Admission (Graduate)

Graduate Programs Offered

Lakeland University offers the following graduate programs, all of which require the successful completion of one course of advanced professional study: Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) , Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling , Master of Education (M.Ed.)  and Master of Science (M.S.) in Leadership and Organizational Development . In addition to the general graduate studies admission requirements listed below, please refer to additional program-specific admission requirements for program of interest.

Admission to Graduate Programs

Enrollment Prior to Admission

• A student may apply to enroll as non-degree seeking student to complete one graduate course (3 semester hours of coursework) prior to seeking admission to a Lakeland graduate program.  This does not include courses completed as part of a specific non-degree graduate certificate.
• Registration in subsequent courses is contingent upon acceptance to the respective graduate program, whether through normal admission processes or in accordance with the exceptions to this policy identified in the admission requirements outlined for each graduate program offered.
• Approval from the Graduate Program Director or his/her delegate is required if non-degree-seeking students wish to exceed this limit in order to meet external requirements for certification. Students should submit requests to the Graduate Program Director and specify the plan for completing the certification requirements outside of a degree program. 
• An official transcript indicating a completed bachelor’s degree is required for admission under all these circumstances.

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. in Counseling applicants must use the program-specific form .

Note: By submitting an application for admission, applicants 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 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 all required documents are 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

• Complete all required coursework and semester hours specific to the graduate program being pursued. 
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health Counseling Emphasis = 60 semester hours
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs Emphasis = 48 semester hours
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-School Counseling Emphasis = 51 semester hours
  • Master of Business Administration = 36 semester hours
  • Master of Education = 36 semester hours
  • Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Development = 30 semester hours
• Earn a minimum amount of graduate semester hours in residency at Lakeland University
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health Counseling Emphasis = 51 semester hours
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs Emphasis = 39 semester hours
  • Master of Arts in Counseling-School Counseling Emphasis = 42 semester hours
  • Master of Business Administration = 27 semester hours
  • Master of Education = 27 semester hours
  • Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Development = 21 semester hours
• Maintain a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 3.0 in Lakeland University coursework.

Policy on Non-Discrimination

Lakeland University provides equal educational and employment opportunity without regard to sex, race, age, religion, national origin, marital/parental status, sexual orientation, disability, or handicap. All equal opportunity questions should be referred to the Lakeland University’s President.

Lakeland University is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.