Admission

Admission to a Degree Program

Admission to a degree program is based upon evaluation of the student’s academic record and previous experience by the graduate faculty of the department(s) offering the program. All applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Upon admission to a degree program, the student is assigned an advisor who is a member of the graduate faculty from the department offering the program. Students must consult their advisor(s) regarding program planning and enrollment in courses.

Admission to particular degree programs may include additional requirements in regard to minimum undergraduate GPA, entrance examinations, or prerequisite courses. See requirements for admission to specific degree programs as described elsewhere in this catalog.

Status of Admission

Full Standing: Applicants whose undergraduate GPA from their baccalaureate degree granting institution is 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher or whose GPA for the last half of undergraduate work is 3.0 or higher may be admitted with full standing to a particular graduate program upon recommendation of the Program Director, College Dean, and Graduate Dean. Additional requirements may be specified by particular degree programs.

Conditional: Applicants whose undergraduate GPA falls below 2.75, or who are currently completing a baccalaureate degree, or who have not met the prerequisite requirements for admission to a program, may be admitted conditionally upon recommendation of the Program Director, College Dean, and Graduate Dean, when other sufficient evidence of ability to complete graduate work is presented. Additional conditions or requirements for admission also may be specified by particular degree programs.

Non-Degree Seeking (Special) Graduate Student

Persons wishing to take courses for graduate credit without admission to a particular graduate program may apply to become a non-degree seeking (special) graduate student. To be eligible, an applicant must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. A student who fails to meet the minimum GPA requirement for admission to a graduate degree program also may be permitted to enroll as a non-degree seeking student. If application to a particular graduate program is made subsequently, credits earned as a non-degree seeking student will be considered on the basis of appropriateness to the degree program. No more than nine credits earned as a non-degree seeking graduate student may later apply to degree requirements without prior approval of the appropriate Graduate Program Director. Individuals who wish to register for graduate nursing courses as a non-degree seeking (special) student should consult with the Nursing Graduate Program Director in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences to receive permission to enroll. Non-degree seeking graduate students are not eligible for the financial aid programs described elsewhere in this catalog.

Students who have applied and enrolled as non-degree seeking graduate students must reapply only if they have not enrolled in any courses at UW-Eau Claire for three years. 

Students who have previously been academically dismissed from a graduate program are not eligible to return to the University as a non-degree seeking (special) student. Instead, they must go through the appeals process specified in their letter of dismissal. 

Special Auditors

Board of Regents policy makes it possible for students to audit courses at reduced costs as follows: Wisconsin residents may audit classes by paying only 30 percent of the normal per credit academic fee and non-residents may audit by paying 50 percent of the non-resident academic fee. In both cases any special course fees or materials are additional.

Transfer of Credits

Up to nine* credits of transfer graduate coursework may be approved to count toward a graduate degree earned at UW-Eau Claire. This limit of nine* transfer credits includes both courses taken prior to admission and after admission. These credits must be earned from another regionally accredited institution that is offering a comparable graduate degree program. Only courses in which a B (GPA of 3.00) or above is earned and representing course content equivalent to that offered by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will be accepted and applied toward graduate degree programs. Transfer course grades are not computed in the resident GPA at UW-Eau Claire. No credit toward a graduate degree will be allowed for correspondence work.

*The BSN to DNP degree program is an exception to the nine credit transfer policy. A maximum of 20 credits of graduate transfer course work may be accepted for the BSN to DNP program.

Transfer of Credits Earned Prior to Admission

An official transcript must be sent directly to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire either through secured electronic transmission or via the postal service (not email) for any institution where you a) obtained a degree (except UW-Eau Claire), b) completed course work necessary for admission to your graduate program, or c) graduate courses you wish to have considered for transfer credit to apply toward your intended degree program at UW-Eau Claire.  Graduate credits earned prior to admission, but not reported on the application for admission nor documented, will not be considered for transfer after admission.

Transfer of Credits Earned After Admission

Students who wish to take courses at another institution and transfer the credits to their approved graduate program must obtain permission to do so before enrolling in the courses. Forms for this purpose are available on the Graduate Studies website. Without prior permission, a student has no assurance that courses taken at another institution will be acceptable as part of the graduate program. The other institution at which the student wishes to earn graduate credits may provide a form for documentation by an official of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire of the student’s graduate standing, allowing registration at the other graduate school for the purpose of earning credits to be transferred. If such a procedure is not available, the student may be required by the other institution to file application for admission.

Credits Earned in Programs Established through Inter-Institutional Agreements

Graduate credits taken in a program developed between UW-Eau Claire and one or more other institutions and established by a formal inter-institutional agreement will not be considered transfer credits under these guidelines.

Transfer of Extension Credits

Credits earned in extension courses sponsored by UW-Eau Claire and in off-campus (outreach) courses offered by UW-Eau Claire are not considered transfer credits by UW-Eau Claire.