Grad Admission Requirements

Admission to the Graduate School is dependent upon the presentation of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, as well as other required documents. Undergraduate transcripts must accompany all applications. No application will be considered unless the complete official transcripts of the applicant's entire undergraduate (and graduate if any) work are in the possession of the Graduate School. Also, no transcript will be accepted as official unless it is received directly from the registrar of the institution where the work was done. Official supplementary transcripts are required as soon as they are available for any work completed after application for admission has been submitted.

The prospective student must satisfy the requirements of the College, as well as those of the Graduate School, to be admitted to the Master of Engineering Program.

General Admission Requirements

Minimum requirements for admission to the Master of Engineering at Southern University include the following:

• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Official transcripts showing all undergraduate work (and graduate work). APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT TRANSCRIPTS

• A minimum grade point average of 2.7 on all undergraduate work or 3.0 on all graduate work completed, based on a 4.0 scale but at least 2.5, you may still be considered for conditional admission at the discretion and upon the recommendation of your chosen program of interest.

• A minimum score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) of 1000 (297)
• Three letters of recommendation sent directly to the Director of Admissions
• A Statement of Purpose
• For international students, a minimum score of 525 on the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) as evidence of proficiency in English and an Affidavit of Support (U.S. Department of Justice form I-134)

With the exception of international students, applicants who do not meet all the criteria for admission may be granted admission with conditional or provisional status, upon the recommendation of the appropriate academic department. International applicants are not eligible for conditional or provisional admission status. The circumstances under which applicants may be considered for conditional or provisional admission are described below.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who do not meet all admission criteria, may be admitted for up to one academic year on a conditional basis, upon recommendation of the applicant's department of interest, provided additional evidence of capacity to do satisfactory work is presented. All students admitted on a conditional basis must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

By the end of one academic year of such conditional admission, the department must evaluate the student's performance and notify the graduate school and the student of the final action to be taken on the student's admission status as either fully accepting the student or recommending the student be dropped from degree-seeking status.

Provisional Admission

Students who have applied for admission to the Graduate School, but whose credentials were not completed by the admissions deadline, may be admitted provisionally, for one semester, upon recommendation of the department to which they have applied. Final action on such applications will be reserved until all credentials and any required documents have been received and evaluated by the academic department selected by the student. One semester only is allowed for students who are admitted provisionally to have their credentials completed. Provisional admission has a limitation of one semester. Therefore it cannot be extended or granted for the second time to the same student.

Application for Admission

Admission forms and information concerning admission procedures should be obtained from the Graduate School. Prospective students are urged to apply for admission as early as possible. Applications, which meet minimum standards, are referred to the graduate selection committees of the department of interest for approval and disapproval.

Admission Applications Deadlines

Admission of Transfer Students

Students who have attended another regionally accredited graduate school should be eligible for readmission at the college or university from which they transfer in order to be admitted to SUBR Graduate School. Students applying to transfer from other graduate schools should have their institutions submit transcripts and evidence of eligibility for readmission as part of their application to the Southern University Graduate Office. Failure to provide the above credentials will delay the admissions process.

International Student Admission

An international applicant who has completed undergraduate degree requirements at any accredited United States institution must follow the admission procedures previously described. An applicant who has not completed undergraduate degree requirements at an accredited United States institution must present the following:

• Complete and accurate chronological outline of all previous college-level education;
• Authorized school or university records, transcripts, mark-sheets, certificates, or degrees showing all courses taken and all grades received, with certified translations if the records are in a language other than English;
• Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a recognized institution, with a satisfactory grade point average
• Certifications of the availability of sufficient funds to meet all costs while studying at Southern University
• Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for international applicants whose native language is not English.

TOEFL is an essential part of the student's application. The student must pass the test to be considered eligible for admission to Graduate School.

An international student also must provide an Affidavit of Support before admission can be granted and a Form I-20 issued, even if the student completed undergraduate degree requirements in the United States.

The Graduate School will not consider for admission any person who has entered the United States on an I-20 issued by another institution unless that person has been previously enrolled at the institution issuing the I-20.

International Student Office

The International Student Office is established to:

• Assist international students with the services required to facilitate their matriculation at the University
• Assist international students in meeting various Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) requirements throughout the study period
• Provide information designed to facilitate the adjustment of international students to life in the United States and at Southern University

The office is located in Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, second floor, Suite 203. The International Student Advisor may be reached at (225) 771-2130. The Facsimile (FAX) number is (225) 771-5282.

Regulations of the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, governing nonimmigrant F-1 students, require international students in this category to pursue a full course of study while maintaining nonimmigrant student status.

Under this regulation, a graduate student will be required to register for a minimum of nine semester hours of course work in a degree program. Any modification of these requirements resulting in non degree study or a course load less than the above minimum requirements must be authorized by the International Student Advisor in consultation with the Department Chair, advisor and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students who fail to observe the above requirements will not be eligible to receive a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) and other letters of certification in support of their continuation in the nonimmigrant F-1 student status. Students in the Exchange Visitor Visa (J-1) category requesting transfer to the University's Private Exchange Visitor program from another program must obtain approval from the International Student advisor before admission to the University becomes valid.

Questions concerning United States Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations should be directed to the International Student Advisor.

Students in need of Disability Services

Southern University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students, in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, or in the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by federal laws and regulations. The designated coordinator for compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, is Jada Netters, Coordinator of Disability Services, 246 Augustus C. Blanks Hall, (225) 771-3950.

Students who have been officially admitted into the graduate program of study who have special needs which qualify for accommodations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, particularly Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, must report their disability to the Office for Services to Students with Disabilities located in Augustus C. Blanks Hall, Room 246. Information on making a request for services and accommodations on how to report a disability can be secured by writing to:

Office for Services to Students with Disabilities
246 Augustus C. Blanks Hall
Southern University
Baton Rouge, LA 70813

Readmission

Any student previously enrolled in graduate study at Southern University with regular status, who has not been in attendance for two consecutive semesters should apply for readmission to the Graduate School at least four weeks prior to the first day of registration for the term in which the student expects to resume studies. Admission forms may be obtained from the Graduate Office and returned to that office when completed. They should be returned 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester or term that the student wishes to re-enter.

Undergraduate (Privileged Seniors) Registration In Graduate Courses

A graduating senior at Southern University who has earned a "B" average on all work pursued and who lacks no more than seven semester hours (four in the Summer session) for the completion of his/her baccalaureate degree may enroll in graduate courses for graduate credit. Prior approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, the student's undergraduate department chair and the course instructor is required. A maximum of six semester hours of advanced standing from the graduate credits may be accumulated while the student is enrolled as an undergraduate. After a student has enrolled in the Graduate School, these six credit hours of graduate-level courses earned with a grade of A or B and taken under this provision may be applied toward a graduate degree at Southern University provided that:

• Credits for the courses have not been used for an undergraduate degree
• Transfer is approved by the student's chosen department
• Transfer is made as soon as the student is admitted into a graduate program

It should be noted that this provision is only a permission for a superior graduating senior to take graduate courses and should not be construed as admission to Graduate School.

Concurrent Graduate Degree Programs

A graduate student who wishes to pursue degrees in two programs concurrently must have the written approval of the chairperson of each department involved and the Dean of the Graduate School. Any student interested in pursuing concurrent degrees should discuss the proposed study with the Graduate School's Student Records staff prior to applying for the programs. If the request is approved, the student must be officially admitted to both programs through regular procedures. If the student is approved to pursue two master's programs, no more than six hours of course work from one-degree program may be applied toward meeting the requirements for the second master's degree. These six hours must be petitioned by submitting a request to the Dean of the Graduate School.

Non degree Applicants

Graduates of accredited college and university that wish to enroll in selected courses, but not pursue a formal degree program at the undergraduate or graduate level, may be considered for admission as non degree students in the Master of Engineering. Applicants who seek non degree status are required to submit an official transcript and a completed admission application with an application fee. The non degree status is intended to provide an applicant permission to take courses. Therefore, applicants who are granted non-degree status should note that acceptance as a non degree student does not in any way imply and/or guarantee subsequent change to regular admission status. Such applicants must also note the following policies of the Graduate School concerning the non degree status.

• Non degree students who wish to change their status to regular admission and/or seek admission to a regular degree program must submit all the credentials and documentation (including applicable test scores, etc.) required by the Graduate School and the specific graduate program selected by the student.
• Non degree students are permitted to take a maximum of six credit hours per semester (Fall and Spring) and three credit hours during the Summer term. A maximum of twelve semester credit hours taken as a non degree student may be applied toward a graduate degree, if the student is admitted into a graduate program at a later date, provided that:
• Those twelve credit hours consist of graduate level courses (500 level and above or equivalent)
• Those twelve credit hours are part of the Plan of Study for the specific selected degree program and are accepted by the selected department
• An advisor, the department chairperson. and the academic dean of the graduate school have approved those courses

Southern University encourages applications from qualified applicants of both sexes from all cultural, racial, religious, and ethnic groups. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious belief, national origin, disability or age in admission or access to its programs and activities.