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The following are admission policies and requirements for students taking courses, matriculating or applying for programs offered through UMass Lowell's Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies (GPS).
Open Enrollment
UMass Lowell's Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
permits students to take courses without being admitted into a program. Visiting students may register using a non-degree course registration form. Students who wish to pursue an undergraduate certificate program, an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree must apply for admission to the program. Students with a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent may apply to a degree or certificate program; additional credentials may be required. Students must be admitted into a degree or certificate program to be eligible for most financial aid.
Admission into Undergraduate Certificate Programs Offered through GPS
UMass Lowell offers
a wide variety of credit certificate programs that allow students to
obtain marketable skills within a concentrated time frame. These
short-term certificate programs consist of a series of courses which,
when taken together, demonstrate expertise in a specific area.
Students are welcome to take certificate program courses on an
individual basis, but must formally apply into the certificate program
and complete all of the required courses and electives with a C or
better in order to receive the certificate. To be considered for
acceptance into a certificate program, students must hold a high school
diploma or have passed either the GED® or HiSET®.
View information on all of the Division's undergraduate certificates
.
Admission into Undergraduate Degree Programs Offered through GPS
Students are welcome to
register for credit or noncredit courses offered by the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies.
To be considered for acceptance into either an associate's or
bachelor's degree program offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies,
students must hold a high school diploma or a General Education
Development (GED) Certificate. The Division operates on a rolling
admissions basis and each application is reviewed when the student's
file is complete. Students must be admitted to a degree or certificate
program in order to be eligible for most financial aid.
The following materials must be submitted for admission:
- A completed degree program application, along with a $60 degree application fee
- Official transcripts of all college, university or post-secondary schools attended along with course descriptions
- Official transcript of high school records or its equivalent (GED certificate), from applicants with no previous college/university experience
After the above information is filed, a Program Coordinator will
evaluate the student's academic records. Qualified students will receive
an official letter of acceptance and a transfer credit evaluation
sometime after submitting all necessary academic materials. A student
who has not yet completed 18 credit hours in his or her degree program
will be admitted on a provisional basis. Advisors are available to answer questions regarding programs
and the matriculation process. Appointments may be made by calling (978)
934-2474.
Declaration of a Major
Upon application, students are
requested to declare a major. Advisors are available to help students in selecting a field of
concentration. An early decision of a major by students will greatly
facilitate the selection of appropriate prerequisite courses for major
fields and, accordingly, will reduce the possibilities of time-consuming
errors in judgment.
Non-Matriculation
Students who wish to register for
classes but do not want to be admitted into a certificate or degree
program may do so provided they have the necessary prerequisites for the
course. Credit will be awarded for the successful completion of such
courses. If the student chooses to become a certificate or degree
candidate, the applicability of such course(s) may be subject to other
policies of the University and/or to specific program requirements.
Enrollment in courses does not constitute admission to a certificate or
degree program. In order to matriculate, students must complete the
admission process as described above.
Admission into a Graduate Certificate or Degree Program
Students interested in applying into graduate degree or certificate
programs should contact Graduate Admissions at (800) 656-GRAD or
www.uml.edu/grad/.
Students with bachelor's degrees from
accredited institutions are eligible to enroll as non-degree students
for a total of 12 credits prior to matriculating into formal graduate
degree programs. Students must formally apply to graduate certificate
programs before enrolling in graduate courses intended for specific
certificate programs.
Summer Graduate-Level Courses
Students who hold the
baccalaureate degree or its equivalent may enroll for credit in
graduate-level courses, which are normally offered during our Summer
Sessions. Unless already matriculated in a University of Massachusetts
Lowell graduate program, the student must submit a transcript showing
conferral of a bachelor's degree or subsequent summer graduate
registration may not be permitted. Additionally, such a student is not
eligible to receive credit toward a degree unless he or she files a
formal application and then is admitted as a matriculated student to
Graduate Admissions. Upon admission, an Academic Petition Form must be filed
to have previously earned credits considered toward a graduate degree.
Day Programs for Students Matriculating for Graduate, Online & Professional Studies
Students who have established matriculation for UMass Lowell GPS
degrees at either the associate
or baccalaureate levels may be permitted to pursue specifically
authorized day courses. Such students must secure the written approval
of their program coordinators for all projected courses prior to filing
an application with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Full
notation of approved courses (including those failed) is made upon the
permanent record of GPS students.
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