The College reserves the right to deny admission to any student whose record indicates that she/he may not be a successful participant in the educational program or whose conduct as a whole is viewed by the College to be inconsistent with its goals, standards and/or ideals.
Admission to Master’s Degree Programs and Certificate Programs
Applications will be considered from candidates with a bachelor’s degree either from a regionally-accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent degree from an educational institution in another country. If an equivalent degree is submitted from another country, an official statement confirming accreditation must be submitted, and the transcript must be translated into English.
Requirements:
- Submission of the online application
- Submission of the application essay
Choose one scenario listed online
- Use essay format for the program for which you are applying.
- All essays submitted for admission to graduate programs should be no less than two full pages of text (12 pt., Times New Roman, 23 lines per page), and no more than four pages of text. The cover page, lines for identifying information, or citations will NOT count in that total.
- The essay may be submitted via email to admissions@columbiasc.edu.
- The essay is scored using the essay scoring rubric available online.
- Submission of Two Recommendations
The recommendation is a process that includes a matrix and a narrative. A typed narrative must accompany the matrix.
- Submission of Official Transcripts of ALL undergraduate coursework and ALL graduate coursework (if any has been completed previously).
- Unofficial transcripts can be submitted to receive an admissions decision. Final official transcripts from ALL previously attended institutions (must include official transcript with baccalaureate degree posted) must be received before the late registration date or students will be automatically withdrawn from the institution.
- Official transcripts are sent by the Registrar of a college directly to the Admissions Office. The official transcript must be from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent degree from an educational institution in another country. If an equivalent degree is submitted from another country, an official statement confirming accreditation in that country must be submitted, and the transcript must be translated into English.
- Transcripts documenting grades of “B” or better for completed graduate work which may be considered for transfer into the program. Transfer credit must be submitted for approval prior to the admission deadline posted on the website. A student may incorporate no more than 9 semester hours from other institutions. Such incorporation must be requested by completing the Transfer Credit Petition. Please use the Transfer Credit Petition to submit your request. (See “Graduate Work at Other Institutions ” for further information.)
- Submission of ONE of the following:
- Official documentation of a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official documentation of an earned graduate degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Copy of a teacher’s certificate that is current on the first day of class of the semester of enrollment
- Copy of current Law Enforcement Certificate
- GRE (Graduate Record Exam) score with a date no older than five years prior to the first day of class of the semester of enrollment
- MAT (Miller Analogies Test) score with a date no older than five years prior to the first day of class of the semester of enrollment
- At least 9 s.h. in courses taken at Columbia College as a graduate student with an earned minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in those courses
- Students whose first language is not English, must submit an official TOEFL score report with a minimum score of 550 on the paper version, 213 on the computer version, 79 on the web version, or a minimum IELTS score of 6.50. International students who fail to meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS score may enroll in an ESL Center or Language Program. An ESL level of 109 or successful completion of level 5 of Academic English is accepted in lieu of test scores for admission to Columbia College. There are ESL centers located throughout the United States (including one in Columbia, SC) and in over 50 countries throughout the world. Columbia College also maintains a partnership with Agape English Institute in Columbia, SC. Additional information about these centers or our partnership with Agape can be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions.
- For international applicants, the following documents are required:
- Financial Statement
- Passport Signature Page
- VISA
- I-94 card
- Previous I-20 forms
Once an applicant has completed the admission requirements by the deadline posted on the web site, the Graduate Admission Selection Committee will review the file and will recommend regular admission, conditional admission, or denial of admission. Applicants who are accepted into the program will be assigned a faculty advisor to assure that the student progresses successfully through the program.
Graduate Admission Policy for Columbia College Graduates
Any student graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College with a GPA of 3.0 or above and meeting any specific graduate program requirements is accepted into any of the graduate programs. The graduate applicant only needs to complete the application and submit a graduate admissions essay using one of the prompts provided for evaluation. No graduate test scores or letters of recommendation are required.
Columbia College graduates with a GPA less than 3.0 but greater than 2.5 may apply with a letter of recommendation from a Columbia College faculty member or a supervisor from the workplace or an internship and submit a graduate admissions essay using one of the prompts provided for evaluation. No test scores or additional recommendations are required.
Admission as a Non-Program Status Graduate Student
Non-program status students may enroll either for credit or for the purpose of auditing a class. Practicum courses are only available to students in a program. Non-program status students who plan to audit a course must meet the same admissions requirements as non-program status students enrolling for credit.
A professional who applies as a non-program status student in a course offered for certification purposes only or for professional development can submit an official transcript with the baccalaureate degree posted or a copy of a professional license with a current expiration date as of the first day of class.
The following licenses will be accepted in place of an official college transcript with a baccalaureate degree posted:
LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor
LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
LPES - Licensed Psycho-Educational Specialist
LSW - Licensed Social Worker
LBSW - Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker
LMSW - Licensed Master’s Social Worker
LISW - Licensed Independent Social Worker
Law degree
Current Teaching Certificate
Copy of a Current Law Enforcement Certificate
Other professional licenses requiring a minimum of a baccalaureate degree will be considered. Applicant must submit evidence of the requirements with the license.
Requirements:
- Submission of the online Graduate Application
- Submission of an official undergraduate transcript with baccalaureate degree posted
- The official transcript must be from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent degree from an educational institution in another country. If an equivalent degree is submitted from another country, an official statement confirming accreditation must be submitted, and the transcript must be translated into English.
- Submission of TOEFL Score
- Students whose first language is not English must submit an official TOEFL score report with a minimum score of 550 on the paper version, 213 on the computer version, or 79 on the web version, or a minimum IELTS score of 6.50. International students who fail to meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS score may enroll in an ESL Center or Language Program. An ESL level of 109 or successful completion of level 5 of Academic English is accepted in lieu of test scores for admission to Columbia College. There are ESL centers located throughout the United States (including one in Columbia, SC) and in over 50 countries throughout the world. Columbia College also maintains a partnership with Agape English Institute in Columbia, SC. Additional information about these centers or our partnership with Agape can be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions.
- For international applicants, the following documents are required:
- Financial Statement
- Passport Signature Page
- VISA
- I-94 card
- Previous I-20 forms
Articulation Agreement Students
Columbia College undergraduate students seeking to matriculate to graduate programs through approved articulation agreements with other institutions must have senior standing and a 3.0 GPA in the major and overall. Students can take up to 12 hours of approved graduate course work. The maximum load will be computed by the total of the graduate and undergraduate credit hours. No more than six hours of graduate work may be taken in any one semester. Students in the music articulation agreement may complete the B.A. degree requirements with 120 hours of undergraduate course work and nine hours of graduate course work in approved education courses including all requirements for the music major.
Graduate course work is offered at a substantially different level than undergraduate course work. Combined undergraduate/graduate courses must reflect substantial difference in expectation and content level to warrant graduate credit.
Readmission
A student who is in inactive status may apply for readmission at any point. A student who is dismissed or administratively withdrawn from the program is able to reapply at a date no earlier than one year after the dismissal or administrative withdrawal unless the circumstances of the dismissal or withdrawal indicate a different waiting period or exclude the possibility of readmission.
To reapply, a former student should submit an online application. Readmit applicants will be notified if they are required to submit additional transcripts.
A readmitted student is reminded of the time limit policy indicating that the requirements for the master’s degree must be satisfied within five calendar years after the student reaches Degree Status.
Transfer from one program or status to another
A currently enrolled student may transfer from one program or status to another. Although the usual direction is into a program or status with greater admissions requirements (Non-Program Status to Graduate Certificate Program to Master’s Degree Program), students may also elect to transfer programs in the other direction.
Into programs with greater admissions requirements
A student transferring into a program with greater admissions requirements must complete the admission process and satisfy the requirements outlined above for the program into which she/he is requesting transfer. Please note that the student’s enrollment in her/his current status or program does not guarantee acceptance into the new program.
- Submission of the online application
- Submission of all documents as required
NOTE: When transferring into a master’s degree program, admissions requirement #6 will also be satisfied if the student has completed at least 9 s.h. in courses taken at Columbia College as a graduate student and has earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in those courses.
Into a program or status with lesser admissions requirements
A student may transfer into a program or status with lesser admissions requirements with the approval of the appropriate Graduate Program director and completion of an official notification to the Registrar. The necessary forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.
NOTE: If a student transfers from a Master’s Degree Program to a Certificate Program or Non-Program Status and then back into the original Master’s Degree Program, the five-year time limit is counted from the original admission into the Master’s Degree Program and the student must meet all of requirements in effect at the time of her/his readmission into the program.
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