Admission into the Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program at Appalachian State University is based on the faculty's appraisal of applicants' likelihood of being successful in the program, contributing to the learning of other students, and contributing to the larger field of higher education.
Admission Application and Requirements
Those interested in applying to the HESA program must apply through the Gratis D. Williams Graduate School. All applications completed by the posted due date will be reviewed by an admissions committee consisting of program faculty. The program admission committee will provide a recommendation to the Graduate School and receive notification of their decision.
Prerequisites
- M.A. degree requires a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
- Graduate Certificate requires a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
Required Application Items
Applicants must submit the following by the posted application deadline to be considered for admissions:
- Gratis D. Williams Graduate School Application Form
Transcripts from all colleges attended
GRE or MAT exam is no longer required for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
*GRE/MAT waiver may be requested if an applicant has a 3.0 GPA or higher and at least 5 years of professional work experience
Students with a prior GPA below 3.0 must still take an exam in accordance with Graduate School policy
At least 2 references
Resume
Personal Statement /Letter of Interest
Short essay (750 words maximum) addressing the question, "What do you believe to be the most pressing issue facing higher education today?"
Deadlines for Application:
Boone Campus and Online M.A.:
Fall Term: February 1 (priority deadline), April 1 (regular deadline) July 1 (final deadline, if space is available)
NOTE: Interviews for Graduate Assistantships in the Division of Student Affairs are held in February. Applications are due in January.
Graduate Certificate:
Summer Term: February 1 (priority deadline), April 1 (final deadline)
- Fall Term: April 1 (priority deadline), August 1 (final deadline)
Minimum Conditions for Consideration of Admission
- 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree
OR - 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level or above from the GRE or MAT
Meeting or exceeding the conditions above does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of applications are reviewed in comparison to the current applicant pool. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.
To start an application, click here.
For More Information
To see the Graduate Bulletin program description and requirements, click here.
For information about the M.A. program, contact Dr. Chauntee Thrill, Program Director, at hesa@appstate.edu.
For information about App State Online cohorts, contact online@appstate.edu or 800-355-4084.