Admission to Graduate Studies

Students who wish to enroll in graduate studies must be admitted officially to graduate studies on formal application. To allow sufficient time for processing, notice of acceptance, and program approval, completed application forms together with other required materials including official transcripts — should be filed with the Office of Graduate Admissions well in advance of the opening date of registration for the term. Registration for a term is based on satisfaction of requirements for admission and enrollment prior to the close of the registration period for that term.

Acceptance for admission is based on the program objective declared in the application. Request for a change of original purpose — either before or after enrollment — is cleared through the dean of the college in which the program is offered. Applicants accepted for admission who do not enroll must contact the Office of Graduate Admissions to update their application.

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Requirements for Graduate Admission

Consideration for admission to graduate studies is based on the following:

  1. Official application and one-time, non-refundable $50 application fee.
  2. Possession of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate field of study from an institution that is accredited by one of the six U.S. regional accrediting associations, by one of the agencies recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education, or by an appropriate governmental agency in the country in which the institution is located. Educator preparation majors should contact the college dean concerning restrictions that may apply. Any exceptions to this policy require the approval of the dean of the college in which the graduate major is housed.
  3. Submission of official transcripts of credit—undergraduate or graduate—from degree granting institution that qualifies the student for admission to graduate studies. Additional transcript requirements may vary by college in which the program is offered (see “College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering”, “Sanders College of Business and Technology”, “College of Education and Human Sciences”, or “Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions.”) Students receiving financial aid may be required to submit official transcripts from each college previously attended, whether or not a degree was granted from that institution. For more information contact Student Financial Services. Students who have earned all credits at The University of North Alabama or students seeking admission as transient students do not need to submit transcripts; however, transient students must submit the required letter of approval from the parent school. The acceptance of official transcripts and other documents submitted for admission to any graduate program may be subject to verification and authentication.
  4. Approval from the graduate program department through satisfactory test scores, scholastic achievement, preparatory coursework, or other requirements additionally specified by the particular college in which the program is offered.
  5. College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering Admission Requirements
  6. Sanders College of Business and Technology Admission Requirements
  7. College of Education and Human Sciences Admission Requirements
  8. Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions Admission Requirements

Non-Degree Seeking Graduate Unclassified Students

Eligible applicants who wish to enroll for advanced credits only — as distinct from pursuing a degree — may be admitted unconditionally or conditionally as unclassified students for such coursework as prior preparation permits. Admission and enrollment requires the approval of the dean of the college in which the course or courses are offered. No assurance is given that credit earned while in unclassified status may subsequently be applied to a degree or certification program or be transferable to another institution. A change from unclassified to regular status or a change in certification objectives requires a new application and is subject to current regulations and standards. Unclassified students are subject to all academic requirements and regulations applicable to degree seeking students and are limited to enrollment in a maximum of 12 semester hours. Any exceptions to this policy require the approval of the dean of the college in which the graduate major is housed.

UNA Nondiscrimination Statement

UNA adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in public institutions of higher education.  UNA will not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student or applicant for admission on the basis of race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status or any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law, including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any resolution process on campus or within the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or other human rights agencies.  UNA policies specifically prohibit the discrimination on the basis of sex under Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972, Title IX regulations including C.F.R. 106. Inquiries related to the application of Title IX may be made to the UNA Title IX Coordinator and Compliance Administrator or the Assistant Secretary of Education in the Office for Civil Rights.

UNA policies cover nondiscrimination in employment and in access to educational opportunities. Therefore, any member of the campus community who acts to deny, deprive or limit the educational, employment, residential and/or social access, benefits and/or opportunities of any member of the campus community, guest or visitor on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in the protected classes listed above is in violation of this UNA statement on nondiscrimination. The University will consider, through appropriate and designated procedures, the report of any member of the university community who has reason to believe he/she has been affected by discrimination as listed above. Non-members of the campus community who engage in discriminatory actions within university programs or on university property are not under the jurisdiction of this policy, but can be subject to actions that limit their access and/or involvement with university programs as the result of their misconduct. All vendors serving the university through third-party contracts are subject by those contracts to the policies and procedures of their employers.

Reports of sex-or gender-based discrimination may be made to UNA Title IX, UNA Box 5023, 202 Guillot University Center, Florence, AL 35632, 256-765-4223, titleix@una.edu.

Reports of other forms of discrimination may be reported to the following areas:

Reports may also be submitted through the Student Complaint Process available at https://www.una.edu/policies/appeals/student-complaint-form.html.

Graduate Transfer Students

Students who are in good standing in graduate programs at other recognized graduate schools, and who satisfy basic admission requirements, may be admitted as transfer students. Requests for transfer credit should be initiated by the student with the designated graduate advisor’s approval. Acceptance of graduate credit by transfer is normally limited to six semester hours of B or higher grades in graduate work appropriate to the degree program at UNA. Exceptions must be approved by the appropriate graduate program coordinator/director, department chair, and college dean. Individual graduate programs may specify predetermined limits in their section of this catalog. Acceptance of credit by transfer does not affect the quality point status required on work attempted at the University of North Alabama. Residence requirements are not applicable to graduate programs. All transfer students are subject to UNA’s scholastic standards. If these standards are not met, further academic action will be necessary.

Graduate Transient Students

Graduate students in good standing at other recognized graduate schools may, upon the advance written approval of the graduate dean or other appropriate official at the parent school, enroll as transient students in courses for graduate credit for which approved and for which prerequisites have been satisfied. Students applying for transient admission are not required to submit official transcripts, but the letter of approval from the parent school must be submitted prior to registration for the term.

Undergraduate Student Approvals

Acceptance of Seniors to Take Graduate Courses

A senior student at the University of North Alabama who is within one semester of graduation with a 3.0 cumulative GPA may request approval to take up to six semester hours of graduate classes.  (Additional requirements may vary by college in which the program is offered: see “Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions”, “College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering”, "Sanders College of Business and Technology”, or “College of Education and Human Sciences.”) To better promote UNA 3+1+1, 3.5+1 bachelor to master and 1+1 master to master double degree programs, international studies from UNA Global Partner Universities may request approval to take 6-9 hours of graduate classes. Requests should be submitted to the dean of the college in which the graduate program is housed. Graduate coursework used to complete a teacher certification program may not be applied to a certification program at a higher level. The acceptability of graduate credit earned in this manner is conditional upon:

  1. satisfactory completion of undergraduate requirements;
  2. satisfactory work on the graduate course(s) for which enrolled; and
  3. a student’s total load cannot exceed 18 semester hours.

Any exceptions to this policy require the approval of the dean of the college in which the graduate program is housed. Enrollment in graduate courses does not constitute acceptance into a graduate program.

Accelerated Master's Program

The Accelerate Master's Program (AMP) offers qualified UNA undergraduate students the opportunity to enroll in graduate coursework that can be applied concurrently to an undergraduate and graduate degree. Students may earn up to a maximum of 9 graduate credit hours toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree at undergraduate tuition rate.

Eligible UNA undergraduate students participating in the AMP program must submit a formal application to graduate studies. See the departmental sections of the Graduate Catalog for program specific admission requirements. The graduate application fee is waived for AMP participants. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 256.765.4447 or amp@una.edu for more information.

Colleges/departments that participate in the AMP program:

Appeal of Admission Denial

Applicants who have been denied admission to a UNA graduate program may appeal this decision by submitting a written letter of appeal to the dean of the college to which they applied. This letter of appeal should state the reasons for reconsideration of the decision. The dean will review the appeal, make a judgment regarding the request, and inform the applicant and the academic department. Should applicants wish to appeal the decision of the dean, they may request a hearing with the Faculty Appeals Committee of the college. Upon hearing the case, the Faculty Appeals Committee will, within 10 calendar days, uphold the decision or refer it back to the college dean for further review. In either case, the college dean is responsible for notifying the student of the final disposition of the case. Appeals must be submitted within 60 calendar days of notification of denial of admission.

International Admissions

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The University of North Alabama welcomes motivated and qualified international students to pursue graduate studies offered at the four colleges of UNA: College of Arts Sciences, and Engineering; Sanders College of Business and Technology; College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. For program specific admission requirements, see information listed under College/ Department in this Graduate Catalog. International students, defined as individuals who are not U.S. citizens, permanent residents or refugees, may apply for admission under the following categories:

Graduate

International students with a BA or BS degree who have met the English proficiency requirement may apply for regular admission. Application deadline: 30 days prior to first day of semester. Graduate students admitted to the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited program in the United States and an unencumbered license to practice professional nursing in the States in addition to all other admissions criteria.

Admission Requirements

  • Official Application

  • $100 Application Fee

  • Official Degree Sheet in English

  • Complete Official Transcript in English

  • Official TOEFL/IELTS/TOEIC/PTE score or UNA ESL certificate (TOEFL PBT 550 or IBT 79 or CBT 213, IELTS 6.0)

  • Official GMAT/GRE or Master’s Degree from accredited university (GMAT 400-450 or equivalent GRE for MBA; satisfactory GRE or MAT score as defined by program in the departmental section of this catalog, Arts and Sciences)

Transfer Graduate 

International students with earned graduate course credits from another college or university in U.S. or abroad may apply to UNA as a transfer graduate student. See Transfer Admission for additional regulations outlining acceptance of transfer credit. Application deadline: 45 days prior to first day of semester.

International graduate students with earned graduate course credit from UNA Global Partner Universities may transfer more than six (6) semester hours of B or higher grades to meet the graduate program requirements at UNA.  A list of courses from the home institution will be pre-approved by the respective UNA college dean based on the review of course descriptions provided by each UNA Global Partner University. 

Admission Requirements

Official Application

  • $100 Application Fee
  • Official Degree Sheet in English
  • Complete Official Transcript in English
    (If a transcript does not list the credit hours and grade for each course taken, a course-by-course evaluation of the transcript is required by an approved international credentials evaluator such as WES, ECE, etc.)
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS score or UNA ESL certificate (TOEFL PBT 550 or IBT 79 or CBT 213, IELTS 6.0, TOEIC 670, PTE 54)
  • Official GMAT/GRE or Master’s Degree from accredited university (GMAT 400-450 or equivalent for MBA, MAT 388, or combined Verbal/Quantitative 286, Arts and Sciences)

Conditional Graduate

International students who do not meet the English language proficiency requirement at the time of submitting the application can be admitted as conditional graduate students. They are permitted to apply for graduate status upon successful completion of all Level 5 ESL courses at UNA. Application deadline: 30 days prior to first day of semester.

Admission Requirements

  • Official Application
  • $100 Application Fee
  • Official Degree Sheet in English
  • Complete Official Transcript in English

Online Graduate

International students who meet all program admission requirements may enroll in online degree or certificate programs offered by UNA. Additional admission criteria are required for the online nursing programs.

Admission Requirements

  • Official Application
  • $100 Application Fee
  • Official Degree Sheet in English
  • Complete Official Transcript in English

Application Requirements

In compliance with accreditation standards, all admission documents such as high school, college diploma, and university degree sheet must be official. UNA does not require the original diploma or degree sheet, but a copy of the original documents must be notarized or attested. The notary or attester must be provided by the school or university attended, by a government official, or by a government-approved notary firm. Copies of nonnotarized documents, scanned, or faxed documents will not be accepted.

In addition to the admission requirements listed above under each category, international students must meet all established University admission requirements and submit the following

  • Proof of Financial Support: All international students must furnish official evidence (e.g., bank statements) of sufficient funds (US $24,000 or equivalent currency) to cover educational and living expenses. If a student is sponsored by someone other than his/her parents, the following two letters are required: an official bank letter from the sponsor’s bank showing sufficient funds that meet the sponsorship requirement and a letter from the student’s sponsor stating that s/he is willing to sponsor the student. Private sponsored applicants should have their sponsor(s) (if the sponsor is in the U.S.) execute and send an Affidavit of Support (USCIS Form I-134) which is legally binding. Government sponsored applicants should submit a government scholarship letter.
  • Insurance: To be in compliance with U.S. Federal Regulations regarding international students, all UNA international students must have UNA approved health insurance coverage while enrolled at UNA.
  • Evaluation of International Transcripts: International students who have attended a college or a university outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by a university-approved international credentials evaluator such as World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), etc.
    All Colleges at UNA, except the College of Business, require a WES or ECE evaluation of the student’s transcript before the student can be admitted to graduate programs. Students applying for the MBA program do not have to provide a WES evaluation if they have a verifiable bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
  • Application Fee: It is the policy of UNA that a non-refundable $100 international application fee must be paid before an application is processed. Students completing ESL and going into undergraduate or graduate degree programs are not required to pay the $100 application fee again. Students moving from undergraduate to graduate are required to pay the $100 application fee again.
  • Tests: UNA’s Education Testing Service Code is 1735
    For graduate admission, one of the following score reports is required:
    • Paper-based TOEFL:  550
    • Computer-Based TOEFL: 213
    • Internet-Based TOEFL: 79
    • IELTS: 6
    • TOEIC 670
    • PTE 54
      In addition to the above English language proficiency requirement, graduate applicants must also provide one of the following test score reports:
    • GRE score equivalent to GMAT 400-450
    • GMAT: 400-450
    • MAT: 388 or combined Verbal/Quantitative 286 (Arts and Sciences)

**English proficiency test waiver: A waiver is automatically granted to an applicant when their education is from countries where English is recognized as an official/native language, or they have a degree from the United States.

Change of Start Term

Graduate applicants may request to change the start term of admission by submitting a request to UNA Graduate Admissions (graduate@una.edu or https://una.edu/apply/). Admission to the university is valid for one year after the original start term. Requests to start before original start term for any graduate programs must be approved by the department chair or program coordinator. Requests to alter the original start term for doctoral programs, and the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) Family Nurse Practitioner track, must be approved by the department chair or program coordinator. Any exceptions to this policy require the approval of the dean of the college in which the graduate program is housed.

Change of Graduate Program

Students may only pursue one graduate degree at UNA at a given time unless it is a university-approved joint-curriculum degree program. Graduate applicants previously admitted to the university may request to change graduate programs by submitting a new graduate application (una.edu/graduate). The addition of a graduate certificate/micro-credential to a graduate degree program must be approved by the department chair or program coordinator. Any exceptions to this policy require the approval of the deans of the colleges.

Readmission Policies

Readmission of Former Students

Students who remain continuously enrolled (summer term excluded) are approved for registration each semester or term as long as they maintain the required academic standards.

Students who do not enroll for two or more consecutive semesters (summer term excluded) must reapply. Admissions applications are available online. Students who reapply for admission are subject to all published application deadlines and requirements. If a student attends another institution prior to readmission to UNA, the student must provide an official transcript from the other institution if they want the coursework taken at that institution to be evaluated for acceptable transfer credit to UNA.

Readmission for Military Service Members

The University of North Alabama (UNA) acknowledges that students may be temporarily unable to attend classes or be required to suspend their studies in order to perform military service.  UNA encourages such students to resume their education once a military service obligation has ended and adopts this policy to ensure the timely readmission of such students.

In accordance with federal regulations, 34 C.F.R. 668.18 and the Department of Defense (DOD) Voluntary Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the university will promptly readmit service members who seek readmission to a program that was interrupted due to a uniformed service obligation.

Student Responsibility

The student must provide oral or written notice of a uniformed service obligation to the Veterans Service Center as far in advance as possible, unless precluded by military necessity.  Such notice does not need to indicate when the student will return to the university.

Tuition and Fees

A returning student must be charged the same tuition and fees in effect during the last academic year the student attended, unless veteran's education benefits or other service member education benefits will pay the amount in excess. For subsequent academic years, the returning student may not be charged tuition and fees in excess of what other students in the program are charged.

Readmission Requirements

A returning student will be permitted to re-enroll in the next semester scheduled in the same academic program, unless the student requests a later date of re-enrollment or agrees to a different program. He or she will be admitted with the same number of credit hours or clock hours previously completed, unless the student is readmitted to a different program to which the completed credit hours or clock hours are not transferable, and with the same academic standing the student previously had.

If the university determines that a returning student is not prepared to resume the program or is unable to complete the program, the university must make reasonable efforts to enable the student to resume or complete the program at no additional cost to the student. If such efforts are unsuccessful or place an undue hardship on the university, the university is not required to readmit the student.

In accordance with federal regulations, returning student who receive a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves) are not eligible for readmission under this policy. However, service members who receive dishonorable or bad conduct discharge may remain eligible for readmission even though they will not be entitled to the benefits outlined in this policy.