Post-Master's Certificate Admissions Criteria

Post-Master's Certificate applicants must show:

• Official transcript(s)
• Active, unrestricted registered nurse license in the state in which practicum hours will be completed
• Master's degree in nursing or a doctorate in nursing practice from an accredited nursing program
• Minimum 3.000 graduate GPA on a 4.000 scale
• Résumé or vita
• Transcript(s) of all previous graduate coursework
  • Transcript(s) must indicate completion of graduate-level courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment, with a minimum B grade earned in each course. Applicants who do not meet the grade requirement for advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment may be considered for a conditional admission.
  • For applicants who have not practiced as an advanced practice registered nurse within the two-year period preceding application to the certificate, completion of graduate-level courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and advanced health assessment must not be greater than five years old at the time of the student's first semester of course registration in the certificate.
• Syllabi of all courses to considered for transfer in the gap analysis
• Three letters of reference from health care professionals or faculty members
• English language proficiency requirements for international students (effective spring 2018):
  • Minimum 83 TOEFL IBT score
  • Minimum 560 TOEFL PBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 78 MELAB score
  • Minimum 55 PTE score

International applicants must also meet other minimum requirements, such as visa eligibility and documentation of financial resources. Please refer to the International Graduate Application Guide.

Students selected for admission to the nursing program must meet the College of Nursing's Clinical Compliance Policy.

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Conditional admission

Applicants who do not meet the minimum University and/or program requirements may be considered for conditional admission. Admission in such cases will depend heavily on other indices of the student’s ability to handle graduate-level work. These might include strong performance on standardized tests, GPA in the major and/or other experiences that are clearly indicative of strong academic ability.

Deferred admission

Admitted students are expected to enroll in and attend courses during the term for which they were admitted.  As a courtesy, the Division of Graduate Studies allows admitted students to defer the term of enrollment to another term within one calendar year from the term of admission. Initial enrollment beyond one year is not permitted. To defer enrollment to a later term, domestic applicants should contact the Division of Graduate Studies and international applicants should contact the Office of Global Education. 

Students who have not enrolled in or attended courses within one calendar year of admission will need to submit a new application and pay a new application fee if they wish to attend courses.

Change of Application Term section

Applications and application materials are valid for one year only. Applicants may change the term of their application to a later term within one calendar year from the date the completed online application form was submitted. To be considered for admission during a different term, domestic applicants should contact the Division of Graduate Studies and international applicants should contact the Office of Global Education  to request an application term change and receive instructions on next steps.

It is important to note that some programs admit only one term per year. Refer to individual the programs website or University Catalog for the term(s) during which the program will consider admission.

Applicants interested in admission after one year will need to submit a new application and pay a new application fee.

Guide to Graduate Education

For more information about Kent State University’s admission policies please review the Guide to Graduate Education.

Guide to Graduate Education