Applying to Clemson

Academic Requirements

New Applicants

As a minimum and general requirement for admission to any of the University's graduate programs, a prospective student must hold at least a four-year bachelor's degree from an institution whose scholastic rating is satisfactory to the University. Prospective students must have the approval of the appropriate department chair or program coordinator to be offered admission. Although the quality of an applicant's previous academic record always plays an integral role in any admission decision, a general division in requirements, based on the degree objective, exists as follows:

  • Master of Arts, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees. Criteria for admission to these University-wide degrees include satisfactory scores on the general portion of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).** Applicants to the M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in management must submit satisfactory scores on either the GRE or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).** The MS degree program in Marketing accepts the GMAT only. The MA degree program in economics accepts the GRE only.
  • The Professional Degrees. Admission criteria, recommended by the individual colleges awarding the degree, may include professional experience and/or credentials as well as GRE general scores.** Specifically, the professional programs in accounting, business administration and health administration require satisfactory scores on the GMAT**. Real Estate Development accepts either the GRE or GMAT.

Note: GRE or GMAT scores more than five years old will not be accepted.

International students, in addition to meeting the minimum and general requirements stated previously, must submit satisfactory scores on the general portion of the Graduate Record Examinations** regardless of the degree objective (however, see items 1 and 2 above for the master's programs in industrial management, accounting, business administration and health administration). A satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)*** is also required of international students whose native tongue is not English. The Graduate School may waive this requirement if the department recommends doing so based on a phone or in-person interview with the applicant.

Note: TOEFL scores more than two years old will not be accepted.

Admission to all programs is restricted to students whose academic records indicate the potential to be successful in graduate studies. This determination, which is made by the faculty of each graduate program and affirmed by the Graduate School, may include a broad range of performance indicators, which may be different for master’s and doctoral programs in the same discipline. These indicators may include, but are not limited to, previous academic performance (both graduate and undergraduate), standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, personal interviews, applicant statements of interest, portfolio of previous work, and materials indicating the applicant’s ability to perform independent research in the discipline. The faculty of each program has significant discretion to determine admission standards and class size based on availability of academic advisors, financial support, laboratory space, student distribution within interest areas, and other resource constraints. The Graduate School reserves the right to require additional indicators prior to reaching an admission decision. Neither an academic record exceeding minimum requirements, satisfactory scores on standardized tests, nor professional expertise alone will assure an applicant’s admission in this competitive environment. Rather, the total record must indicate the strong likelihood of successfully completing graduate study.

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Assessment of Previous Academic Work

Clemson graduate programs typically evaluate applicants’ previous undergraduate academic coursework using the total undergraduate grade-point ratio. Departments are at liberty to discount certain courses in assessing an applicant’s academic record. Certain professional programs may use modified versions of the total undergraduate grade-point ratio to satisfy accreditation standards. In evaluating the grade-point ratio of an applicant’s prior graduate work, departments will typically use all graduate coursework except research and/or courses graded on a pass/fail basis. In no cases will grades from a partial-term session or enrollment period be considered. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis and certain electives having no relationship to a curriculum will generally not be considered.

Applicants Presently Enrolled in Graduate School

Students enrolled in a degree program at Clemson University who wish to continue their studies in another graduate program after completing their initial degree objective may apply by submitting a new application to the Graduate School. An application fee is not required if the application is received within one year of completing the initial degree. Contact Graduate Admissions for additional information.

Students holding both the bachelor's and master's degrees from Clemson University are encouraged to pursue doctoral programs at other institutions.

Change of Degree Program

Students who have enrolled in a given degree program within the past two calendar years may request a change of major and/or degree without submitting a new application. Instead, the student must submit to the Graduate School Form GS14 endorsed by the department chair(s) or program chairperson(s) of the affected degree program(s). All program and Graduate School requirements must be met before final approval will be granted.

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Readmission

A former graduate student who has not maintained continuous enrollment (summers excluded), but who is academically eligible to continue in the graduate degree program where he/she was most recently enrolled, may be permitted to return. The procedures are dictated by the period of absence from enrollment as follows:

  1. Less than Two Years. The student must complete a Graduate Degree-Seeking Application for Re-Entrance (formerly GS36), which may be obtained from the Graduate School or printed from the general forms page of the Web site. Students are readmitted into the degree and major they were in when they last attended Clemson University Graduate School.
  2. Two to Six Years. A new application must be submitted and endorsed by the program coordinator and the Graduate School. The application must show any intervening graduate work, and appropriate official transcripts of the work may be required by the Graduate School.
  3. Six or More Years. A new application and all supporting materials will be required; that is, such persons are considered to be new applicants.

Former graduate students described above who wish to return to Clemson University to pursue an undergraduate degree and/or course work with no immediate plans for graduate work should contact the Registrar's Office for procedures.

Academic Renewal

A student who was dismissed from the Graduate School for a grade point deficiency and who has not enrolled for a period of four or more academic years may apply to the Graduate School for readmission under special conditions known as academic renewal. Under these conditions, the previous graduate credits attempted and quality point deficit will not constitute a liability in a new grade point computation. However, no credits passed or their attending quality points will be available to the student for a degree at Clemson, and any courses previously passed may not be validated by special examination. The previous record will appear on the permanent record as well as the notation of readmission under the policy of academic renewal.

Admissions Process Review

The Graduate admissions process will be reviewed annually at the beginning of the fall semester by the Graduate Advisory Committee.

Next: Admission Classifications

** GRE or GMAT scores more than five years old relative to date of initial enrollment will not be accepted.

*** TOEFL scores more than two years old relative to date of initial enrollment will not be accepted.

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