Admission Requirements

Graduate College admission requirements

Op5.01-4 Graduate Students Admission Policy

The Graduate Council sets the minimum standards for admission to graduate study. Additional requirements and higher standards may be stipulated for specific graduate programs. The minimum requirements for graduate admission are:

Certificate Programs

A bachelor’s degree or higher from a college or university accredited by agencies recognized by Missouri State University. Additional requirements and higher standards may be stipulated for specific graduate certificate programs.

Degree Programs

A bachelor's degree or higher from a college or university accredited by agencies recognized by Missouri State University. In cases where a program’s accrediting body allows admission prior to conferral of bachelor’s degree, exceptions may be made, AND one of the following

A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.00 scale; OR at least a 2.75 grade point average on a 4.00 scale for the last 60 hours of academic course work; OR at least a 2.75 grade point average on a minimum of 9 hours of graduate credits; OR

A recommendation with rationale in writing by both the department head of the student’s desired major area and the dean of the college in which that discipline is located, and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate College.

For Doctoral requirements, see the "Doctoral Admission Requirements" section on the Graduate Admission Requirements page of the Graduate Catalog.


Review the admission requirements and application procedures for graduate students from around the world.
Discover how to apply for an accelerated master's program.
Review the admission requirements and procedures for certificate programs.