Admission Summary

M.A. G&ES

---

Students keen on pursuing an M.A. degree in G&ES will be pleased to find how flexible the process of admission is. Up to 9 hours of approved G&ES coursework can be transferred into the program after admission. Many students begin their coursework at the same time they submit their application. It's a good idea to communicate with the Graduate Coordinator in advance, after reading this document carefully. Required general background courses should be taken, whenever possible, before the program is begun in earnest.

Necessary Academic Background

Graduate student in G&ES come to the program with variety of backgrounds.  Prior academic work in geography and/or environmental studies is preferred but not necessary.  Those without an equivalent of five courses (including the two survey courses: G&ES 104 and G&ES 150) will be required to take extra courses from the undergraduate curriculum before or shortly after admisson. Those courses are determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account both academic and non-academic experience.

An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 is required and good performance in foundation courses is necessary for admission. Courses taken to improve GPA or to satisfy course deficiencies must be approved by the G&ES Graduate Coordinator and they will not satisfy credit hour requirements of the graduate program. A proficiency exam for World Geography (G&ES 104: a common deficiency), is offered Fall and Spring terms by early request to the Graduate Coordinator.

Where to Apply

Send applications directly to the Graduate College. The application materials may be picked up from the Graduate College's office on the 4th floor of the Classroom Building or apply on-line from the College's web site. The College will screen students on the basis of application materials, which will include the application form, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a resume where appropriate. A two-page typewritten paper explaining the student's academic interest in the program must be included.

The Graduate College and the Graduate Coordinator will each assess the student's documents to determine the status of the application: Full Admission, Conditional Admission, Deferred, or Denied. If Full or Conditional Admission, graduate student status begins the following term. Thereafter qualifying coursework automatically applies toward the degree. If admission is deferred, it simply means either the GPA or quantity of course background is insufficient for admission at this time; contact the Graduate Coordinator for specific instructions. Many students who are initially deferred go on to complete the program successfully.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 9 hours of graduate credit taken at another institution may be transferred in to the program if they meet the approval of the Department and the Graduate College. Course content, grade, and recency of completion are considered in the decision. The course shall not have been applied toward any degree, but shall have qualified as a graduate level course at the institution where it was taken.

A maximum of 9 credit hours may be taken in departments other than G&ES at Northeastern Illinois University. These must be graduate level courses, not applied to another degree. Also, they must be approved by the Department and Graduate College.

A maximum of 6 graduate level credit hours taken as an undergraduate senior at NEIU may be applied to the program, provided they were not used toward another degree, that they were graduate credits, and are approved by the Department and the Graduate College.

Waived Requirements

A student who has taken undergraduate coursework which may satisfy a Master's program requirement -- for example, statistics or a techniques course -- may petition the Graduate Coordinator to waive the requirement. If this is done, associated credit hours must be fulfilled with other approved courses. Only graduate level courses will satisfy the credit requirement.