It is the applicant's responsibility to consult the appropriate department, school or program for application deadlines and specific program requirements. The university reserves the right to change programs of study, academic requirements, tuition and fees, schedule of courses, the announced academic calendar and deadlines without prior notice.

Requirements for All Applicants (see below for details):

• Application
• Application fee
• Transcript(s)
• Letters of recommendation
• GRE/GMAT Test Scores

Additional Requirements for Some Applicants:

• PRAXIS II Speciality Exam
• Personal Statement
• TOEFL Examination
• Test of Spoken English

Application for Admission

Apply online at graduate.louisville.edu/apply

A paper application is available at the Graduate School (to request an application be mailed, call the Graduate School at 502-852-3101).

Paper applications and each of the credentials listed below should be sent to the Office of Graduate School Admissions, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the semester or summer session in which the student wishes to enroll; otherwise the application may not be reviewed in time for registration. Six weeks is a general deadline. Any program may have a different deadline and may require additional credentials or higher standards than those described in this General Information Section. Applicants should consult the pertinent departmental section of this bulletin or check directly with the department office.

The application and supporting documents become the property of the University of Louisville and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another university.

If you do not enroll, your academic credentials will be retained in the Graduate School for two years.

Application Fee

A $50.00 (US currency) non-refundable application processing fee is required. When applying online, the fee may be paid with a credit card or electronic check to College Net (details are provided online at the time of application).

If a paper application is submitted, payment must be made via check, money order or credit card. Checks should be make payable the University of Louisville for the paper application only - be sure to include applicant's full name and birth date on the check.

Exceptions: Applicants who were accepted and enrolled in the University of Louisville Graduate School previously, and who have not attended another college or university since enrollment at UofL, do not have to pay the fee again. Students on any type of public assistance or who have a disability, may be exempt from the fee with supporting documentation.

Applications are processed when the application fee is received.

Transcripts

Official transcripts showing all degrees awarded and all undergraduate and all graduate work completed at all colleges/universities previously attended must be furnished by all degree-seeking applicants. The minimum requirement for admission is the baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.

All transcripts that are not in English must be translated verbatim into English and must be notarized. International applicants may be required to have transcripts evaluated by a credential evaluation service:

•  World Education Services: www.wes.org

•  Educational Credential Evaluators: www.ece.org

Unofficial or faxed copies of transcripts will not be accepted.

Test Scores

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test is required for most programs. Test registration and information about the exam can be found at www.gre.org. The applicant must instruct the Educational Testing Service to forward the results to the Office of Graduate School Admissions, Belknap Campus, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, 40292. University of Louisville institution code for score-reporting is 1838.

The Subject Test Section may be required at the discretion of a department, and the applicant should consult the pertinent departmental section of this catalog.

The Kent School of Social Work does not require the GRE for the Master of Science in Social Work degree, unless the undergraduate grade point average is below a 2.75. Applicants to the Doctoral Program in the Kent School of Social Work must provide GRE scores.

Students may substitute the Medical College Admissions Test for the Graduate Record Examination with the approval of the department chair or graduate program advisor.

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is required for all applicants to the College of Business degree programs. Test registration and information about the exam can be found at www.gmac.com.

Applicants, who have completed a terminal degree, may be exempt from submitting GRE or GMAT test scores pending departmental approval.

The PRAXIS II Speciality Exam is the certification exam students must pass in their subject matter to be certified to teach in Kentucky and will be required of all applicants applying to teacher certification programs. Information about the required PRAXIX II Speciality Exam Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test and passing scores for the PRAXIS specialty exams in each certification area can be found at: kyepsb.net/Testin gRe search/ beg_tch_exams.html.

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) offers free classes to help teacher candidates prepare for the PRAXIS II Speciality Exam and the CEHD Dean's Office has copies of the PRAXIS Registration Bulletin.

PRAXIS toll free number: 1-800-334-8635.

Letters of Recommendation

A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required; however some departments require three (it is advisable to discuss admissions requirements with department representatives). It is recommended that the letters be written by someone who can speak to the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities. Letters of recommendation may be sent via College Net (online application service), to gradadm@gwise.louisville.edu or by regular mail.

Personal Statement

Some programs require a personal statement, addressing specific issues pertaining to knowledge, work experiences, and/or interests in the chosen field of study. It is advisable to discuss admissions requirements with department representatives.

International Students

Students from foreign countries must meet three criteria before they can be granted admission: (1) they must meet the regular admissions standards as applied to all successful applicants, (2) if English is not the student's primary language they must show proficiency in English by scoring 210 or higher on the computer-based TOEFL examination or successfully completing the exit examination for the advanced level of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the University of Louisville, and (3) approval from the University of Louisville International Center by presenting evidence of financial resources adequate to support their educational and living expenses in the United States for the duration of their studies. The award of a University Fellowship or Graduate Assistantship is considered evidence of adequate financial resources.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all foreign students from countries in which English is not the native language. Applicants holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited college or university in the United States are exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

Information about the times and places for the examination may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, TOEFL, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (www.TOEFL.org), University of Louisville Testing Services (www.louisville.edu/ student/services/testing/).

Graduate programs may require higher TOEFL scores than the Graduate School minimum. Applicants who have not scored 210 or more on the computer-based TOEFL Examination may choose to apply to the Intensive English as a Second Language Program. Successful completion of the Advanced Level of this program will be considered adequate proof of the English proficiency required for course work in the chosen graduate program. Acceptance to the Intensive English Program does not constitute acceptance to the Graduate School. For information and application forms, write to: IESL, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, U.S.A. louisville.edu/a-s/iesl/.

Students whose native language is not an American or British dialect of English may not be awarded teaching assistantships unless they present an acceptable score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or a locally administered teaching competency demonstration. Applications and information about the times and places for the TSE may be obtained from www.ets.org, TSE, Princeton, NJ, 08540. The teaching competency demonstration is administered by the Intensive English as a Second Language program louisville.edu/a-s/iesl/.

The International Center is your primary liaison with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State. International Center staff members are well informed about general immigration regulations and can advise you on proper compliance with DHS procedures. Make an appointment with the International Student Advisors to discuss specific questions or concerns. It is important that you do not rely on the advice of friends regarding immigration matters. Please refer to the International Center web page at: louisville.edu/provost/intcent/.

Admissions

Upon evaluation of the application and credentials, the department in which the applicant wishes to enroll forwards a recommendation concerning admission to the Graduate School. A recommendation for admission will specify the admission status and any conditions of admission. The official admission letter will come from the Graduate School.

Degree status

In order for a student to be recommended unconditionally for admission to degree status, all admission credentials must have been received and evaluated. The applicant must have earned a grade-point average of at least 2.75 on a 4-point scale in either his/her complete undergraduate program or the senior-college years. Each student in this classification is a prospective candidate for an advanced degree and is expected to pursue a program leading to the master's degree, specialist's degree, or doctoral degree. Each applicant should consult the departmental sections of this catalog to determine any additional admissions criteria or any more restrictive requirements for admission to this status.

Degree status - provisional: This status is intended for students who have furnished their application and baccalaureate transcript but whose remaining application materials are incomplete. Students in provisional status must also meet the general academic requirements of their program. Students may not enroll for a second consecutive term in provisional status. Not all departments allow admission on a provisional basis.

Degree status - special conditions: This status is intended for students who have furnished all application materials, but whose academic background is slightly below the minimum for their program. Students admitted in this status will be expected to meet certain criteria within a specific time-frame outlined by the admitting department.

Degree status conditions provisional/special: An applicant who has both missing credential(s) and academic criteria below the minimum may be admitted in this status, pending program approval. Students in this status will be expected to meet certain criteria within a specific time-frame outlined by their program.

A student has one semester to furnish any missing admission credentials and clear any conditions made at the time of admission. Failure to complete the admission process within a semester may result in refusal of permission to register in the next semester.

A student admitted with an undergraduate grade point standing of less than 2.75 may be subject to departmental limitations on the number of hours in which he/she may enroll for each semester. Graduate credits earned prior to achieving good academic standing are not automatically applicable to the degree program.

Probation

Any student admitted with a point standing below 2.75 will be considered "on probation." Students who fail to attain the required 3.0 GPA or other higher GPA required by their program in the first term of enrollment following admission, or who do not meet any other departmental requirements outlined in the admission letter, may be subject to academic dismissal from their program.

No applicant with a grade-point average of less than 2.50 will be admitted to graduate study. Under unusual circumstances, exceptions to this policy may be made upon specific recommendation and documented justification for admission by the department chairman or graduate program advisor. Such justification must be provided in writing to the Graduate Dean, who must approve or disapprove the recommendation.

Non-degree status

Pending program approval, applicants who do not desire to seek an advanced degree may be permitted to enroll under non-degree status. Application credentials must include the application form, $50.00 application fee and an official undergraduate transcript showing the award of a baccalaureate degree. Please note that not all programs will admit under non-degree status, thus it is advisable that applicants contact check with the specific department they wish to apply to if wanting to be admitted in non-degree status. Six hours of course work taken in a non-degree status may be applied to a graduate degree program with departmental approval.

Students may accumulate a maximum of fifteen hours while in non-degree status. Exceptions to this policy are the RANK I and II programs in the College of Education and Human Development, the Nurse Practitioner program in the School of Nursing, and certificate programs.

Auditors

Auditing at the graduate level is available only to persons who are enrolled in at least one course for credit, unless permission is granted by the department and Graduate Dean. The fee for auditing a course is equal to the tuition for enrolling in the class for credit.

The Graduate School does not require that auditors take examinations, submit papers, or take part in any evaluative activity. However, the instructor, at his or her discretion, may demand or deny the auditor's participation in class to whatever extent is deemed desirable. A "W" (withdrawn) shall appear on the transcript unless a student attends at least 75% of the classes.

Students wishing to audit courses must obtain permission in writing from the course instructor and program director. A graduate student may not satisfy a stated prerequisite for a graduate course or stated degree requirement through auditing a class.

Visiting Students

A graduate student from another university or college may enroll for graduate course work as a visiting student at the University of Louisville pending program approval. The visiting student is responsible for having the home institution provide a letter certifying that the student is in good standing as well as approving the transfer of credits from the University of Louisville to the home institution at the end of the semester. A graduate application is required and transcripts may also be required by some departments.

University of Louisville graduate students who attend another Graduate School as a visiting student must have the permission of their department chair or advisor before the courses are taken in order to transfer credits earned. Visiting student status may be granted only to a student who is in good standing.