2025-2026 Adrian College Academic Catalog

Graduate Admissions

Requirements and Procedures

Application Process

Adrian College graduate programs start at different times during the academic year. Applicants are highly encouraged to follow these application timelines:

  • Fall Semester: Friday, 1st week of August

  • Spring Semester: Friday, 3rd week of December

  • May Term: Friday, 2nd week of April

  • Summer Term: Friday, 2nd week of May

Graduate Provisional Admission Status

Provisional admission status may be granted to potential graduate students who have strong potential for academic success but:

  • are Adrian College undergraduates who will not complete their undergraduate degrees by the graduate program start date,
  • require remedial coursework before beginning program coursework, or
  • have not met one of the admissions criteria.

Permission is required from the Dean of Graduate Studies to grant this status to applicants.  The following defines three kinds of applicants who may be eligible for admission under this policy:

 
  1. Incomplete bachelor’s degrees: Adrian College undergraduate students who will not graduate with a bachelor’s degree prior to the graduate program start date, have met all other admissions requirements, and have undergone the evaluation process for admission to a graduate program may register as Graduate Provisional Admission Status students.
  2. Remedial coursework: Students who have met all admissions requirements and have undergone the evaluation process for admission to a graduate program but lack prerequisite courses or content knowledge required by a graduate program may be granted Graduate Provisional Admission Status. Students must complete the prerequisite coursework within two academic terms and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in these courses before full admission into a graduate program may occur.
  3. Missing admissions criteria: Students who do not meet one of the admissions criteria but are nominated for admission by Adrian College faculty on a provisional basis will be granted Graduate Provisional Admission Status. Students are admitted under this status for one academic term. If they earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their first six credit hours, students may be fully admitted into their graduate program.

Direct Admission

Adrian College undergraduate students and employees who are recommended for graduate-level study are eligible for acceptance to certain graduate programs through direct admission. Please email the Dean of Graduate Studies for additional information.

Tuition Discount Program for Teachers

Michigan and Ohio K-12 teachers and administrators are eligible to participate in the “Teachers Deserve a Break” discount program. Michigan and Ohio K-12 teachers and administrators are eligible for a tuition discount of 50% for up to 18 credit hours. Michigan and Ohio K-12 teachers and administrators enroll as guest students until they complete their 18th credit hour, at which point they will be invited to apply to become master’s program graduate students. This guest-student period exempts Michigan and Ohio K-12 teachers and administrators from program fees (although not course fees). After the 18th credit hour, they must be formally accepted into the M.Ed. program and pay the full tuition rate. Eligibility is determined by Teacher Education faculty, the Office of Admissions, and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Applicants will use a separate application process. See Master of Education for more information.

Guest Students

Students currently pursuing a graduate degree at another college or university may enroll in courses at Adrian College. Guest students must meet all course prerequisites, must be in good standing at their home college or university, and must have the written approval of the home institution for the specific courses to be taken. A guest applicant must apply using the guest application, which can be obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies at apply.grad@adrian.edu. No application fee is required. Guest students taking more than three credit hours may be subject to fees according to College policies. As non-degree seeking students, guest students are not eligible for financial aid.

Veterans

Adrian College welcomes applications from veterans who have a bachelor’s degree from another accredited college or university. Along with application materials obtained from the Office of Admissions, veterans must submit proof of honorable discharge (DD-214) from the armed forces. Veterans may schedule an interview with the Office of Admissions before completing the application process. Once enrolled, veterans will work with the Registrar’s Office, in conjunction with the Office of Financial Aid, the Office of Admissions, and the Billing Office, on matters relating to veterans’ affairs. For additional information on the Veteran’s Administration policies for veterans seeking to enroll in graduate-level programs, visit: VA Administration Policies.

Online Students

Distance education, also called online learning, is an option for some courses and graduate programs.  Adrian College offers both hybrid programs—where a portion of the courses are taught online to provide a flexible learning platform for graduate students—as well as fully online programs. Resources for online students are available on our Graduate Student Orientation Blackboard Site.

International Students

Adrian College welcomes applications from prospective international graduate students who have earned a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. International students need to complete the Graduate International Application, found on http://grad.adrian.edu/graduate-international-application.php, and submit the following required application materials to apply.grad@adrian.edu:

  • Official final undergraduate transcripts (Adrian College undergraduate students applying for admission into one of our graduate programs may submit an unofficial transcript)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation

All official final undergraduate transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES: https://www.wes.org) or a similar evaluation service. The evaluation may be sent to apply.grad@adrian.edu.

Additionally, The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all international graduate applicants of programs delivered in English from countries where English is not the primary language spoken. A TOEFL score of 85 on the internet-based test is required for full admission consideration.

It is highly recommended that prospective international graduate students complete the application process at least five months prior to the start of the semester in which they wish to begin taking courses.

F-1 Visa Information

Adrian College offers three graduate programs through which international students can obtain an F-1 visa. They are:

  • Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

  • Master of Arts in Sport Management

  • Master of Science in Athletic Training

Please note: admitted international graduate students cannot schedule their F-1 visa appointment with the U.S. embassy prior to 90 days of their initial session start date.

International students with F-1 visas must remain eligible for their visas by maintaining full-time status (9 or more credit hours each semester). Of those 9 or more credit hours, at least 6 credit hours must be face-to-face.

International students with F-1 visas will need to provide a valid passport prior to entering the country and should expect to work with the graduate DSO and PDSO throughout their time at Adrian College.

 

For More Information on Graduate Admission

Prospective students who would like more information about Adrian College may contact the Office of Graduate Studies at apply.grad@adrian.edu or (517) 265-5161 ext. 3848.

Graduate Students and General Requirements

Admission to Adrian College’s graduate studies programs is selective. Each application is individually reviewed by graduate studies faculty and evaluated according to the merits of students’ academic potential and credentials. Students must submit an application, a statement of purpose, official final undergraduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. Requirements may vary by program. Upon review, prospective graduate students are notified of their admissions decision via email. Students may, with assistance from their graduate studies faculty advisor, register for courses.

Adrian College undergraduate students may not enroll in graduate-level classes to be applied to an undergraduate degree. The combined B.S. in Exercise Science/M.S. in Athletic Training is the only exception to this policy.

Adrian College undergraduate students may enroll in graduate-level courses to be applied to a graduate degree after they have been accepted to a graduate program at Adrian College. This policy is commonly referred to as the “3+2” program.

General Requirements

Prospective graduate students must meet and provide the following requirements for consideration for admission to Adrian College graduate programs (requirements may vary by program, and programs may have additional requirements):

  1. Completed application (http://grad.adrian.edu/apply.php)

  2. Official final undergraduate transcripts (Adrian College undergraduate students applying for admission into one of our graduate programs may submit an unofficial transcript)

  3. Statement of Purpose (see programs of study for additional direction: List of Graduate Majors, Certificates, and Endorsements

  4. Three letters of recommendation

  5. Evidence of a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in a Bachelor’s or highest academic program.

  6. A copy of Photo ID

Electronic transcripts, Statements of Purpose, and letters of recommendation may be sent to Office of Graduate Studies .