Admission Procedures Admission Requirements Appeal of Graduate Admission

Transfer Residency Requirement Academic Policies Degree Requirements

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) is an advanced degree, 36-semester-hour program, designed for certified teachers. M.Ed. degrees are available in the following content areas:

• Early Childhood
• Middle Grades
• English (6-12)
• History (6-12)
• Mathematics (6-12)

For additional program information, visit the College of Education website.

Graduate Studies’ Admission Procedures

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Application materials may be obtained from Graduate Studies or from the UNG website, www.ung.edu/graduate/MEd. Applicants must pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee. Admission requirements are listed below. When all application materials have been received by Graduate Studies, notification will be sent to the applicant and a copy of all materials will be forwarded to the program.  Subsequent notification will be mailed from the Education Department to the applicant verifying acceptance or denial.

Students who are admitted, but do not enroll by the academic year following the year of acceptance must reapply through Graduate Studies. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three terms must also reapply. All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at UNG become the property of the university and will not be returned. These materials are kept for one year for incomplete application files and for three years for individuals who complete an application and are accepted, but do not enroll.

M.Ed. Admission Requirements

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The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Studies Application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all regionally accredited institutions of higher education previously attended. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution and state a calculated cumulative grade point average.
4. Official scores on the Graduate Record Exam General Test (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Only those scores that are less than six years old will be considered.
5. If applying for in-state tuition, proof of lawful presence in the United States.

In accordance with Board of Regents’ policy, the following documents must be received two weeks prior to the first day of the term:

1. UNG Certificate of Immunization. Former North Georgia students and Gainesville State students are required to submit documentation for any new immunization requirements since last attended.

Regular Admission

To qualify for regular admission, individuals must have:

1. Baccalaureate in a teaching field from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of at least 2.75 calculated in accordance with Graduate Studies admission procedures.
2. Official scores on the Graduate Record Exam General Test (GRE) of at least 900 (verbal and quantitative combined) if taken before August 1, 2011; or at least 301 (verbal and quantitative combined) if taken on or after August 1, 2011; or official scores on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) of at least 391; or evidence of a master’s degree; or an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 calculated in accordance with Graduate Studies admission procedures.

Provisional Admission

Students who do not meet the regular admission criteria may be granted provisional admission pending a successful admission appeal (see Appeal of Graduate Admission). Students admitted provisionally may register for no more than six hours total of graduate credit. Student status will be reviewed to determine eligibility for regular admission following completion of six hours. Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade less than a B in any graduate course taken during the provisional period will not be allowed to continue in the M.Ed. program. Students who have been removed because of a deficient grade may reapply for admission by submitting a letter to the M.Ed. program coordinator after a period of one year from the date the student was removed. Provisionally admitted students may not pre-register for classes, and they are not eligible for financial aid through UNG.

Non-Degree Admission

Individuals interested in taking graduate education courses but who do not want to pursue a graduate degree may apply for admission as non-degree graduate students. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the M.Ed. program coordinator before enrolling in courses and may earn no more than a total of 12 hours of graduate credit under this status. Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Studies Application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended documenting completion of a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited, four-year institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.50. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.50.
4. If applying for in-state tuition, proof of lawful presence in the United States.

In accordance with Board of Regents’ policy, the following documents must be received two weeks prior to the first day of the term:

1. UNG Certificate of Immunization. Former North Georgia and Gainesville State students are required to submit documentation for any new immunization requirements since last attended.

Any non-degree student who receives a grade of C or below will subject to a program review to determine the student’s eligibility to enroll in coursework for the subsequent term. If a non-degree student is suspended from the program, the student must wait at least one calendar year before applying for readmission. A non-degree student wishing to apply for admission to the M.Ed. degree program must notify the program coordinator, submit a new application to Graduate Studies, and meet all program admission requirements. All credits to be applied toward a degree must be approved by the M.Ed. program coordinator.

Transient Student Admission

An individual currently enrolled at a regionally accredited college or university as a graduate student in good standing may apply to UNG as a transient student. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the M.Ed. program coordinator before enrolling in courses. Requests will be considered on a space available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission:

1. Graduate Studies Application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Letter of good standing or Transient Permission Form documenting that the student is not on academic probation or suspension or on disciplinary suspension at the student’s home institution. The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and should indicate the course(s) the student is being allowed to take at UNG.
4. If applying for in-state tuition, proof of lawful presence in the United States.

In accordance with Board of Regents’ policy, the following documents must be received two weeks prior to the first day of the term:

1. UNG Certificate of Immunization. Former North Georgia and Gainesville State students are required to submit documentation for any new immunization requirements since last attended.

Transient admission is for one semester term only. Individuals who wish to return to UNG as a transient student for a subsequent term must reapply to UNG.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

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A candidate whose application is denied because the Graduate Studies’ admission cumulative grade point average is below the minimum requirement for the program or because an acceptable test score for an appropriate entrance exam (GRE or MAT) was not earned has the right to appeal the decision. An appeal must be made in written form to the College of Education, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 30597-1001. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal. A student whose appeal is accepted will be admitted provisionally and will not be eligible for financial aid when enrolled under provisional status. Applicants may not appeal for regular admission.

M.Ed. Transfer Residency Requirement

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To be awarded a Master of Education degree, students must earn a minimum of 24 hours of graduate degree requirements in residence. The program coordinator and the Dean of the College of Education must approve all transfer education credit. Content area courses must be approved by the appropriate academic department and Dean. Transfer credit will not be given for any course in which a grade of less than a B was earned.

M.Ed. Academic Policies

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Academic Standing Policy

M.Ed. students whose academic performance is unsatisfactory will be subject to the following:

1. Probation – Student will be placed on probation for any of the following reasons:
   a. Student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
   b. Student earns a U or any other grade below B.
   
   No student may be a candidate for the degree while on probation due to a grade point average below a 3.0. Probation will be removed when the student’s grade point average reaches 3.0 or higher. Only grades of D or F must be repeated in order to receive degree credit. Students who are on probation may not register until advised.
    
2. Suspension – Student will be placed on suspension for any of the following reasons:
   a. Student earns two grades below B (including U’s).
   b. Student has already served three consecutive terms on academic probation.
   
   No student may enroll in graduate courses at UNG while on suspension. Courses taken at another institution during the period of suspension will not be recognized for transfer credit. After serving a suspension period of one calendar year, a student seeking to reapply must submit a new application to Graduate Studies and a letter written to the Dean of the College of Education presenting a rationale for readmission. The student will be readmitted only upon approval of the Dean and the M.Ed. program coordinator. If readmitted, the student will have the same grade requirements for progress. Readmission will not be considered for students who have received four grades below B (including U’s).

Academic and Professional Integrity Policy

At the end of each semester, the program faculty or the M.Ed. program coordinator may intervene to establish a plan of action for any student in the program whose competency is in question, for reasons including unprofessional, disruptive, or unethical behavior in the classroom or applied setting. The plan should be signed by the student and the M.Ed. program coordinator with copies forwarded to the Dean of the College of Education.

Academic Integrity

The University of North Georgia recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic functioning of the university. UNG graduate students are expected to uphold the university regulations addressed in the Student Code of Conduct, Article 3, Rule 2.

Professional Integrity

The Master of Education program adheres to the university’s definition of professional integrity as described in the Academics section of the Graduate Catalog.

Program of Study

A program of study must be completed and on file in the Registrar’s Office before the completion of 20 semester hours. The program of study shall consist of those graduate courses for which graduate credit is granted toward a degree. No change may be made in the program of study without the advance approval of the program coordinator and an amendment attached to the program of study.

M.Ed. Degree Requirements

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 Graduation requirements for the M.Ed. degree include:

1. Completion of 36 designated semester hours of study with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with no more than three grades of C.
2. Completion of at least 24 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence with no more than 12 semester hours of transfer credit.
3. Completion of all degree-related course requirements, including any transfer credits, within a six-year period.