Admission Requirements (2002-2003)

• Admission of:
  • International Students
  • New Students
  • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program Candidates
• Policies:
  • Immunization
  • Documentation
• Procedures
  • Examinations
  • Second Baccalaureate Degree
  • Teacher Certification
  • Re-Entry Procedures
• Taking Graduate Courses for:
  • Graduate Credit
  • Undergraduate Credit

Admission of New Students

Applicants for admission to the School of Graduate Studies must hold a bachelor's degree from an institution that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency. Applicants usually apply for admission to a degree program simultaneously with admission to the School of Graduate Studies. If the applicant meets the minimum admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, a copy of the application materials is forwarded to the faculty of the program of interest.

Admission in any program of the School of Graduate Studies is contingent upon successful completion of undergraduate course work specified as a prerequisite. Admission requirements for any particular graduate degree program may exceed the minimum admission standards of the School of Graduate Studies. No one may pursue an advanced degree at WIU unless admitted to the appropriate degree program. Certain programs require the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Requirements for each program are listed in the program section of this catalog. Students should consult with the departmental graduate committee chair to obtain a more detailed written description of the program requirements.

Applicants may be accepted in the School of Graduate Studies as (a) degree graduate students, (b) probationary graduate students, or (c) nondegree graduate students.

(a)Degree Graduate Students

Applicants may qualify under either of the following two conditions for admission as potential degree candidates if they:

1. have a cumulative grade point average for their undergraduate work of at least 2.5 (based on all hours attempted), or
2. have a 2.75 or higher average for their last two years of undergraduate work.

(b) Probationary Graduate Students

Those students who do not meet the graduate school and departmental grade point requirements for regular admission to a degree program may be recommended for probationary admission by the department. Upon completion of at least six semester hours of graduate-level work with at least a B average, probationary graduate students may petition the departmental graduate committee and the Graduate Council for a change in their admission status. If the degree program requires the Graduate Record Examination or the Graduate Management Admission Test, action on the petition will not be taken until the student's GRE/GMAT scores are available. If the petition is approved by the department and the Graduate Council, the hours earned while a probationary graduate student may be placed on the student's degree plan as part of the minimum number of hours required for the degree.

(c) Nondegree Graduate Students

Students in this category are:

1. those whose records, including transcripts or test scores, are incomplete at the time of their first registration, thus making it impossible to determine their exact admission status;
2. those who are taking courses to transfer to a degree program at another institution;
3. those who meet WIU admission requirements for degree graduate student status, but who are not interested in pursuing a degree at WIU (should these students later wish to pursue a graduate degree, they should contact the School of Graduate Studies and request that they be considered for admission as degree-seeking students);
4. those who do not meet admission requirements for degree graduate student status and have no intention of ever pursuing a degree at this institution (should these students later wish to pursue a degree, they are required to request admission as a degree-seeking graduate student, and if accepted, adhere to the regulations established for that category); and
5. those who graduate from nontraditional bachelor's degree programs with fewer than 60 semester hours of graded work (should these students wish to pursue a degree, they may petition to have their status changed to degree graduate student after completing six semester hours of graduate-level work at Western Illinois University with at least a B average and after submitting GRE/GMAT scores if required by the program. The six semester hours may count as part of their program and they will not be required to take more than the minimum hours required for their particular degree program).

Application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and to a degree program must be made upon forms obtained from the School of Graduate Studies. Degree students must request ONE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT to be sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies for EACH college or university previously attended. STUDENT COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Nondegree students must request the registrar of the college or university granting their highest degree to send a statement of degree or official transcript showing the degree and the date it was conferred. It must be sent by the registrar directly to the School of Graduate Studies. All transcripts on file in the Office of the Registrar at WIU will be obtained by graduate office personnel. The admission application form and official transcripts must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies at least three weeks before the student's first registration. The three-week interval is needed to evaluate credentials and to take official action on admission. If the necessary forms and credentials are submitted after the deadline, the student may still be admitted on a nondegree status but may expect delays in registration. If the necessary forms and credentials are not submitted to the School of Graduate Studies by the end of the first term of a student's enrollment, the student will not be permitted to register for additional courses until these obligations have been met. The University is in no way obligated to grant graduate credit for any course unless the student complies with the above procedures.

Admission to the School of Graduate Studies does not imply or constitute admission to an advanced degree program.

Admission to Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Applicants for admission to post-baccalaureate certificate programs must hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency. Admission requirements for any particular post-baccalaureate certificate program may exceed the minimum admission standards of the School of Graduate Studies. Application for admission must be made upon forms obtained from the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must request the registrar of the college or university granting their highest degree to send a statement of degree or official transcript showing the degree and date it was conferred. Verification of degree must be sent by the registrar directly to the School of Graduate Studies. Transcripts on file in the Office of the Registrar at WIU will be obtained by graduate office personnel.

Admission of International Students

International students are subject to all requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies. In addition, each international student must also meet the following requirements:

1. Hold a degree which is comparable to a recognized U. S. bachelor's degree.
2. Provide evidence of English language proficiency by obtaining a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), by successfully completing the English as a Second Language Program through the WESL Institute, or completing a bachelor's degree from an American institution with four years in residence, and within two years of matriculation at Western Illinois University. Unless otherwise stated in the departmental sections, a satisfactory TOEFL score is 213 computer-based version or 550 on the paper-based version. If a prospective student has a TOEFL score between 173 and 213 (500 and 550 paper-based), he or she will be considered for admission in some programs on the basis of demonstrated academic ability (grade point average). Only students whose native language is English are exempt from the English proficiency requirements.
3. Document that financial resources are available to cover all educational and living expenses while engaged in graduate studies.
4. Submit a $25 application fee.

International students may also be required to remediate any deficiencies in previous college work by completing undergraduate courses at Western Illinois University.

Applicants to the School of Graduate Studies and to a degree program must complete an international application obtained from the Office of International Admissions. The completed application, signed and dated by the student; the financial affidavit; and official transcripts of all previous post-secondary study must be submitted to the Office of International Admissions at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the term. The 60-day interval is necessary to evaluate credentials, take official action on admission, and issue the appropriate immigration documents. This interval also provides students with time to obtain a visa if they reside in their home country at the time of application.

International students interested in applying to the School of Graduate Studies should contact:

Office of International Admissions
Memorial Hall 237
Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455-1390, USA
Phone: 309/298-2426
Fax: 309/298-2245
E-mail: International_Ed@wiu.edu
WWW address: www.wiu.edu/international

at least one year before they wish to begin study. United States citizens living abroad and undocumented persons domiciled in the United States are not considered international students for purposes of this requirement and should contact the School of Graduate Studies.

Admission Examinations

Prior to admission to certain programs, the student must take the verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination General Test or the Graduate Management Admission Test.

Applicants to those programs requiring the GRE or GMAT are encouraged to complete this test either in their senior year of undergraduate work or before filing an application for admission. For further information on the GRE and places where it may be taken, applicants should contact the Educational Testing Service (www.ets.org), PO Box 6004, Princeton, NJ 08541-6004, or the Counseling and Testing Center, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390. Information on the GMAT (www.gmac.com) can be obtained from the Graduate Management Admission Test, PO Box 6103, Princeton, NJ 08541-6103.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

To be eligible for a second baccalaureate degree, after having been granted a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, a candidate must comply with the following:

1. The candidate must apply to and be accepted by the School of Graduate Studies for admission to the University.
2. The candidate must submit a program from the major department to be approved by the Council on Admission, Graduation, and Academic Standards.
3. The candidate must secure approval from the Council of Admission, Graduation, and Academic Standards prior to enrolling.
4. The candidate becomes an undergraduate upon approval of the second degree plan. All undergraduate University policies are applicable.
5. The candidate must earn a minimum of 30 additional semester hours in residence. Courses in the degree plan may not be taken pass/fail.
6. The candidate must complete an undergraduate application for graduation at least one semester prior to graduation.

Teacher Certification

Graduate students seeking certification which requires an advanced degree (guidance, educational administration, school psychology, and speech-language-hearing science) should contact the certifying officer in their graduate program.

All others seeking teacher certification, whether by an advanced degree, second bachelor's degree or as a nondegree graduate student, should contact the university certification officer in Horrabin Hall 25. Students interested in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program for certification at the high school level should contact the Department of Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies, Horrabin Hall 80.

Re-Entry Procedures

Students in good standing who have discontinued graduate work for more than one full year must file a notice of intent to re-enter the graduate school. This notice should be filed at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the new semester in which the student expects to register. The necessary forms may be obtained from the Office of the School of Graduate Studies or on the Internet at www.wiu.edu/grad. Students who re-enter the University after an absence of three or more years, excluding summer sessions, must meet the requirement of the catalog under which they re-enter.

Graduating Seniors Taking Graduate Courses for Graduate Credit

A senior may apply for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and receive graduate credit for graduate courses in which he or she enrolls provided: (1) the enrollment does not exceed a maximum of nine semester hours; (2) the student fulfills prerequisites for the course; (3) he/she secures permission from the School of Graduate Studies; (4) he/she has a grade point average of 3.0 or better if a first-semester senior and meets admission requirements to graduate school if a second-semester senior. International students must also obtain approval from the director of international student admissions. Permission forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate Courses for Undergraduate Credit

Graduate course offerings may be taken for undergraduate credit as long as:

1. The applicant has attained senior standing as an undergraduate student at Western Illinois University and is in good academic standing at the University.
2. The applicant has fulfilled prerequisites for the course.
3. The student has secured the required signatures on the form requesting permission to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit. This form is available from the Office of the Registrar, Sherman Hall 110.
4. No more than nine semester hours of undergraduate credit may be earned in graduate courses.
5. Graduate courses taken for undergraduate credit may not be used as part of a future graduate program.

Immunization Policy

Effective July 1, 1989, Illinois state law and University policy require that all newly enrolled students who were born on or after January 1, 1957, provide written evidence, signed by a healthcare provider, of current immune status with respect to certain communicable diseases. Currently, the diseases to which all students must show immunity are measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and mumps. Students whose first enrollment at WIU was in the Fall 1989 semester or later will be required to comply with this policy. Students attending classes at sites other than the main campus are exempt from this policy.

Document Policies

A transcript of a student's record received from another university or college is not forwarded to a third institution. The student should request another transcript from the original institution.

Admission test scores for the GRE or GMAT are not forwarded to another university. The student should request test scores directly from Educational Testing Service.