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Applicants must possess academic, personal, and professional qualities deemed acceptable by the Graduate Committee.
All applicants admitted to graduate study must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a preferred undergraduate grade point average of 3.0. Students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 may be considered by the director. Requirements for admission include submitting a completed application for graduate study, professional references and a writing sample. An advanced graduate degree supersedes the undergraduate 3.0 GPA requirement.
An applicant who has a master’s degree or doctorate in education or in a teaching related field from an accredited college or university will be admitted on the basis of the advanced degree by filing the application for graduate study, and copies of all previous college or university transcripts.
The applicant is responsible for filing official undergraduate/graduate transcripts from all colleges/universities attended and an application for admission along with all other required documentation with The Graduate School, Westminster College, Thompson-Clark Hall, Room 208, 319 S. Market St., New Wilmington, PA 16172, no later than two weeks before registration.
Conditional Acceptance
From time to time, students are accepted to the program conditionally. Generally, this occurs when awaiting official transcripts, letters of reference or other documentation required to complete the application process and gain full acceptance to the Graduate School. Students accepted conditionally must meet all requirements for full admission to continue coursework.
Provisional Acceptance
Provisional graduate students are those who desire to become degree candidates, but do not have the minimum grade point average of 3.0. These students’ progress will be reviewed after the completion of two Westminster graduate courses. This review may result in a change of enrollment status to regular graduate student if the student earns a grade of “B” or higher in both graduate courses.
Continuing Education Students
Continuing education students are students who disclaim any intention of becoming degree or certification candidates. An applicant for this type of admission must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Unsuccessful applicants for admission as regular graduate students cannot be considered.
Continuing education students may earn such graduate credit as their qualifications and performance warrant. A continuing education student not maintaining good academic standing automatically forfeits rights to take any additional graduate courses.
Continuing education students may take no more than four courses, and credit earned as a continuing education student cannot be applied toward a degree or certification either at the time the work is taken or at a later date. Continuing education student status will be noted on the official transcript.
Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses
For Current Westminster Undergraduate Students: Any Westminster undergraduate who, at the beginning of the final semester of undergraduate study, needs 12 or fewer semester hours to fulfill the requirements for the bachelor’s degree may, with the permission of the adviser and the director of the Graduate Program, take graduate courses. To take this option, students must apply for admission to graduate study through the Office of Graduate School. Courses completed at the graduate level may be credited toward a graduate degree and toward post-graduate teacher certification requirements, but no course may be counted for credit toward more than one degree. Applications are available from and should be submitted to the director of Graduate School.
Maintaining Degree Candidacy
To maintain degree candidacy in Westminster’s Graduate School, students must earn grades of “B” or higher in all graduate courses. The student also must have removed any entrance deficiencies.
To change a program of a study, the student should contact the director of the Graduate School to develop a new plan of completion/program.
The director of the Graduate School will review the student’s academic record, instructor evaluations, entrance assessments, and other relevant materials. The review also will be utilized in the advising process to enhance the student’s knowledge and skills.
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