Graduate Admission
While we are in the process of revising our graduate program as part of the new School of Emerging Media and Technology program, we are temporarily suspending our master's program admissions.
The information below pertains to the previous graduate degree we offered, the Master of Digital Sciences, and may contain information relevant to those students who are already enrolled in that program as they continue on to graduation.
This page contains general information for applicants who plan to apply to the Master of Digital Sciences (M.D.S.) degree program.
Further information for international applicants please contact the office of Graduate Admissions.
Application Deadlines
Applications for both full-time and part-time admission are accepted for the fall or spring semester. Applications for full-time admission are not accepted for the summer semester, but applications for part-time admission are accepted.
The School of Digital Sciences does not have a formal application deadline, but processes graduate applications on a continuous basis. However, to maximize your chance of securing a seat in your preferred classes, we highly recommend that students submit their applications based on the below dates. Please note that there are different dates for domestic and international applicants.
Domestic Applicants
- July 1 (for fall admission)
- November 15 (for spring admission)
- April 15 (for part time summer admission)
International Applicants
- May 15 (for fall admission)
- October 1 (for spring admission)
- March 15 (for part time summer admission)
Application Requirements
Applicants for the Master of Digital Sciences degree are expected to have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale.
Applicants must submit:
- official transcript(s) from each institution attended in which 8 or more semester hours were attempted
- current resume
- three letters of recommendation
- a statement of goals and objectives for pursuing this degree
- Official GRE Scores
- may be waived for those with a prior US Master's degree or 36 months relevant work experience - please contact DSAdvising@kent.edu for more information
- International Applicants may also need to submit: Evidence of proficiency in the English language, usually through the TOEFL IBT 79, IELTS band 6.5 or MELAB score of 77.
The (required) statement of goals and objectives should explain the applicant's goals and objectives for pursuing this advanced degree. For example, the applicant may want to better prepare for a particular career, to update knowledge in a specific area or to add expertise that will make the applicant more valuable in a current career.
Application Process
For more information about the application process, see the Graduate Studies web page, which includes information about the admission process. You can also use their submit documents page to submit your resume, recommendation letters, goals statement, etc.
Tuition, Fees, and Payment
For information on tuition, fees, due dates and payment options, see the One Stop for Student Services web page. Their tuition page includes estimates of tuition, fees, and living expenses for the current academic year.
Scholarships:
Incoming graduate students have access to a scholarship for the Master of Digital Sciences program. See the Office of Global Education website for more information.
STEM Status
The Master of Digital Sciences (M.D.S.) degree is considered a STEM degree, and therefore does qualify for the 24-month STEM extension on Optional Practical Training (OPT).
More specifically, the Master of Digital Sciences degree falls under the broad United States government category of "Computer and Information Sciences", and is assigned Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code 110101 Computer and Information Sciences, General. For this same reason, I-20's issued for the Master of Digital Sciences will also list Computer Science as your "Major" even though our students have been admitted into the Master of Digital Sciences program.