Admission Requirements

Masters In Applied Natural Sciences at
Colorado State University-Pueblo

Candidates for the MSANS program must have received a baccalaureate degree in the life sciences or chemical sciences or the equivalent in course work in one of these areas before applying for the program. A student who has received a baccalaureate degree in one of these areas from an accredited institution and who wishes to take either additional undergraduate courses or begin graduate courses must submit the items listed below to the Office of Admissions, Colorado State University-Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Boulevard, Pueblo, Colorado 81001-4901 (USA). Other backgrounds will be considered on an individual basis. Admission into the program is open during the academic year. The following items shall constitute the admission file for each applicant:

1 . A completed application for admission to graduate programs of the Colorado State University-Pueblo and a $35 application fee. The fee is non-refundable and is not applicable toward tuition. For students previously enrolled as degree-seeking undergraduate students at CSU-Pueblo, the fee is waived. Application forms may be obtained by writing the CSU-Pueblo Office of Admissions or by telephone at (719) 549-2461 or at the web site http://gocsupueblo.com/CompleteAnApplication.htm

 

2. Official transcripts of all college and university work sent directly to the Office of Admissions by each institution attended. Records received directly from students cannot be accepted except for advisement purposes. The records of students who previously attended CSU-Pueblo will be obtained from the Records Office and do not require a student request.

 

3. The score from the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores may influence the admission decision but are used primarily for advising.

 

4. The score from an English language proficiency test (TOEFL or Michigan) for those students whose native language is not English. A minimum score of 500 (TOEFL, paper-based), 173 (TOEFL, computer-based), or 80 (Michigan test of English proficiency) is required for admission. Students who complete an undergraduate degree at an institution in the United States are exempt from this requirement.

 

5. Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional references.

Admission to Graduate Studies at CSU-Pueblo does not constitute admission to a particular graduate program. Admission to the MSANS degree program must be approved by the program director after review of the student's credentials by the program department. The student is admitted to the MSANS program according to one of the three categories below.

The Admissions Office will inform the student of their admission status including any provisions upon which their admission depends. Copies will be sent to the director of the MSANS Program and the appropriate department chair. Changes in admission status will be communicated in writing to students in response to the written recommendation of the appropriate department chair and with concurrence by the MSANS program director.

1. Regular Status

Regular status will be given to degree-seeking students who meet the following requirements:

-a completed admissions file,a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accreditation agency

-a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or
- acceptable scores (1000 minimum) on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE; 3 for the written part), and
- no undergraduate deficiencies as determined by the student's program department.

2. Conditional Status

The university may grant conditional status to students whose cumulative undergraduate GPA is between 2.5 and 3.0 and who do not meet all of the requirements for regular status. The Admissions Office will refer the student and their admissions file to the director of the MSANS Program who will refer the student and their admissions file to the appropriate department chair. The student's department chair will consult with the faculty of the department and specify, in writing, the provisions for conditional status. The conditions set by the department will be forwarded to the director of the MSANS Program who will inform the Admissions Office, in writing, of the student's admission status.

When the provisions of conditional acceptance have been met, the director of the MSANS Program will inform the student and the Admissions Office, in writing, after which the Admissions Office will change the student's status from conditional to regular. Students may use no more than 12 credit hours earned under conditional status toward meeting requirements of the MSANS degree.

3. Non-Degree Status

A. The student requests courses for professional development only.

B. The student's record shows that he/she does not meet the qualifications for admission to a degree program with conditional or regular status. In this case, with the approval of the program director, the Admissions Office will notify the student of the deficiency, the qualification procedure to follow, and the name of the program department chair, who will be sent a copy of the notification. Students applying for admission from non-accredited institutions in the United States will be included in this category. A student with non-degree status who has completed 12 department-approved program hours with a 3.0 GPA or higher at CSU-Pueblo may petition the program director for a change to the regular degree-seeking status.

C. Students taking courses as non-degree students are ineligible for financial aid. Students admitted in non-degree status may take, with the instructor's permission, graduate courses for which they meet the prerequisites. A maximum of 12 hours taken under non-degree status may be applied toward a degree. The inclusion of these credits requires the approval of the program director.

NOTE: Graduate Courses Taken by Seniors

CSU-Pueblo students who are in their senior year of undergraduate work, and who have an undergraduate grade-point average that meets the admissions requirement for the program, may take graduate courses for graduate credit with the approval of the appropriate program department chair and the MSANS program director. Up to 12 graduate hours may be taken prior to graduation, but the combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment normally may not exceed 16 hours for a semester. Graduate-level courses (500 level) cannot be used simultaneously to satisfy baccalaureate and graduate degree requirements unless the student is enrolled in the three-plus-two program.

NOTE: International Students Taking Graduate Courses

International students who have potential difficulty forwarding their academic records (transcripts and/or GRE records) on time for regular admission may be admitted in the program on a conditional basis for one (1) academic semester to allow for such records to be received by the Office of Admissions. However, regular admission conditions must be met by the beginning of the second semester for the student to remain in the program. Students who fail to meet conditions for regular admission by the deadline will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Transfer Standards

A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of resident graduate credit from accredited graduate institutions may be applied toward the graduate degree program. Transfer credits must be directly applicable to the degree program and must be approved by the program department chair and MSANS program director, who will make recommendations to the Admissions Office. Graduate credits accepted in transfer must be from a course in which a grade of A or B was earned, and must be from an institution where the student maintained a graduate GPA of at least 3.0. Credits earned from correspondence courses will not be accepted. Graduate credits accepted in transfer do not apply to the GPA at CSU-Pueblo.

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