UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE & SOCIETY (ECS)
MASTER'S APPLICATION GUIDE

1. Purpose of admissions criteria and purposes

The purpose of admissions is to secure a student body with the following general characteristics:

    • High intellectual ability

    • A serious interest in educational improvement

    • Good ability to express themselves in English, both orally and in writing

    • Diverse backgrounds and perspectives

This purpose determines the criteria the Graduate Committee considers when making admission decisions. The Committee will review, and applicants are urged to submit, any evidence relevant to these criteria.

 

2. Application and Admission to the Graduate School

A. Academic Requirements

The following criteria will be applied to all applicants for the Master’s program. Meeting these minimum does not guarantee admission, since openings are limited.

  1. A valid Bachelor's degree from an accredited University or College.

  2. A 3.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE IN PREVIOUS UNDERGRADUATE WORK, ON A 4.0 SCALE. Sometimes the average for the last two years only will be considered.

  3. Students failing to meet the standard listed in (2) above might still be admitted if they possess other skills, talents, or experiences that, in the judgment of the Department Graduate Committee, compensate for the more traditional academic requirements. Diverse cultural background or public school teaching experience are two factors that could be considered.

B. Application Deadlines 

Decisions on admission will be made as follows. Note that the University materials must be received a month before the department materials.

  1. Admission decisions are made once a year in the Spring. All department admission materials must be received by February 15 th.
  2. To have your application considered for the above date, the University application is due to the Graduate Admissions Office by January 15 th .
  3. Applicants not admitted to the semester for which they are applying must re-apply for admission to the Graduate School and the re-admission fee of $35.
  4. All students admitted to the graduate program are required to matriculate beginning in the Fall
 

The ADMISSION PROCESS occurs in two stages: the University level and the Department level. Different forms and data must be submitted to each.

1. University Level -- University of Utah Admissions Office (SSB250)

A. File Application for Admission to Graduate School. Return the completed form to the University Admissions Office along with the admission fee of $45.00 ($65.00 for International Students). University application should be filed at least 30 days before departmental deadline.

B. Transcripts. Arrange for the Transcript Office of each college previously attended (other than the University of Utah) to send one official transcript directly to the University of Utah Admissions Office (SSB250).

DO NOT SEND ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO EDUCATION, CULTURE & SOCIETY.

C. Students whose first language is not English are required to submit scores from the TOEFL exam. A minimum score of 650 is required. An official TOEFL score should be sent directly to the International Admissions Office (SSB250).

2. Department Level -- Department of Education, Culture & Society Graduate Office (MBH307).

A. Complete Departmental Application. This form describes your professional and educational background for the Committee. It includes a brief statement describing the kind of professional and academic studies you hope to undertake. The Departmental Admissions Committee pays close attention to this statement. Please prepare it with care and consideration.

B. Three Letters of Recommendation. These should be completed by people familiar with your academic interests and abilities. Letters from professors and professionals in a supervisory role are most influential; those from teachers, friends and neighbors are much less valuable. Forms should be mailed directly to the Department Graduate Office at the following address:

University of Utah Department of Education, Culture & Society
Academic Program Specialist
1705 E Campus Center Dr MBH Rm 307
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9256

C. The Department does NOT require MAT or GRE test scores. However, if you feel that a GRE or MAT test score would provide useful information to the Department Admissions committee and would like to include a test score in your application file, please have your scores forwarded to our Department prior to the admissions deadline.

D. A brief interview with a departmental faculty member preferably the Director of the Graduate Program, is recommended but not required. The student should use this interview to ask any questions he/she might have about specific courses and areas of study.

 

The above data will be considered by the Committee on Graduate Programs of the Department of Education, Culture & Society, who will use their best professional judgment to reach decisions. All the evidence is considered together; there is no automatic minimum cutoff, and some factors may outweigh others in the judgment of the committee. A recommendation will be sent to the University Graduate School, where the Graduate Admissions Office will make the final decision and notify the student by mail.

 

3. Statement of Student Responsibility

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT TO SEE THAT ALL ADMISSION MATERIALS, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND TEST SCORES, ARE IN THE ADMISSIONS FILE PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE & SOCIETY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADMISSION MATERIALS SENT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS OR SUBMITTED LATE. YOU WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE IF YOUR FILE IS INCOMPLETE; THEREFORE, PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM SPECIALIST OF THE DEPARTMENT TO SEE THAT YOUR MATERIALS HAVE ARRIVED. THE DEPARTMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO REVIEW AN INCOMPLETE FILE, OR TO CONSIDER ANY MATERIALS ARRIVING AFTER THE DEADLINE.

 

4. Appeal Procedure

Granting a reconsideration of admission decisions is not automatic upon request. You may submit an appeal in writing to the Director of Graduate Programs within two weeks of the date of the letter informing you of the committee decision. The only legitimate reason for granting an appeal is incorrect reporting of data or an oversight by the committee. Students may see their files (with the exception of confidential materials) in the presence of the Director of Graduate Programs, by appointment.

 

5. Admission Checklist

Graduate Admissions Office (SSB250):

______ Obtain university application form from SSB250 or MBH307 and submit to the Admissions Office (SSB250). This application should be submitted at least 30 days prior to departmental deadlines.

______ One official transcript must be sent directly to the Admissions Office from all colleges you have attended. Your application will not be forwarded to our department until all transcripts are received.

DO NOT SEND ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO EDUCATION, CULTURE & SOCIETY.

______ If your first language is not English, arrange to have the TOEFL taken and the official results sent to the Graduate Admissions Office.

______ Obtain departmental application form from the Graduate Office, complete it, and return it to MBH307.

______ Obtain departmental recommendation forms (three copies). Arrange for them to be completed and sent directly to the Graduate Office (MBH307).

______ If you wish to include test scores from the GRE or MAT in your application file, arrange to take the GRE or MAT and have the results sent to the Graduate Office (MBH307). The GRE is administered approximately every 8 weeks; you must preregister approximately 5 weeks before the exam is given; and it takes 4 - 6 weeks for the Department to get the results. The Testing Center (SSB498, 581-8733) has the schedule for each year's GRE tests. The MAT (Miller's Analogies Test) is given Tuesdays and Thursdays on campus. To register for the test, call two days in advance to have your name placed on the roster. You should arrive approximately 10-15 minutes prior to the test with two forms of i.d. (one with a picture) and the $40.00 fee. The Department gets the results in about two to four weeks (again, neither of these test is required).

______Toefl test score is required for international students.

______Arrange interview with faculty member or the Director of Graduate Programs (this is optional/not required).

 

6. Description of Master's Programs

The Department of Education, Culture & Society offers a Master of Education, Master of Arts, and Master of Science degree. In deciding whether to pursue an M.Ed. or M.A./M.S., you should consider your professional and academic objectives. The M.Ed. offers integrated course sequences generally organized around more practical concerns of teaching and learning. The M.A. and M.S. offer greater flexibility, and are geared more toward gaining research knowledge and expertise. The M.Ed. culminates in a final examination that involves reviewing and synthesizing graduate program course work and experiences; the

M.A. and M.S. culminate in a thesis, which involves completing a study that is an original contribution to research knowledge.

The difference between these programs is not strict; it will be possible to pursue multiple goals regardless of the degree option you choose. For this reason, all Master's students are initially admitted to the M.Ed. program. Those who wish to pursue an M.A or and M.S. may apply to the graduate committee after completing nine hours of course work in the department.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS CAN BE ADDRESSED TO THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM SPECIALIST (587-7814) OR DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS, (AUDREY THOMPSON, 587-7803). WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

(revised 03/20/07)