Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate studies (see General Regulations and Procedures), each program within the College of Education and Human Sciences has specific requirements for admission. Teacher education programs require the submission of the following: undergraduate and graduate official transcript(s) from degree-conferring institutions; a copy of each valid Alabama Professional Educator Certificate; and, if applicable, verification of successful full-time P-12 teaching experience from an employing Alabama superintendent’s office (ALSDE Supplement EXP Form). Please refer to each program for a listing of specific admission requirements.

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International Transcripts

All graduate students who attended a college or university outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by a university-approved international credentials evaluator. Students applying for admission to any program that leads to certification as a teacher, school leader, or school counselor must have their international transcripts evaluated by one of the foreign-credential evaluation services recognized by the Alabama State Department of Education. Certification program applicants should contact the UNA Certification Officer or Office of International Affairs for a current listing of approved evaluators. Candidates for admission to non-certification programs should contact the appropriate department chair for approved transcript evaluation options and procedures.

Master of Arts in Education

Curriculum and Instruction (non certification)

  1. Scholastic achievement: minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate work for unconditional admission.
  2. Preparation:  must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate field of study from an institution that meets the general admission requirements for graduate study at UNA.
  3. Candidates with an overall grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate coursework may be conditionally admitted, but must successfully complete 12 hours achieving a GPA of 3.0 or above (with no grades below “B”) in order to be moved to unconditional status.
  4. International candidates must submit WES, ECE, or an approved international credential evaluation to determine if any additional prerequisite courses are needed. International candidates must also meet English language proficiency requirements with appropriate TOEFL/IELTS score or successful completion of UNA Academic English Program (AEP).

Early Childhood Education (P-3)

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Preparation: hold valid baccalaureate-level professional educator certification in early childhood education and satisfy the requirements for the Alabama Class B professional certificate. 
  3. ASBI/FBI background clearance. 
  4. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission to the program.  Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes. 
  5. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  6. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program. 

Elementary Education (K-6)

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Preparation: hold valid baccalaureate-level professional educator certification in elementary education and satisfy the requirements for the Alabama Class B professional certificate.
  3. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  4. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission to the program. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  5. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  6. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

International ESOL (non certification)

  1. Scholastic achievement: minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate work for unconditional admission.
  2. Preparation:  must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate field of study from an institution that meets the general admission requirements for graduate study at UNA.
  3. Candidates with an overall grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate coursework may be conditionally admitted, but must successfully complete 12 hours achieving a GPA of 3.0 or above (with no grades below “B”) in order to be moved to unconditional status.
  4. International candidates must submit WES, ECE, or an approved international credential evaluation to determine if any additional prerequisite courses are needed. International candidates must also meet English language proficiency requirements with appropriate TOEFL/IELTS score or successful completion of UNA Academic English Program (AEP).

Special Education: Collaborative Teacher K-6 and/or 6-12

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. 
  2. Preparation: hold valid baccalaureate-level professional educator certification in an appropriate teaching field and satisfy the requirements for the Alabama Class B professional certificate.
  3. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  4. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission to the program. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  5. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  6. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

Secondary Education, including P-12 Education

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Preparation: hold valid baccalaureate-level professional educator certification in the appropriate teaching field and satisfy the requirements for the Alabama Class B professional certificate.
  3. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  4. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission to the program. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  5. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  6. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

School Counseling (P-12)

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. Submission of the following is required: undergraduate transcripts from degree-conferring institutions and transcripts for all graduate work. A cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 is recommended. Candidates who have completed an advanced degree or whose undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or above are not required to submit test scores. Candidates whose undergraduate GPA is between 2.75 and 3.0 may be considered for admission by submitting test scores.
  2. Test scores: submission of satisfactory scores prior to admission on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or an appropriate Praxis II subject area test; recommended minimum score of 388 on the MAT, recommended minimum GRE scores of 146 on the Verbal and 140 on the Quantitative portions, or a passing score on an appropriate Praxis II subject area test. (See website for sliding scale of acceptable test scores and grades.)
  3. International credentials: candidates holding a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree or the equivalent from an institution outside the United States of America must submit a WES, ECE, or other ALSDE-approved credential evaluation.
  4. Prerequisite: hold valid Class B or Class A professional educator certification in a teaching field and complete two full years of full-time, satisfactory education experience at the P-12 level. Candidates without teacher certification and/or teaching experience may be admitted to the School Counseling major under the Track 2 CACREP Approach by meeting the following additional requirement: successful completion of the ASBI/FBI background clearance required of school personnel in Alabama.
  5. References: submit three (3) completed Recommendation for Admission forms (current/former instructors or supervisors preferred). Recommendation forms are available at counselored@una.edu  or by calling the Department of Counselor Education at 256-765-4763.
  6. Employment and volunteer activities: submit a personal resume that includes a record of employment and volunteer activities.
  7. Interview: successfully complete an interview with members of the Counselor Education faculty. When all required application documents have been received, the applicant will be contacted to schedule an interview.
  8. Candidates must be either accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program (AMP) or unconditionally admitted to the School Counseling program prior to enrolling in any coursework in the program.
  9. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  10. For program graduation, all School Counseling candidates must achieve passing scores on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) and the PRAXIS ll Professional School Counselor Examination (0421) and a minimum 3.25 grade point average. For certification, in addition to passing the Praxis ll and achieving a minimum 3.25 grade point average, Track-2 CACREP Approach candidates must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
  11. The Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling follows the University Graduate Grading Policy  in regard to satisfactory academic progress as a graduate student except for the overall grade average. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved School Counseling program is required for program graduation. 

Instructional Leadership (P-12) Degree Program

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. 
  2. Preparation: hold valid Class B or Class A professional educator certification in a teaching field or instructional support area.
  3. Preparation: have a minimum of three full years (or six full semesters) of full-time professional educational experience in a P-12 setting, which must include at least one full year of full-time P-12 teaching experience. This should be demonstrated via the Alabama Supplemental EXP form.  The Supplemental EXP form can be found at this site: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/9-SUPPLEMENT-EXP.pdf.  The form(s) should be completed by district central office and can be emailed to coehsgrad@una.edu.
  4. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  5. Portfolio: submit an admission portfolio. See link for portfolio requirements: https://bit.ly/3oqqFq6
  6. Interview: successfully complete an individual interview with University department faculty.
  7. Graduate coursework: candidates must be unconditionally admitted to a Class A Instructional Leadership program prior to enrolling in any Instructional Leadership (IL) coursework in the program.
  8. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  9. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

Alternative Class A Program

  1. Entrance exam requirement: A passing score on the appropriate Praxis II exam. (More information can be found at this site: https://www.ets.org/praxis/al/al_teacher_ed/)
  2. Degree and grade point average (GPA) requirement: a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited academic institution with a minimum overall GPA  of 2.75 (4.0 scale) documented on the official transcript from the degree-granting institution and must be the GPA that was used as the basis for granting the degree. If a graduate degree is used as the basis for admission to the Alternative Class A program, no graduate credit from that degree may be applied to the Alternative Class A program for certification purposes.
  3. For candidates with less than the recommended grade point average or test score, the Alabama State Department of Education may have an alternative test score requirement. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Department Advisor and/or Graduate Enrollment Coordinator to determine specifics on whether alternate requirements are available.
  4. Individuals applying for admission to the Alternative Class A program in Early Childhood Education shall have a passing score on the Elementary Education Multiple Subjects Praxis Exams (5001, 5002, 5003, 5004, & 5005) in order to meet the ALSDE 4x12 requirement for admission to the program. 
  5. The grade point average required for certification in the Alternative Class A program (upon graduating) is a 3.25 or above.
  6. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  7. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  8. If survey of special education course was completed prior to unconditional admission to the Alternative Class A program, another approved diversity course is required.
  9. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

Master of Arts Degree

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

  1. Scholastic achievement: a bachelor's degree or higher. Submission of the following is required: undergraduate transcripts from degree-conferring institutions and transcripts for all graduate work. A cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 is recommended. Candidates who have completed an advanced degree or whose undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or above are not required to submit test scores. Candidates whose undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0 may be considered for admission by submitting test scores. 
  2. Test scores: submission of satisfactory scores prior to admission on either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); recommended minimum score of 388 on the MAT or a minimum GRE score of 146 on the Verbal and 140 on the Quantitative portions of the exam. (See website for sliding scale of acceptable test scores and grades.)
  3. Candidates whose undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0 may be conditionally admitted if their test scores meet or exceed the recommended minimums noted in item 2 above. The candidate who is conditionally admitted may take no more than two courses per semester, and must successfully complete 12 hours of graduate credit achieving a grade point average of 3.0 or above in order to be moved to unconditional status. All courses must be in the Department of Counselor Education. After completing a minimum of 12 credit hours and no more than 15 credit hours in Counselor Education coursework, the student must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better. Failure to obtain this grade point average will result in the student being dismissed from the program.
  4. International credentials: candidates holding a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree, or the equivalent from an institution outside the United States of America must submit a WES, ECE, or other approved international credential evaluation.
  5. References: submit three (3) completed Recommendation for Admission forms (current/former instructors or supervisors preferred). Recommendation forms are available at counselored@una.edu or by calling the Department of Counselor Education at 256-765-4763.
  6. Employment and volunteer activities: submit a personal resume that includes a record of employment and volunteer activities.
  7. Interview: successfully complete an interview with members of the Counselor Education faculty. When all required application documents have been received the applicant will be contacted to schedule an interview.
  8. For graduation, Clinical Mental Health Counseling candidates must achieve a passing score on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).
  9. The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling follows the University Graduate Grading Policy in regard to satisfactory academic progress as a graduate student.

Master of Science Degree

Exercise Science and Health Promotion

  1. Scholastic achievement: minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate work for unconditional admission.
  2. Preparation:  must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution that meets the general admission requirements for graduate study at UNA.
  3. Conditional admission:  minimum overall GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale) with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate major work.
  4. Must have departmental approval.
  5. In addition, students may earn no more than six hours of "C" work or below.  A third grade of "C" or below will result in dismissal from the program.  
  6. Recommendations: three letters of recommendation to be addressed to the Chair or Graduate Program Coordinator of Department of Kinesiology from professionals that can attest to the candidate’s academic ability and potential for success as a graduate student.
  7. Essay: typed, maximum two pages, addressing these three questions:
    1. Why the candidate wishes to be considered for admission to the graduate program;
    2. How completion of a graduate degree supports the candidate’s career goals; and
    3. What the candidate can bring to this graduate program.

Instructional Technology and Design

Sport and Recreation Management

  1. Scholastic achievement: minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on undergraduate work for unconditional admission.
  2. Preparation:  must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution that meets the general admission requirements for graduate study at UNA.
  3. Conditional admission:  minimum overall GPA of 2.50 (4.0 scale) with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate major work or overall GPA of 2.50 if the applicant has at least three years of full-time experience in the sport and recreation management field.  
  4. Must have departmental approval.
  5. In addition, students may earn no more than six hours of "C" work or below.  A third grade of "C" or below will result in dismissal from the program.
  6. Recommendations: three letters of recommendation to be addressed to the Chair or Graduate Program Coordinator of Department of Kinesiology from professionals that can attest to the candidate’s academic ability and potential for success as a graduate student.
  7. Essay: typed, maximum two pages, addressing these three questions:
    1. Why the candidate wishes to be considered for admission to the graduate program;
    2. How completion of a graduate degree supports the candidate’s career goals; and
    3. What the candidate can bring to this graduate program.

Education Specialist Degree

Elementary Education

  1. Scholastic achievement: a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Preparation: candidates must be unconditionally admitted to the Education Specialist Program in Elementary Education. Requirements for admission shall include a valid master’s-level professional educator certificate in the same teaching field(s) in which the Class AA Professional Educator Certificate is sought, except as prescribed below:
    1. A teacher with a valid bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate in elementary education and a valid master’s-level professional educator certificate in reading may be admitted to a Class AA program in elementary education.
    2. A teacher with a valid bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate in any teaching field and a valid master’s-level professional educator certificate in English for speakers of other languages may be admitted to a Class AA program in the same teaching field for which the teacher holds a valid bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate.
  3. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  4. Interview: successfully complete an individual interview with university faculty.
  5. Graduate coursework: candidates are limited to a total of five graduate courses prior to unconditional admission to the program. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  6. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  7. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.
  8. If an individual is admitted to an Alabama Class AA program based on a master’s-level professional educator certificate in another state, completes a Class AA program, and subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class AA level, then the individual must earn at least a Class A Professional Educator Certificate before applying for Class AA certification.

Instructional Leadership

  1. Scholastic achievement: a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. Candidates must hold a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in Instructional Leadership or a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate. 
  3. Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
    1. Be currently serving as a superintendent, assistant or associate superintendent, assistant to the superintendent, principal, assistant  principal, supervisor (any subject and/or grade level), administrator of career and technical education, coordinator, or evaluator.
    2. Document three years of employment in an Instructional Leadership position for which one of the certificates is proper certification according to the current edition of the Subject and Personnel Codes of the Alabama State Department of Education.
    3. Demonstrate each of the abilities in the Class A Instructional Leadership standards prior to admission to the Class AA Instructional Leadership program or prior to completion of the Class AA Instructional Leadership program.
  4. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  5. Applicants who completed a Class A program other than one approved by the State Board of Education on or after September 8, 2005, must submit a portfolio. Instructions can be located at this link: https://una.edu/secondary-education/docs/EDS%20IL%20-%20Portfolio%20Interview%20Instructions.pdf
  6. Interview: applicants who completed a Class A program other than one approved by the State Department of Education on or after September 8, 2005, must pass an interview conducted by a program admission committee that includes both P-12 instructional leaders and Instructional Leadership faculty.
  7. Graduate coursework: candidates must be unconditionally admitted to the Class AA Instructional Leadership program or the Class AA teacher leader program prior to enrolling in any leadership courses in the program.
  8. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  9. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.

Teacher Leader

  1. Scholastic achievement: a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  2. ASBI/FBI background clearance.
  3. A minimum of three full years of full-time teaching experience in a P-12 setting. This should be demonstrated via the Alabama Supplemental EXP form.  The Supplemental EXP form can be found at this site: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/9-SUPPLEMENT-EXP.pdf.  The form(s) should be completed by district central office and can be emailed to coehsgrad@una.edu.
  4. Portfolio: submit an admission portfolio. See link for portfolio requirements: https://bit.ly/35BTCqt. 
  5. Graduate coursework: candidates who have not met requirements for unconditional admission to a Class AA teacher leader program prior to August 1, 2012, may not complete more than five courses in the Class AA teacher leader program prior to unconditional admission. Any coursework exceeding the five-course rule may not be used for certification purposes.
  6. If a survey of special education course was completed for prior level certification, another approved diversity course is required.
  7. Unconditional admission: candidates should consult with their education advisor regarding unconditional admission requirements specific to their program.
  8. Note: If an individual is admitted to an Alabama Class AA teacher leader program based on a valid master’s level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or area of instructional support from another state, completes the Class AA teacher leader program, and subsequently applies for Class AA teacher leader certification, then the individual must earn at least a Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or area of instructional support before applying for Class AA certification.