Graduate Admissions

Philosophy  Brenau desires to accept adults who are qualified for admission and who will benefit from the graduate educational and academic experience provided by the institution. It is the belief of the Graduate Council that applicants should possess the ability, maturity and self-discipline to take advantage of and benefit from the opportunities provided by the graduate programs offered by Brenau.

Students admitted to the graduate program should expect a level of complexity and specialization in their course of study which extends their knowledge and intellectual maturity. Graduate programs require students to analyze, explore, question and synthesize knowledge and skills. They engender creativity and expertise that will allow the graduate to practice in and contribute to a profession or field of scholarship. Scholarly interaction between faculty and students is an important component of graduate study.

Admission to graduate studies at Brenau is awarded by the Department to which the applicant is applying. Admissions procedures and standards are reviewed continuously for appropriateness and adequacy. The close relationship between a graduate student seeking an advanced degree and the responsibility of the institution to the community for maintaining the quality of its graduates requires careful screening of applicants.

Admissions Requirements for Degree-Seeking Students

All graduate applicants must either hold an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or be in the final stages of obtaining such a degree. Candidates who are in the process of obtaining their degree are encouraged to apply. These candidates will be reviewed based on the understanding that proof of degree will be necessary prior to the first registration. Each program may have additional specific admission requirements. Specific admission requirements are listed in the individual program outlines.

Regional Accrediting Organizations:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities (WASC-SCUC)

Admissions Procedures  

1. Access the online application on the following webpage www.brenau.edu/apply
2. Request official transcripts from all previous institutions and have them sent directly to the Office of Admissions at the address listed below.

Brenau University
Office of Admissions
500 Washington St. SE
Gainesville, GA 30501-3697

International Applicants

Brenau is authorized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to enroll non-resident alien students.

International applicants needing an F1 student visa must complete the regular admissions procedures and the procedures outlined below before a Form I-20 will be issued. Note: conditional enrollment is not permitted for students requesting an I-20. Students requiring an F1 student visa are not eligible for admission to online studies.

International applicants must submit:

1. A Brenau University International Application (in addition to the standard Admissions Application).
2. Official copies of transcripts evaluations must be received from an evaluator that is approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The applicant will be responsible for the payment of this service. Failure to submit transcripts from all colleges previously attended, through omission or misrepresentation, will disqualify the applicant.
3. Official test scores showing English language proficiency. Please see the section entitlted English Language Proficiency for International Students in the Undergraduate Portion of the catalog.
4. If the international student is requesting an I-20, a financial statement of support is required and copies of all current visa status documents must be submitted.
5. For additional international student information, please refer to the International Student Section of the catalog.

Non-resident alien applicants not needing to request an I-20 are required to follow the regular admission procedures, submit an International Supplemental Application and provide proof of English proficiency.

Permanent resident alien applicants who are proficient in English must provide a copy of their Resident Alien Card and follow the regular admissions policies described earlier in this section of the Catalog.

Transfer Credit

Limitation on Number of Hours of Transfer Credit  If the student is enrolled for their first graduate degree at Brenau, course work taken at another regionally accredited institution of higher education may be appropriately transferred to Brenau as part of the planned program of study with the approval of the department chair for up to a limit of six semester hours. If the student has a prior master’s degree, up to nine hours of graduate credit may transfer with departmental approval. Grading standards of the Brenau program into which the work is transferred will apply.

Graduate level credits which will be older than seven years at the point of graduation must be approved by the dean of the respective college in consultation with the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Time and Grade Limitation on Transfer Credits  Credit required for graduate course work at Brenau or any other accredited institution of higher education will be honored for a period of seven years from the date of the course completion. Courses not completed within that period will have to be retaken or otherwise updated and validated to be included within a student’s approved program of study. No grade below B will be accepted in transfer into the graduate program. This limit applies to initial transfer credit in combination with any courses taken on a transient basis.

Reactivation

A student whose enrollment at Brenau has been interrupted for more than one semester and wishes to re-enter the same program at Brenau, within two years of the last semester of attendance, will submit a Reactivation Form to the Office of the Registrar. A link to the form is available on the Registrar’s Office website. The student must be in good academic and financial standing, not have attended any other school during the period of interruption and meet current admission requirements. Students may complete their degree under their previous program plan - if it is still in effect. Note that academic departments reserve the right to make changes or additions to the program plan of a reactivated student. Note: Nursing students may not reactivate. All nursing students who have a lapse of enrollment must contact the admissions office and the School of Nursing to reapply for admission.

Defer Start-Term: If a student wishes to defer their start-term to a later term, the student may submit a Reactivation Form (referenced above) to the Registrar’s office. This form has an option to defer the student’s start-term - as long as the term is not past summer semester. Students may not defer past summer semester because a new catalog goes into effect each fall with the beginning of the academic year. These students must reapply for admission so they can be re-evaluated for the correct catalog.

Reapplication

Students re-applying after the two-year time limit will be evaluated based on the catalog in effect at the point of readmission. Transfer credit will be examined based on current transfer credit criteria and a new program plan drafted based on the program plan in effect at the point of readmission. Students must be in good academic and financial standing, have no record of misconduct and must meet current admission requirements. Students returning to Brenau beyond the two-year time limit must submit a new application via www.brenau.edu/apply.