Application materials include an application, non-refundable application fee, official transcript(s), and official entrance exam scores if applicable. Additional supporting materials vary by program. For the most current and program-specific information, please, visit the Degrees Offered web page. Application materials include:
The following examinations are given at various centers throughout the United States and in other countries.
Additional Application Requirements*
For additional admission requirements, international students should contact:
Global Engagement Center
Sam Houston State University
Box 2150
Huntsville TX 77341-2150
*The College of Osteopathic Medicine will only review and consider for admissions applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal Permanent Residents of the U.S. Additional information can be found on the TMDSAS website under residency.
Additional VISA Type Considerations
Students in the following VISA categories at the time of application may qualify for conditional admissions, probationary admissions, preparatory admissions, non-degree admissions, or graduate transient admissions: A-1, A-2, A-3, B-2, E-1, E-2, F-I, F-2, VWB, VWT, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5. H-1A, H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, H-4, I, J-1, J-2, L-1, L-2, M-1, M-2, NATO 1-7, O-1, O-2, O-3, P-1, P-2, P-3, P-4, Q, R-1, R-2, TN, and TD.
Admission Standards
For Graduate Admission, SHSU requires an undergraduate GPA from the baccalaureate-granting institution of 2.5 (on a 4.0 point scale) or a GPA of at least 2.8 from the last 60 hours of courses taken at the baccalaureate degree-granting institution. Only the hours received at the baccalaureate degree-granting institution may be used to calculate for the 2.8 GPA requirement admission option. The minimum GPA may be waived for programs in certain circumstances, please contact the program department/school for additional information.
Admission to graduate studies at Sam Houston State University and any of its sponsored programs is open to qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, or age.
A student applying for admission to graduate studies at SHSU may be considered for six types of admission. Details of the possible admission types follow. The final admission decision rests with the respective academic dean.
Regular admission may be granted to a degree-seeking student who meets all of the University and program-specific admission requirements. Meeting stated minimum admission requirements does not constitute automatic admission to a graduate program at Sam Houston State University. Any inquiries regarding program-specific admission requirements should be directed to the graduate advisor (access advisors at Degrees Offered) or the dean of the appropriate college in which the program is housed. Regular admission, pending degree conferral, may be granted to a degree-seeking student who has not yet graduated with their baccalaureate degree. This will allow an admission decision to be made and the student to enroll in classes pending receipt of successful degree conferral. For students admitted pending degree conferral or lacking official transcripts (i.e., admission decision made with unofficial transcripts), the official transcript of the degree-granting institution(s) showing the date of the degree conferral must be submitted prior to the registration deadline of the semester enrolled. Failure to submit such official transcripts by the registration deadline may result in revocation of admission status.
Conditional admission may be granted, at the discretion of the appropriate academic dean, to a degree-seeking student who has not yet submitted ALL of the required admission materials to allow an admission decision to be made and is being allowed to enroll in classes pending receipt of the missing material(s). Conditional admission is valid for ONE SEMESTER ONLY. A subsequent admission decision will be made upon receipt of the missing admission material. Conditional admission does NOT guarantee regular admission upon receipt of the missing material, regardless of the student’s performance in classes taken during the one semester of conditional admission. Some programs do not grant conditional admission. At the discretion of the appropriate academic dean, a conditionally admitted student may be limited to fewer than the normal maximum semester load of 12 graduate credit hours. International students may not qualify for conditional admission, with the exception of international students transferring directly from U.S. institutions. For more information, refer to Additional Visa Type Considerations. Conditional admission does not qualify for federal financial aid.
Probationary admission may be granted, at the discretion of the appropriate academic dean, to a degree-seeking student who has submitted all of the required admission materials BUT does not qualify for regular admission. Probationary admission allows a student to enroll in courses to demonstrate the ability to succeed at the graduate level. A student may complete a maximum of 12 graduate semester credit hours with probationary admission. A student with probationary status may be limited to fewer than 12 graduate credit hours by the appropriate academic dean. To petition for regular admission, a student must earn a grade of “B” or better in each course completed under probationary admission. A program may set a higher standard. The final decision rests with the appropriate academic dean. A maximum of 12 credit hours completed in probationary status may be applied to a graduate program, but the department/school concerned may choose not to accept some credit hours taken prior to regular admission. Probationary admission does NOT guarantee regular admission upon completion of the requisite coursework. International students may not be eligible for probationary admission. For more information, refer to Additional Visa Type Considerations. Probationary admission does not qualify for federal financial aid.
Preparatory admission may be granted, at the discretion of the appropriate academic dean, to a degree-seeking student who has NOT qualified for regular admission AND needs to complete one or more prerequisite (stem) courses. A student granted preparatory admission may be limited to a specified number of credit hours and be subject to a stringent GPA requirement in the prerequisite (stem) courses. Preparatory admission does NOT guarantee regular admission upon completion of the stem courses, regardless of the student’s performance in the preparatory (stem) courses taken. International students may not be eligible for preparatory admission. For more information, refer to Additional Visa Type Considerations. Preparatory admission does not qualify for federal financial aid.
Non-degree admission may be granted to a student who holds a baccalaureate degree or higher and does not intend to pursue a graduate degree at SHSU, but instead wishes to take courses for professional advancement, licensure, graduate certificate, certification, or self-edification purposes. Students may enroll in undergraduate or graduate-level courses. An applicant for non-degree admission must submit the following documents to the Office of Admissions: the graduate application for admission, a non-refundable application fee, and a transcript from the school that awarded the baccalaureate degree. A non-degree student who later applies for regular admission to seek a graduate degree may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours of coursework taken in non-degree status toward a graduate program at the discretion of the appropriate academic Dean. Some graduate certificate programs may require additional information such as letters of recommendation, essays, and documentation of experience.
Generally, international students possessing an F-1 student visa are not eligible for non-degree admission. However, an F-1 student may enroll in a graduate-level certificate program. I f currently enrolled at a U.S. institution in F-1 status, non-degree admission may be permitted if the student is pursuing a course that is not offered at their current institution. Both Sam Houston State University and the current F-1 institution must be in approval. Please, contact the Global Engagement Center for more details. For more information on additional visa types, refer to Additional Visa Type Considerations .
Non-degree admission does not qualify for federal financial aid .
Transient admission may be granted to a student who is accepted in good standing at a college and/or university recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and who wishes to enroll for one semester at Sam Houston State University. An applicant requesting this status must submit the following to the Office of Admissions: the graduate application for admission, a nonrefundable application fee, and certification of graduate standing in a college and/or university recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Some departments/schools may require additional information for transient admission; therefore, applicants should contact the appropriate academic department/school. A student admitted with this admission type who later wishes to seek a degree at Sam Houston State University must submit an application for graduate studies. A maximum of 12 credit hours taken as a graduate transient may be applied to a graduate degree program at the discretion of the appropriate academic dean. For more information for international students, refer to Additional Visa Type Considerations.
A student admitted into a graduate or post-baccalaureate program at SHSU may be considered for three distinct classifications. Details of the possible classifications follow.
Post-baccalaureate classification is assigned to a student possessing a baccalaureate degree who has not been regularly or conditionally admitted to a graduate program (master’s or doctoral) at SHSU. A student who is classified as a post-baccalaureate is typically:
Master’s classification is assigned to a degree-seeking student possessing a baccalaureate degree and who has been admitted to an approved master’s degree program at SHSU. Master’s classification is also granted to a degree-seeking student admitted to a doctoral program who has not yet earned the required master’s degree or 30 hours toward the doctorate degree.
Doctoral classification is assigned to a degree-seeking student who has been admitted to an approved doctoral degree program at SHSU and has completed a master’s degree (recognized as the equivalent of one year’s full-time work) toward the doctoral degree the student is seeking or at least 30 graduate hours of work toward the proposed doctorate degree.
Professional classification is assigned to a degree-seeking student who has been admitted to an approved professional program at SHSU and has completed the pre-requisites for entry into the degree program the student is seeking.
A new application for admission must be submitted if the student fails to attend for one calendar year or seeks admission into a different degree program.
For more information, please call the Office of Admissions at (936) 294-1971 or visit Graduate Admissions online.
A student can only be enrolled, seeking one graduate degree at a time. If a student wishes to pursue more than one master's degree at Sam Houston State University, he or she must complete one degree before beginning another. A student may seek a second master’s degree at Sam Houston State University, provided that the field of study differs from the field of study for the first master’s degree.
Upon the written recommendation of the appropriate departmental/school chair(s) and academic dean, the following maximum number of credit hours may be applied to the second master’s degree:
| Departments | Programs |
|---|---|
| Hours in Second Master’s Degree Program | Maximum Semester Credit Hours Applied |
| 30-35 | 6 |
| 36-44 | 9 |
| 45-59 | 12 |
| 60 or more | 15 |
The personal standards of conduct expected of students who enroll at Sam Houston State University are provided in the Student Guidelines. Additional standards for professional behavior are expected and assessed in some graduate programs. The University reserves the right to refuse acceptance to prospective or former students who have criminal records, including conviction of a felony, offenses involving moral turpitude, or other serious offenses.