Admissions

The following admission documents and requirements are common to all Spring Arbor University graduate programs. Some programs specify a particular format for certain items and/or have additional admission requirements. Program admission requirements are detailed in the program sections of this catalog or in program handbooks which are available through the program offices.

• A completed application is required before consideration for admission.
• Applicants must provide an official transcript from a regionally-accredited college or university which notes the conferral of a bachelor’s degree. A student may be considered for conditional admission if the student provides verification from the institution that all degree requirements for a bachelor’s degree have been met along with an anticipated date of degree conferral. Additionally, applicants must submit all transcripts reflecting any graduate work completed, even if the courses are not being considered for transfer. Some programs require official transcripts from all previous institutions attended. See specific program details for clarification.
• Bachelor’s transcripts must reflect a 3.0 GPA for at least the last two years of the bachelor’s degree, and any graduate transcripts must reflect a 3.0 GPA.
• Applicants must provide at least two recommendations from professional/academic individuals.

Graduate programs may have other specific admission requirements which are listed in the program-specific section of this catalog and/or in program handbooks available through program offices.

Admission Expectations

All applicants should possess:

• graduate-level communication skills,
• computer competency,
• strong academic skills,
• strong motivation for learning,
• awareness of the time and effort required to successfully complete program requirements,
• a willingness to be part of a group learning process, and
• potential for growth and development in the student’s chosen field.

Admission Status

Admission status is determined and specified as follows:

• Full: all items are complete and admission requirements met.
• Probationary: the admissions file is complete but the applicant’s GPA does not meet the standard or there are other concerns (e.g., weak writing sample).
  • There will be limits on the number of courses for which the applicant may enroll as well as closer monitoring of grades.
  • The time limit that the student must come off probationary status will be the end of the first semester.
• Conditional: some part of the admission file is missing (e.g., official transcript)
  • There may be limits on the number of courses for which the applicant may enroll as well as closer monitoring of grades.
  • The time limit that the student must come off conditional status will be the end of the first course.
• Denial: admission requirements are not met.

Admission Appeals

Students may only appeal denial of admissions. An appeal is initiated via written petition, which provides rationale and, where appropriate, includes supporting documentation. Appeals are presented to the program administrators, who will convene a review committee. The committee’s decision is final.

International Student Admissions

To maintain student status with immigration, a student must be full-time (a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester). F-1 visa students cannot be admitted to fully online programs.

International students are subject to all admission requirements of the graduate program and additional requirements as outlined below:

• Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an institution recognized and/or accredited by the country in which the degree was earned.
• For degrees earned at English-speaking institutions outside of the U.S. that also use the U.S. credit system, original and official transcripts must be sent to directly to SAU from the institution.
• Degrees earned at non-English-speaking institutions and/or institutions that do not use the U.S. credit system must be evaluated by WES (www.wes.org ) or other NACES evaluation service approved by the Office of Registration and Records. Evaluations must be sent to SAU directly from the evaluation service provider. We will not accept evaluations sent to us by the applicant. If the applicant is seeking to transfer graduate courses or credit from these institution/s, the credential evaluation by WES or other service must include a course-by-course evaluation, and an official transcript translated into English must be sent to SAU directly from the institution where the courses were completed.
• Applicants in face-to-face programs must provide a financial resources statement and proof of medical insurance.
• Applicants who are citizens of non-English speaking countries must provide evidence of English language proficiency by one of the methods listed below.

English Language Proficiency

Citizens of countries where English is not the primary language must provide evidence of English language proficiency using one of the methods below.

Testing
Minimum Test Scores

Education
Applicants can provide official transcripts and an international transcript evaluation reflecting the completion of a bachelor’s or master’s degree earned at an institution of higher education in a primarily English-speaking country at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Study must have completed within the immediate five years preceding admission to SAU.

Residency
Applicants can provide evidence of a minimum of two years of residence within the last five years in a primarily English-speaking country. Evidence can include travel documents, visas, employment contracts, etc. Documents must reflect the comprehensive dates of residency.

Background Check

Spring Arbor University (SAU) values a reputation for honesty, integrity, and a safe environment for our community of learners and to the greater community in which we serve. To safeguard these standards, SAU may require a background check. Spring Arbor University reserves the right to deny admission to convicted felons in its sole discretion and reserves the right to make decisions based upon factors it deems relevant under the totality of the circumstances. The specific policy guidelines and final review processes are outlined by the individual school, program, office, or department.

Readmission

Former Spring Arbor University students who have withdrawn for one or more semesters must submit the brief application for readmission to the program’s academic advisor. Official transcripts from all institutions attended during the separation from SAU should be mailed directly to the Office of Registration and Records - Graduate Office. When a student is not enrolled for two consecutive semesters or during the time program curriculum changes and is later readmitted, the student must meet the graduation and academic program requirements in effect at the time of readmission. (See also GPA Restart  section.)

Special Admissions

Non-program Seeking Students
Graduate classes at Spring Arbor University may be available for registration for individuals who are not seeking to complete a full academic program that leads to a degree, certificate, licensure, endorsement, or other credential at SAU or with an outside credentialing body. These individuals are classified as non-program seeking students. Classes taken as non-program seeking students may be, for example, for professional development, to fulfill a prerequisite for an academic program, to demonstrate academic preparedness for a program, etc.

A non-program seeking application is required and must be submitted to the program advisor for approval. Non-program seeking students may enroll in classes offered by one program per semester. For example, non-program students may register for two MBA classes in the same semester, but they cannot register in an MBA and an EDU class in the same semester. Each class belonging to a different program requires a new application for a subsequent semester. Independent studies are not eligible for non-program seeking students.

Non-program seeking students may register for up to a life-time maximum of 15 credit hours over an unlimited number of semesters. Registered courses that create a transcript record apply to the 15-credit hour limit including but not limited to failed courses, repeated courses and withdrawn courses. The program administrators or dean and the registrar must approve, by petition, any non-program seeking application for registration beyond these limits.

Non-program seeking students may, at any point, apply for admission to an academic program at SAU. However, admission is not guaranteed. All admission requirements must be satisfied, and any previous academic work completed, and disciplinary actions taken at SAU will be considered. Upon full admission to a SAU academic program, courses successfully completed as a non-program seeking student may be eligible to satisfy academic program requirements with approval of the program administrators or dean and the registrar. SAU institutional transfer policy time limits will apply to these courses.

No credential or program completion will be issued by SAU for students who have not been fully admitted to an academic program.

Regular tuition and fees apply to non-program seeking students, and federal/state financial aid and university assistance is not available. Students may consider alternative, private loans to finance their educational pursuits.

Doctorate Program Admissions

The following documents and requirements are common to all Spring Arbor University graduate programs. Some programs specify a particular format for certain items and/or have additional requirements. Program admission requirements are detailed in the program sections of this catalog or in program handbooks, which are available through the program offices. Admission must be approved prior to being considered for financial aid.

Required documents:

• A completed SAU application is required before consideration for admission;
• Earned master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. A student will be considered for conditional admission if that student has verification of completion of all degree requirements and provides an anticipated date of degree conferral;
• A cumulative GPA in master’s degree and all subsequent graduate coursework of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale;
• Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities in which master’s or doctoral coursework was taken;
• Professional/academic recommendations as required by the program;
• A writing sample as required by the program;
• Graduate Writing Seminar as required by the program;
• Any testing scores as required by the program.

Doctorate International Admission Requirements

• Applicants must hold at least a master’s degree or equivalent from an institution recognized and/or accredited by the country in which the degree was earned.
• For degrees earned at English-speaking institutions outside of the U.S. that also use the U.S. credit system, original and official transcripts must be sent to directly to SAU from the institution.
• Degrees earned at non-English-speaking institutions and/or institutions that do not use the U.S. credit system must be evaluated by WES (www.wes.org ) or other NACES evaluation service approved by the Office of Registration and Records. Evaluations must be sent to SAU directly from the evaluation service provider. We will not accept evaluations sent to us by the applicant. If the applicant is seeking to transfer graduate courses or credit from these institution/s, the credential evaluation by WES or other service must include a course-by-course evaluation, and an official transcript translated into English must be sent to SAU directly from the institution where the courses were completed.
• Applicants in face-to-face programs must provide a financial resources statement and proof of medical insurance.
• Applicants who are citizens of non-English speaking countries must provide evidence of English language proficiency by one of the methods listed below.

Testing
Minimum Test Scores

Education
Applicants can provide official transcripts and an international transcript evaluation reflecting the completion of a master’s degree earned at an institution of higher education in a primarily English-speaking country at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. Study must have been completed within the immediate five years preceding admission to SAU.

Residency
Applicants can provide evidence of a minimum of two years of residence within the last five years in a primarily English-speaking country. Evidence can include travel documents, visas, employment contracts, etc. Documents must reflect the comprehensive dates of residency.