APPLICATION DEADLINES:
May 1 for Fall Semester Admission
September 1 for Spring Semester Admission
February 1 for Summer Semester Admission

Admission

Applications for admission to the master's online program are reviewed by faculty who look for evidence of preparation for advanced professional study at the master's level and the likelihood of academic success, as indicated by an applicant's educational record, work experience, statement of professional goals, and letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant's academic and professional experience and potential.

Basic Requirements to be Considered for Admission

Applicants must possess a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 overall grade point average.  

International applicants whose first language is not English must be able to demonstrate their English language proficiency as a condition for regular admission to MSU by meeting one of the following requirements:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language [TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Box 899, Princeton, NJ 08549 USA]. A total score of 550 or above with no subscores below 52 is required. The official report must be received by the English Language Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1035, USA, directly from the Educational Testing Service.
  
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery [MELAB, Testing and Certification Division, The English Language Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 USA]. An average score of 83 or higher with no subscores below 80 is required. The official report must be received by the English Language Center directly from the University of Michigan.
  
• English Language Center Test [ English Language Center, Michigan State University]. An average score of 80 to 85 with no subscores below 80, or an average score above 85 with no subscores below 78 is required.

Achieving an acceptable score on one of these tests does not, by itself, guarantee an applicant's admission to the program.

The GRE or Miller's Analogy is not required for application but may be used as supporting materials if available.

Required Materials  

1. MSU Application to Graduate Study. The application can be found at http://www.grad.msu.edu/apply.htm. The Graduate Study Major code to be used on the application is 2294.
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2. Transcripts. The University requires that you submit one official copy of your transcript from all degree granting institutions that you have attended.  This copy must be "official" in the sense that they are sent directly by the institutions to the MA Coordinator at MSU with a university seal or other notarization mark.  Colleges and universities generally require both fees and time to process requests for transcripts. Be sure to send the required fee with your request. 
   
   International applicants must have one official copy of their diplomas, mark sheets, transcripts and certificates sent directly to MA Coordinator at MSU from each institution the student attended.  These records must show courses taken and grades earned, and they must be translated into English if the original records are in another language.  If a translation is supplied, it should be certified as accurate and correct by an appropriate public or school official, or sponsoring agency or government.
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3. Letters of Recommendation.  Request three letters of recommendation from persons who are familiar with your academic and professional accomplishments and potential for success.  At least one letter must be from a former professor, academic advisor or other individual familiar with your academic background and abilities. The recommendations should be sent by your references, and your name should appear in the subject line.
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4. Vita/Resume.  Please prepare a Vita or Resume in a standard format.
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5. Professional Goals Statement.  You should submit a statement, not to exceed 750 words, that describes the following:

• Your professional goals and how you believe pursuing this master's degree will help you achieve them
• An explanation for your choice of a concentration area.
• Finally, while no prior experience with online learning is required for admission, you should provide a description of how this learning format fits your goals and characteristics as a learner.

NOTE: Please be sure you save this Goal Statement electronically for use later in your MA program.

Optional Supporting Materials  

You should know that we expect to learn much about you from the required application materials.  However, if you wish, you may submit up to two (2) additional pieces of evidence that you believe will help the admissions committee understand your unique strengths or promise as a graduate student in this program.  Examples of additional materials include:

• Recent Graduate Record Examination scores
• Sample of expository or creative writing, or visual artifact which conveys something important about you
• Example of your prior work in educational technology (e.g., web site)

Application Submission Checklist

The following items should be sent to:

MA Coordinator
Michigan State University
Academic Outreach Programs
253 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1034
Fax: (517) 432-2352
Email: onlineed@msu.edu

• One official copy of transcript(s)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Vita/Resume
• Professional goal statement
• Optional supporting materials

Note: All of the above items (with the exception of the official transcript) may be submitted by email or fax. If letters of recommendation are sent by email or fax, the originals should also be mailed.