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6 TOWSON UNIVERSITYLetter from the Associate Dean,College of Graduate Studies and ResearchTowson University introduced its first graduate degree program, a master’s in elementaryeducation, in 1958. Since then, the graduate program has grown to offer nearly 80 graduatedegrees and certificate programs, including five doctoral degree programs, serving more than4,000 students. The College of Graduate Studies and Research continues to help thousands stayahead of change and in top demand by offering programs in the liberal and fine arts, teachereducation, allied health fields, computer and information technology, natural sciences, socialsciences, various professional disciplines and interdisciplinary areas.The full- and part-time programs are led by nationally prominent faculty members who combine theory and applied, practical knowledge while encouraging collaboration on researchprojects and creative productions. Students have the opportunity to learn in an environmentcomplemented by the diverse perspectives and experiences of their peers, who hail from a variety of geographic locations, cultures and ethnic backgrounds.As Maryland’s Metropolitan University, TU offers a valuable, yet affordable education thatblends advanced levels of study with innovative conveniences. Graduate students may registeronline, utilize academic and career services and enjoy small class sizes and an accessible faculty.Classes are offered during the day and in the evening at the suburban Baltimore campus and atoff-site locations in Harford, Baltimore, Montgomery and St. Mary’s counties. Some of thegraduate programs are now available partially or fully online.In 2009-2010, TU was awarded 30 million in research grants and contracts. These fundshave enabled TU to offer research opportunities to its students, support the scholarly activitiesof its faculty, and engage in partnerships with business, community and government agencies.As the demands of the work force change, the College of Graduate Studies and Research willstrive to prepare its students by offering a sound balance of theory and application and willcontinue doing what it does best—bringing teaching and learning together to provide an excellent learning experience.Lawrence ShirleyProfessor of MathematicsAssociate Dean, College of Graduate Studies and Research

TOWSON UNIVERSITY7THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCHEnrollment in the Graduate School has continued to grow, with the 2010 fall student headcount at 4311. A team of administrators andstaff in the college is committed to providingstudents with quality educational programs atthe post-baccalaureate level and the highestlevel of student support services.Overall, the unique aspect of TU’s graduateeducation is providing students with cuttingedge courses and programs of study to developthe specific skills and knowledge needed bycareer professionals. TU has accepted the challenge set out by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to provideinnovative graduate courses and programsthat respond to specific state, regional andnational work-force demands. Moreover,many enrolled graduate students are workingfull time, so graduate courses are offered atconvenient times and at off-campus sites aswell as at the main TU campus. Also, some ofthe courses are offered online.TU currently offers nearly 80 graduate programs at the certificate, master’s and doctorallevels. In addition, the College of GraduateStudies and Research will develop moreapplied graduate programs as the needs ofstudents, businesses and the community continue to grow. Faculty from across the university community work together in graduateeducation. Many of the faculty members arerenowned scholars who encourage graduatestudents to collaborate on faculty researchprojects and creative productions.To provide the best possible education forits graduate students the College of GraduateStudies and Research is guided by its visionand mission for graduate education.Graduate Studies CommitteeThe Graduate Studies Committee, a committee of the University Senate, determines Graduate School policy and is responsible forgraduate curriculum and standards. The voting membership comprises six members of thefaculty (one from each academic college), twograduate program directors and two graduatestudents. The dean and associate dean of theCollege of Graduate Studies and Research andthe director of the library are ex-officio members. The Graduate Studies Committee alsohears student appeals that are related to academic matters. The appeals process is describedin Appendix E.AdministrationThe dean and staff of the College of GraduateStudies and Research administer the GraduateSchool and implement the policies establishedby the Graduate Studies Committee. On allmatters of curriculum and academic requirements for individual graduate programs, thefaculty contacts are the graduate programdirectors.Graduate School OfficeThe office, located on the second floor of 7800York Road, is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.(except for scheduled holidays). During registration, the office is open in the eveningaccording to the registration schedule. Formore information, contact:Graduate School OfficeTowson University8000 York RoadTowson, MD towson.edu

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PROCEDURES AND POLICIES9Procedures and PoliciesAPPLICATION AND ADMISSION TOTHE GRADUATE SCHOOLThe application process is administered throughthe Graduate School. To request a completeadmissions package, contact the GraduateSchool at 410-704-2501, 1-888-4TOWSON orgrads@towson.edu. To apply online, please visithttp://grad.towson.edu.The Graduate School at Towson Universityadmits applicants whose academic and personal qualifications give promise of success ingraduate study. The applicant must hold abaccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or from a Marylandcollege or university that is approved by theMaryland Higher Education Commission, orthe equivalent of this degree from anothercountry. Any student taking classes on theTowson University campus or any off-sitelocation administered by the University System of Maryland must meet the university’simmunization policies prior to registration.If a specific application deadline is not notedon the program’s requirements, please assumethe program has rolling admissions. However,in the case of rolling admissions, please note thatin order to ensure timely processing for all documents prior to a term beginning, we ask thatall completed application materials be submitted by August 1 for fall admission, December 1for spring admission, and May 1 for summeradmission. While we will continue to acceptapplications and materials after these dates, wecannot guarantee that your application will bereviewed in time for the start of classes.Full AdmissionStudents admitted to full status must meet thebasic minimum requirements of the GraduateSchool plus the additional requirements of theindividual program.In order to meet the basic minimum requirements for full admission to the GraduateSchool an applicant must have 1) earned abaccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of3.00 (on a 4-point scale) in either the cumulative units of the degree or the last 60 credits ofthe degree or 2) earned a master’s degree ordoctorate from a regionally accredited collegeor university.In cases where the above minimum standards are not met, the last 60 credits mayinclude courses taken beyond the baccalaureate degree that are 300-level or higher. Coursesused for admissions purposes may not beapplied toward the graduate degree.Since some individual programs may haveadditional requirements and enrollmentrestrictions, meeting the above minimumrequirements may not ensure admission to aspecific program. Please refer to the programlisting for specific requirements.Conditional AdmissionAdmission with conditions may be granted toapplicants whose academic achievement doesnot meet the standard required for regularadmission or whose department requirementsare incomplete. See individual programdescriptions for specific requirements. Students admitted to a program with conditionsmust satisfy requirements and correct anydeficiencies as determined by the programdirector. The letter of admission containsinstructions requiring the student to discussthe conditions with the program director.Requirements that must be completed to continue in the program, and the timetable forcompleting the requirements, are listed on aletter prepared by the program director andsent to the student.Exception to PolicyAn applicant who is a professional with significant work experience in a field relevant tothe program and whose undergraduate degreewas obtained at least 10 years prior to his or

10 PROCEDURES AND POLICIESher application to the Graduate School maypetition the dean of the Graduate School for anexception to policy regarding the minimumGPA. This request should include documentation of at least five years of successful workexperience in the relevant field and at least twoletters of recommendation supporting therequest from relevant supervisors. The petitionwill be reviewed by the program director whowill assess the applicant’s qualification for theprogram and will inform the dean in writing ofhis or her recommendation for conditionaladmission.Non-Degree EnrollmentStudents may elect to enroll for graduatecourses as non-degree students. Students generally choose non-degree status when 1) theiracademic goal is not completion of a degree orcertificate program; 2) they wish to begincourse work prior to final evaluation of theircredentials for admission to a program; or 3)they have been denied admission to a programbut choose to take selected courses. Nondegree students should be aware that manydepartments limit entry to courses at the 600level to fully matriculated students enrolled ina specific graduate program. Degree seekingcandidates have priority for registration abovenon-degree students. Non-degree studentswho wish to take courses above the 600 levelmay do so after a transcript evaluation.Requests for an evaluation should be directedto the associate dean. Some courses are available to degree-seeking candidates only. Students should consult the department if thereare questions. A limit of 12 units, taken whilea non-degree student, may be applied to adegree program with the approval of the program director. Students holding an F1 Visa arenot eligible for non-degree status. Non-degreestudents are not eligible for financial aid.International ApplicantsTo ensure the timely processing of visa documents, the application and all accompanyingdocuments for international students livingabroad must be received no later than April 15for the fall term and October 15 for the springterm. Applicants who are residing in theUnited States should submit their materials nolater than July 1 for the fall term and November 15 for the spring term. Applicants mustalso adhere to program-specific deadlines.The Graduate School requires that applicants who have attended institutions outsidethe United States submit to the GraduateSchool an official copy of their educationalrecords plus an assessment of their recordsfrom a credential-evaluating service center.The assessment should include a course-bycourse evaluation of the student’s academicrecords, including the degree received andGPA. This assessment usually takes three tofour weeks and should be sent directly to theGraduate School.Among the authorized credential evaluationservice centers are:AACRAOAmerican Association of CollegiateRegistrars and Admissions OfficersForeign Credential ServicesOne Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 520Washington, DC 20036t. 202-296-3359 f. 202-822-3940www.aacrao.orgASCISSAmerican Service Center forInternational Students and Scholars, Inc.P.O. Box 250Hunt Valley, MD 21030t. 410-370-8092 f. 410-785-6638www.asciss.orgWESWorld Education ServicesBowling Green StationP.O. Box 5087New York, NY 10274-5087t. 212-966-6311 f. 212-739-6100www.wes.orgEnglish ProficiencyInternational students must provide verification of their English competency by submitting

PROCEDURES AND POLICIESan English assessment report for either theIELTS or TOEFL testing systems.Unless otherwise noted, students who haveearned their baccalaureate degree or a higherdegree from an accredited U.S. college or university may be eligible to have the requirementof TOEFL and IELTS scores waived.IELTS (International English LanguageTesting System)A minimum score of 6.0 is required for admission, except where noted. Information regarding the IELTS testing system is availableonline: http://www.ielts.org. Also, studentsresiding in the United States may write to thetesting center directly or contact:IELTS International825 Colorado Boulevard, Suite 112t: 323-255-2771f: 323-255-1261Global inquiries: Please see the IELTS webpage for more information.TOEFL (Test of English as a ForeignLanguage)A minimum score of 550 on the written test ora total score of 79 on the iBT (Internet-based)test is required for admission.Information about the TOEFL test is available online at http://www.toefl.org, or students may contact ETS directly:TOEFLEducational Testing ServicePrinceton, NJ, 08540, USA.Towson’s institution code is 5404. A departmental code is not needed.Towson University is a test site for TOEFLand also administers an institutional TOEFLin the fall, spring and summer. Informationcan be obtained from Towson’s English Language Center at 410-704-2552. Visit ex.asp for additional visa and immigration information.Pre-Degree for International StudentsThe Graduate School offers international stu-11dents the opportunity to apply for admissionprior to the receipt of the bachelor’s degree.There are certain conditions under whichinternational students may apply for the statusof pre-degree. Pre-Degree admission does notguarantee that a student will be eligible toenroll for the intended admit term. All deadlines and requirements must be met, includingbut not limited to academic and immigrationrequirements, in order for a student to enrollat the university.Students receiving their final degree reportsby June 15 (October 1 for students seekingspring admission) should plan to fax a copy oftheir academic records, including the diplomastatement to the Graduate office. Studentsreceiving their final degree reports in Julyshould plan to request admission to the following spring term.Required: At the time of application, students will submit a credential evaluation oftheir academic records and a letter of verification from their college or university validatingthat the student will be eligible for graduationat the completion of the current term. The finaltranscript indicating conferral of a bachelor’slevel degree will be evaluated by the GraduateSchool. If students wish to have the I-20 formexpress mailed, express mailing charges andadministrative fees associated with this processwill be assessed. Students admitted prior to thereceipt of their bachelor’s degrees who areunable to obtain the necessary documents tobegin course work at Towson before the startof their admit term may request a deferment tothe next term. The request must be in writingto the Graduate International AdmissionsOffice. A deferment letter is sent to studentshowing the new starting term. The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) isnotified and can issue a new I-20 form to thestudent, if and when the student requests, forthe next term. Deferment I-20 forms will not beexpress mailed from the Graduate School.Admission Prior to ReceivingBaccalaureate DegreeAdmission to some programs may be grantedto seniors in their final term. Undergraduate

12 PROCEDURES AND POLICIESwork through the first term of the senior yearis evaluated; therefore, transcripts submittedmust include all grades through that term.Admission standing is subject to cancellationor change if the admission credentials remainincomplete or do not meet the requirementsfor admission upon receipt of the final transcript. Final transcripts showing degree conferral must be received by the GraduateSchool by the end of the student’s first term ofenrollment. Some programs have acceleratedmaster’s degree programs in which undergraduates are allowed to begin their graduate work. These are described in the individual program sections.Graduate Work by Seniors at TUSeniors at TU may register for a maximum of6 units of graduate study (500 level coursesrecommended) if they meet the following criteria: 1) the graduate courses must be inexcess of the units required for the bachelor’sdegree; 2) the student submits to the GraduateSchool Office, in advance of registration, awritten reques

Feb 16, 2012 · Towson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher . Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (267) 284-5000. The university is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools and the