Admission Policies and Procedures

Graduate Council will be responsible for establishing general institutional requirements (both quantitative and qualitative) for admission, retention, and completion. Admission and completion criteria for individual graduate programs (both quantitative and qualitative), especially as they differ from general institutional criteria for admission, retention, and completion, are established by program faculty. 

Admission to the Master’s Degree Programs

Applications and Transcripts

The University of Montevallo welcomes applications from all individuals whose experiences, interests, and academic preparation indicate potential for success in one of the graduate programs. Forms for making application and related information are available upon request by calling 205-665-6350, by e-mailing Graduate Admissions and Records at graduate@montevallo.edu, or on the University’s website.

There is a non-refundable fee required for the Graduate Application, and there is a non-refundable fee required for the Alternative Master’s evaluation application. Students may apply online on the University’s website. Students applying to the Alternative Master’s Program must complete and submit the printable Alternative Master’s Program Evaluation Application, which is available on the University’s website. Students may submit the Application for Graduate Study online and make payment online as well. At this time, all other forms may be downloaded and printed only.

Students applying for a master’s degree program must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Collegiate work from unaccredited postsecondary institutions (or institutions that are not in candidacy status for accreditation) is not transferable to the University of Montevallo. Students who have earned an undergraduate degree from an institution not regionally accredited but who have subsequently earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution may appeal to the dean of the appropriate college for special consideration. A completed application form and one official transcript from each institution of higher education attended must be sent to Graduate Admissions and Records by April 15 for Summer admission, July 15 for fall admission, and November 15 for spring admission. Please note: These dates reflect priority deadlines. Applicants may submit materials after the deadline with the understanding that submitting materials after the priority deadline does not guarantee consideration for admission for the following term. These deadlines may differ for capped and cohort programs. See individual department sections for possible differences. Even though credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of another institution, it is still necessary to submit all transcripts. Such transcripts must include evidence of graduation with a degree posted.

Applicants who have yet to complete an undergraduate degree must submit a final transcript with a degree posted before the end of the first semester of graduate coursework. Students may not take additional graduate coursework without a final transcript on file in Graduate Admissions and Records.

Credit may not be given for graduate coursework taken by a student who has not been admitted officially to the graduate program at the University of Montevallo.

Students who have been enrolled in but not completed similar graduate programs at other institutions must have left in good standing in order to be admitted to the University of Montevallo graduate program.

General Test Score Requirements

Applicants for entrance to any program must also present a satisfactory, official score on the prescribed graduate examination specified by their respective college and/or department. The test must have been taken within 5 years of the date of application for graduate study.

Unless otherwise indicated in the departmental sections of this Bulletin, the following scores will be satisfactory for admission to graduate study:

• GRE 850 (old format) or 290 (new format)
• GMAT 400
• MAT 388

The MAT is given at least once a semester at UM through the Department of Counseling and Leadership. Contact the office at 665-6380 for information on the MAT. The University of Montevallo requires the GRE General Test. Visit www.ets.org for more information about the GRE. Visit www.mba.com for information about the GMAT.

Unconditional Admission

Minimum requirements for unconditional admission to Graduate Studies are:

1. A grade point average of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) on all undergraduate work attempted or 2.75 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work attempted (with the exception of alternative master’s degree programs), unless higher grade point averages are indicated by a department; and
2. A satisfactory score on the departmentally prescribed examination(s); and
3. Satisfactory compliance with other admission requirements, which may be specified by the various departments. See the departmental sections of this Bulletin for more-specific information.

Conditional Admission

Conditional admission may be granted in some programs to an applicant who:

1. does not have a satisfactory test score; or
2. has not taken the prescribed examination(s); or
3. has not complied with other specific departmental requirements.

There is no conditional admission for the Traditional Master’s Degree Program, the Alternative Master’s Degree Program, or the SLP Program. Students must meet criteria for unconditional admission to each phase of the program.

Decisions on admission based on general Graduate Studies requirements are made by Graduate Admissions and Records. Decisions on admission to specific programs are made by the appropriate department and the dean of the college on the basis of requirements by Graduate Admissions and Records, college, and individual department.

A conditionally admitted student will be allowed to take no more than 12 graduate hours. Graduate credit toward a degree at the University of Montevallo will not be awarded until the requirements for unconditional admission have been met. No student who has been admitted conditionally will be allowed to register after attempting 12 hours of graduate work.

Any student who has attended another institution as a graduate student must be in good standing at that institution in order to be admitted for graduate study in the same field at the University of Montevallo. Exceptions may be made if the appropriate departmental chairperson and college dean agree that there have been mitigating circumstances.

Admission to the Educational Specialist and AA Certification Programs

Applications and Transcripts

The University of Montevallo welcomes applications from all individuals who have completed their master’s degrees from a regionally accredited institution and who hold an Alabama Class A teaching certificate. Forms for making application and related information are available upon request by calling 205-665-6350, by e-mailing Graduate Admissions and Records at graduate@montevallo.edu, or online on the University’s website. The completed application form, application fee, and two (2) official transcripts from the institution(s) at which the student completed other graduate work should be sent to Graduate Admissions and Records by April 15 for summer admission, February 1 (Speech-Language Pathology) and July 15 for fall admission, and November 15 for spring admission. Please note: These dates reflect priority deadlines. Applicants may submit materials after the deadline with the understanding that submitting materials after the priority deadline does not guarantee consideration for admission for the following term. SLP, English, M.B.A., Marriage and Family Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling are only required to submit one (1) official transcript from each college or university. In addition UM undergraduates applying for these programs are not required to submit official transcripts. Graduate Admissions and Records will have access to their official transcripts on file with the University. If a student chooses to submit the application online through the online application process, he/she will have the opportunity to make payment through the web.

The Ed.S. degree and the AA certificate are earned simultaneously.

The following requirements must be met by all persons desiring entrance to the AA/Ed.S. program:

1. The candidate shall present proof of successful completion of a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
2. The candidate shall hold Class A certification in instructional leadership for the Ed.S. in Instructional Leadership. Class A certification in any teaching field or grade level designation is acceptable for the Teacher Leadership Program.
3. The candidate shall have a record of success as a teacher or support person in the area of specialization. The EXP form that is used to verify required years of teaching experience for the Instructional Leadership program and for the Teacher Leadership program may be obtained from Graduate Admissions and Records or through the applicant’s School Board office. It must be submitted with the application for both Ed.S. programs.
4. The candidate shall meet program-specific requirements as well.

No credit toward the AA/Ed.S. will be awarded to students who have not been admitted officially to the program(s).

Graduate Student Support

Financial Support

Dr. Terry Roberson Graduate Honors Scholarship. The intent of the Graduate Honors Scholarship is to support outstanding graduates of four-year institutions of higher education who are seeking a master’s degree. Room, board, and fees are not included. Scholarship funds will be divided among academic departments based on the number of graduate students in each of their programs. Assistance is provided for graduate courses only.

To be considered, a student must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.0 scale in the chosen field of study and a minimum of 1100 on the verbal and quantitative portions (combined) of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or a minimum of 407 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or a 550 on the GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). While all candidates must meet these requirements, each department may determine additional criteria for recipients. Final selections will be made by the department.

Qualified students will obtain scholarship applications and renewal requests from Graduate Admissions and Records or from the website. All applications for the Dr. Terry Roberson Graduate Honors Scholarship will be reviewed by a departmental selection committee. The department chair will inform the Director of Graduate Admissions and Records of the department’s decision. The notification of award will be sent to the recipient from Graduate Admissions and Records. Scholarship applications should be received in Graduate Admissions and Records by July 1 for all awards.

Financial Assistance for Professional Activities. Annually some funds are set aside in the Graduate Admissions and Records budget for the support of graduate students who are engaged in professional activity, e.g., presenting papers, facilitating meetings, etc. Funds allocated for this purpose usually are targeted for the reimbursement of student expenses. Applications for assistance will be evaluated and recipients will be approved by the academic department and the Provost/VPAA. The Application for Financial Assistance for Professional Activities is available in the office of Graduate Admissions and Records or on the website.

Dr. Terry Roberson Graduate Assistantship Scholarship. Graduate assistants at the University of Montevallo are students first and employees second. They have as their primary focus advanced study and ultimately the completion of a graduate degree. Therefore, the services they provide as graduate assistants should complement professional development in their chosen fields of study.

With the exception of graduate assistant coaches, graduate assistants must be enrolled as full-time students as defined in the Graduate Bulletin (unless fewer than six (6) hours are required to complete the degree in their last term).

Graduate students at the University of Montevallo may apply for a limited number of Dr. Terry Roberson graduate assistantship scholarships through a competitive process administered by the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records. Graduate assistants work with faculty and staff to conduct research, deliver support services to students and/or implement special projects.

In addition to graduate assistantships, the University offers part-time employment for which graduate students may apply through the Office of Career Development Services.

Graduate assistants must maintain the cumulative 3.0 grade point average required of all graduate students and must perform satisfactorily in the judgment of the employing department and supervisor.

Graduate assistants are employed on a semester basis and may be continued for no longer than three calendar years.

Graduate assistants shall be supervised directly by a full-time faculty or staff member within the employing department. Graduate assistants’ responsibilities will be defined by the employing department/supervisor. Graduate assistants not completing practicum or internship requirements may not be permitted to work beyond an average of twenty (20) hours per week.

The University of Montevallo does not employ graduate assistants for teaching.

Evaluations of the graduate assistant’s performance will be completed and maintained by the employing department/supervisor.

The oversight of graduate assistants is the responsibility of the supervisor (department chair, staff supervisor, faculty supervisor) and the dean of the college in which the graduate student is employed.

Disability Support

Students who may need disability-related accommodations should contact Disability Support Services.

Special Admissions

Special Status

Special-status admission may be granted to a student under some circumstances. Special-status admission may be granted for no more than three (3) graduate hours and for no more than one term, based on a review of the student’s transcript (unofficial or official). A special-status student may register only on the day of registration. Students admitted by special status must complete their application and be admitted into a program in order to continue with graduate coursework.

Non-Degree Status

Students taking courses for personal enrichment or to comply with undergraduate certification requirements may be allowed to enroll with non-degree status. If these students later apply for admission to a graduate program, credit for the course(s) taken will be evaluated on an individual course basis.

Students who desire non-degree status must submit an official transcript with a degree posted. By the end of the first term of enrollment, official transcripts from all institutions attended must be on file in Graduate Admissions and Records.

Students Who Have Not Completed a Degree

Undergraduate students who are in the last semester of their senior year may take up to six (6) hours of graduate credit at the University of Montevallo with permission of the department chairperson and the dean of the college housing the graduate program they wish to enter. Permission is granted to a student provided he/she has sufficient content background to indicate success at the graduate level. The student must apply and be accepted to the graduate program before taking graduate courses. Course credit cannot be counted toward the undergraduate degree at the University of Montevallo.

Second Master’s Degree

A second master’s degree may be earned with a minimum of 18 semester hours of additional credit beyond the first master’s degree. Students seeking a second master’s degree must meet the entrance requirements for the program they wish to enter unless the appropriate departmental chairperson and college dean agree that those requirements or their equivalent were met in the first master’s degree. Requirements for the second degree will be decided by the department chair and approved by the college dean.

International Student Admission

The University of Montevallo welcomes qualified applicants from other countries. Questions concerning admission to a graduate program should be addressed to Graduate Admissions and Records, Station 6350, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL 35115, U.S.A., by e-mailing Graduate Admissions and Records at graduate@montevallo.edu, or by accessing related information on the University’s website. It is recommended that international students begin the application process at least three (3) months prior to the posted application deadline.

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements, international students are required to submit the following original credentials:

1. A completed application for admission with the required application fee;
2. Two (2) official copies of the student’s college transcripts from foreign institutions, evaluated by World Education Services, Lisano International, Josef Silney and Associates, Inc., or other UM-recognized agency. Course equivalency is determined by the academic department chair.
3. An affidavit of financial support indicating that sufficient funds are available to the student to pay the cost of attendance. There is no financial aid program for international students at the University, nor do immigration laws permit part-time employment except in special cases.
4. A score of at least 550 on the paper-based, or a score of at least 71 on the Internet-based TOEFL. On the IELTS, the University requires a minimum overall score of 6.0, with a minimum score of 5.0 on any individual section on the academic module. Score reports should be sent to Graduate Admissions and Records, Station 6350, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL 35115, U.S.A. Students should write to the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 08540-6155, U.S.A., to complete arrangements for the TOEFL.

Students may find more information regarding the TOEFL at www.toefl.org.

Students may find more information regarding the IELTS at www.ielts.org.

5. A completed medical report by a physician, on a form provided by the University.

Note: After admission to the University, students are expected to notify the University of any change in health status that represents a potential risk to others. Students who may need disability-related accommodations may contact Disability Support Services.

Although federal immigration laws do not permit part-time employment for international students except in special instances, prospective students who meet the requirements previously listed are encouraged to contact the University for information regarding financial aid options.

Complete international student admission information is available on the University’s website.