Graduate Studies Programs

Graduate Programs Offered

Admission to Graduate Studies Programs

Enrollment Prior to Admission

An applicant may register for one graduate course prior to being formally admitted to the respective program. An official transcript indicating a completed bachelor’s degree is required. Registration in subsequent courses is contingent upon acceptance to the program. Please refer to the M.B.A.  and M.Ed.  programs for exceptions to this policy and to the non-degree seeking student process for the M.A.C.  program.

General Admission Requirements

Please see individual programs for additional admission requirements and conditional admission policies.

To be considered for admission into a graduate program at Lakeland University, an applicant must submit:

1. A completed Application for Admission and a non-refundable $50.00 application fee.
2. All official transcripts from undergraduate coursework including an official transcript from a regionally accredited institution of higher education indicating completion of a baccalaureate degree with a minimum cumulative grade point-average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.00 point scale.
3. Military transcripts, if applicable.
4. Two letters of recommendation indicating the applicant’s potential for success in the graduate program. M.A.C.  applicants must use the program-specific form.

Note: By submitting an application for admission, you are granting permission to Lakeland University to verify any information on the form. Inaccurate information may affect enrollment, tuition or financial aid status.

An international applicant is required to follow steps 1 through 3. International graduate student applicants must submit official transcripts verifying completion of the equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree accompanied by an official course-by-course evaluation of all academic coursework translated in English. Approved foreign language evaluation organizations, such as Educational Credential Evaluators (ece.org) or World Educational Services (wes.org) can be used for evaluation purposes. The course-by-course evaluation, English evaluation, and official transcripts are required as part of the admissions process. Admission decisions and immigration paperwork will not be provided until received. The evaluation can take several weeks to complete, so please plan accordingly.

An international student applying for admission must also complete the following:

1. Submit, if his/her native or first language is not English, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. The minimum TOEFL score for graduate admission is 550 (213, for the computer-based test; 80, for the internet-based test). Under certain circumstances an international student who completes the language preparation of Lakeland’s English Language Institute may be admitted with scores less than 550.
2. Provide financial documentation (certification of finances) that shows the student’s ability to pay for college and living expenses while studying and residing in the United States.

Note: A qualified international student will be sent the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) form required to obtain a student F-1 visa.

Application Deadlines

The following admissions deadlines apply to students seeking admission to the Kellett School graduate programs.

General Degree Requirements

1. Complete all required coursework specific to the graduate program being pursued.
2. Complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate credit (with the exception of the Master of Arts in Counseling program).
3. Earn a minimum of 27 semester hours of graduate credit through Lakeland University (with the exception of the Masters of Arts in Counseling  which requires a minimum of 39 semester hours of graduate credit).
4. Maintain a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 3.0 in Lakeland University coursework.

Academic Policies

The following policies, in addition to those outlined at the beginning of this catalog, guide the matriculation, withdrawal, and graduation of Lakeland graduate students, as well as establish the normal rules by which courses are conducted and credit is granted.

Contingent upon continuous enrollment, students will be allowed to complete any degree program offered by Lakeland University as of the date of their first course enrollment in that program, providing no substantive curricular changes have been made. Continuous enrollment is defined as completion of a minimum of one three-semester-hour course each three-term period. Students will be required to apply for readmission before registering for courses after a period of non-enrollment which exceeds two terms. If degree requirements have changed since the time of one’s last admission to the program, the reapplication process will revise the degree plan in accord with the new requirements.

Course requirements in all graduate programs must be completed in seven (7) years from the date of acceptance. Exceptions must be for cause and specifically granted by the directors of the respective graduate programs.

Lakeland’s academic policies all assume that the basic credit unit is the semester hour. One Lakeland semester hour is equivalent to 1.5-quarter hours. Unless designated otherwise, all Lakeland courses carry three semester hours of credit.

Students who believe they have legitimate grounds for appealing or being excluded or waived from the requirements of any Lakeland academic policy included in this catalog should address those appeals to the Provost.

Enrollment Classification

Full-time status is defined as enrollment in nine (9) or more graduate semester hours during the fall, spring, or summer terms. International students must enroll in a minimum of nine (9) graduate semester hours per term during the fall and spring terms. Enrollment in more than 4 and fewer than 9 semester hours will qualify as one-halftime status with the exception of students enrolled in culminating experiences. The culminating experience courses are listed below:

• BA 800 - Master’s Thesis  
• CN 767 - Internship I: School Counseling , CN 777 - Internship I: Community Counseling , CN 787 - Internship I: Higher Education Counseling  
• CN 768 - Internship II: School Counseling , CN 778 - Internship II: Community Counseling , CN 788 - Internship II: Higher Education Counseling  
• ED 810 - Master’s Thesis or Project  

Students enrolled in culminating experiences will be classified as full-time enrollment for the purposes of enrollment status, financial aid, military benefits, and SEVIS classification.

Overload Policy

As is indicated above, nine (9) semester hours per semester is considered a full-time academic load. A graduate student who wishes to take more than 9 semester hours in any one academic term must receive permission to do so. The student’s previous academic record and current work schedule will be considered in the approval process, as well as any special circumstances which may be pertinent. No student may be enrolled in more than 12 semester hours per term. The following conditions apply:

1. The student must have completed at least one prior term at Lakeland University.
2. The student’s GPA must be above 3.5.

Approval must be obtained from the Program Director.

Transferring to Lakeland

A student who wishes to transfer to Lakeland from another college must be in good academic standing and must submit official academic transcripts from all other colleges attended. Upon the approval of the directors of the respective graduate programs, up to nine (9) graduate semester hours of coursework in which grades of “B” or better have been earned and are relevant to the program may be accepted in transfer from accredited institutions of higher education. Transfer courses must have been taken within ten (10) years prior to application to the graduate program.

Grades earned at other colleges are not included in the Lakeland University GPA. All work completed at other colleges will be converted to semester hours when evaluating transferable credits. Upon acceptance to Lakeland, transfer applicants will receive an evaluation of their transferable credits with a listing of the courses required to complete a Lakeland University degree.

Lakeland University does not award academic credit for life experience or other informal learning experiences.

A prospective student who has already earned a comparable graduate degree is not eligible for admission to Lakeland University’s equivalent graduate program.

Course Policies/Guidelines

The following information pertains to policies and guidelines pertinent to courses offered in the graduate program.

Grading

Repeating a Course

A student may repeat a course for which he or she has already received a grade; however, students may repeat a course only one time and will receive credit for a course only once. The higher course grade will be recorded and used when calculating the
GPA. The lower grade will remain on the transcript and will be marked with an asterisk.

Auditing a Course

A student may audit any Lakeland University course. Requirements for auditing a course are decided by the instructor. The minimal requirement for an audit is regular class attendance. Upon completion of the work assigned by the instructor, an auditing student will receive a letter grade of “AU” on his or her permanent academic record. No credit is earned for an audited course. Failure to meet the instructor’s conditions will be recorded as “UAU”; withdrawal from the course as “WAU”. Course enrollment may be converted to audit status on or before the date announced as the last day to withdraw as indicated on the academic calendar for the relevant term.

There is no audit tuition reduction for a student enrolled in a graduate program course.

Independent Study Courses-Graduate Program

Approval for courses taught on an independent study basis is contingent upon the availability of a qualified, experienced instructor and the permission of both the Vice President for Enrollment Management, or designate, and the Provost. Regularly scheduled courses will be approved as independent studies only when they have been unavailable to students due to scheduling conflicts on the part of the university and when students need the independent study course as a prerequisite to another course, where, without the independent study, the student is unable to advance in the curriculum. The independent study course must follow the course description, learning objectives and contact hours that would be required if the course were taken in its “regular” format. With appropriate approvals, students may take up to two courses on an independent study basis in any one subject area.

If a student’s academic advisor believes the student would benefit from an independent study, the academic advisor should verify, with assistance from the Office of the Registrar if needed, whether the student is eligible for the independent study and whether the student must complete the course requested for independent study in the proposed term. When the proposal is for the independent completion of a regularly scheduled course, the student must provide a rationale for why he or she was unable to complete the course during the regularly scheduled time. The academic advisor must submit the proposal for independent study to the Vice President for Enrollment Management, or designate. If supported, the Vice President for Enrollment Management , or designate, will submit the proposal to the Provost. If the proposal is approved, the student must submit a completed independent study form to the Office of the Registrar when registering for the course. A copy of an approval from the Vice President for Enrollment Management, or designate, and the Provost must accompany the form. Independent study forms are available from the academic advisor. The independent study form and approvals must be turned in to the Office of the Registrar no later than the last day to Add/Drop a course in each term.

Academic Standing

The intent of these minimum performance standards is to encourage students to give their best efforts to their college coursework at all times, thereby enhancing their own future opportunities for employment and the timely completion of their college degree programs. Maintenance of good academic standing and minimum academic progress is also required in order to retain eligibility for future financial aid awards.

Standards for Academic Good Standing

Kellett School graduate students must maintain a minimum grade-point-average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale during each of their terms at Lakeland. In addition, all students must successfully complete a minimum of three (3) semester hours of coursework during each three-term period. Students who fail to pass the required number of semester hours also face academic probation, suspension, or dismissal from Lakeland University.

The Provost, in collaboration with the Registrar, Kellett School personnel, and the Director of Financial Aid will review each student’s term and cumulative GPAs at the end of regular semesters. Based on the findings of this review, the Provost will implement the following policies.

Academic Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal

Probation. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below the minimal standard or who fail to pass the required number of semester hours will be placed on academic probation for the following term. The Provost will inform those students placed on academic probation of their status and the conditions under which they can return to academic good standing.

Suspension. Students who fail to fulfill the terms of their academic probation will be suspended for one term. After a suspended student has been away from Lakeland University for one term, he or she may apply for readmission. A student who has been readmitted to the university after a period of academic suspension will return on academic probation.

Dismissal. Students who are readmitted after an academic suspension and fail to meet the appropriate term GPA standard may be academically dismissed. Dismissed students may no longer enroll in Lakeland University coursework and are ineligible for readmission to Lakeland University.

Appeals of suspension decisions may be made to the Provost. Letters outlining the details of appeals and appropriate student contact information should be sent to the Provost at least one week prior to the first day of the next academic term. Dismissals may not be appealed.

Withdrawal from the University

A student who wishes to withdraw from Lakeland during a term must contact his/her Kellett School advisor and complete the official withdrawal process if he/she wishes to withdraw in good standing. (Please refer to the “Financial Information ” section of this catalog for the refund policy.)

Readmission to the University

A student who has withdrawn, fallen out of enrollment, or who has been suspended from the university must make written application for readmission in order to be re-enrolled in Lakeland courses. A student who wishes to be considered for readmission must submit the following materials:

1. A completed application form,
2. A current resume including 3 references (with email addresses and telephone numbers),
3. A personal statement describing the reason for seeking readmission and why it will help in accomplishing future goals, and
4. An official transcript if applicant has attended another institution since leaving Lakeland.
   
   Note: A current background check for an applicant returning to the Master of Arts in Counseling program may be required.

Prior to readmission, the university will conduct an overall review of the student’s records relating to his or her prior experience at Lakeland University. This review will include academic performance, conduct, compliance with financial obligations, and any other factors deemed relevant. The university reserves the right to make the readmission decision based on any combination of the above factors in the best interests of the student as well as the university community. This policy applies to all students seeking readmission regardless of the reasons for the student’s initial withdrawal or suspension from the institution. Additionally, successful readmission requires the complete payment of all prior balances due to the university and approval of specific program directors.

Readmitted students are subject to the degree requirements in effect at the point of their reentry to the university.

Readmission Following Suspension

In addition to following the steps listed under Readmission to the University, a student who has been suspended is subject to an additional set of rules when applying for readmission. Such a student must wait to reapply until one (1) academic term has elapsed since his/her suspension. A letter of recommendation from an employer or a supervisor who observed the applicant’s performance during the time he/she was absent from Lakeland is required. Successful readmission is contingent upon the approval of the Provost and the approval of the relevant program director.

If readmitted, a student who was previously suspended will be placed on probation until his/her coursework merits a return to good academic standing. A student who has been readmitted following a suspension must improve his/her overall GPA each term until he/she has earned a return to good academic standing. Failure to earn a return to good academic standing will result in dismissal from the university.