This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.valdosta.edu.

On this page:
Regular Admission
Probationary Admission
Irregular Admission
Transient
Non-Degree
Letters of Good Standing
Enrollment by Undergraduates
Registration

Valdosta State offers several admission classifications to graduate students. Students who have met all requirements may be considered for admission. Criteria and limitations for all categories of admission are shown below.

Some colleges and departments have criteria that exceed the minimums shown below. For individual college and department listings to determine specific standards, click here. Please note: graduate admission is highly competitive. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to a program.

Regular Admission

To be considered for admission as a “regular” graduate student in a master’s program, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited or approved college or university with an undergraduate major in, or prerequisites for, the planned graduate field of study, where applicable. The applicant must, at a minimum, have an undergraduate grade point average of  at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as indicated by their official final college transcript; however, some programs require minimum grade point averages that are higher than the Graduate School minimum or are based on the cumulative grade point average.

Education Specialist, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Public Administration applicants must hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants for Ed.S. and Ed.D. programs will be admitted only as “regular.”

Verification of the degree and grade point average in the form of official transcripts is required. Most degree programs require acceptable entrance exam scores on the GRE, MAT, or GMAT, and some programs have additional admission criteria. Please refer to the departmental listings for all these specific requirements. 

Probationary Admission

Applicants who have submitted all required documents but fail to meet one or more of the criteria for regular admission may be considered for probationary admission under conditions specified at the time of admission by the academic department. Probationary admission is not guaranteed nor is it offered by all programs. Please refer to the departmental listings for specific requirements and required supplemental material. Go to our programs page and click on the program of interest.

Students admitted as probationary are eligible for financial aid. Students admitted on a probationary basis remain in this category for 9 semester hours of work. The grade point average for these 9 semester hours must be 3.0 or higher, and the student must meet all contingencies stipulated by the department in the acceptance letter issued by the Graduate School, in order to be reclassified as “regular” students. Probationary admission is not offered for Ed.S. or doctoral programs and is not offered for all master’s programs. Because of the highly competitive nature of admissions, probationary admission cannot be guaranteed.

For more information on financial aid requirements and eligibility, visit the Office of Financial Aid’s website. 

Irregular Admission

Applicants who have not submitted one or more of the required documents (not including transcripts) may sometimes be admitted as “irregular” to a master’s program. To be eligible for an Irregular Request, an applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution at the point of application and must have submitted the application and application fee, all official transcripts, and a completed Request for Irregular Admission Form prior to the admission deadline for that semester. Students in this category will not be fully admitted to a degree program until they have met all admission requirements.

Prior to the completion of 9 hours, students must submit all outstanding requirements meeting minimum standards. Once all outstanding requirements have been received, the application will be reviewed for full admission. Full admission is not guaranteed. Submission of outstanding documents is subject to deadlines for each term. Students who have not submitted all requirements will not be allowed to continue in the program. Students admitted as irregular are not eligible for financial aid or graduate assistantships. Irregular admission is not offered by all master’s programs and is not offered for any Ed.S. or doctoral programs. Please contact the Graduate School or visit the Degrees and Programs page to see if a program qualifies.

Transient

Graduate students currently enrolled in good standing at another college or university may register in courses offered by Valdosta State University for credit at their home institution. Applicants are strongly advised to check with their home institution before applying to see if the VSU credit is applicable. Transient admission is valid only for one term and is subject to semester admissions deadlines. The Langdale College of Business Administration will not consider requests for transient admission. Transient admission and course availability is not guaranteed and is subject to departmental approval. Contact the Graduate School for questions regarding transient eligibility.

Non-Degree

Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree and wish to take graduate or undergraduate courses for add-on certification, an endorsement, certificate renewal, or personal enrichment without pursuing an advanced degree may be admitted as “non-degree.” Non-degree students may be considered for admission to a graduate degree program if they meet the following requirements: maintain a cumulative average of B or higher in VSU graduate courses taken as a non-degree student; submit a new application and fee to the Graduate School for a degree program; and submit all admission documents required for the program by the established deadline. Non-degree admission and subsequent admission to a degree-seeking program cannot guarantee and will be subject to departmental approval. A maximum of 9 semester hours taken as a non-degree VSU student may be transferred into a degree granting program if approved by the department. Please consult the program coordinator of the degree program of interest for information on what can be transferred. Students admitted as non-degree are not eligible for financial aid or graduate assistantships.

Letters of Good Standing

Letters of Good Standing are issued for VSU degree-seeking students only. Graduate students wanting to take courses at other institutions for credit should consult with their program advisors regarding acceptable courses and allowable hours for transfer credit. Graduate students MUST follow the procedures outlined below:

  1. Students should consult with their advisor regarding the appropriateness of a course offered at another institution.
  2. The student’s advisor (not the student) should request a Letter of Good Standing through the online LOGS request form. Include student name, ID, courses to be taken, credit hours, and the institution address. DO NOT USE TRANSIENT FORMS FROM THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE.
  3. If approved by the Associate Provost of Graduate Studies and Research, a Letter of Good Standing is then forwarded to the appropriate institution, with copies going to the student and the advisor.
  4. After students complete courses and grades are posted, they must have an official transcript sent to VSU’s Graduate School. If the course will substitute for a VSU course, the advisor and student must complete a Course Substitution Form and, after signatures are obtained from the advisor, the department head, and the appropriate college dean, forward it to the Dean of the Graduate School.
  5. The deficiency point policy will apply to graduate courses that are transferred.

Enrollment by Undergraduates

A student with senior standing at Valdosta State University, with an overall academic grade point average of 3.0 or better, may register for graduate courses during the final two semesters of undergraduate work under the following conditions:

  1. No more than a total of 9 semester hours may be taken for graduate credit, and no more than 6 semester hours of graduate work may be taken in a given semester.
  2. An undergraduate student registering for one or more graduate courses is limited to a total academic course load of 12 semester hours per semester.
  3. Permission for a student to take graduate courses under this provision is granted only by the Dean of the Graduate School upon recommendation of the student’s advisor. To request permission, the student’s advisor must submit a request to the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research on behalf of the student. The request should contain the student’s full name, the student ID number, and verification that the student meets all requirements outlined.
  4. Permission must be obtained for each semester in which the student desires to take graduate courses. Once permission is granted, the academic department must manually place the undergraduate into the approved graduate-level courses.
  5. Deficiency points will apply if graduate courses taken by undergraduates are counted toward graduate degree requirements.

Enrollment by Undergraduates in Accelerated Programs (4 + 1)

  1. A student enrolled in an Accelerated (4 + 1) Program may enroll in graduate hours if they have earned at least 60 undergraduate hours and have an overall academic grade point average of 3.0.
  2. The number of hours of graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate will be established by the Accelerated Program guidelines.
  3. Permission for an undergraduate student to take graduate courses in the Accelerated Program is granted only by the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research upon recommendation of the student's advisor. To request permission, the student's advisor must submit a request to the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research on behalf of the student. The request should contain the student's full name, the student ID number, and verification that the student meets all requirements outlined in the Accelerated Program guidelines.
  4. Students in the Accelerated Program must take at least 21 graduate hours post-baccalaureate to earn the master's degree.
  5. Deficiency points will apply once a student is admitted to her/his graduate program and the courses are counted toward graduate degree requirements.

Registration

Currently enrolled students may register for courses during the following registration periods.

Early Registration

Held approximately six weeks before the term begins. Registration priority is based on student classification in the following order: graduate students and seniors; juniors; sophomores; freshmen.

Regular Registration and Drop/Add

Held immediately prior to the beginning of classes. Registration is held on a first-come, first-served basis. For fee schedules and course schedules, click here. 

Late Registration and Continued Drop/Add

Held for approximately three or four days after the term begins. A late fee is assessed for registration during the Late Period.

All students must be advised before registration. Students who have not been advised will not be able to access the registration system.

Note that the collaborative online education programs have different registration periods; click here to view the calendar.  

Registration in all courses offered by the University is under the direct supervision of the Registrar. Published schedules, policies, and procedures for registration must be strictly observed. Registrations are canceled for students who do not pay fees by the published deadlines. Please refer to the Registrar’s website for more information.