicant must review the requirements for the program to which they seek to enroll.
5. Must complete the residency form.

Program coordinators will receive completed applications from the Office of Admissions. Prior to the beginning of semester, a graduate program faculty committee will review and make a decision about admission. If admitted unconditionally, the student will be notified by the Office of Admissions. The Graduate Program Faculty Committee may admit an applicant conditionally pending on his/her performance in specific classes. The Graduate Program Faculty Committee may deny admission.

A student who is offered conditional admission will NOT be eligible for financial aid.

Teacher Licensure-Only Students

A Teacher Licensure-Only student is an individual who holds a baccalaureate degree and wishes to pursue a licensure program in Teacher Education at Fayetteville State University. The following general requirements will apply:

1. Complete the graduate application and specify “Teacher Licensure Only”.
2. Complete all requirements for safety review. (Note: The campus safety requirement will NOT be bypassed under any circumstances.)
3. Pay non-refundable application fee.
4. Submit an official baccalaureate degree transcript and official transcript(s) from all other universities/colleges attended.
5. Must complete residency form.

If an applicant meets the required undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.5 or if the GPA of the last 60 hours is 2.75, the student will be admitted to the Graduate Licensure Only program which he/she selected on the application. The student will be permitted to enroll in undergraduate/graduate courses for which she/he meets pre-requisites.

A student who is admitted to the teacher licensure-only program may be eligible for financial aid.

Guidelines for Applicants to Graduate Certificate Programs

Admission

Students may be admitted to a graduate certificate program at FSU through one of the following pathways.

1. Graduate certificate only
   Student submits an application to FSU to purse a graduate certificate program. Student must apply through the Office of Admissions and indicate program of interest. Student will pay applicable application fee and complete residency form. Department will review the application and make a decision to admit or not admit.
2. Master’s degree seeking plus graduate certificate program (concurrent)
   Student is admitted to FSU to purse a master’s degree but decides to add a graduate certificate program and purse both programs concurrently. Student will declare intent to purse the certificate program by submitting a short application form to Graduate Coordinator or Program Director.
3. Master’s degree seeking but discontinued (voluntary or involuntary) to pursue graduate certificate program
   This pathway offers an opportunity for students who are admitted to FSU to pursue a master’s degree but are forced to discontinue (either for voluntary or involuntary reasons) to be considered for a graduate certificate. Student must submit petition and a short application form to Graduate Coordinator or Program Director. The Graduate Coordinator or Program Director will review student’s academic record to determine whether the student meets the requirements for the graduate certificate program. The Coordinator or Director will make a recommendation to the department chair. The chair will make a recommendation to the Dean.

General Requirements

The graduate certificate is awarded for successful completion of a coherent program of study of at least twelve (12) semester credit hours proposed by a department and approved by the FSU Graduate Council. Students are admitted to a specific graduate certificate program and are advised by faculty in the department offering the graduate certificate. Once students in the graduate certificate status have completed the required number of hours for the certificate program, a hold will be placed on their accounts and further enrollment will be prohibited. In order to continue enrollment, students must contact the department chair/program director to obtain an Enrollment Continuation Form. Students may apply credit earned in the graduate certificate program at Fayetteville State University toward a degree that they pursue either in conjunction with the graduate certificate or after the certificate has been awarded. To be applied to a degree program, graduate credit must be approved by the department chair/program director and the dean of school or college.

Courses taken in a certificate program that are applied to a master’s degree at Fayetteville State University cannot be more than six years old at the time of graduation from the degree program. Although a student may not ordinarily transfer hours from another institution into a certificate program, some programs may allow transfer of a maximum of six credit hours. The graduate certificate is awarded to students who have completed the specified program of study with a GPA of 3.0 or better from the time of enrollment in the first certificate course. Students admitted to a certificate program are not eligible for financial aid.

Guidelines for Seniors Seeking Enrollment in Graduate Level Courses

Fayetteville State University students with senior classification in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education may be permitted to enroll in 500-level classes. Students in the School of Business and Economics with senior classification may be permitted to register for 500 and 600 level courses. Undergraduates must meet the following criteria to be permitted to register for graduate level courses:

• Students must have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher.
• Students must be eligible for graduation during the academic year in which they are registered for graduate courses.
• Students seeking enrollment in courses for graduate credit must obtains approval from their advisor, department chair, and dean of the college/school in which the students are pursuing the major.

Graduate courses taken by students to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements will not be recognized by the university for graduate credit. However, graduate courses taken by students for graduate credit may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements. Undergraduate students registered for graduate courses may not take more than fifteen (15) credit hours per semester during the regular academic year or more than nine (9) credit hours in a summer session.

Undergraduate students enrolled in graduate level courses may earn no more than two (2) C grades in all graduate level courses. Students who earn an F grade or two (2) C grades in graduate level courses will not be permitted to take additional graduate level courses as an undergraduate student.

Guidelines for International Student Applicants

Fayetteville State University welcomes applications from potential graduate students from other nations. An applicant is considered an international student if he or she does not hold U.S. citizenship or resident alien status. International students must submit each of the following:

• A completed application form with a non-refundable application fee in U.S. dollars. Check FSU website for current application fee.
• Certified copy of all post-secondary records, including marks (grades awarded) and grading scale with minimum passing mark. A certified English evaluation, course by course with grades, must accompany the original document. FSU prefers World Education Services (WES) but will also accept translations from the following other nationally recognized agencies: Education Evaluators International, Inc. (EEI), or International Education Evaluations (IEE).
• Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing) score report. The test score report should be no more than two years old.
• Students seeking a Graduate degree must submit an official copy of the test results from taking the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) - refer to program for specific requirements.
• Two/three Recommendation for Graduate School forms-refer to program for specific requirements.
• The College Board International Student Certification of Finances Guidelines form, no more than six months old, addressed to Fayetteville State University verifying the availability of funds to cover tuition, fees, and other direct costs associated with enrolling at the university.
• All documents must be received at least ninety (90) days prior to the semester of proposed study at Fayetteville State University.
• IF the applicant currently holds a VISA, a photocopy of the VISA must be submitted. In cases where the applicant is currently enrolled at another U.S. institution, they can submit a copy of their current I-20 if it has been signed by a designated official at the currently enrolled institution.

The application deadline for international students is March 1.

Residence Status for Tuition Purposes

The basis for determining the appropriate tuition charge rests upon whether a student is a resident or nonresident for tuition purposes. Each student must make a statement as to the length of his or her residence in North Carolina, with assessment by the institution of that statement to be conditioned by the following.

Residence -To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must become a legal resident and remain a legal resident for at least twelve months immediately prior to classification. Thus, there is a distinction between legal residence and residence for tuition purposes. Furthermore, twelve months legal residence means more than simple abode in North Carolina. In particular, it means maintaining a domicile (permanent home of indefinite duration) as opposed to maintaining a mere temporary residence or abode incident to enrollment in an institution of higher education. The burden of establishing facts which justify classification of a student as a resident entitled to in-state tuition rates is on the applicant for such classification, who must show his or her entitlement by the preponderance (the greater part) of the residency information.

Initiative - Being classified a resident for tuition purposes is contingent on the student’s seeking such status and providing all information that the institution may require in making the determination.

Parents Domicile - If an individual, irrespective of age, has living parent(s) or court-appointed guardian of the person, the domicile of such parent(s) or guardian is, prima facie, the domicile of the individual; but this prima facie evidence of the individual’s domicile may or may not be sustained by other information. Further, non-domiciliary status of parents is not deemed prima facie evidence of applicant child’s status if the applicant has lived (though not necessarily legally resided) in North Carolina for the five years preceding enrollment or re-registration.

Effect of Marriage - Marriage alone does not prevent a person from becoming or continuing to be a resident for tuition purposes, nor does marriage in any circumstance ensure that a person will become or continue to be a resident for tuition purposes. Marriage and the legal residence of one’s spouse are, however, relevant information in determining residency intent. Furthermore, if both a husband and a wife are legal residents of North Carolina and if one of them has been a legal resident longer than the other, then the longer duration may be claimed by either spouse in meeting the twelve-month requirement for in-state tuition status.

Military Personnel and Dependents - A North Carolinian who serves outside the state in the armed forces does not lose North Carolina domicile simply by reason of such service. And students from the military may prove retention or establishment of residence by reference, as in other cases, to residency acts accompanied by residency intent.

Any active duty member of the armed services qualifying for admission to Fayetteville State University but not qualifying as a resident for tuition purposes shall be charged the in-state tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees for enrollment while the member of the armed services is abiding in this State incident to active military in North Carolina.

Any dependent relative of a member of the armed forces who is abiding in North Carolina will be eligible to pay the in-state tuition rate, if the dependent relative qualifies for admission to Fayetteville State University. In the event the member of the armed services is reassigned outside the State of North Carolina, the dependent relative shall continue to be eligible to receive in-state tuition and applicable mandatory fees so long as the dependent relative is continuously enrolled in a degree program.

To be considered for this benefit the applicant must submit a military residency application.

Grace Period - If a person (1) has been a bona fide legal resident of the required duration, (2) has consequently been classified as a resident for tuition purposes, and (3) has subsequently lost North Carolina legal residence while enrolled at a public institution of higher education, that person may continue to enjoy the in-state tuition rate for a grace period of twelve months measured from the date on which North Carolina legal residence was lost. If the twelve months ends during an academic term for which the person is enrolled at a State institution of higher education, the grace period extends, in addition, to the end of that term. The fact of marriage to one who continues domiciled outside North Carolina does not by itself cause loss of legal residence marking the beginning of the grace period.

Minors - Minors (persons under 18 years of age) usually have the domicile of their parents, but certain special cases are recognized by the residence classification statute in determining residence for tuition purposes.

1. If a minor’s parents live apart, the minor’s domicile is deemed to be North Carolina for the time period(s) that either parent, as a North Carolina legal resident, may claim and does claim the minor as a tax dependent, even if other law or judicial act assigns the minors domicile outside North Carolina. A minor thus deemed to be a legal resident will not, upon achieving majority before enrolling at an institution of higher education, lose North Carolina legal residence if that person (1) upon becoming an adult, acts, to the extent that the person’s degree of actual emancipation permits, in a manner consistent with bona fide legal residence in North Carolina and (2) begins enrollment at an institution of higher education not later than the fall academic term following completion of education prerequisite to admission at such institution.
2. If a minor has lived for five or more consecutive years with relatives (other than parents) who are domiciled in North Carolina and if the relatives have functioned during this time as if they were personal guardians, the minor will be deemed a resident for tuition purposes for an enrolled term commencing immediately after at least five years in which these circumstances have existed. If under this consideration a minor is deemed to be a resident for tuition purposes immediately prior to his or her eighteenth birthday, that person on achieving majority will be deemed a legal resident of North Carolina of at least twelve months duration. This provision acts to confer in-state tuition status even in the face of other provisions of law to the contrary; however, a person deemed a resident of twelve months duration pursuant to this provision continues to be a legal resident of the State only so long as he or she does not abandon North Carolina domicile.

Lost but Regained Domicile - If a student ceases enrollment at or graduates from an institution of higher education while classified a resident for tuition purposes and then both abandons and reacquires North Carolina domicile within a twelve-month period, that person, if he or she continues to maintain the reacquired domicile into re-enrollment at an institution of higher education, may re-enroll at the in-state tuition rate without having to meet the usual twelve-month duration requirement. However, any one person may receive the benefit of this provision only once.

Change of Status - A student admitted to initial enrollment in an institution (or permitted to re-enroll following an absence from the institutional program which involved a formal withdrawal from enrollment) must be classified by the admitting institution either as a resident or as a nonresident for tuition purposes prior to actual enrollment. A residence status classification once assigned (and finalized pursuant to any appeal properly taken) may be changed thereafter (with corresponding change in billing rates) only at intervals corresponding with the established primary divisions of the academic year.

Transfer Students - When a student transfers from one North Carolina public institution of higher education to another, he or she is treated as a new student by the institution to which he or she is transferring and must be assigned an initial residence status classification for tuition purposes.

Prevailing North Carolina Law - General Statute (G.S.) 116-143.1 is the prevailing statute governing residence status classification. Copies of the applicable law and of the implementing regulations are available for review in the Office of Admissions, First Floor, Collins Building.