Longwood Graduate Catalog 2003-2004

To apply to all degree and licensure programs except the Liberal Studies/Special Education Five-Year Program (see the procedures for this program below), complete the following steps:

1. Request an application packet from the Office of Graduate Studies (434.395.2707) or visit the Longwood University Graduate Studies web site at: www.longwood.edu/graduatestudies/ and print a copy of the application.

3. Write a personal essay of 500 words or more in which you discuss your reasons for seeking graduate education. Include your career goals and how the graduate program for which you are applying would help to meet those goals; prior work/life experiences which relate to your interest in, and aptitude for, the graduate program for which you are applying; and your perception of your intellectual capability to complete successfully your graduate program.

4. Request that official transcripts of ALL previous undergraduate and graduate work be sent directly to you in a sealed envelope. Do not break the seal. (Longwood transcripts need not be submitted, as they will be obtained in house.) An overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. An applicant must be a graduate of a four-year regionally accredited college or university.

5. Two recommendations related to your competence and effectiveness in your professional work are required. These recommendations should come from employers, professional contacts, or faculty members. Section 1 of each recommendation form is to be completed by the applicant. Provide the recommendation form and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to each person preparing a recommendation. Instruct each to enclose the completed recommendation in the envelope. The envelope should then be sealed, signed across the seal and returned to you. Do not break the seal.

6. A copy of your teaching license is required if applying to one of the Education degree or licensure programs that require a teaching license as a prerequisite.

7. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required if you are applying to the Environmental Studies major. Please include an official score report with your application.

8. Once you have compiled all of the above, mail the complete application (application form, essay, minimum two recommendations, copy of teaching license if applicable, GRE scores if applicable, and official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended) to the Office of Graduate Studies, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909. (Application packets obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies contain a large, return envelope with a checklist.)

9. Mail the $40.00 non-refundable application fee to the Office of Cashiering, Longwood Univer-sity, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909. (Application packets contain a postage paid, return envelope.)

10. For optimum consideration for all programs and specifically for the two counseling programs, completed applications must be submitted by the deadlines listed below. Failure to meet the published deadlines could lead to difficulties with admission to the requested term, financial aid and/or course selection.

Semester applicant wishes to begin Graduate Program:	Completed application packets due to Office of Graduate Studies:	Applicants notified of admission status no later than:	$50 deposit due in Cashiering for students accepting their offer of admission:	Deadline for requesting a refund of the deposit:
Fall Semester	May 1	June 30	June 30	July 31
Spring Semester	October 1	November 15	November 15	December 15
Summer Sessions	February 1	March 31	March 31	April 30

When all application materials have been received and the file is complete, it is forwarded by the Office of Graduate Studies to the appropriate program admissions committee for review. Each program’s admissions committee, with the exception of the Community & College Counseling and Guidance & Counseling programs, reviews applications regularly. These two programs review applications three times annually after each of the above stated deadlines. Once the committee has rendered a decision, the Office of Graduate Studies sends prompt, written notification to the applicant.

4. Mail the completed application and essay to the Office of Graduate Studies, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

5. Mail the $40 non-refundable application fee to the Office of Cashiering, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

6. Letters of recommendation do not need to be submitted. The Special Education Admissions Committee, upon receipt of a list of the five-year candidates completing their undergraduate degree each semester, will circulate this list to all special education faculty for their recommendations in lieu of the current recommendation form.

7. Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work do not need to be submitted. The special education faculty to aid in making their admission decision will examine Longwood records that include any course work taken elsewhere, available on the Student Information System. An overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) is required.

8. All the required documents should be submitted by the above deadlines for optimum consideration for admission to the requested term, financial aid and/or course selection. Students should complete this process during the final semester of their senior year, with their acceptance pending successful completion of their professional semester and bachelor’s degree.

When all application materials have been received and the file is complete, it is forwarded by the Office of Graduate Studies to the Special Education Admissions Committee for review. This committee reviews all of the five-year program applicants as a group each semester after the published deadlines. Once the committee has rendered a decision, the Office of Graduate Studies will send prompt, written notification to the applicant.

A $50 tuition deposit is required of all degree seeking graduate students as an indication of commitment to attend Longwood University. New students will be invoiced for the deposit in the letter of admission from the Office of Graduate Studies. Deposits are made in the Office of Cashiering. Deposits are refundable provided a written withdrawal/refund request is issued to the Office of Graduate Studies prior to the stated deadlines in the table above. The deposit becomes a credit on the new student’s account.

Longwood’s Honor Code prohibits lying, cheating, and stealing. Students who complete the Application for Graduate Admission pledge to abide by the Honor Code. Should a student falsify the information provided on the application, alter academic documents, plagiarize the essay or otherwise issue an untrue statement as part of the application process, the offer of admission will be revoked. The University also reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission:

1. An applicant for whom all of the necessary entrance information has not yet been received and reviewed by the respective program admission committee may enroll as a special student for up to six credit hours that may, if completed successfully, be counted toward the degree.

2. A teacher who is primarily interested in licensure renewal but not credit toward a degree program may enroll as a continuing education special student. No application is necessary and registration takes place in the Office of Registration.

3. A student who is interested in personal enrichment may enroll as a continuing education special student. No application is necessary and registration takes place in the Office of Registration.

3. Graduate courses may be audited, with permission of the instructor and registration takes place in the Office of Registration.

A student who has earned a master’s degree from an accredited institution may choose to complete a second master’s degree. The applicant should complete all of the steps in the admission process and in addition, submit a completed Application for Graduate Degree that includes a $40 fee. The prospective applicant should contact the Office of Graduate Studies to arrange an appointment with the appropriate Program Coordinator for the completion of the Application for Graduate Degree. Once completed the $40.00 fee along with the $40.00 Application for Graduate Admission fee should be submitted directly to the Office of Cashiering. The Application for Graduate Degree form is then filed in the Office of Registration at the same time the Application for Graduate Admission is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies.

A maximum of six (6) credit hours from the first master’s degree may be applied to the second master’s degree, provided a grade of B or better was earned in the course(s) and they are applicable to the new program.

A senior at Longwood University may take up to six (6) hours of graduate credit beyond the undergraduate degree requirements. Such credit may be earned only in 500-level courses and, if it meets course requirements for the degree, may be counted toward a master’s degree. The senior must have a “B” average in the major and must receive permission from the department chair of their major and then the Director of Graduate Studies. In any case where an undergraduate student is registered for a 500-level course that is to be applied to a graduate degree, the Director of Graduate Studies must notify the Office of Registration of this designation.

The University welcomes applications from prospective international students. In addition to possessing the equivalent of an undergraduate degree and a 2.75 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale), the international student must also demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). A minimum score of 550 (paper test) or a 213 (computer test) is needed for admission. International students seeking admission to the University should request a copy of the International Student Guide and consult our web site at www.longwood.edu/admissions/international.htm.

To allow time for credential evaluation and unexpected delays in international mail, international applicants should mail the Application for Graduate Admission along with all other materials at least six months before planning to enroll. The Office of Graduate Studies requires a credential evaluation for each official college transcript from an accredited evaluating agency.

International students should pay particular attention to possible medical needs and be immunized for the following diseases: Measles (Rubeola), German Measles (Rubella), Mumps, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, and have a Tuberculin Skin Test (ppd) within the past year. Medical insurance is mandatory. If students have particular medication needs, they should write to the Longwood Office of Student Health to determine whether the medications can be obtained here. All international students and any dependent residing with them in the U.S. must obtain medical insurance that provides coverage for hospitalization expenses, medication evacuation, and repatriation expenses.

International applicants must certify sufficient financial resources in order to be issued a visa to attend Longwood. The student visa must be issued prior to enrollment. Please check with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for a complete set of regulations. A foreign national must provide an affidavit that shows that he/she has enough money to pay for the number of years required to complete the master’s degree. The affidavit must be signed by the student and parent (if applicable) and be notarized by a bank official. Longwood does not provide financial aid for international students.

In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, students with disabilities will not be discriminated against on the basis of their disability.

Admission to the graduate program is based on the requirements outlined in the Catalog. Admissions decisions are made without regard to disability. All students are expected to present academic credentials at or above the minimum standards for admission as established by the Graduate Committee.

Once a student has been admitted, requests for accommodations should be directed to Mrs. Susan Rood, Director of Disability Support Services at 434-395-2391, TDD 711, srood@longwood.edu or by fax at 434-395-2434. The Director will work with the student, based upon appropriate documentation, to provide and structure reasonable accommodations to meet the student’s needs.

Longwood University recognizes both the wide variation in the needs of students with disabilities and the fact that as students progress through their programs, unanticipated needs may arise. Contact your academic advisor, the program coordinator, the Office of Graduate Studies or Disability Support Services as soon as possible if problems do arise.

In accordance with 23-7.5 of the Code of Virginia, a full-time student (nine hours at the graduate level), enrolling for the first time in any public institution of higher education in this Commonwealth must have a health record and history on file in the Student Health Services office. Prior to pre-registration for the second semester, students must furnish documented evidence, provided by a licensed health professional or health facility, of diseases for which the student has been immunized, the numbers of doses given, the dates when administered, and any further immunizations indicated. These immunizations include diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles (rubeola), German measles (rubella), mumps, and meningitis according to the guidelines of the American College Health Association. Tuberculosis screening within the past year is also required. Any student who fails to furnish this information will not be eligible for registration for the second semester.

Graduate Admissions