Graduate Program-specific Application Requirements

Letters of recommendation should be submitted using the online application. If you are unable to use the online application, please print and mail the appropriate letter of recommendation form.

The following is a checklist of materials that are required to complete your graduate application by program. Please see the Grand Valley State University catalog for specific admission requirements.

Accounting (M.S.A.)
- Official GMAT scores
- One-page essay/personal statement
Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Applied Computer Science (M.S.)
- Two recommendations
- Resume
- A link to a video (no more than 3 minutes) where you briefly describe career goals, background experiences, and previous projects, including an explanation of how this program will help you achieve educational and professional objectives. Please be sure the video is available to people without needing to login, and for at least a 30 day period after submission of your online application.
- U.S. students with a GPA below 3.0 from all of their undergraduate coursework must contact the School of Computing & Information Systems for advising.
Applied Statistics (M.S.)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
- Two recommendations
Athletic Training (MAT)
- Applicants must apply online through ATCAS.
  - In addition to completion of the ATCAS application, students must also submit the GVSU Supplemental Form and $30 application fee.
Audiology (Au.D.)
- Applicants must apply online through CSDCAS.
  - In addition to completion of the CSDCAS application, students must submit the GVSU Supplemental Form and $30 application fee.
Certificate in Bioinformatics and Genomics
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
Biology (M.S.)
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Biomedical Sciences (M.H.S.)
- All official transcripts
- Three recommendations
- Typed response to the following questions, limit total response to five pages:
  - What are your career/educational plans for after the master's program?
  - What do you hope to achieve while in graduate school?
  - Why are you interested in the M.H.S. program at GVSU?
  - What experiences have prepared you for success in graduate school?
  - What are your research interests and why?
Biostatistics (M.S.)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
- Two recommendations
Business Administration – Executive Program (M.B.A.)
- One-page essay/personal statement
- Resume
Business Administration – Professional Program (M.B.A.)
- All official transcripts
- One-page essay/personal statement
- Resume
- Two recommendations
Cell and Molecular Biology (M.S.)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0
- Official GRE scores
- Essay/personal statement
- Two recommendations
- Resume
Clinical Dietetics (M.S.)
- All official transcripts
- Resume
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0
- Essay/personal statement
- Two recommendations
Communications (M.S.)
- Resume
- Two recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Criminal Justice (M.S.)
- Essay/personal statement
- Three recommendations, including two from current or former professors
Cybersecurity (M.S.)
- Resume
- Two recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Data Science and Analytics (M.S.)
- Two recommendations
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores
Education (M.Ed.)
- One recommendation
Education - Higher Education (M.Ed.)
- One recommendation
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement (approximately 500 words) answering the following questions:
  - What experiences have led you to pursue a graduate degree in Higher Education?
  - What qualities do you have that prepare you to be a successful graduate student in the M.Ed. in Higher Education program?
  - How will the M.Ed. in Higher Education program at GVSU help you to achieve your personal and professional goals in student affairs, higher education, or related fields?
- If you are planning to apply for a graduate assistantship, requiring full-time enrollment in either AHE or CSAL emphasis, please also answer the following questions (approximately 250-500 words at the conclusion of the personal statement outlined above):
  - What experiences, skills and talents will you bring to a graduate assistantship?
  - How will an assistantship help you to meet your professional goals?
Education - School Counseling (M.Ed.)
- All official transcripts
- One recommendation
Education Specialist in Leadership (Ed.S.)
- Essay/personal statement
- One recommendation
- Current resume must include the following:
  - Title of master’s project or thesis
  - Degrees received with dates, institutions, majors, and minors
  - Listing of employment
  - Description of leadership experiences, dates, and location
  - Presentations, publications, memberships, and professional development
Engineering (M.S.E.)
- Applicants must apply online through EngineeringCAS.
- In addition to completion of the EngineeringCAS application, students must submit the GVSU Supplemental Form and $30 application fee.
Certificate in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- No additional documents required
Health Administration (M.H.A.)
- All official transcripts
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
- Three recommendations
  - Note: Essay/personal statements and recommendations submitted previously for a graduate program other than health administration will not meet M.H.A. application requirements.
Health Informatics and Bioinformatics (M.S.)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores
- Resume
- Essay/personal statement
- Two recommendations
Certificate in Interprofessional Health Informatics
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Medical Dosimetry (M.S.)
- All official transcripts
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
- Prerequisite verification and GPA calculation worksheet
Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Nursing (M.S.N., D.N.P.)
- Curriculum vitae/resume
- One-page essay/personal statement. Please indicate within essay the program emphasis to which you are applying.
- Typed response to the following questions - Limit total response to three to five double spaced pages:
  - Identify and describe a population of interest to you.
  - Identify three factors that may affect achievement of optimal health in the selected population.
  - Select from these factors the one that you believe is both a priority and most amenable to nursing interventions, then:
    - State your rationale for selecting this one over the other two.
    - Describe the implications of this factor for your practice now and in the future.
    - Describe the approaches you would take to deliver nursing care to this selected population, considering the influence of the selected factor.
Occupational Therapy (M.S.)
- Applicants must apply online through OTCAS.
- In addition to completion of the OTCAS application, students must submit the GVSU Supplemental Form and $30 application fee.
Occupational Therapy (Dr.O.T. - Post-Professional Doctorate)
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Certificate in Online/Blended Instruction and Assessment
- One recommendation
Certificate in Palliative and Hospice Care
- No additional documents required
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (M.P.N.L.)
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
- Applicants must apply online through PTCAS.
  - In addition to completion of the PTCAS application, students must also submit the GVSU supplemental form and $30 application fee.
Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.)
- Applicants must apply online through CASPA.
  - In addition to completion of the CASPA application, students must also submit the GVSU supplemental form and $30 application fee.
Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Curriculum vitae/resume
- One-page essay/personal statement
Public Administration (M.P.A.)
- All official transcripts
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Public Health (M.P.H.)
- Resume
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0
- Two recommendations
- Typed response to the following questions:
  Limit total response to two double spaced pages (maximum).
  1. What would make you an excellent candidate for the Grand Valley State University M.P.H. program?
  2. What are your expectations for a future career in public health (highlighting your emphasis area of interest)?
Recreational Therapy (M.S.)
- Resume
- Two recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
School Psychology Specialist (M.S., Psy.S.)
- Resume
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
Social Innovation (M.A.)
- Two recommendations
- Essay/personal statement
- Submitting a GRE score is not required. However, applicants who have neither a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or five years of professional experience may consider submitting a GRE score to strengthen their application.
Social Work (M.S.W.)
- All official transcripts
- Three recommendations
- Resume detailing work and volunteer experiences
- Coursework requirement form - Complete this form within the online graduate application.
  - As stated in the GVSU School of Social Work Admission requirements, all applicants must have a minimum of 18 credits in a combination of human biological, social, and behavioral science courses, with a good representation in sociology, psychology, and/or social work.
  - Please list prior academic courses in these areas. This information will be used to determine whether you will need to take prerequisite courses prior to admission in the MSW program.
- Essay answering the questions below. Typed response (limited to five pages total).
  - What motivates you to pursue a master's degree in social work at this time?
  - The profession of social work is committed to social, political, and economic justice, the alleviation of poverty and oppression, and the reduction of social problems. Address a social problem about which you are particularly concerned. Concisely discuss your understanding of social, political, and economic justice. How do you think that you can advance the aforementioned? What experiences or factors have shaped your interest in advancing justice?
  - Describe some of your experiences and achievements in school, work (volunteering or employment), and in your personal life. Include a description of any barriers you have encountered in pursuing your education, work, or personal goals. Indicate the steps and strategies you have used, or are using, to overcome these barriers.
  - Describe examples and experiences that demonstrate you can work effectively with individuals and communities that represent diverse populations (including, but not limited to, people and communities reflecting diverse ethnicities, racial identities, abilities, socio-economic class, gender, or sexual orientations). Describe any difficulties you have encountered when working with any of the diverse groups mentioned above.
  - Please describe your plans for completing the MSW program if you are admitted. For example, how do you plan to balance your work, education, and personal life? What supports are in place for you when you enter field placement?
Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.)
- Applicants must apply online through CSDCAS.
- In addition to completion of the CSDCAS application, students must also submit the GVSU Supplemental Form and $30 application fee.
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB scores for applicants whose native language is not English. The minimum scores are:
  - TOEFL - Passing score of 106, including at least 28 on the speaking section, with no section's score less than 24.
  - IELTS - Passing score of 7.5 overall, including at least 7.5 on the speaking section, with no section's score less than 7.0.
Taxation (M.S.T.)
- Official GMAT scores
- One-page essay/personal statement
Water Resource Policy (M.S.)
- Three recommendations
- Essay/personal statement

Page last modified November 16, 2023

Report a problem with this page