Catalog

2024-2025

Graduate Admissions & Registration

Nebraska Wesleyan University takes seriously its commitment to build a culture of inclusive excellence and its obligation to eliminate structural barriers to graduate education. All graduate programs use holistic admissions review processes to consider the ways an applicant might contribute to a diverse educational environment. Application review includes metrics that are both noncognitive (e.g., letter of intent, letter of recommendation, extracurricular activities, work experience) and cognitive (e.g., academic transcripts, standardized test scores, undergraduate GPA).

Minimum Requirements for Admission

Admission to graduate programs is determined by each individual graduate program, yet all applicants must meet the following general eligibility requirements of Nebraska Wesleyan University

Applicants must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college in the United States or a comparable degree from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad. Applicants enrolled in the final year of a bachelor’s degree will be admitted conditionally pending receipt of final academic credentials showing the undergraduate degree as conferred
Established acceptable English skills based on their undergraduate coursework, or via a standardized examination such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test.
Applicants must demonstrate a capacity for academic achievement through past academic (e.g., minimum GPA of 2.67) or professional work experience

Applicants who do not meet the generally eligibility requirements or the graduate admission requirements of their specific program may be approved for admission with Provisional Graduate Standing. A student who is admitted with provisional status may qualify for full status admission after earning a grade of B- or better in each of the student’s first three graduate courses.

Additionally, all applicants must submit the following materials with their online application:

Online Graduate Application
Academic credentials (i.e., academic transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended
Application fee

Most graduate programs will also require additional materials to be submitted with the graduate application, such as letters of recommendation, a personal statement, resume, or writing sample. These requirements may vary by program and applicants should consult the requirements listed on their proposed program of study websites.

The Admission Process

Early submission of all graduate application materials is encouraged.

Applicants must apply online, pay the application fee, and submit all required admissions materials by the application deadline of their program of interest.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit unofficial transcripts with the application to decrease processing time.
- Applicants are responsible for making sure all application materials are received by the Office of Admissions by the required deadlines.
- All application materials, including transcripts, become the property of the Nebraska Wesleyan University and may not be released to the applicant or any individual.
Once an application is complete, graduate admissions reviews the materials submitted to ensure the applicant has met the minimum admissions standards established by Nebraska Wesleyan University and has included all admissions materials required of the graduate program department.
The application is then forwarded to the appropriate graduate program admission committee for a final recommendation regarding the admission or denial of the application.
Applicants will receive an email with a decision letter outlining their admission status and any conditions that must be satisfied to matriculate into a degree program.
Students who are admitted to a Nebraska Wesleyan graduate program must then follow the directions outlined in the decision letter to accept their offer of admission. Students who do not accept admission will not be able to enroll in courses.
The admission process is completed upon enrollment and matriculation in graduate-level courses for the specified term and degree/certificate program indicated on the decision letter.

Graduate Admissions Deadlines

Appeal of Admissions Decision

Students who have been denied admission may appeal the decision of the program review committee provided there is substantial new information that the committee was not aware of at the time of the initial decision. Applicants should not appeal to have their application materials reviewed a second time. Appeals will be heard by the Graduate Curriculum and Standards Committee.

Deferred Enrollment

A person who has accepted the admissions offer into a master's degree program yet has not begun classes, who now wishes to delay or decline the admissions offer, must declare these intentions to their program director in writing. Deferrals must be approved before the first day of classes for the term in which the student was originally accepted. If approval is not granted, students who wish to join the program at a later date will need to reapply. Students may only defer once per application and for no longer than one year from the original application term.

If the request is approved, the applicant will be granted inactive status for up to one academic year. If within the year the applicant wants to reactivate his or her acceptance in the program, a new background check (if applicable) will be needed, but a new application is not required. After the one year, admission to the program is void and the applicant must re-apply unless he or she has applied for and been granted an extension of their inactive status. When re-applying, all application policies and procedures in place at the time will be required.

Transfer Credit

Graduate-level credits from regionally-accredited institutions, with grades of “B-“ or better, are transferable as deemed appropriate by the program and Graduate Dean at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Students in the MSN program are limited to a maximum of nine transfer nursing credits. Students in the MSN/MBA program are limited to a maximum of nine transfer nursing credits and a maximum of three transfer business credits.

Transfer credits count toward the total number of hours earned but are not included in GPA calculations. No graduate transfer credits are given for courses with a grade of “C+” or lower or the equivalent.Graduate-level credits from regionally-accredited institutions, with grades of “B-“ or better, are transferable as deemed appropriate by the program and Graduate Dean at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Enrollment of Visiting (non-degree seeking) Students

Individuals interested in earning graduate credit may enroll in a graduate-level course(s) as a visiting/non-degree seeking student, as long as the person meets any course prerequisite(s) and there is space available.

Student Admission Status

An applicant’s acceptance into a specific graduate degree is made by the admission committee for each program, consistent with all applicable policies of Nebraska Wesleyan University. At the time of admission, students are classified as degree-seeking or non-degree seeking.

Degree-Seeking Students

Degree-seeking students are those who are enrolled, either part- or full-time in a graduate degree or certificate program. Students who meet all admission requirements set by the University and the specific graduate program are classified as having full graduate standing. This classification allows students to matriculate into graduate program with no outstanding admissions requirements.

Students who do not meet one or more of the admission requirements may be approved for provisional graduate standing if, based on the judgment of the program’s admission committee, they have the potential to successfully complete graduate work. A provisionally admitted student must complete a minimum of six credit hours of graduate-level coursework selected by the department within one year of admission and earn B- or higher. Failure to complete the required coursework in the specified period or earning a grade below the B- threshold will automatically revoke the student’s admission.

Non-Degree Applicants

At the discretion of graduate program directors, students who have received a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution (or international equivalent) are eligible to enroll in graduate classes as a graduate non-degree-seeking student without being formally admitted into a graduate program. Graduate non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for federal financial aid or any other institutional awards.

There are several restrictions and conditions that apply to students who register with non-degree status. A non-degree student:

must complete at least one credit of enrollment in the current or previous three semesters
must apply to the degree program for admission and pay the application fee if they wish to become a degree-seeking student
is limited to taking fewer than 6 hours per semester, which means they are not considered to be full-time for most purposes
may have limits on transferring credit if subsequently admitted to and enrolled in a degree program

Graduate Certificate Students

Nebraska Wesleyan offers several graduate certificates The graduate certificate is not defined as a degree by the Nebraska Wesleyan University. Rather, it is a focused collection of courses that, when completed, affords the student some record of coherent academic accomplishment in a given discipline or set of related disciplines. Moreover, the graduate certificate is not viewed as a guaranteed means of entry into a graduate degree program. While the courses composing a graduate certificate may be used as evidence in support of a student’s application for admission to a graduate degree program, the certificate itself is not considered to be a prerequisite. Graduate certificate students are only permitted to register for courses within the certificate’s program of study. Graduate certificate students do not meet the eligibility requirements for financial aid.

Registration

Graduate students will be notified of dates and procedures for registering for courses. Once a student registers for a course, it is the student’s responsibility to cancel if he or she needs to drop the course. [Refer to deadline for dropping courses for each term.]

Nebraska Wesleyan University Course Delivery Methods

Standard Direct (face-to-face) Instruction: Minimum instructional time is verified for each course section, regardless of term length. Courses may use a combination of in-class and directed out-of-class learning activities that amount to no less than 45 hours per credit hour.
Accelerated Direct (face-to-face) Instruction: Course sections normally meet once per week for 4 hours, with sufficient work outside of class such that each credit hour represents not less than 45 hours of student work.
Online or Hybrid: Courses offered fully online (75-100% online) or in a hybrid format (25-75% online) must meet the course description, learning objectives, and credit hour standards.

Course Loads

A graduate student must carry 6 credit hours per semester to be considered full-time.

Withdrawing from Classes

Any student withdrawing from a course must complete a Course Withdrawal form (available on the Registrar’s website). Students who withdraw from classes and fail to complete the form, will receive a failing grade for those classes. Students who officially withdraw from a course after the drop deadline but before the withdrawal deadline receive a grade of “W” (Withdrawal). A Withdrawal is not computed in the grade point average. After the withdrawal deadline, a student may not withdraw, and a grade is recorded. If extenuating circumstances dictate withdrawal from a class after the withdrawal deadline, a student may petition for consideration of a late withdrawal.

Deadlines for dropping or withdrawing for classes can be found on the Registrar’s website.

Leave of Absence Policy

Graduate students may apply for a leave of absence, which allows up to two consecutive semesters of absence (including summer) while retaining access to email, advising and registration resources. Students taking more than one semester leave may be subject to loan repayment and should consult with the financial aid office.

A graduate student wishing to take a leave of absence for the upcoming term(s) should declare this intention to their advisor or program director through completing a Leave of Absence/Program Withdrawal form, documenting reasons for leaving and when they intend to return. This form must be signed by the academic advisor and approved by the program director. Students may be granted a one semester extension to their leave of absence. To request this, students must contact the Program Director and their academic advisor.

A leave of absence allows the graduate student to maintain access to email, advising and registration within the program without enrollment. This means the student’s email account and online registration capabilities will remain active, and the student will be allowed to register as normal upon their return. Within the leave of absence the student may re-enroll for courses by notifying their advisor. The catalog time limit to complete degree requirements is not reduced for students who take a leave of absence, unless a petition to grant an extension is submitted and approved.

Students wishing to return to NWU following a leave of absence will be required to complete a reactivation process.

Withdrawing from Academic Program

A student wishing to withdraw from their master's program must complete the Leave of Absence/Program Withdrawal form, documenting their reasons for leaving. This form must be signed by the Academic Advisor and the Program Director. Students wishing to withdraw from courses in which they are currently enrolled, will also need to complete the course Withdrawal Form.

Dismissal

A student dismissed for a conduct-related reason, or an Academic Integrity violation is not eligible for readmission to Nebraska Wesleyan University. The only exception is an Academic Dismissal from a specific program, in which case the student is not dismissed from the University, only the specific program. In this case, the student may be eligible to apply to other programs. It is important to note however, that re-application does not automatically result in readmission.

Re-entry or Readmission

Students may apply for readmission when their matriculation has been closed due to inactivity, when they have failed to enroll at the end of an approved Leave of Absence, when they have exceeded the program completion time limit, following withdrawal from their program, or when they have been dismissed for academic or professional reasons.

To reactivate matriculation, the student must reapply for admission and follow all other required application procedures in place at the time of reapplication. (If the re-entry is within one year from the withdrawal, the program director may waive the need for reapplication.) The original catalog time limit to complete degree requirements remains in effect unless a petition to grant an extension is submitted and approved.

Students who have been academically dismissed may apply for readmission after one calendar year, with the following conditions:

The student will provide updated application information and a new statement of goals, which will address the student’s plan for academic success in the future.
If the application for readmission is successful, the program director will provide the student with an acceptance letter that lists specific parameters that must be met for completion of the student’s program which may include, but are not limited to:
- completing remaining course/program requirements
- the specific grades that must be achieved to maintain a 2.67 GPA
- a timeline for completion of the program

The Dean of Graduate Programs must approve all applications for readmission. If a readmitted student fails to meet the parameters of their readmission, it is at the discretion of the program and/or the Graduate program to permanently dismiss the student.

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