Graduate School

Admission

2.1 General Admission Requirements

A prospective student must have received a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized accrediting association with a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in the student’s most recent 60 semester hours. Students with a baccalaureate degree from a non-accredited institution will be considered for admission only upon special petition to the Dean of the Graduate School.

International applicants are required to have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree (normally a minimum of four years of study beyond grade 12), demonstrated proficiency in English (minimum TOEFL of 550 or equivalent), and evidence of financial support. The student must be accepted by the department or program in which the student seeks a degree or graduate work. The Dean of the Graduate School grants final approval of admission. Such approval will be given (assuming 1, 2 and 3 above) when evidence indicates a high probability of success in the degree program to which the student seeks admission.

Applicants may not be acceptable regardless of the institution from which credentials are submitted or regardless of the nature of those credentials if the applicant’s preparation is not considered to be adequate or appropriate.

2.2 Faculty/Staff Working for Degree

2.2.1 Faculty

In special circumstances, faculty members may pursue programs of study leading to advanced degrees at Washington State University. Requests to do so are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Dean of the Graduate School. Approval and denial are subject to all rules and regulations of the Graduate School and requires the concurrence of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Review of applications will include consideration of factors such as:

2.2.2 Staff and/or Administrative Personnel

Staff and/or Administrative Personnel may pursue programs of study leading to advanced degrees at Washington State University. Requests to do so will be reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Approval is subject to all rules and regulations of the Graduate School. Review of applications will include the following considerations:

2.2.3 Tuition Fee Waiver Programs

Qualified staff and faculty who wish to enroll under the tuition fee waiver program must follow regular admission procedures and present a completed Staff Authorization card (available from the Office of Human Resource Services) at the time of enrollment. The card must indicate the approved credit load maximum and be signed by the employer and the Office of Human Resource Services.

To be eligible for the fee waiver, staff and faculty must submit the completed authorization card with the Course Request card(s) during registration. Those registering without the authorization card will be charged full tuition and fees.

Interested staff and faculty members should consult the Office of Human Resource Services for eligibility requirements.

2.3 Application Procedures

Applications are initiated online and processed by the Graduate School.

1.Students should apply early, using forms that may be obtained from the Graduate School in Pullman or from Student Services at each campus. Each application for admission to the Graduate School is subject to an application fee; payment must accompany the application. This fee is not refundable and may not be credited against any other fees charged by Washington State University. For admission to the Graduate School, Washington State University requires official transcripts from each of the following:

a. Colleges or universities from which any degrees have been granted or are expected and those transcripts which show the last 60 graded semester or 90 graded quarter hours of undergraduate or professional program course work taken.

b. Colleges or universities showing graded graduate level (including doctoral) course work taken after the bachelor’s degree.

Note: Students intending to request transfer credit for their Program of Study will need to submit official transcripts from colleges or universities showing such credit.

Departments and Programs are free to request additional transcripts as deemed appropriate.

Official transcripts are those mailed directly to the Graduate School from the registrar of the institution attended. One set is to be sent to the Graduate School and a second set is to be sent to the chair of the department or program concerned; such transcripts cannot be returned or transferred. Records from Washington State University need not be submitted since these are available. Students from colleges and universities in the United States and Canada must file all their credentials with the Graduate School at least one month before registration. Applicants from universities in other countries must file all necessary credentials with the Graduate School at least six months in advance of the proposed date of enrollment in the Graduate School.

2. Applicants may be considered for admission on the basis of their grade point average over the last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of graded undergraduate work or on the basis of their grade point average from graded graduate work where there is more than 12 hours of graded graduate work taken after the bachelor’s degree.

3. Applicants may be considered for admission on the basis of their total graded graduate work in an accredited graduate school or schools provided that they have achieved a 3.0 grade point average in at least 12 semester hours of graded graduate course work taken after the bachelor’s degree. Interpretations as to what constitutes accredited courses or schools will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School. Credits earned in a professional degree program (such as DVM, JD, MD) will not be considered as graduate credits in admissions decisions.

4. Regular student status will ordinarily be granted to those students who are recommended by a department/program if the student’s work, when considered under 2 and 3 above, averages 3.0 (4.0 system) or higher. A student who has completed a master’s degree with a minimal or near minimal grade point average, or a student who has failed to complete a graduate degree program, may be admitted to further graduate work after consideration of letters of recommendation and other supporting documents.

5. The Graduate School may grant provisional admission to a student whose grade point average is below 3.0, provided the total record indicates a high probability of success in the degree program and provided the department justifies the student’s admission. Other evidence, such as letters of recommendation, a record of successful professional experience, and evidence of creative ability, must be submitted and will aid departments and the Graduate School in evaluating special cases.

6. Second Degree: Students at Washington State University who have completed the graduate degree for which they were admitted and who wish to pursue a second and higher graduate degree should apply for readmission using the appropriate forms supplied by the Graduate School. Students who wish to pursue a degree other than that for which they were admitted must have approval by the chair of the department/program administering the desired degree program and by the Dean of the Graduate School.

7. Because of limitations of faculty and facilities, it may be necessary to deny admission to some qualified applicants.

8. The Graduate School issues an admission certificate to a student when that student has been accepted for graduate study at Washington State University. Applicants who come to Washington State University before complete credentials have been submitted and approved do so at their own risk.

2.4 Student Status Classification

2.4.1 Class 6: Advanced Degree Candidate

A. Regular. This classification is for students admitted to the Graduate School with previous work averaging 3.0 or higher. This grade point average is calculated from the last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of graded undergraduate work or graded graduate study of 12 semester hours or more taken after the receipt of the bachelor’s degree.

B. Provisional. This classification is for students whose previous work, as defined above, is below 3.0. Provisional status may be granted because of special departmental recommendations or other indications of outstanding potential. In such cases the following alternative standards apply:

1) Preparation for graduate study in a discipline. This may include:

2) Written statement of career objectives and reasons for pursuing graduate studies.

3) Written letters of recommendation from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant's academic record and potential.

4) Evaluation of the quality of the undergraduate institution the applicant attended, and his/her program of study as an undergraduate.

5) Personal interviews with the applicant.

2.4.2 Class 6-0: Non-degree Seeking Graduate Students

A. Not Advanced Degree Candidate (NADC): This classification is for those students with a baccalaureate degree who wish to take graduate courses but do not wish to pursue a graduate degree. Students in the NADC classification must pay graduate fees and must be admitted to a graduate department or program. Students may be admitted with less than a 3.0 GPA, but they must maintain a 3.0 GPA once admitted. Admission as NADC does not obligate the department/program to admit the student to a degree program at a later date. These students may take any course for which they have the necessary prerequisites except those at the 700- or 800-level. A maximum of six hours of graduate course work with grades of “B” or higher (nine for non-thesis master’s and doctoral degree) earned under NADC classification (and post-baccalaureate – class 5) may be applied to graduate degree requirements. Time limits on the course work would be the same as for transfer credit.

B. Undecided Graduate (UND-G): This classification is for potential graduate students who appear just prior to or during registration and have not fulfilled the application requirements. Under this classification, students are processed immediately and the students are subject to the following:

D. Visiting International and Reciprocal Exchange Graduate Students (VIGS): International graduate students who wish to enroll in an exchange program at Washington State University for up to one year, and then return to the graduate school in which they are pursuing an advanced degree, may be admitted as Visiting International Graduate Students. Such students must meet the following criteria:

1. Each student must complete the WSU Visiting Graduate student application AND meet the following WSU Graduate School requirements:

a. Must have been admitted to a recognized foreign graduate school be in good standing, and actively pursuing a graduate program at that institution.

b. Must apply for admission as a Visiting Graduate Student.

c. Must be accepted by a WSU graduate degree granting department/program, WSU Graduate School and for reciprocal exchange program students by WSU Education Abroad.

d. Must submit TOEFL scores at the minimum level required by the department in which the student will be studying. Other English language proficiency requirements may be required by departments or the Graduate School based on proposed course of study or level of service appointments.

e. All documentation submitted by the applicant must be in English or official translations into English accompanied by the original foreign language document.

2. Admission as a Visiting International Graduate Student is for the equivalent of up to one academic year (i.e. two semesters). If a student later applies for admission to the Graduate School to work toward a degree, he/she must make formal application and submit complete credentials as outlined in the Graduate School Policies and Procedures handbook.

3. In order to qualify for the WSU Exchange Visitor program
(J-1) a student must submit a completed application form
and statement of financial support for the student and any accompanying dependent. The support must meet or exceed the estimates as published each semester by the WSU OISS section. Such documentation may be in the form of original documentation from the home institution, WSU department
(if funding is from WSU sources), documentation from other agencies, personal bank statements from the student
(for dependent support), or a combination thereof.

4. All students must report to the WSU OISS office for orientation shortly after arrival at WSU (to be arranged
between the supervising faculty member and OISS).

5. All students will automatically be charged for the foreign student health insurance plan on arrival (including the
required insurance for any accompanying dependents).

6. All students must reside in WSU on-campus housing.

7.All students will be admitted as non-degree graduate Exchange Visitors under the WSU Exchange Visitor program and issued an DS-2019. The DS-2019 will be sent to the supporting department by IP-OISS for transmittal to the students.

2.4.3 Class 7: Summer Student

Summer students who apply for regular admission to the Graduate School to earn a degree ordinarily will be allowed
credit only for appropriate courses taken during the summer session in which the application for admission was submitted.
If the application is submitted during an interim period,
credit ordinarily will be allowed only for appropriate courses taken during the summer session immediately preceding
the application.

2.4.4 Class 8: Non-degree Seeking Student

Class 8 or Special 8 students are seeking special status to
enroll in courses for personal enrichment and are not seeking
a degree. Coursework taken in this category does not qualify
for Graduate School degrees. As soon as a Class 8/Non-degree seeking student wishes to pursue a graduate degree (s)he should immediately contact Graduate School Admissions.

2.4.5 Select Graduate Admission

The SGA Program is to encourage outstanding undergraduate students with top academic records to remain at WSU for
a graduate degree by (1) extending an early offer of admission and support to outstanding candidates, (2) removing financial and other costs associated with regular application, and (3) potentially reducing the total number of combined semesters required to complete the undergraduate/graduate degree (without reducing the credit requirements for either).

Procedure:

Nominate a select few outstanding undergraduates who are in their junior year of study (with approval of the Graduate School, seniors may be nominated early in their senior year) and who rank in the top 10% of their discipline in your program.

Forward your nominations to the Graduate School via your graduate advisor or graduate coordinator. Students from the Honors Program should be co- nominated by the Honors College and the respective graduate program.

Include the following documents with the nomination:

A cover letter from the graduate coordinator (and the Honors College advisor, if appropriate) nominating the student for the SGA program that documents the excellence of the nominee. As a rule-of-thumb, the candidate should be within the top 10% of the graduate admission pool.

Three letters of reference from faculty who know directly of the applicant’s academic ability and performance in WSU courses.

A brief statement of purpose from the candidate.

Student’s resumé.

The Graduate School will review the candidate’s file. If accepted, the student will receive instructions for initiating the transition from undergraduate to graduate status.

Students accepted into this program would be eligible to reserve courses for graduate credit taken in their senior year if their cumulative GPA is greater than 3.0, they have completed 90 undergraduate hours for the first baccalaureate degree, and they are not registered for more than fifteen semester hours in the semester or twelve semester hours in the summer session. Courses reserved for graduate credit are limited to a total of 12 credit hours and are restricted to graded credit hours. A form for reserving graduate credits is available from the Graduate School and filed by the 15th class day of the semester or by the 5th day of the summer session.

2.5 Enrollment Categories

Enrollment may be in one of the following categories:

(a) full-time enrollment of ten credits or more;
(b) part-time enrollment of less than ten credits;
(c) summer session enrollment for credit;
(d) graduate leave status; or
(e) enrollment by mail for 590, 600, 700, 702, or 800.

2.5.1 Procedure for Enrolling
under Graduate Leave Status

Graduate students are considered to be actively pursuing a degree from the time of first enrollment in Graduate School
until graduation or until the limits described below have expired. Students who, for any reason, find that they cannot enroll for credit are automatically considered to be on Graduate Leave Status beginning the first semester they do not enroll.

Students on Graduate Leave Status may discontinue enrollment for credit for a period of 12 months without penalty. After that time, students on Graduate Leave Status who wish to re-enroll must complete the Re-enrollment Form and will be assessed
a fee of $25. The Re-enrollment Form must be completed and
the $25 fee must be paid before students re-enroll for credit.

Students on Graduate Leave Status will be considered by the Graduate School to be in good standing for up to four consecutive years. After that time, students must pay the appropriate application fee and reapply for admission to the Graduate School and to their respective graduate program.

Students with Graduate Leave Status whose time limits for completion of degree have expired must reapply for admission to the Graduate School.

Students who have been on Graduate Leave Status for more than two consecutive semesters must receive departmental approval for re-enrollment. Such approval will be indicated
by the signature of student’s department chairs on the application for re-enrollment.

Students are advised to keep in contact with their major departments during the period of their Graduate Leave
Status. Students who do not do so may be dropped by their departments for making no discernible progress toward completion of their degrees.

Graduate Leave Status cannot be used toward meeting residence requirements. Although students on Graduate
Leave Status may take foreign language reading examinations, they may not take graduate examinations (preliminary or final) during these terms. Use of library facilities and resources may be used, but only upon approval from the Graduate School
and only on a year-by-year basis. Requests for library privileges must be made in writing to the Graduate School through the student's department/program chair to the Dean of the Graduate School, who may grant a leave of absence for
a specified period. No enrollment is required during periods
of leave.

2.5.2 Enrollments - Minimum and Maximum

While graduate students may be required by the major department and/or program to register for a greater number
of credit hours, they must enroll at least for the following minimums.

Students not on appointment as teaching, research, or staff assistants, and enrolling solely for the purpose of a) completing theses or special problems, b) taking the preliminary exams, or c) and taking master’s or doctoral final examinations, must register for a minimum of two semester hours of the applicable 700, 702, or 800 course at Washington State University during that semester or summer session. The student’s thesis, special problems or dissertation must have been completed during the prior semester to be eligible for the two-credit enrollment.

Graduate students on appointment as teaching, research,
or staff assistants during the academic year must be enrolled full time for a minimum of 10 credit hours or three credit hours during the summer.

Fourteen to eighteen hours per semester is considered the normal enrollment for a full-time student. Students must take
a minimum of 10 credits to maintain full-time enrollment status.

Students on non-service appointments must enroll for a minimum of 10 hours per semester during the academic year.

Students on non-service appointments for the summer must enroll for a minimum of four hours during the eight-week summer session.

Students are encouraged to enroll for the maximum number
of credits (18) to shorten the time required to complete their degree.

International students holding visas should consult with the Office of International Education for enrollment requirements. Minimum enrollment for international students is 10 credits
per semester.

International students may enroll for two credit hours only for one semester in any academic year during the course of their graduate studies in residence. At the time this option is used, these students should be certain they will complete all degree requirements during that semester of graduation.

If international students do not complete, they must enroll
as full-time students in any, or all, subsequent semesters in residence. The Office of Immigration and Naturalization
Service set this policy. Requests for reduced enrollment must
be approved prior to registration.

2.6 Academic Load

An academic load of fourteen to eighteen credit hours per semester (six in the six-week summer session and eight-to-ten in the eight-week summer session) is considered a full load
for a graduate student. Teaching and research assistants are expected to carry the appropriate credits per semester or summer session.

Loads in excess of eighteen hours in a regular semester,
eight or ten hours in six- and eight-week summer sessions, respectively, are considered overloads and must have the approval of the major professor and the concurrence of the Dean of the Graduate School. Students on appointment as teaching, research, or staff assistants or associates also
must have approval of their supervisors in order to take
an overload. Credit hours of enrollment in “Audit” status
are not included in calculating the student’s academic load.

2.7 Appointments

As aids to graduate education, Washington State University
has teaching, research, and staff assistantships available for qualified graduate students from recognized colleges and universities. Teaching assistantships are available to qualified graduate students in most academic departments. The usual service required is half-time for the academic year. In some instances, appointments may be made for less than half-time at correspondingly reduced stipends. Research assistantships are available in many departments and special programs.

Staff assistantships are available for service to some academic departments and administrative offices, the Student Counseling Center, Student Activities Center, Residence Living, and IT. For further information, write directly to the director of each area. Fellowships or Traineeships are available in some departments and programs through grants from government agencies and other private sources. These appointments are initiated by the departments and programs and inquiries should be directed to the relevant academic unit. Applications for the subsequent academic year should be submitted no later than March 1, as most appointments will be made shortly thereafter.

2.7.1 Initial Appointments

Recommendations from departments/programs for the appointment of students to assistantships should be submitted to the Graduate School. These will be forwarded for approval to the Provost provided the student has been admitted to the Graduate School. Provisional students with grade point averages above 2.75 may receive an initial appointment if recommended and justified by the department/program. Departments and/or programs that plan to offer teaching assistantships to international students whose native language is not English must inform the students that they will be examined for English language proficiency to assist the departments in making teaching assignments.

2.7.2 English Proficiency

International graduate students whose native language is
not English and who have not previously held a teaching assistantship at Washington State University are required
to take an English proficiency examination before being
granted a teaching assistantship.

2.7.3 Salaries

Salaries for graduate assistants are negotiable. A schedule
of salaries for graduate assistants is available from the Graduate School. Graduate assistants who qualify also receive
a health insurance fringe benefit. Changes in salary may be made only at the beginning of the fall or spring semesters,
or at the beginning of the summer session.

2.7.4 Tuition and Fee Waivers

Qualified students on half-time (.50) appointments for an entire semester or academic year may receive a waiver of the tuition. In addition to the tuition waiver, non-resident students may receive a waiver of the non-resident portion of tuition. Students must be residing in the State of Washington to qualify for the waivers.

To qualify for the resident tuition waiver, appointments must be for the full semester or for the full academic year. Graduate students on an appointment that terminates during the semester may lose all waivers and the non-resident fee exemption. Students on assistantships during the summer session may also qualify for the operating fee waiver.

All graduate students who have been awarded a teaching, research, or staff assistantship of one-half time or more or who are working for an academic department or program for at least 20 hours per week for the entire semester may qualify for waivers of the non-resident fees and the resident operating fee. Graduate students on appointment will be required to pay general tuition and service and activities fees. To qualify for the fee exemptions, students must reside in the State of Washington. (See Appendix).

2.7.5 Acceptance of Financial Support

Washington State University subscribes to the following Resolution of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States regarding scholars, fellows, trainees, and graduate assistants.

Acceptance of an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.

Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution.
In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15
is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further
agreed by the institutions and organization subscribing to
the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.

2.7.6 Reappointments

Reappointments normally will be approved if recommended by the department/program provided the student has maintained
a 3.0 cumulative grade point average or higher in all work (including undergraduate course work) since initial admission
to the Graduate School, and provided there are no outstanding incomplete grades of more than one semester or summer session’s duration.

2.7.7 Time Limitations

Ordinarily, the length of time a student may hold an appointment is limited to the following:

Master's candidates, two years.

Doctoral aspirants, with a master's degree, four years.

Doctoral aspirants, without a master's degree, six years.

Graduate School, P.O. Box 641030, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1030, 509-335-1446, Contact Us